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Heat Deflector & Pizza Stone Recommendations for Kamado Grills

In kamado grills, ceramic stones are used to control how the heat moves through the grill.

As pizza stones, they absorb and radiant heat to help cook the pizza dough evenly.

As heat deflectors, they block and radiate heat slowly, protecting the bottom side of the food above.

Size vs. Placement: Whenever possible, we like to have the deflector stone above the fire box/bowl or fire ring. Above, we can use bigger deflectors, pushing out closer to the grill's inner wall, and at the same time open up the grill for better airflow. Bigger deflector stone options and better airflow, a win-win! If the deflector stone is placed down inside the fire box/bowl or fire ring, the stone size is now limited by the smaller box/bowl/ring diameter. Plus, being down, the deflector is closer to the fire, where it can be more disruptive with the fire.

Important: We have found from the 20 years of doing this, that most folks do not think about protecting ceramic heat deflectors. We were the same starting out. Truth be told, ceramic heat deflectors are probably the second most abused component in kamado grills, right behind the thick fire box/bowl. On the bottom side, the poor ceramic deflectors get pummeled with wide ranges and concentrations of heat. Topside, they absorb any fluid that hits them, especially moisture laden drippings from big juicy meats. Inside the deflector, heat meets fluid, creating steam/evaporation which in turn stresses the ceramics. Next thing you know, the ceramic deflector breaks. A drip pan is great protection for ceramic heat deflectors.

How thick:  The stone thickness, we recommend at least 5/8" thick. It’s the easiest way we’ve found to separate the good from the not so good stone. Plus, we recommend staying clear of the thin, usually pricey, specialty stones. Pampered Chef stones do not have a good track record in ceramic grills.

Our stones are cordierite formulated with minimum 5/8-inch thickness. The material and thickness allow the stones to take significant punishment. However, we do not recommend routinely shocking any stone with big temperature swings. Whenever possible, let the stone warm up and cool down with the grill.


Need help picking a ceramic heat deflector or pizza stone! Click the Tab below for your kamado grill.

Purchase Ceramic Heat Deflectors here

Pizza – one of the most specialized cooks we do, as there is such a variety with pizza. But hey, it need not be difficult, as there are a few “givens” to produce great pizza.

1. The preferred location for the pizza stone is up in the dome. This pulls the stone away from the fire, making it easier to control the stone's temperature. Plus, with the pizza stone high in the dome, we efficiently use the dome's reflecting heat to cook the topside of the pizza.

2. With regard to fire, you want a spread out and even burning fire. Something similar to a good steak fire with the heat evenly hitting the bottom side of the pizza or deflector stone.

3. With thin crust you might be able to use just the pizza stone, no deflecting stone. Think of it, more as a grilling cook. With thick crust, you may need a deflecting stone under the pizza stone. The deflecting stone protects the pizza stone from overheating, allowing the thicker dough to cook through. Think of thick crust more as a baking cook.

4. If you need a deflecting stone, it should be the same size or slightly bigger than the pizza stone. This insures the best protection and temperatures in and around the pizza stone. How much space between the deflecting and pizza stone is up to you? If you can, do not position big stones at felt line (top of the base). If the stone is too close to the gasket, the stone can push heat toward the gasket and shorten its useful life.

5. The biggest stone is not always the best stone. Extra-large pizzas, bigger than 16" diameter, can be hard to manage. Also, it is more difficult to maintain a uniform stone temperature with big stones. Be reasonable on size and you will make a better pizza.

6. It is possible to cook two pizzas on two stones but it can be quite involved. You will need a way to rotate the pizzas or pizzas/stones to maintain even temperatures. Sliding oval grids on our adjustable rigs are great for two pizzas. Set the stones on the grids and rotate the grids/stones.

7. Lastly, you hear about the 700°F, two-minute pizza oven cook. Our recommendation is stick with the 450°F temperature range. It will take longer but you get a better pizza, especially if you are cooking multiple pizzas. At high temperatures, the biggest problem is controlling pizza stone temperature. The stone cooks the dough before the pizza toppings are cooked. There is a reason all the pizza boxes at the grocery store say 450ish degrees.

