Baker’s peel

Also known as pizza peel, pizza shovel, oven peel, and bread peel. A thin, flat tool that is used like a shovel to transfer loaves of bread or pizzas in and out of the oven when these items are baked directly on the hearth and not on sheet pans. Until recently, peels were always made of wood, but they can now be found in stainless steel and in the combination of a wooden handle attached to a metal blade. The blade of a wooden peel is most often square, with rounded corners on the side nearest the handle, and is tapered to be thinner in front, making it easier to slide under the product. Wooden peels are also made in round shapes for use with pizzas and round bread loaves. Stainless steel peels are made in both round and square shapes and are thin enough that the blade does not need to be tapered. For the most part, peels with round blades are called pizza peels. The blades of peels made of either material are made in many sizes and the handles in many lengths. The length of the pole or handle varies in accordance with the depth of the oven and can be up to 16 feet (4.8 meters).