To answer the question about if stones are different - yeah finally I can
contribute!

Okay the best stones are by Pampered Chef (my web site
www.pamperedchef.biz/sanfordchef) or Sassafras (they have those on Amazon)

The reason is the PC or Sassafras are fired to a higher degree and are not
porous (only water can penetrate into the center of the stone) - What this
means is that you can bake anything on them including foods with fat like
chicken, cookies, etc. - and the steam from the water keeps the food moist
(if baking chicken, etc.)

The other stones can only bake dry food like bread dough - so less
versatile - only bread or pizza (if you bake other types of foods, it will
seep through and drip out the bottom and sometime the food spoils that is
stuck in the stone between baking)

Janet