Pizzas are fun cooks and with a little practice and experimentation, you'll learn to produce great pizzas time and time again.

Hint: Add a small bit of smoking wood to replicate wood fired pizzas.

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS & EGG accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you want a Pizza Stone for the XL EGG.
  • First, on the left column find XL EGG. You'll see the 18" CGS and 21" EGG size stones fit the XL EGG.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see four Stone options: (18-P,F) and (21-P,F). These are CGS' 18" Pair Half & Full Round Stones, and EGG's 21" Pair Half & Full Round Stones. You can pick any of these stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is CGS 18" - either a Pair (2 Halves) or a Full Round. We pick 18", as we follow the pizza guidelines - biggest stone is not always the best stone.  
  • On which to pick, we recommend picking the one that gives you the most cooking options. For example, let's say you also had the CGS XL Woo Ring. Now the best choice is 18-P (CGS's pair 18" Half Stones), as it is the best choice for pizza and the XL Woo Ring.

 

  Red is Recommended.
Big Green EGG
Stone Size
Pizza, CGS & EGG Accessories

2XL EGG
  18" CGS,
  21" EGG

Pizza Stone (18-F), (21-H,F)
XL EGG
  18" CGS,
  21" EGG
Pizza Stone (18-P,F), (21-P,F)
CGS XL Woo Ring (18-H,P,F)
CGS XL Adjustable Rig (18-H,P)
CGS XL Spider (18-H,P,F)
CGS XL Half Stone Hanger (18-H)
Pizza Stone atop EGG's ConvEGGtor (18-P,F)
EGG XL EGGspander Kit (18-H,P,F), (21-H,P,F)
Large EGG
  13" CGS,
  13"x17" Oval CGS
  14" EGG,
  15" CGS
  16" CGS,
  16" EGG

Pizza Stone (14/15/16-P,F)
  - on Adj. Rig or Woo Ring (14/15/16-P,F)
  - on Adj. Rig or Woo Extender (14/15-P,F)

CGS Large Spider (13-H,P,F), (14-F), (15-H)
CGS Large Adjustable Rig (13x17-F), (15,16-H,P,F)
CGS Large Woo 3 or 5 Leg (14-F), (15/16-H,P,F)
CGS Large Half Stone Hanger (15/16-H)
Pizza Stone atop EGG's ConvEGGtor (13/14/15/16-P,F)
EGG Large EGGspander Kit (15/16-H,P,F)
Medium EGG
  10" CGS,
  12" EGG
  13" CGS,
Pizza (10/12/13-P,F)
CGS Medium 3 or 5 Leg Spider (10-F)
CGS Medium 3 or 5 Leg Woo (12/13-H,P,F)
Pizza Stone atop EGG's ConvEGGtor (12/13-H,P,F)
EGG EGGspander (12/13-H,P,F)
Small EGG
  10" CGS
  12" EGG
Pizza (10-F), (12-F)
CGS Small 3 or 4 Leg Spider (10-F)
CGS Small Woo Ring (10-F)
EGG ConvEGGtor for Pizza (10-F)
MiniMax EGG
  10" CGS
  12" EGG
Pizza (10-F) (12-F)
CGS MiniMax Spider (10-F)
CGS MiniMax Woo Ring (10-F)
EGG ConvEGGtor for Pizza (10-F)
Mini EGG
  8" Octagonal CGS
Pizza (8-F)
CGS Mini Ring Woo (8-F)
H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone 
half ceramic stone for deflecting heat under half the cooking grid
pair half ceramic stones for optional full or half heat deflection under cooking grid
full round ceramic stone for full heat deflection under cooking grid

 

