The Three Most Important Tools for Cooking Authentic Pizza at Home (Besides Your Oven)

So, you’ve got your pizza oven ready — whether it’s gas, wood-fired, or electric — and you’re dreaming of that perfect Neapolitan-style pizza: crisp on the outside, airy on the inside, with bubbling cheese and rich tomato sauce. But here’s the truth: the oven is only half the story. If you really want to master pizza-making at home, you need the right tools to get the job done properly.

At The Authentic Italian, we know that authentic pizza starts long before the oven door closes. Let’s explore the three essential tools that every home pizza chef should have — and why they make all the difference.

1️⃣ A Quality Pizza Peel — Your Pizza’s Best Friend

Think of the pizza peel as your trusty bridge between preparation and baking. A good peel lets you slide your pizza into the oven smoothly and retrieve it without tearing that carefully stretched dough. It also helps you rotate the pizza mid-bake for even cooking (especially important in high-heat ovens).

👉 Why it matters: Without a peel, you risk disaster at the final step — your pizza might stick, fold, or drop toppings as you struggle to transfer it. A peel is ideal for launching pizzas (the raw dough slides off easily with a bit of semolina or flour), while a small peel is perfect for turning and retrieving the cooked pizza.

2️⃣ A Dough Cutter or Bench Scraper — Precision from Start to Finish

From dividing your dough into perfect portions to helping shape and handle it, a dough cutter (also called a bench scraper) is a small tool with a big impact. It lets you work cleanly, separate sticky dough without tearing, and keeps your workspace tidy.

👉 Why it matters: Pizza dough needs to be handled gently to preserve air bubbles and texture. Using a dough cutter reduces the temptation to tug and stretch by hand, which can deflate the dough. It’s also essential when working with high-hydration doughs, helping you shape without frustration.

3️⃣ A Pizza Stone or Steel (for Standard Ovens) — The Key to a Crispy Base

Even if you’re not using a dedicated pizza oven, you can still achieve that restaurant-quality crust with a pizza stone or steel. These tools absorb and radiate intense heat, mimicking the floor of a traditional pizza oven. They ensure your base cooks fast and evenly, giving you that all-important char and crunch.

👉 Why it matters: If you bake pizza on a standard tray or in a cold oven, the result is often soggy or uneven. A pizza stone or steel supercharges your home oven, delivering heat where your pizza needs it most — the base. The result? A crisp, blistered crust every time.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to homemade pizza, the right tools help you bridge the gap between good and authentic. At The Authentic Italian, we’ve hand-picked pizza accessories that let you recreate the magic of Italy in your own backyard or kitchen. Whether you’re a beginner or a pizza pro, investing in these essentials will transform your pizza nights — and earn you serious bragging rights.

Ready to level up your pizza game? Explore our collection of artisan tools designed to help you create pizza just like Nonna would’ve made!