What You Need To Make The Best Pizza At Home, Every Time

For all the pizza lovers out there get excited because National Pizza Day is fast approaching! This year in Australia, National Pizza Day falls on Wednesday the 9th of February, and it’s the perfect time to make some gourmet pizzas at home.

Sometimes nothing’s better than a quality homemade, crispy pizza. Not only is it a cheaper alternative to store-bought pizza, it’s also more satisfying! But to create the best quality pizza at home that’s both crunchy and appetising, you’ll need the right equipment and tools.

This guide is jam-packed with everything you need to make the perfect homemade pizzas every time. Invite your family and friends over and celebrate National Pizza Day in style this year by making some delicious homemade pizzas for everyone!

What You Need to Make the Best Pizzas at Home

1. Fresh Ingredients

Of course, to make the best pizzas at home, you need fresh ingredients of good quality; this will make all the difference in the outcome of your pizza. To create a delicious crispy pizza base, you should also always make the dough from scratch. Although making your pizzas from the start requires more effort and patience, trust us, it’s definitely worth it.

2. A Box Grater

A grater for shredding your cheese is a must when you’re making pizza at home. A box grater with multiple grating settings will help grate your cheese, zester your lemons and slice your mozzarella.

3. Strong Oven Mitts

To avoid burning your hands on pizza stones or the pizza itself, a good worthy pair of strong oven mitts is necessary. You can opt for a cotton pair of oven mitts; however, silicone sets are much better as they can handle heats up to 240 degrees and are waterproof.

4. A Food Scale

If you want to ensure your pizza dough is always perfect, you need to measure all your ingredients accurately. For this, you’ll require a good pair of quality kitchen scales.

5. A Set of Mixing Bowls

One of the most important things you’ll need when making homemade pizza is a set of mixing bowls to sort all your fresh ingredients and proof your dough. Preferably these should be all different sizes; a big bowl to let the dough rise in and one for the sauce and topping. You can use any type of mixing bowl, but to retain heat better, glass and metal are the best options.

6. A Dough Scraper

When you’re making your dough, you’ll want to divide it up and prevent it from sticking to the bench while you knead it, and a dough scraper can help you do both.

7. A Good Recipe

You can’t make delicious homemade pizza without a good quality dough recipe. If you don’t already have one, you can buy a pizza cookbook to master different types of dough over time or check out some recipes online.

8. A Pizza Stone or Tray

Whether you’re cooking your pizzas in a conventional oven or in a wood fire one, an essential tool you’ll need is a pizza stone or tray. For conventional ovens, pans and trays will cook the dough right. The best sizes are the 12 by 18 inches, which will make big, delicious pizzas as well as fit smaller sizes. If you’re buying pizza trays, ensure you get a durable one and take good care of it.

Tip: Aluminium trays are the best as they come with a non-stick surface.

If, however, you’re cooking your pizza on a woodfire oven, you should instead buy a pizza stone. A pizza stone is a circular disk that you place your pizzas on while they cook in the oven. They will reduce the moisture in your dough, puff it up and create a deliciously crispy pizza base every time.

Tip: Before you use your pizza stone, make sure you let it get hot first and dust it, so the pizza doesn’t stick to it.

9. A Pizza Peel

If you’re serious about pizza and want the process to be a hassle-free experience, you need a pizza peel. A pizza peel is a type of spatula used to place pizza in and out of the oven with ease and efficiency. It prevents any ingredients from slipping off, is lightweight and makes moving your pizzas easy. For convenience, you can also use them as serving boards too.

10. Cooling Racks

After you’ve finished making your pizza, it’s an excellent idea to let it rest for a minute or two to prevent it from getting soggy, so don’t forget to have some cooling racks.

11. Pizza Cutters or Scissors

There’s nothing worse than creating delicious pizza only for it to fall off when you’re cutting it up. Avoid the mess by ensuring you have a pizza cutter or scissors. These tools have a sharp blade designed especially for cutting pizza which will keep your toppings on and prevent the cheese from sliding off.

12. A Pizza Oven

Finally, to make the best pizza every time, you’ll need a good quality oven to cook them in. Keep reading to find the best option for you.

What type of oven do you need to make the best homemade pizza?

Whilst you can make good quality pizzas in a conventional oven, if you want to up your pizza game, you might prefer an oven dedicated to making pizzas. You don’t need a garden or a big area for a pizza oven; any outdoor space is fine; you just have to ensure you buy the correct size. No one oven is made the same, which is why below, we’ve laid out what you need to look for to find the right pizza oven for your space.

Set A Budget

Pizza ovens range in price from as little as $60-1,000 plus depending on the make, model and where you buy them from. By setting a budget first you can work out what pizza oven is actually in your price range.

Check Your Available Space

Ovens come in various sizes. Portable options are smaller, whereas woodfire ovens require a lot of space. Some are also gas-fuelled, whereas others are electric. This is why it’s essential to measure your space and find out what options can fit within it. If you live in an apartment or don’t have any outdoor space, you can even buy indoor options.

You can purchase built-in stone ovens; however, these are more expensive and require a lot of room.

Types Of Pizza Ovens

Whether you’re looking for a pizza oven you can take anywhere or one that’s compact enough to fit in a small space, there’s sure to be a pizza oven option for you. Below are the most common choices that have multiple appealing features.

1. Portable Pizza Ovens

If you’re looking for a pizza oven for a rooftop or one you can take wherever you go, then a portable pizza oven is the choice for you. Not only do they produce delicious quality pizzas, but they’re also easy to set up, use, very affordable and can be moved whenever you want. Although the pizza oven size is smaller than a wood fire oven, it’s cable of cooking delicious pizza in minutes, and some options even come with a fixed baking stone for crispy pizza every time.

2. Outdoor & Freestanding Pizza Oven

If you take pride in your cooking or want to up your pizza game, then you might like a new woodfire pizza oven. With stacks of room, a stainless-steel design and quick heating, you’ll absolutely love these woodfire ovens. Although you will need an outdoor space to use these pizza ovens, a wide range of them come with wheels for easy moveability and are capable of making genuinely delicious pizzas every time.

3. Pizza Deck Oven

Are you on the market for a pizza oven you can use inside? Then an electric pizza deck oven is for you. Unlike other pizza ovens, these heat from the bottom to help draw the moisture out of the pizza and prevent it from becoming soggy. They have a compact design to fit in any space and are an affordable pizza oven choice.

With these tools and equipment, you’ll be creating delicious pizza in no time. Just remember the best way to make good pizza is to keep trying. Practice makes perfect, and you’ll learn what works best for you as go.