Preparing dishes with different recipes could prove tasking, but hey, there is such a thing as adequate planning which makes meal preparation a breeze! As a homemaker or professional, you should have fun whilst doing this, especially when the desired utensils are available. Pizza-making is one such cooking activity that is not quite complete without the pizza peel. The pizza peel is a simple, handy tool that often goes with a
pizza stone and is used to scoop piping hot pizza
from the oven.
Getting your pizza to be as delicious and attractive as the ones seen on TV is quite simple. It requires the right equipment to accomplish this. Pizza is made with fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses. The pizza peel ensures that the pizza does not overcook, but comes out cooked just the way you want it. A pizza peel is built to protect your hands. It comes with a long handle and a flat base shaped like a paddle, onto which the pizza is deposited. The peel is long enough to allow the base to get to the back of the oven, leaving ample room for the handle to extend outside the interior of the oven. It is a multipurpose tool that doubles as a surface for cooling the pizza and can also be used
in place of a pan. You are not set to serve you pizza or eat it immediately? No problem. The pizza peel is just the right surface to place your pies until they are ready to be consumed. Convenient? Check.
When selecting a pizza peel, some factors like the shape, blade and handle length ought to be considered. These would determine to a large extent how much enjoyment you get from your cooking. Pizza peels are crafted from different materials and you ought to know the one that suits your purpose and culinary task to make the right decision. Some are ideal for home use, whereas others are more suitable for outdoor and professional catering.
Pizza peels are portable and can be carried easily wherever you want. They are well suited for grills and outdoor ovens and come in handy when you and your friends decide to have a barbecue party. They are non-electrical appliances, so there is no chance that an explosion or power surge problem could arise from their usage. Safe? Check. It’s time to take a more detailed look at what features to look out for when choosing a pizza peel.
Price
Pizza peels come in various types and shapes. They are also categorized according to the materials they are made from, their ease of use and their versatility.
During our detailed research, we observed the price of pizza peels to be within a range of $20 to $55. With this pricing, you can easily choose a pizza peel that best suits your budget and one that fits into your cooking plans.
While there are some cheap pizza peels in the market, we chose not to consider these for the sake of this review. We discovered that most of them don’t have the desired features and durability we want to see in a pizza peel. The pizza peels we have reviewed were carefully selected from trusted brands, and any one you choose would serve you so well and leave you wondering what you could have done without it.
Features
Most pizza peels come in relatively simple designs, but some details have to be well thought out before choosing one. These features are important since they can improve or hinder your pizza-making experience, therefore should not be taken for granted. These factors include:
- Shape
- Material
- Blade Type
- Handle Length
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Construction and Design
Pizza peels are of three main types: wooden, metal and composite. Here’s what they entail:
- Wooden pizza peels - These are great because they prevent the pie from sticking. The material is the same as that used for some chopping boards, so it is safe to cut the pizza into desired pieces on it. The pizza can be placed in the oven without losing toppings. These peels are appealing to look at, but they are not fireproof and would show burn marks after use in a fire oven or on a grill. They are also thick and not the simplest to slide beneath the pizza crust.
- Metals - As we know, metals have made cooking a lot easier since they were discovered and used for fabricating cooking utensils. Metal pizza peels are a delight to use. They are much thinner and come in a flattened design different from their wooden counterpart. They are durable and stand the test of time. Depending on your preference, these peels are available in various types. If you want a simple lifting of pizza from the oven, this type of pizza peel could be the one for you. On the flip side though, uncooked dough may get stuck to the metal pizza peel, so it is advised that some flour be sprinkled or a piece of serviette placed on it prior to use.
- Composite pizza peels - These are simple to maintain, thinner than the wooden but thicker than the metal type. Their handles, however are shorter than average and could cause injury
A pizza peel should have a blade that is effective in removing and placing pizza into an oven. The thinner the peel blade, the easier it is for you to slip it beneath the pizza and pull it out.
Performance and Ease of Use
Are you a home cook or small-scale caterer who works with a small sized oven or grill and has to attend to pizza being baked just from one angle? If yes, then a pizza peel with a square head would be best for you to place and remove the pizza during baking. The square-headed peel works the pizza directly without the need for any angular maneuvering.
Professional cooks and chefs, on the other hand, can work around pizzas from different angles in a large oven, from just one door or carved opening. The square peels are not convenient for this scale of baking, hence the need for a round-headed pizza peel. This type of pizza peel easily aligns with the shape of the pizza no matter the direction from which it is inserted.
The handle length of a pizza peel is important for you to avoid injury. Ideally, it has to be long enough so that hands are 4 to 5 centimeters from the door. The length of the peel, together with the handle, should be between 26 and 40 inches approximately. Adaptable handle lengths can be seen in one of our featured products: the American MetalCraft Aluminum Pizza Peel that is available in different lengths to fit various oven types. A short handle would mean undue closeness to the pizza stone, especially when you are using a really hot oven. This may be rather clumsy especially as you check the underside, turn the dough while grilling or transfer pizza to the oven. You just may need another pizza peel to help with this.
Finding the best way and place to preserve and store your pizza peel would determine how well it would serve you for subsequent uses. Wooden pizza peels, even though they don’t get rusted, have to be washed carefully, dried and oiled to avoid smelling and to prevent mildew formation. They are not to be used in a dishwasher or soaked in detergent-infused water for any length of time, which could lead to moisture retention and rotting from within. A metal pizza peel is simple to clean -- a dry or slightly damp cloth with mild soap would do the trick! For your long-handled pizza peel, hanging on the wall may be the right option, as it may be awkward finding a place to keep it. Some peels come with foldable handles and you can keep them in a drawer or utensil rack just as you want.
The type of pizza peel you use determines how your pizza will turn out. Our buying guide highlights the factors you would need to consider before choosing a pizza peel. Since you’ve already gone through it, we trust that you know exactly what you want from a pizza peel. Come along with us to our review, which contains details of the best pizza peels in the market.
You have gone through our reviews and now you should be able to pick the best pizza peel for your needs. Go ahead and place your order so you can start making delicious pizzas.
