Photo: CucinaPro
What could be better than having the best tortilla press that can churn out one tortilla after the other in an even and uncompromising shape? This is especially the case when you are planned to host a party at home.
Your selection doesn’t just depend on the price, but there are many other things to consider in making a thoughtful purchase. Depending on the size of tortillas you like, you need to pick the size of the press.
Also, selecting the right material and type will be an equally tedious task, especially without any help.
Well, we are here to give you some candid recommendations on tortilla presses and the wisdom to find the best product of your choice.
In this post:
- 7 Best Tortilla Presses – Review
- 1. Victoria TOR-003 – Best Overall Tortilla Press
- 2. Norpro 1063 – Most Affordable Tortilla Press
- 3. SmartCook Heavy Gauge – Most Durable Tortilla Press
- 4. CucinaPro 1443 – Large-Size Tortilla Press
- 5. HIC Harold Import 43172 – Compact Tortilla Press
- 6. Kook 9020 – Low-Maintenance Tortilla Press
- 7. Central Coast Hardwood – Red Oak & Walnut Tortilla Press
- How to Buy the Best Tortilla Press
- How to Use Tortilla Press
- Conclusion
7 Best Tortilla Presses – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Victoria TOR-003 (Best Overall) |
| |
 | 2. Norpro 1063 (Most Affordable) |
| |
 | 3. SmartCook Heavy Gauge (Most Durable) |
| |
 | 4. CucinaPro 1443 (Large-Size) |
| |
 | 5. HIC Harold Import 43172 (Compact) |
| |
 | 6. Kook 9020 (Low-Maintenance) |
| |
 | 7. Central Coast Hardwood (Red Oak & Walnut Material) |
|
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. Victoria TOR-003 (Best Overall)
|
2. Norpro 1063 (Most Affordable)
|
3. SmartCook Heavy Gauge (Most Durable)
|
4. CucinaPro 1443 (Large-Size)
|
5. HIC Harold Import 43172 (Compact
|
6. Kook 9020 (Low-Maintenance)
|
7. Central Coast Hardwood (Red Oak & Walnut Material)
|
1. Victoria TOR-003 – Best Overall Tortilla Press
Photo: Victoria
- Type: Manual
- Size: 6.5 – 8-inches
- Material: Cast Iron
This tortilla press is the best overall product as it is versatile enough for making tortillas, patacones, Rotis, empanadas, quesadillas, and arepas.
Due to cast-iron construction, you can expect some much-needed heft in the press that help in making evenly-shaped tortillas. Also, the cost is highly favorable to the buyers.
It is available in two prime sizes of 6.5-inches and 8-inches. So, you can buy the size as per your requirement with a slight difference in the cost.
You also get an extra screw for the lever. By following the guide, you will understand the working of the press and how to make the best tortillas in a few minutes.
This is low-maintenance product and does not require any special treatment. We don’t recommend it for dishwasher cleaning because of the heavy-weight. Other than that, everything else about this product is worth every penny spent.
Pros:
- Versatile and suitably priced
- Less in maintenance
- Available in two different sizes
- Suitable for everyday use
Cons:
- Not recommended for dishwasher washing
2. Norpro 1063 – Most Affordable Tortilla Press
Photo: Norpro
- Type: Manual
- Size: 6 – 8-inches
- Material: Cast Aluminium
The Norpro tortilla press is the most affordable product on our list and is available in two different sizes of 6-inches and 8-inches. They both share common features other than the size. So, you can buy either of the options without having any quality concerns.
So, to start with, the material used here is cast-aluminium. Basically, it is a little heavier than the former model which was made of heavyweight aluminium.
As far as its maintenance is concerned, you don’t have to put any special emphasis on maintaining the item. You can wash it with hand and damp dry for long-lasting performance.
The drawback of this product is that it is not pre-seasoned which means that you will have to apply oil to the press every time before making tortillas.
Pros:
- Most-affordable tortilla press
- Available in two size variants
- Does not require any special care
- Dishwasher friendly
Cons:
- Not pre-seasoned or comes with any coating
3. SmartCook Heavy Gauge – Most Durable Tortilla Press
Photo: SmartCook
- Type: Manual
- Size: 7-1/2-inches
- Material: Cast Iron
The SmartCook tortilla press is one of the most durable models on our list because of the heavy-duty cast-iron material used in the making. With such amazing quality, the brand has kept the price of this product quite effective for the buyers.
You don’t have to put extra pressure to get the even and round tortillas. It is available in a decent size of 7-1/2-inches. Also, unlike other cast-iron tortilla presses, this one is available in suitable weight of 4.5-pounds.