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS & JOE accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you want a Pizza Stone for the Big Joe.
  • First, on the left column find Big Joe. You'll see the 18" CGS, 19" JOE-Half and Full Round size stones fit the Big Joe.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see four Stone options: (18-P,F) and (19-P,F). These are CGS' 18" Pair Half & Full Round Stones, and Joe's 19" Pair Half & Full Round Stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is either CGS 18" Full Round or Joe's 19" Pair Half Stones.
  • On which to pick full or pair, we recommend picking the one that gives you the most cooking options. For example, let's say you also had the Big Joe Divide and Conquer rack. You would pick 19-P (Joe's pair 19" Half Stones), as it is the best choice for pizza and the Divide & Conquer.
  Red is Recommended.
Kamado Joe
Stone Size
Pizza, CGS & JOE Accessories
Big Joe I,II,III
  18" CGS,
  19" JOE-Half,
  19" JOE- Full Pizza
Pizza Stone (18-P,F), (19-P,F)
CGS Big Joe Expander (18/19-H)
JOE Divide & Conquer (19-H.P)
Deep Drop Spider (18-H)
Classic Joe I,II,III
  15" CGS,
  15" JOE-Half
  15" JOE- Full Pizza
  16" CGS
Pizza Stone (15-H,P,F)
Large Half Stone Hanger on Classic Adj. Rig (15/16-H)
Classic I & II Large Adjustable Rig (15/16-H,P,F)
JOE Divide & Conquer (15 KJOE-H)
Joe Junior, JR
  10" CGS,
  10" JOE
  13" CGS,
Pizza (10/13-F)
CGS Woo Ring (10-F)
Joe Rack (10-F)
H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone 
half ceramic stone for deflecting heat under half the cooking grid
pair half ceramic stones for optional full or half heat deflection under cooking grid
full round ceramic stone for full heat deflection under cooking grid

 

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you want a Pizza Stone for the 24.
  • First, on the left column find 24. You'll see the 16" and 18" CGS stones fit the 24.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see four Stone options: (16/18-P,F). These are CGS' 16" and 18" Pair Half & Full Round Stones. You can pick any of these stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is CGS 16" Full Round.
  Red is Recommended.
Vision Grills
Stone Size
Pizza & CGS Accessories
Lifesmart 24
  16" CGS,
  18" CGS,
Pizza Stone (16/18-P,F)
Lifesmart 22
  13" CGS,
  14" EGG,
  15" CGS,
Pizza Stone (14,F), (13,15-P,F)
Lifesmart 15
  10" CGS
 
Pizza Stone (10-P,F)
CGS Woo Ring (10-P,F)

H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone 
half ceramic stone for deflecting heat under half the cooking grid
pair half ceramic stones for optional full or half heat deflection under cooking grid
full round ceramic stone for full heat deflection under cooking grid

 

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS & Pit Boss/LG accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you wanted a Pizza Stone for the 24 Series.
  • First, on the left column find 24 Series. You'll see the CGS 16" and 18" size stones fit the 24 series grills.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see four Stone options: (16,18-P,F) These are CGS' 16" Pair Half & Full Round Stones, and 18" Pair Half & Full Round Stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is CGS 18" - either a Pair (2 Halves) or a Full Round.
  • On which to pick pair or full round, we recommend picking the one that gives you the most cooking options. For example, let's say you also had the CGS XL Woo Ring. You would pick 18-P (CGS's pair 18" Half Stones), as it is the best choice for pizza and the XL Woo Ring.
  Red is Recommended.
Pit Boss & LG Grill Size
Stone Size
Pizza, CGS & Pit Boss & Louisiana Grill Accessories
24 Series
  16" CGS,
  16" EGG,
  18" CGS

 

Pizza Stone (16,18-P,F)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Spider (16-H,P,F)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Woo Ring (16-H,P,F)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Adjustable Rig (16-H,P,F)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Half Stone Rig Hanger (16,18-H)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Spider (16-H,P,F)
Pizza Stone for Pit Boss and LG's Heat Deflector (16/18-P,F)
22 Series
  13" CGS,
  14" EGG,
  15" CGS
Pizza Stone (14,15-F)
CGS LG, Pit Boss Spider (14,F), (13/15-H,P,F)
Pizza Stone for Pit Boss & LG's Heat Deflector (14,F),(15-P,F)
H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone
half ceramic stone for deflecting heat under half the cooking grid
pair half ceramic stones for optional full or half heat deflection under cooking grid
full round ceramic stone for full heat deflection under cooking grid

