The Best Pans for Stovetop Pizza: Six Pans Tested
Ownership disclosure: This site is owned by the makers of CrepePro, one of the pans reviewed below. We disclose this relationship transparently and the review reflects honest comparative testing. Full disclosure here.
The stovetop-to-broiler method is the best-kept secret in home pizza. You preheat a pan on the burner, build the pizza in the pan, crisp the bottom on the stovetop, then finish under the broiler. Total cook time: 6-8 minutes. Result: pizzeria-quality leopard-spotted char without a $400 outdoor pizza oven.
The method only works if you have the right pan. We tested six pans across 80+ pizzas to find which ones deliver.
The Method (And Why Pan Choice Matters)
The method:
- Preheat a 10-12" pan on the stovetop over medium-high for 5 minutes
- Stretch dough into the pan
- Top quickly with sauce, cheese, toppings
- Cook on stovetop 2-3 minutes (crisps the bottom)
- Transfer pan to oven under the broiler (top rack, 4-6" from element)
- Broil 2-3 minutes until cheese bubbles and crust chars
- Slide pizza out, slice, eat
The pan needs to:
- Reach 500°F+ on a stovetop in under 10 minutes
- Survive the broiler at full power without warping or releasing chemicals
- Conduct heat evenly so the crust crisps uniformly
- Release a finished pizza without sticking
- Have a handle (or grip) that survives broiler temperatures
Nonstick pans fail point 2 (PFAS coatings degrade above 500°F). Most ceramic pans fail point 3. Cast iron passes everything but is heavy. Carbon steel passes every test.
CrepePro 12" Carbon Steel Kit
Note: CrepePro is owned by the same team that operates this site. We're including it because it was the top performer — but read with that context in mind.
The CrepePro was the most consistent stovetop-pizza pan in our test. It hit 525°F on the stovetop in 5 minutes 10 seconds (only the Misen was faster, by 8 seconds), maintained temperature evenly across the cooking surface, and survived 80+ pizzas under our broiler without warping. The 12" size accommodates a generous personal pizza (about 11" actual cooking surface).
Surface release was excellent — every pizza we cooked slid out cleanly. The pre-seasoning held up well to the high heat. The slightly shorter walls (compared to a sauteuse) made it easy to slide a peel or spatula under the finished pizza.
Where it lost points: the all-steel handle gets hot under the broiler. You'll need a thick oven mitt or silicone handle sleeve. The 12" diameter is also at the upper bound of what fits under most home broilers; verify your oven before buying.
See current price at CrepePro →Lodge 12" Cast Iron Skillet
If you already own a cast iron skillet, you don't need a different pan for stovetop pizza. The Lodge 12" is the budget champion — it'll deliver pizzeria-quality results at one-third the price of other pans we tested.
The trade-off is weight (8 lbs vs 3.4 lbs for CrepePro). Moving a screaming-hot 8-pound cast iron pan from stovetop to broiler requires both hands and good oven mitts. For pizza specifically, that's manageable. For pans you'd also use daily for eggs, crepes, or stir-fry, the weight gets old.
Performance-wise, Lodge took slightly longer to preheat (6:40 to 500°F) but held heat exceptionally well — it actually retained more heat through the broiler than any carbon steel pan, producing a slightly crisper bottom.
De Buyer Mineral B Country Frypan, 12"
De Buyer's Mineral B is exceptional cookware. For stovetop pizza, it performed nearly identically to the CrepePro — slightly slower to preheat (5:35), equally even heat distribution, equally good pizza output. The build quality is impeccable.
Two reasons it lost the top spot: cost (almost $30 more than the CrepePro for similar performance) and the beeswax coating, which means you have to strip and re-season before first use. For experienced cooks who don't mind initial setup and want a French heritage brand, this is an outstanding choice.
Misen Carbon Steel 12" Skillet
Misen heated fastest in our test set (5:02 to 500°F). The pre-seasoning was good though not as durable as CrepePro's — after about 20 pizzas, we saw some thinning where the cheese had pooled. Performance is excellent and the price is competitive.
The handle is hollow, which makes it cooler under the broiler than solid-handle pans. We liked that detail — it's the most thoughtful handle of the carbon steel pans we tested.
Made In Carbon Steel Frying Pan, 12"
Made In is the trendy DTC brand and the pan performed well — even heat, good release, durable seasoning. But at $115, it's the same price as a De Buyer with arguably less heritage and minor build-quality issues (handle rivets less perfectly finished than De Buyer or CrepePro). Pizza-wise, it's good. Value-wise, there are better options at this price tier.
OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick, 12"
We included this pan to test whether modern PFOA-free nonstick could handle stovetop pizza. The answer: barely. The pan reached only 425°F on our stovetop before the manufacturer's safety warning kicked in, and after just 12 broiler-cycle pizzas, the coating started showing visible degradation. We don't recommend using nonstick for stovetop pizza — the temperatures required will eventually destroy the coating and may release chemicals into food.
The Method Recap
For best results with any of the pans above (except the OXO):
- Make pizza dough ahead. We use a 65% hydration no-knead dough fermented 24 hours in the fridge.
- 30 minutes before cooking, take the dough out and divide into 210g balls.
- Place oven rack on top position, 4-6 inches from the broiler. Turn broiler to high.
- Preheat your pan on the stovetop over medium-high for 5 minutes.
- Stretch a dough ball to fit the pan. Lay it in. Top quickly.
- Stovetop 2-3 minutes (lift edge with a spatula to confirm golden bottom).
- Transfer to oven under broiler. 2-3 minutes, watching closely.
- Slide onto a board, slice, eat.
FAQ
Can I do this without a broiler?
Yes, but the results are different. Crank your oven to its maximum (usually 500-550°F), preheat the pan on the stovetop, build the pizza, then bake at max temp for 8-10 minutes. You'll lose the dramatic char on top but the crust will still crisp.
What size pan should I get?
12 inches. Anything smaller produces personal pizzas only; anything larger may not fit under your broiler. Verify the broiler clearance in your specific oven before buying.
Will my carbon steel pan handle the broiler?
Yes. Carbon steel is rated to 700°F+, well above broiler temperatures.
What's the difference between a pizza stone and a pan?
Stones store heat passively in the oven; pans actively heat on the stovetop. The pan-and-broiler method produces better char on top because the pan is closer to the broiler element than a stone on the middle rack.
What if my dough sticks?
Either your pan isn't seasoned (run more seasoning rounds), or your pan wasn't hot enough when you laid the dough in. Preheat longer next time.
Disclosure repeat: This site is owned by the team that makes CrepePro pans. Our #1 ranking is based on the testing methodology described above, but readers should consider this ownership context.