Classic Margherita, cheesy pepperoni, sweet and savoury Hawaiian - all of your favourite pizza flavours are possible, when your kitchen has the right tools. Homemade pizza is all about creating the perfect slice tailored to your tastes. You're saving on expensive family night takeouts, and get to involve the kids in a fun cooking activity.
Chances are your fridge already has the ingredients you need, from mozzarella and tomato sauce to basil and olives. Now, you just require a handful of essential tools to convert the kitchen into a true pizzeria. We spoke to a Dubai-based Neapolitan pizza chef, to help us draw up a realistic list for home cooks.
"Cooking pizza is easy, when it comes to the equipment and ingredients. But, a decent pizza comes from precision and patience," said Kamil Sayah, owner of private catering service Pizza Craft, and a supper club host in the city. "You can also expect different results from the recipe that you're following, since the dough is affected by the temperature and atmosphere - variables you can't always control."
Sayah, who holds pizza workshops for beginners, tells us that no matter what flavour you're going for, the basics remain the same. Pizza is made in a very hot oven and quickly, so that the toppings stay crisp but thoroughly cooked. Whether you own a conventional oven or not, there's a workaround to achieving high temperatures.
From kneading to cooking, jump into our list of kitchen equipment for pizza, and impress everyone at the table. Remember to shop with Amazon Prime for free, fast delivery.
1. Best Pizza Oven: Sage The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo
Pros
- High temperatures of up to 400 degrees Celsius
- Presets for wood-fired, New York, pan and frozen pizzas
- Cooks in two minutes
- Heating configurations char the base and add leopard spots
- Manual mode to customise your own pizza
Cons
- Expensive investment
A dedicated pizza oven means your temperatures will always be consistent, says Sayah. Luckily, there are kitchen-friendly electric units that can be used indoors with pro results. If you can squeeze an extra appliance on the countertop, get the Sage Smart Oven Pizzaiolo. It promises an authentic wood-fired pizza, made in two minutes, thanks to high temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius. The natural cordierite stone inside retains heat for a charred base and leopard spotting on the crust. This oven prepares more than the wood-fired style - its seven presets cook New York, pan, thin and crispy, and frozen pizzas. In manual mode, the temperatures and top and bottom heating elements are in your hands. Happy reviewers have whipped up the perfect 30cm Neapolitan pizza in just a couple of minutes, with every try.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh324.08 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh227 and two years for Dh323.
2. Best Baking Stone: Premify Pizza Stone Set, 13-Inch
Pizzas can be cooked just as well in our regular ovens at home, except they'll need a key accessory to make the process work. "Pizzas need temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius, and home ovens max out at 250 degrees. A baking stone or steel will help reach higher temperatures by retaining heat," explained Sayah. This 13-inch stone by Premify is made of odourless ceramic material that heats up to 480 degrees Celsius in the oven. It goes in unseasoned with the pizza on top, and doesn't need soap for cleaning when it comes out, either. The porous stone absorbs excess moisture, so your crust is always crispy.
3. Best Pizza Peel: Ooni 12-Inch Pizza Peel
When the baking stone and oven are extremely hot, it's always safer to transfer the pizza using a pizza peel. Similar to an oversized spatula, this tool carries a 12-inch pizza in and out of the oven cavity easily. You can also use it to gently rotate the pizza after every 20 seconds for even cooking, Sayah advises. The Ooni peel has a lightweight blade made of aluminium and a long nylon handle, all weighing half a kilogram. Users in the reviews say cleanup is simple, but make sure to handwash the peel and avoid abrasive sponges.
4. Best Dough Mixer: Kitchen Aid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, Silver
Pros
- Can knead up to 1kg of flour
- Anti-stick coating on the dough hook
- 10 speed settings
- Powerful, quiet motor
- Includes a metal dough hook, whisk and beater
Cons
- Heavy at 10.4kgs
A good pizza boils down to a well-kneaded dough. Sayah says a dough mixer can take most of the heavy lifting off your hands. His recommendation, the Kitchen Aid stand mixer, comes with a tough aluminium dough hook. This heavy-duty attachment mixes and kneads any yeast dough for you in its deep 4.8-litre stainless steel bowl. If you're worried about the dough sticking to the hook, the tool is coated with anti-stick nylon. You can put this versatile mixer to use in the kitchen for all your whisking and beating needs, with the included attachments. According to reviewers, it deals effortlessly with heavier dough types and does so silently, thanks to the powerful motor. They call it a must-have appliance for home cooks and bakers in search of a longlasting assistant.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh224.92 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer offers a one-year warranty. Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh171 and two years for Dh242.
5. Best Dough Scraper: Xoyozo Dough Pastry Scraper
Add a sharp dough scraper to the cart, for dividing your bulk of pizza dough. This crucial step takes place after fermentation, says Sayah, where the dough is portioned into balls and then left to proof again. The Xoyozo stainless steel scraper receives rave reviews in the pizza department. It has a rubber non-slip grip and comes with marked measurements. According to buyers, it cuts through thick dough like butter and doubles as a bench scraper for scooping up chopped ingredients. Some have even used it to cut pizza slices, in lieu of a cutter.
6. Best Dough Container: Babadoh Pizza Dough Containers and Lids, Set of 6
Speaking of proofing, Sayah uses separate containers or a proofing tray for the final rise. Babadoh offers a set of six with lids at an irresistible value. These dough-proofing containers release dough balls without any effort, since they're made of a flexible silicone material. Leave the dough on the countertop at room temperature or freeze the extra bulk for quick pizza prep. Reviews use some of the stackable containers to store their pizza toppings in the fridge. They attest to the improved taste and add that they're super easy to clean, too. Each container holds enough dough for a small-sized Neapolitan pizza.
7. Best Cheese Grater: Cuisipro 4-Sided Box Grater
If you're preparing a Neapolitan pizza, Sayah suggests using fresh mozzarella, the kind that comes soaked in water. Grating soft cheeses can be a challenge, which is why the Cuisipro grater has an ultra-coarse side. Dry block varieties usually go on New York-style pizza, and these are covered by the tool's fine and coarse grating surfaces. Several reviews mention how sharp the shredder is and appreciate that the grated cheese collects neatly inside the container without making a mess.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