This is a simple manual product with general working mechanism. In order to make tortillas, you just have to make a ball of dough and place it inside the press. Hold tight and within a few seconds, you can take out the best tortillas out of the press.
It can be used for versatile applications such as making flat breads of any dough that you want to use. However, on the downside, it is not seasoned with anything. This can result in batter sticking the press from inside.
Pros:
- Most durable with cast-iron construction
- Suitably priced
- Suitable for making flat breads of any dough
Cons:
- Not pre-seasoned
4. CucinaPro 1443 – Large-Size Tortilla Press
Photo: CucinaPro
- Type: Electric
- Size: 15-inches
- Material: Aluminium
The high-point of this model is that unlike other products, this one is available in 15-inches size. This is an electric machine that not just flattened the dough for tortilla making but also bakes it.
Other than that, you can also make pitas and flat breads for tacos, tostadas, gyros, etc. This is a great and most resourceful machine.
The material used in the making of this product is aluminium, and it has non-stick coating on the plates that evenly distributes heat to all the parts of the press and does thorough baking.
Since this is an electric machine, so you cannot wash it under an open stream of water. The cleaning is however easy as you can simply wipe it clean.
It comes with ready to use and lightweight cord that is stored inside the appliance. This product is not suggested being used with non-gluten flours.
Pros:
- Available in large size of 15-inches
- Great in making multiple delicacies
- Easy to store cord
- Comes with non-stick coating
Cons:
- Not compatible with non-gluten flours
5. HIC Harold Import 43172 – Compact Tortilla Press
Photo: HIC Harold Import Co.
- Type: Manual
- Size: 6-inches
- Material: Heavyweight Aluminium
The 6-inches compact tortilla press is suitable for occasional uses. It is made of heavyweight aluminium that is easy to maintain and handle. It will not rust or corrode, even after constantly left underwater.
Furthermore, it is designed to serve the need of different kind of people who make small tortillas. On the plus side, you can store it anywhere in the kitchen as it will not consume a lot of space.
The price is decent, so this product will not trouble your pocket at all. You can use it for making pita bread, Caribbean roti, focaccia, moo shoo pancakes, mini pie or tart shells, etc.
Sadly, there is no warranty offered on this product by the company.
Pros:
- Compact size suitable for occasional tortilla making
- Suitable for making different types of breads
- Affordable
- Less in maintenance
Cons:
- No warranty
6. Kook 9020 – Low-Maintenance Tortilla Press
Photo: Kook
- Type: Manual
- Size: 8-inches
- Material: Cast Iron
The Kook cast iron tortilla press is made to last. The interior of the press is coated with organic flaxseed oil due to which this product is quite low in maintenance and easy to clean as well.
The tortilla making size of this product is 8-inches. Also, it is versatile enough to help you make patacones, tostones, empanadas, arepas, dumplings, mini pie, and tart shells.
The assembling of this model is also quite straightforward and simple. This product is a must-have in every kitchen.
While everything else is great with this product, the lack of warranty can be a deal-breaker for some potential buyers.
Pros:
- Low on maintenance
- Heavy-duty construction
- Very easy to assemble
- Suitable for making different flat breads
Cons:
- No Warranty
7. Central Coast Hardwood – Red Oak & Walnut Tortilla Press
Photo: Central Coast Woodworks
- Type: Manual
- Size: 8-inches
- Material: Red Oak & Walnut
This 8-inches manual tortilla press is made of red oak and walnut material which don’t just make this product fancier than others but has high performance potential as well.
This tortilla press is finished with food-grade mineral oil and beewax to enhance your experience of making the tortillas.
Also, unlike many other wooden tortilla presses, you will find this model highly durable as well. Plus, it requires less maintenance.
Being made of wood, we recommend careful handling of the product, especially while cleaning. You should not put it inside the dishwasher. Also, this one is highly expensive as well because of the premium material used in construction.
Pros:
- Made with red oak & walnut
- Easy to maintain
- Impressive looks
- Food-grade mineral oil coating
Cons:
- Bit on the pricier side
- Should be washed carefully
How to Buy the Best Tortilla Press
Photo: CucinaPro
Here is the selection criteria for the best tortilla press.
1. Electric or Manual
So, the common types of tortilla press available in the market are divided in two prime types. Let’s take a look at them individually:
Electric: The common difference between electric and non-electric press is that the electric doesn’t just flatten the dough but also make scrumptious tortillas automatically inside the press and help you save a lot of time.
The downside of electric models is that they are expensive than the manual counterparts.
Our top recommendation of electric tortilla press is the CucinaPro 1443 tortilla press. It is also the largest tortilla press on our list.
Manual: These presses have more conventional working as you have to manually use the press for shaping the tortillas, and later you can make the bread traditionally on stovetop.
