Questions about peels

[Pucca]

I'm in the market for a peel, but can't decide between wood or metal.  Caring for metal seems easier, but which material is better for a newbie in terms of sliding the dough onto the stone and durability?  Which one do you have?  Where did you buy it, and how much did it cost?  Would you buy it again if you had the choice?

Also, when you shake the dough onto the stone, wouldn't you end up shaking loose cornmeal onto the bottom of your oven if it rolls off the stone?  How do you prevent this or clean this?  Thanks!

[Art]

I may be the only one on this board that uses one but, as usual, I highly recommend the SuperPeel. I bought it online for $32 + $8 s&h (buy 3 for $90 with free shipping) and I've never had any regrets. I even got one for my grandaughter for her birthday. Never sticks, easy placement, and no mess from cornmeal or flour since you don't need any on the peel to begin with. Check it out here http://www.superpeel.com/ and be sure to watch the video.  Art

[Pizza_Not_War]

I have two peels. First is the Epicurean http://www.amazon.com/Epicurean-Cutting-Surfaces-14-Inch-Pizza/dp/B000PREC02/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1209490698&sr=8-6
which is made of a composite of wood. You can put it in the dishwasher to clean. Using semolina flour instead of cornmeal on this peel makes most pizzas slide right off. Since I am baking outside I just brush the excess semolina off the stone. Don't use Cornmeal it burns too readily.

Secondly I have an old aluminum peel that does not get much use anymore. It can be used to take the pizza out, as it is thinner and slides under the pie, but I find that I use a steel pizza pan and tongs or spatula to take the pizza out. It saves on cleaning up one more item. I don't like to use the Epicurean to remove a pie from a 700 degree bake, as it is not rated for those kinds of temperatures.

The superpeel looks like something I might try someday for bread baking.

PNW

[Davydd]

I'm having no problems with a wood peel and semolina flour putting a pizza on a stone and pulling it off the stone with the wooden peel. I bake at 550 degrees. I haven't burned or scorched the peel. My electric oven is a shallow height oven so I am not going to be putting my hands in or near the oven and pulling the rack out would lose a lot of the temperature. Once you get the hang of it dropping a pizza in and taking one out is not much of a problem.

I notice in many wood fired pizzerias that pizzas are put in with a wood peel and moved around and taken out with a steel peel. They bake at much higher temperatures so the steel peel is probably necessary.

[pcampbell]

Both! Wood for prep + pizza to stone, then metal for the reverse.

[Pete-zza]

Pucca,

A couple of my posts on this subject are at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5326.msg45110/topicseen.html#msg45110 (Reply 1) and http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,810.msg7549.html#msg7549 (Reply 6).

Peter

[Jackitup]

I have both, metal and wood. The metal one also doubles up for moving racks of spare ribs and othe meats around and in and out of my smoker/bbq  pit.
Jon

[Frankie G]

Thank you to all that have visited my pizza oven website.  I hope that it has contributed my experiences and has helped and influenced others with there love of wood-fired ovens and pizza.

In case anyone is interested, I have started a little store... the profits will go to my daughter's college fund (she’s 9 years old and we have to start sometime…).  Please feel free to browse...   www.fgpizza.com

My store site offers professional equipment, for the amateur chef. I also offer the full line of GI metal products and custom wood peels. 

We are trying not to compete with the cheap stuff out there like $10 peels and such, but in turn, I am offering professional pizza equipment at affordable prices.  If there is something that you are trying to find... or you would like me to find and price a product for you, I would appreciate an email… and my daughter, Natalia, would appreciate the sale!

Thank you very much.

With Great Respect.

Frankie G
www.fgpizza.com