 

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS & EGG accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you wanted a Pizza Stone for the XL Oval.
  • First, on the left column find XL Oval. You'll see 5 stone sizes.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see three Stone options: (13x17-F), (15-F) and (16-F). All three options are CGS Full Round Stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is either the 13x17 or 15.
  • On which to pick, we recommend picking the one that gives you the most cooking options, the biggest band for your buck.
  Red is Recommended.
Primo Grills
Stone Size
Pizza, CGS & Primo Accessories
XL Oval
  CGS Oval,
  Primo Oval,
  13"x17" CGS Oval,
  15" CGS,
  16" CGS & Primo,
  16" Primo Glazed
Pizza Stone (13x17-F), (15-F), (16-F)
CGS or Primo Deflector Plates (Half Oval-H,P)
Large Oval
  CGS Oval,
  Primo Oval,
  13" CGS & Primo,
  13" Primo Glazed
Pizza Stone (13-F)
CGS or Primo Deflector Plates (Half Oval-H,P)
Junior Oval
  Primo Oval,
  13" CGS & Primo,
  13" Promo Glazed
Pizza Stone (13-F)
Primo Deflector Plates (Half Oval-P)
Kamado Round
  15" CGS,
  16" CGS & Primo,
  16" Primo Glazed
Pizza (15/16-P,F)
CGS Woo Ring (13/15-H,P,F)
Primo Deflector Plates (13/15-H,P,F)
H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone 
single half oval deflector plate for primo oval grills
pair oval deflector plates for primo oval grills
round deflector plate for primo kamado grills

 

How to use the table:

  • Left side of the Table lists grill size and stones that fit the grill.
  • Right side of the Table lists Pizza, available CGS accessories and in the (......), their respective recommended Stone size(s) and style(s).
  • Size is the stone's overall diameter. Half stones are simply half a full stone.
  • For styles: H is Half stone; P is Pair half stones; F is Full round stone.
  • For choices with multiple recommendations, the best Stone choice(s) is highlighted in Red.

Example:

  • Assume you want a Pizza Stone for the Classic grill.
  • First, on the left column find Classic. You'll see the 13" and 15" CGS stones fit the Classic.
  • Next, move across the Table, right column, and find Pizza Stone. You'll see four Stone options: (13/15-P,F). These are CGS' 13" and 15" Pair Half & Full Round Stones. You can pick any of these stones.
  • The best choice (in red) is CGS 15" Pair Half or Full Round.
  • On which to pick, we recommend picking the one that gives you the most cooking options. For example, let's say you also had the CGS Woo Ring. Now the best choice is 15-P (CGS's pair 15" Half Stones), as it is the best choice for pizza and the Woo Ring.
  Red is Recommended.
Vision Grills
Stone Size
Pizza & CGS Accessories
Classic, Pro, Signature
  13" CGS,
  15" CGS,
Pizza Stone (13/15-P,F)
CGS Spider (13/15-H,P,F)***
CGS Woo Ring (13/15-H,P,F)***
CGS Adjustable Rig Spider Combo (13/15-H,P,F)***
M Series
  10" CGS,
  13" CGS,
Pizza Stone (13-F)
CGS Woo Ring (10/13-H,P,F)***
Cadet
  10" CGS
 
Pizza Stone (10-F)
CGS Woo Ring (10-F)

*** Confirm fit, per detail on the product page.

H = Half Stone, P = Pair Half Stones, F = Full Round Stone,
Red is Recommended

 

H = Half Stone
P = Pair Half Stones F = Full Round Stone 
half ceramic stone for deflecting heat under half the cooking grid
pair half ceramic stones for optional full or half heat deflection under cooking grid
full round ceramic stone for full heat deflection under cooking grid