If you're measuring stone for a pizza oven, hearth, kiln, or masonry application, I'd prioritize high maximum temperature, adjustable emissivity, and a tight distance-to-spot ratio.
My picks
ThermoWorks IRK-2 - $99.00 (ThermoWorks)
VEVOR -40°F to 2732°F Infrared Thermometer - $39.90 (VEVOR)
FLIR TG56-2 - $226.99 (Apollo Industries)
Fluke 572-2 - $945.00 (Network Devices Inc.)
Best for most stone/pizza-oven use:
— $99, designed specifically for high-heat surfaces including pizza stones, with a circular laser targeting system. This is the one I'd look at first if you're measuring cooking/hearth stone rather than industrial metal.
— rated up to 2732°F / 1500°C, adjustable emissivity from 0.10–1.00, dual laser. At around $40, it gives you a huge temperature ceiling for the money.
Higher-end professional option:
— up to about 2372°F, with 30:1 distance-to-spot and Type-K thermocouple capability.
Premium industrial instrument:
— IR range to 1652°F, but exceptionally good 60:1 optics, adjustable emissivity, dual lasers, and excellent build quality. Fluke specifies ±2°F or ±1% above 32°F.
One important thing about measuring stone
The maximum temperature isn't the only specification that matters. Stone is a relatively emissive surface, but different stone finishes can give IR guns different readings. You want adjustable emissivity and should keep the gun reasonably close to the surface.
For example, the Fluke 572-2 lets you set emissivity from 0.10 to 1.00 and has a 60:1 distance/spot ratio.
If you're talking about pizza-oven stone, tell me roughly what temperature you're expecting — 500°F, 800°F, 1000°F, 1200°F+ — and whether you want to spend $50, $100, $200, or $500+. I can narrow it down considerably.
When measuring stone temperature (whether it’s a high-heat pizza stone in a 900∘F 900 raised to the composed with power F 9 0 0∘F wood-fired oven or stone masonry in industrial/industrial-art settings), standard kitchen IR guns (which usually cap out at 1,0 0 0∘F or less) might fall short.
The best high-temperature infrared thermometer guns combine an extreme maximum range, adjustable emissivity (crucial for accurate stone readings), and a sharp distance-to-spot ratio.
Top High-Max-Temp Infrared Thermometer Guns
VEVOR Infrared Thermometer (-40°F to 2732°F) /
Max Temp: 2,7 3 2∘F (1,5 0 0∘C)
Distance-to-Spot Ratio: 50:1
Why it's great: If you need an absolute powerhouse with a massive ceiling, this industrial-grade dual-laser unit handles extreme heat environments. The 50:1 ratio means you can stand quite far back from a raging hot pizza oven or stone structure and still target a precise small spot. It also features fully adjustable emissivity (0.1 0−1.0 0).[1]
VEVOR Dual-Mode IR Thermometer with K-Type Thermocouple (-22°F to 2192°F)
Max Temp: 2,1 9 2∘F (1,2 0 0∘C)
Why it's great: This dual-mode gun gives you both non-contact IR surface measurement and a plug-in K-type thermocouple probe. It’s fantastic for stone because while IR gives you a fast surface read, emissivity on reflective or uneven stone can sometimes skew data; having a backup contact probe lets you cross-reference accuracy.[1]
ThermoWorks Industrial IR Gun
Max Temp: Generally up to around 900∘F 900 raised to the composed with power F 9 0 0∘F to 1,0 0 0∘F (depending on the specific industrial model variant)
Why it's great: If your stone temp doesn't exceed 1,0 0 0∘F (common for high-end baking and outdoor pizza ovens), ThermoWorks is the gold standard for culinary and pro-surveillance accuracy, featuring ultra-fast response times and adjustable emissivity.
Pro-Tip for Measuring Stone
Stone has an emissivity value typically around 0.85 0.85 0.8 5 to 0.95 0.95 0.9 5 . Ensure whichever gun you buy has adjustable emissivity so you can dial it in; otherwise, glossy or dense stones might return falsely low temperature readings.
Are you measuring the stone for pizza/cooking (maxing out around 800∘F 800 raised to the composed with power F 8 0 0∘F–1000∘F 1000 raised to the composed with power F 1 0 0 0∘F ) or for industrial/kiln/masonry work (requiring 1,5 0 0∘F+positive+)? Let me know your precise temperature target so I can narrow down the best fit.
If you mean very hot stone/brick/ceramic surfaces—especially pizza-oven floors, kiln shelves, masonry, or refractory stone—the key is not simply “highest rated.” You want a temperature ceiling above your actual surface temperature, adjustable emissivity, and a reasonably tight distance-to-spot ratio.
🥇 Best overall for stone: ThermoWorks Industrial IR Gun
ThermoWorks's Industrial IR Gun is particularly well matched to stone because it has adjustable emissivity from 0.1–1.0, a 12:1 distance-to-spot ratio, and a –76°F to 1,022°F measurement range. ThermoWorks specifies ±2.7°F accuracy from 55–95°F and ±4°F or 2% of reading from 32–1,022°F.
That's a very good balance for a pizza stone, fireplace stone, refractory surface, or masonry that stays below ~1,000°F.
🥇 Best for extremely hot stone: ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Industrial IR
If your stone can exceed 1,000°F, I'd step up to the Hi-Temp Industrial model. It reaches 1,400°F and has a 30:1 distance-to-spot ratio, meaning you can measure a relatively small area from farther away. It also has adjustable emissivity.
That is particularly attractive for wood-fired pizza ovens, refractory materials and kiln-type applications.
💰 Best value: TempPro TP450W / TP30W
The current testing/review landscape consistently puts inexpensive TempPro/ThermoPro-style guns near the top for pizza-stone use. The TP450W has dual lasers and 16:1 optics, while the TP30W has 12:1 optics and currently carries a 4.5/5 rating from 181 Home Depot reviews in the shopping data I found.
For ordinary 700–950°F stone, I wouldn't spend hundreds unless you need professional calibration/build quality.
🏭 Best professional option: Fluke 572-2
Fluke Corporation's 572-2 is substantially more expensive, but it's a true high-temperature industrial instrument: –22°F to 1,652°F, 60:1 optics, dual-laser targeting, and high/low alarms.
For a normal pizza oven, it's overkill. For industrial refractory stone, furnaces, kilns, or measurements from a substantial distance, the extra capability can be worthwhile.
One important caveat: emissivity
For stone, adjustable emissivity is highly desirable. IR thermometers don't directly measure temperature; they infer it from infrared radiation emitted by the surface. A thermometer assuming the wrong emissivity can give you a misleading reading, particularly on different stone finishes, glazed ceramics, metal, or partially reflective surfaces.
That's why I'd favor the ThermoWorks Industrial IR, TP450W/TP30W, or a comparable adjustable-emissivity industrial instrument over a cheap fixed-emissivity gun. ThermoWorks explicitly provides 0.1–1.0 adjustment for materials including stone and tile.
Bottom line:
Pizza oven / ordinary hot stone: TempPro TP450W or ThermoWorks Industrial IR
Best combination of quality + price:ThermoWorks Industrial IR
Stone routinely >1,000°F:ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Industrial IR
Professional/industrial use:Fluke 572-2
Avoid: IR guns topping out at 600–750°F if your stone can reach 800–1,000°F. Recent pizza-oven comparisons specifically recommend at least ~1,000°F of range for high-temperature stone.
If you tell me the approximate stone temperature (e.g. 500°F, 900°F, 1,500°F) and whether this is for a pizza oven, fireplace, kiln, or masonry, I can narrow this to the 3 best models for that exact application and current prices.
