Pizza Pan Grippers: Shallow vs Deep, and Why Oven Gloves Aren't Enough
Why not just use oven gloves?
Because a glove is a burn risk and a gripper isn't.
- A glove needs two hands and gets close to the heat. A gripper works at arm's length, with one hand.
- Gloves get greasy and slip. In a pizza kitchen, everything is greasy. A slipping glove holding a pan of molten cheese is exactly the accident you're trying to avoid.
- You can't reach the back of a deck oven in a glove without putting your forearm over the deck. That is how people get the burn scar that every pizza chef seems to have.
- A gripper lets you turn a pan mid-bake — which is how you even out hot spots without pulling the pizza right out and losing heat.
At £9.99, it is the cheapest burn-prevention in the kitchen.
Shallow or deep — and why it matters
This is the one thing to get right, and it is not a preference — it is a safety issue.
A gripper works by clamping the rim of the pan. The jaw geometry is designed around a specific rim depth.
| Gripper | For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shallow pan gripper (stainless) | Standard pizza pans and screens with a shallow rim | £9.99 |
| Deep pan gripper (stainless) | Deep pan / deep-dish pans with a tall rim | £9.99 |
| Die cast aluminium | Lightweight — less hand fatigue over a long shift | £9.99 |
A shallow-pan gripper on a deep pan will not seat properly. It grips the very lip, it slips under load, and you drop the pan. A dropped deep pan of hot pizza is a serious burn and a ruined order.
Buy for the pans you actually use. If you run both shallow and deep, buy both — they're £9.99 each.
Aluminium or stainless?
- Die cast aluminium — lighter. Over a long service where you're pulling pans constantly, that weight difference is felt in your forearm. Choose it for high-volume sections.
- Stainless steel — more robust, and available in the dedicated shallow and deep versions.
Using one safely
- Seat the jaws fully on the rim before you take any weight. Don't grab at the lip.
- Test the grip with a small lift before you commit — half a second, and it tells you whether it's seated.
- Keep the pan level. Tilting is how toppings slide and pans slip.
- Use it to turn, not just to pull. Rotating a pan mid-bake evens out the hot spots every deck oven has.
- Keep the jaws clean. Baked-on grease on the jaws reduces grip.
Frequently asked questions
Can one gripper do both shallow and deep pans?
Not safely. The jaws are shaped around a rim depth. Use the right one — they're £9.99 each, which is nothing against a burn.
Will a gripper work on a pizza screen?
Grippers are designed for pans with a rim. A flat screen has no rim to clamp, so it's normally handled with a peel.
Is aluminium strong enough?
Die cast aluminium grippers are made for the job. The trade-off is durability versus weight — pick lightweight if your team is pulling pans all night.
How fast can I get one?
UK stock, £9.99. Order before 10am for next-day delivery. Free delivery over £25. Call 073 8051 5838.
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