These are mostly made of different types of materials including aluminium, cast iron, etc. and usually don’t have non-stick coating from inside.
Also, the manual tortilla press is also inexpensive and easy to manage and handle. However, the operation of the press is the same.
Buying Advice: Considering the fact that best electric tortilla press performs automatically and can work effectively without least demanding from the user, we will suggest you the electric version.
However, not everyone can afford the machine. So, the manual one is also equally suitable, if only you are willing to make some efforts.
2. Size
One thing which is noteworthy here is that these tools can be pretty space consuming and bulky. So, the first thing that you need to determine here is the space in your kitchen before selecting the right size.
For example, if your kitchen has a lot of space then you can easily purchase wooden or cast-iron tortilla press which are most available in 8-inches or above.
In the contrary case, you can always go for aluminium-based or plastic models that you can find in as low as 6-inches size as well.
One more thing that you need to notice here is that as the size of the product goes up, the price also rises. So, pick the size carefully considering the space in your kitchen and price that you are willing to spend.
3. Materials
Interestingly, there are different types of materials available in the best tortilla presses.
Cast Iron
This is a popular choice of material in tortilla press. The material is mostly used in manual models. The working mechanism is quite simple and straightforward.
All you have to do is to put the dough ball inside the tortilla plates and press them together. This helps in even shaping of the tortillas.
In terms of picking and storing the press, its heavyweight might annoy the users but because of this extra bit of heft, you can expect even flattening of the dough.
The common drawbacks are that unseasoned cast-iron tortilla presses are susceptible to rusting. They are also demanded high maintenance.
Pros:
- The finish of the flat breads is next to perfection
- Easy to use
- Sturdy in nature
Cons:
- Usually heavy in weight
- Prone to rusting
Aluminium
So, if you want something in metal that has the tendency the withstand wear and tear and is relatively easy to handle then the alternative is aluminium-made tortilla presses.
These are lightweight and better in storage and usage. Our best recommendation of an aluminum tortilla press is HIC Harold Import 43172 tortilla press.
Pros:
- Very light in weight
- Easy to wash and clean
- Affordable
Cons:
- May create uneven thickness and shape of the tortillas
- Not suitable for professional usage
Wooden
These are considered as the authentic tortilla makers as they are used in Mexico for making the dish. Mexico is the originating country of tortillas where they typically used pinewood tortilla presses.
The wooden ones are lightweight and strong and also are available at economical prices. However, if they are made of premium wood like red oak, you can experience considerable difference in price.
Pros:
- Strong
- Light in weight
- Easy to use and maintain
Cons:
- Not so great in dishwasher washing
Plastic
Well, this is the most neglected and least-liked material in tortilla presses. The handling might be convenient but they are eventually low-life and don’t have the strength to serve for durations.
Pros:
- Economical
- Light in weight
- Easy to store
Cons:
- Not durable at all
4. Easy to Clean
Whether you are buying the best cast-iron tortilla press or made of any other material, you should be careful that it is easy to clean.
The complexly shaped presses are difficult to clean and mostly not dishwasher friendly. Wooden material gets dirty easily and is most difficult to clean.
Always check for the surface of the press because as smooth the surface will be, the cleaning will be equally simpler.
How to Use Tortilla Press
Photo: Kook
There is no rocket-science in the using of a tortilla press. The mechanism is quite simple.
- In order to use a tortilla press, you need some dough. This can be prepared by using corn flour which is easily available in all supermarkets.
- Alternatively, you can buy the prepared dough in the market. Best is to find ground flour made of corn to enjoy the traditional taste.
- In order to use tortilla press for making tortillas, you also need waxed paper or plastic paper to prevent the batter from sticking on the tortilla walls.
- From the loose paper, cut two symmetrical sheets and place dough in between as you align the waxed paper inside the press. The dough has to be of the size of a golf ball.
- Now, gently close the press, resting its base on the countertop.
- Apply force on the top of the press to flatten the dough.
- Take out both the sheets and flip them over.
- Now, repeat the pressing again and draw the dough in its flattest form.
- If satisfied, peel the paper off the tortilla and set it aside for the cooking.
This is a conventional process done on a manual tortilla maker. In electric tortilla press, you also get to cook the tortilla without having to take it out and make it separately.
Conclusion
As we finish the tortilla press review, we would like to give you a quick revision of different types of products that you can find in our list.
If you fancy a cast-iron tortilla maker then go with the Victoria TOR-003 tortilla maker which is made of superior quality and is available in a decent price.
If you are on a budget and need a tortilla press for occasional use then go with the Norpro 1063 tortilla maker. It is a great product on a very small amount.