Stones

A pizza stone is the surface that bakes the base: it stores heat and releases it into the dough so it crisps without burning. For a kamado the benchmark is cordierite of about 38 cm, preheated for 30-40 minutes to 330-380 °C once the chamber is stable. Steel conducts faster and wants slightly lower temperatures.

Cordierite handles thermal shock and forgives mistakes: the Kamado Joe stone for the Classic is made to fit the Classic models, the Ooni cordierite stone is the generic option and the Navaris 38 × 30 × 1.5 cm gives a rectangular surface for Roman-style pizza. If you want more push on the base at medium temperatures, steel is another league: the Gi.Metal 4 mm plate is light and fast, and the VEVOR 9.5 mm steel stores far more heat.

Our view, with the Big Green Egg Large in Torrevieja as our test bench and no paid reviews: for most people, a good 38 cm cordierite stone is the right buy. A pizza oven comes with its own stone and takes it past 450 °C; in a kamado you choose it yourself, and it must sit on the deflector, never over direct coals. Placement and stone-versus-dome temperatures are covered in how to make pizza in a kamado.