Quick answer
If you cook mostly pizza and bread on a kamado-style grill, the Baking Steel Kamado is your dedicated high-heat stone. If you want one reversible slab that nails both pizza and smashburgers, the Baking Steel Griddle offers more versatility. Choose based on your primary outdoor cooking style.
the Baking Steel Griddle
Outdoor cooking with steel has changed the game for home chefs who refuse to settle for soggy crusts or pale smashburgers. Two standout options from Baking Steel—the Kamado and the Griddle—both bring restaurant-quality heat to your grill, but they serve different masters.
In this comparison, we break down the tradeoffs so you can pick the steel that matches how you actually cook outdoors. We'll look at surface design, heat retention, and real-world use cases.
Understanding the Baking Steel Kamado
The Baking Steel Kamado is engineered specifically for kamado-style grills, which excel at holding high, even heat. Its thick carbon steel construction absorbs and radiates heat efficiently, giving you a blistered pizza bottom and perfectly charred bread crusts. If you already own a kamado and pizza is your priority, this steel is a no-brainer.
However, the Kamado is a single-purpose tool. It's not reversible for griddle cooking, so you won't be flipping it over for smashburgers or pancakes. If your outdoor cooking is pizza-centric, this specialization is a strength. If you crave variety, you might find yourself wishing for a second surface.
- Best for: kamado owners who prioritize pizza and bread
- Tradeoff: single-surface design limits versatility
Understanding the Baking Steel Griddle
The Baking Steel Griddle is a 25-pound reversible slab of solid carbon steel. One side is a true Baking Steel for pizza and bread; flip it over for a smooth, polished griddle surface that's naturally nonstick without coatings. This two-in-one design makes it a fantastic companion for grills with flat-top grates, as its thickness provides superior heat distribution.
While it's not specifically shaped for a kamado's round grate, it can work on many outdoor setups if you have the space. The griddle side excels at searing steaks and making smashburgers with a crust like a steakhouse. If you want one tool that does both pizza and griddle cooking, this is the more flexible pick.
- Best for: versatile outdoor cooks who want pizza and griddle in one
- Tradeoff: less specialized than a dedicated kamado steel
Tradeoffs to consider
- Pizza performance: Both steels deliver high heat for crispy crusts, but the Kamado is purpose-built for kamado grills, potentially fitting better and heating more evenly. The Griddle's pizza side works well but may require more careful positioning. If pizza is your sole focus, the Kamado wins.
- Versatility: The Griddle's reversible design lets you switch from pizza to smashburgers without buying another tool. The Kamado is single-purpose, so you'll need a separate surface for griddle cooking. The Griddle offers more cooking styles for the same footprint.
- Heat retention and thickness: Both are thick carbon steel, but the Griddle's 3/8-inch thickness is noted as a benefit on grill grates. The Kamado's thickness is optimized for kamado heat retention, but specific specs aren't listed here. Thickness matters most for your specific grill setup.
Product facts at a glance
- Baking Steel Griddle — 14"x18" Reversible Pizza Steel & Stovetop Griddle: I use it for smash burgers. The thickness makes it a much better option when putting it onto a grill that sits up top of the griddle-grates. This confirms the griddle's thickness is an advantage on grill grates, giving you better heat retention for searing and crust formation.
- The Baking Steel Griddle: Baking Steel on One Side. Smooth Griddle on the Other. The Baking Steel Griddle (14" x 18" x 3/8") is a 25-pound reversible slab of solid carbon steel. One side is a true Baking Steel — engineered for restaurant-quality pizza, bread, and flatbreads in your oven or on your grill. Flip it over for a smooth, polished griddle surface — naturally nonstick with no coatings or chemicals — for searing steaks, smashburgers. The reversible design gives you two distinct cooking surfaces in one tool, maximizing versatility without sacrificing performance.
Which steel fits your outdoor setup?
Best for
- Kamado owners who bake pizza and bread most weekends and want a dedicated steel that fits their grill's round shape.
- Outdoor cooks who already have a separate griddle or don't need smashburger capability.
Not for
- Those who want one tool to handle both pizza and smashburgers on the same grill—consider the Baking Steel Griddle instead.
- Cooks with rectangular gas grills or flat-top grates where the Griddle's shape and thickness are a better match.
Choosing between the Baking Steel Kamado and the Baking Steel Griddle comes down to your outdoor cooking style. If pizza is your passion and you own a kamado, the Kamado is a worthy investment. If you crave versatility and want to sear steaks and smashburgers alongside your pies, the reversible Griddle is the smarter all-rounder. Consider your grill type and menu, and you'll find the steel that elevates your outdoor cooking.
