Top 10 Best Tortilla Presses in 2021 (Victoria, Imusa, and More)

The following is a lineup of the best tortilla presses we could find on Amazon. You have the traditional wood or cast-iron presses, a more lightweight aluminum press, and even an electrical press to flatten and cook your tortillas in one go. 

A quick look online shows numerous tortilla press options, but how can you determine which press would work best with the type of tortillas you're making? The buying guide below will help you pick out the most fitting tortilla press for your kitchen. We've also attached some tortilla recipes worth trying. 

Traditional presses can be made from cast iron, aluminum, or wood. You also have modern versions that include electricity and heat. 

One thing to keep in mind is the type of dough you will be working with: corn (masa harina) or regular flour. Corn is softer and easier to press than regular wheat flour or even alternative flours, so a not-so-heavy press would suffice.

Traditional tortilla presses are made of cast iron. Much like any other kitchen tool made of this material, you can expect extreme durability. They are also heavy and do the job of pressing for you. All you need to do is insert small balls of masa in between the plates, and with a simple press, you have a fresh tortilla.

However, it is to be expected that cast iron is heavy. Some weigh six to eight pounds, making it inconvenient to move around from storage to countertop. Furthermore, cast iron requires seasoning and careful cleaning and maintenance to prevent rust.

Anything wooden is beautiful to look at, tortilla presses included. They are larger than metal presses, which could be an issue if space is limited. While they can make generous-sized tortillas, the platform of wooden presses tends to be bulky.

Another downside of wooden presses is durability. They are prone to cracking, warping, or deterioration. We recommend choosing hardwood such as mesquite or oak for the best durability.

You can also find Encino wood tortilla presses, which are a bit smaller than their mesquite or oak counterparts. The overall design is compact, so you can have a beautifully-crafted kitchen tool without compromising too much space.

Lastly, you have electric presses that look like a waffle maker but have differently-designed plates. These appliances are nifty to have because you can typically make so many more recipes in them, such as pitas, focaccia, pancakes, or flatbreads.

The earlier electric presses failed at making flat tortillas, but they have greatly improved since then. You can get models that use cast iron or cast aluminum plates for equal heat and weight distribution when pressing. You also get automatic features such as a green light indicating your tortilla is ready or an automatic shut-off setting.

With an electric press, the machine will do all the pressing for you, thus relieving strain from your hands and wrists. Perhaps the biggest perk of an electric press is that your tortilla comes out ready to eat because the heat flattens and cooks simultaneously. 

The overall size of the machine will affect the size of the tortillas produced. Most presses can make about eight-inch tortillas, which is the typical size for this food staple.

We recommend looking through the product dimensions to ensure the it suits your requirements, because some like large tortillas for burritos and wraps, while smaller ones are great for soft-shell tacos.

Looking through the reviews will also confirm if the quality of the tortillas produced is consumer-approved. This means the tortillas come out with the right thickness of about an eighth of an inch and flattened evenly.

When grabbing a particular tortilla press, check to see if they come with extra freebies such as pre-cut parchment paper, recipes, or a tortilla warmer. These are the usual inclusions that make the purchase more worthwhile. 

Parchment paper is especially helpful as you would otherwise need to line the plates to prevent the tortillas from sticking. This could be achieved by using parchment paper or plastic storage bags slit open at the sides, although these can’t be used for electrical models.

Here are a few Mexican tortilla recipes worth trying.

The Maseca brand Masa Harina is the Mexican mom and grandma-approved corn flour. It is also gluten-free. Other brands include Bob’s Red Mill Golden Corn Flour. 

All you need is two cups of Masa Harina, one and a half cups of warm purified water, and a half teaspoon salt. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the water incrementally while stirring and kneading to get the flour formed into a dough. 

When the dough is soft to the touch, is lightly sticky but doesn’t stick to your hand when touched, it’s ready to be rolled into four-inch balls. A ball goes into the press for tortilla making. This recipe makes 12 to 16 tortillas.

For flour tortillas, you need two and a half cups all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of baking powder, a third of a cup shortening or lard, and one cup of hot water. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the shortening. Mix until it resembles a coarse meal. 

Add the hot water incrementally while stirring until it becomes a dough. Portion the dough into ten smooth balls and cover in a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap to rest for 30 to 45 minutes. Resting is key to preventing the dough from shrinking after pressing. 

A ball goes into the press for tortilla making, and you'll get ten tortillas from this recipe.

Love to cook? Here are a few more kitchen appliances worth adding to the countertop. 

Make tortillas to your heart's content with the help of a tortilla press. Those who've tried them out couldn't believe the difference from store-bought tortillas. With just a handful of ingredients and a tortilla press, authentic Mexican delicacies could quickly become a staple on your table. 

Author: Hana Otsuka

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more mybest recommendations!

Your tortillas are ready, but what about the fillings? What about the side dishes? For a truly delicious Mexican (or Tex-Mex) meal, you'll need the right spices, and that's why vegan food influencer, blogger, and chef Sara Tercero (better known as @betterfoodguru) is here to save the day with her chili powder recommendation!