Pizza stone - to preheat or not?

I have always heard and read, "Never put a cold pizza stone into a hot oven." Even the Pampered Chef (who made my pizza stone) say, "Avoid extreme temperature changes."



BUT, they also say, "Do not preheat stone," and, "Foods refrigerated in Stoneware may be placed directly in a preheated oven." (http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products鈥?/a>



What is actually correct? I tend to use my stone often at 450潞 (max recommended temp by PC) and today it broke apart in the oven. I had preheated the stone in the oven like always, and my bread (which covered most of the stone as per instructions) had been baking about ten minutes before it broke. Granted, I was lightly misting the loaf with water every 5 minutes (it broke randomly a few minutes after the 3rd mist), but it was the second time I had made that loaf. And when I've made pizza I've gotten tomato juice on the hot stone while transferring the pizza to the stone, and it's been fine. I contacted PC to see if they will replace the stone, but I'd like to know for next time - to preheat stone or not? Honestly it'd make pizza and bread making a lot easier to start with a cold stone because I don't have a pizza peel for easy transference.Pizza stone - to preheat or not?
I am a stoneware lover, worked at a bakery back in the day - and also have some PC stoneware.



They usually mean, don't put a stone from the freezer directly in a hot oven..



**what I do, is put the room temperature stone in the cold oven, and let them all pre-heat together.**



Then I put my baking on parchment on a wooden cutting board the same size (ie cookies, pizza, etc) then slide the parchment with the baking on it gently from the cutting board to the stone in the oven



ie; I open the oven door, put the cutting board beside the stone and carefully slide the one to the other.



It doesn't sound like you've done anything outside of their instructions. If you're stone is within the warranty period, send it back to PC for replacement, sounds like a defect in the stone. My sister had this issue with a couple stones she's had in the past, and they quickly and happily replaced it.



We also use the flat stones for rye bread, and the bread loaf pan stone for ancient grains bread (soft high sandwich style), and banana bread.



Plus we also use the 9x13 and the bowl baker for chickens, beef roasts and ribs - can't beat the taste! Tastes like it was done in a brick oven, all super moist and super flavourful.



We also do hot dip appetizers in the big round lid. The pizza dip appetizer is the biggest hit at parties.



That's just our experience, Hope that HelpsPizza stone - to preheat or not?
What instructions came with your stone?



I think the water misting broke or was a major contributor to your stone breaking.



I always preheat my stone before using. I did break one stone, but not sure how it broke. I just looked in the oven (oven off) one day and it was broken.



Also, when you mist breads, you generally only need to mist within the first 5 minutes.