Tools

Beyond an oven, a stone or steel, and a peel, the useful extras are a good cutter, an infrared thermometer to read the stone, and a dough box to proof in. A server helps move a hot pizza. None are essential, but each removes a small friction on pizza night.

For a loaded pizza, often yes. A rocker (mezzaluna) blade cuts straight down in one motion, so it is less likely to drag toppings or cheese than a wheel that rolls across the pie. A wheel is nimbler for trimming and cheaper; many cooks keep both.

It reads the surface temperature of your stone or steel without contact, so you launch only when the deck is actually hot enough, usually 350 to 450C for Neapolitan. Air temperature comes up long before the stone does, and a cold stone leaves the base pale.

A docker is a spiked roller that pricks small holes across rolled dough, which stops it puffing into large bubbles during baking. It is mainly for thin, cracker-style and par-baked crusts; a classic Neapolitan is left undocked so the rim can puff.