Red Baron is my 2nd choice. Tombstone for the win.
They are virtually identical, but Red Baron is often a little oilier, in my experience.
And I’m someone that makes their own Chicago deep dish and tavern style. (requiring, thankfully, only home oven reachable temps, and some unglazed tiles as a pizza stone.)
Do we have a thread yet dedicated to frozen pizza rankings?
If not, I think we should…
Agreed. there’s a reason you see Dexters and other cheaper knives in those kitchens, often: cheap, sharp, easy-to-sharpen, easy on hands. Getting a Dexter sharp quickly is simple. Same for the cheaper aluminum saute pans and the like. Great cookware, just not the perdy stuff.
I think it’s a fair point, as so many want to know what the pros use. I do, at least. I recall the race to learn what knife Jacques Pepin was using in a video. Plain Jane Victorinox seemed to do the trick, and those who watched caught a glimpse of a very functional knife that doesn’t cost a ton.
Hope you’re feeling better!
Honestly, I’ve tried DiGiorno, Tombstone, Red Baron, Rao’s, Totinos, etc.
Modulating for different ‘styles’ and crust types, almost all of them were VERY similar, some nearly indistinguishable.
I like how some, like Rao’s, now give ‘brick oven’ directions. As if someone is going to heat up their Ooni or Grozney Dome just to throw a frozen pizza in it. Very optimistic of them.
Feel free to chime in with your ratings (tho it seems none of the ones you’ve tried floot yer boot much) here:
Thank you.
I can imagine that, but now I am now wondering what the thinking is. Was it because they know what’s best?
Lately I have been obsessively watching “Master Chef: Professional”, especially the skills tests, and find I am fascinated by their explanations of why they do what they do, and not what they are using.
The exception might be the constant presence of those cooking food processors. Initially I was looking them up, but now they serve to remind me of the difference between their needs and mine!
The quest to use what the pros use can be a bad idea for the non-professional. Golf is an extreme example. JT hits Titleist blades because his swing is so nearly perfect, so close to completely consistent, and adaptable to hitting fades, draws, knock downs, stingers, and many other shots. When your swing reaches that point, buy blades. Until then stick with klunky looking game improvement clubs. A pro in the kitchen does not need to worry about anything other than cooking. The home cook needs to worry about durability, ability to go in the dishwasher, and other aspects besides cooking.
I think you’re expressing what many of us here feel: that one person’s “better” is not necessarily another person’s “better.” Better power-to-weight ratios are good, but beyond a certain point (and missing the right aspects/attributes) they become dangerous to control. Tight suspension often results in a harsh ride, which a lot of folks view as a negative attribute. And manual transmissions have been relegated to “enthusiast” vehicles as the benefits/popularity of automatic transmissions have taken over the market.
The “best” car I ever owned (by my own driving and design criteria) was a 1990 Saab 900 with a 2L 4cyl 16v non-turbo engine and manual transmission. I upgraded the suspension to Saab’s stiffer SPG springs and some “performance” shocks, which markedly improved the handling. Now I drive an EV (Chevy Bolt) that’s slightly better (for me) in almost every aspect. The one thing I’m looking to change, again, is the suspension. (The car lacks a rear stabilizer bar, so I’ll probably add one in the not-too-distant future to reduce body roll.) My ex’s “perfect” car? Her Toyota Camry. 
It’s the entire marketing aspect of many products. “Use what the ‘pros’ use!” It moves consumers into the next new product, and keeps profits flowing into the companies that make them. It’s that way in bicycles, for sure. I’m a veritable troglodyte in bicycle terms, with too many gears up front and too few in back, and with my non-electric gear shifters separate from my non-disk brake levers. My tires are too fat and soft, and my frames are made from “ancient” steel alloys instead of the latest miracle metals or synthesized composites. How’s a company supposed to stay in business if I’m not swayed by what’s “winning” at the finish line or when facing the panel of judges?? 
I see.
Now I’m wondering were folks see ads for such things. Television? Magazines? Streaming apps?
My “curated feed” (Chrome “discover” landing page) is sending me down a different rabbit hole!
“what pros use”
has to be divided into
“real life”
and
“tv”
watch any “cooking show” by any famous/never-heard-of chef . . .
every pot/pan is pristine/clean/right out of the box.
this is not “real life” - this is the producer getting free stuff for product placement.
videos that show real restos preparing real food in a real life environment . . .
you’ll see warped/curled up/aluminum pans. that’s real life. the stuff is inexpensive and works.
high end / super high end “open kitchens” - you’ll see different stuff.
did you ever see Julia Child using a tarnished copper pot/pan?
or Emeril using a gunky fry pan?
or Jacques Pepin making an omelet or a crepe using a pan with streaks on the outside?
reality and tv/video/etc are different worlds.
In the trade, it’s called the “aspirational” market. Is it better than what’s offered in restaurant supply? Better fit, finish and handles, almost always. Better performance, sometimes. People can quibble over the marginal improvement.
The distinction between home/aspirational and top-end commercial is somewhat arbitrary and there is no bright line. Falk is a good example of a brand with a foot in both. So are Demeyere, Bourgeat, All-Clad, and the Sitram Charlie thought was Vollrath.
What about “Made In”?
Cycling is an excellent example. There are lots of cyclists in Austin who do not race bikes but like to ride hard and mix it up with the crowd that does. You have never seen so many $15,000 bikes. Then you look at their gearing. These are not set up to go at an elite level, the guys for whom 42x21 is the granny gear. They have a smattering of common sense and are geared for hills. My old steel bike was a blast. When I ride my three speed I truly miss it. It was what the pros used, only thirty-five years ago! I could get another one today for less than a lot of guys pay for just their wheels.
Nice stuff. Their ads sound as if they have broken into some restaurant kitchens.
I thought about Made In when I was looking for induction capable cookware. They look perfectly fine on the website, right up there with the big names, but they weren’t that much cheaper than All Clad, etc. Since I basically needed to replace everything I use for the new induction range Made In was just too expensive. But their web site is certainly helpful and full of useful tips and tricks.
I got some pieces early on, when they were still newbies. My favorite is a 2 quart shallow saucepan. I am partial to shallow saucepans. I also have a 4 qt shallow saucepan from Vollrath.
I was unthrilled with my carbon steel frypan from Made In, however. I ditched it.
I get a kick out of the way they equip the kitchens and stock the pantries on those cooking shows. Almost none of the pans and other equipment would ever be in a restaurant kitchen, and neither would a lot of their other tools, especially the appliances. They are marketing to homes. “You need a Cuisinart. You need a Viking stove.” It’s all nice enough, just not the best bang for the buck and generally not stuff you actually need. It is also intriguing that the biggest chef’s knife is always 8". That is what the typical home cook gravitates to, if not to a 6" petty. In a serious commercial kitchen 10" is the standard. Also it will be way lighter and less expensive than a Wusthof, probably a Forschner or a Dexter. For the cook who brings his/her knife roll, it will be in all likelihood be mismatched knives that would rarely be found in a home kitchen.
I am curious. How shallow is a shallow saucepan?
