Best Tortilla Press
The best tortilla presses transform dough into perfectly round tortillas with uniform thickness. If you love sliding into a restaurant booth to dig into a plate of delicious Mexican tacos, tostadas, or a TexMex burrito wrapped in handmade, fresh-off-the-press tortillas, this guide to the best tortilla presses can help recreate that fresh flavor at home.
“There’s nothing quite like the rustic appeal of fluffy homemade flour tortillas to enhance your tacos, fajitas, and burritos,” says Sommer. “If you’ve taken the time to make authentic Enchiladas Suizas, it’s time to whip up hot airy flour tortillas from scratch.” The same goes for homemade corn tortillas, which she says taste so much better when they’re made from scratch that there’s no real comparison to the store-bought ones.
Sommer and I researched the many types of tortilla presses, including the best wooden options, electric presses, cast iron, and more. In this guide, we’ll not only narrow down the list of our recommendations, but we’ll also share Sommer’s secrets on how to make authentic flour tortillas and her killer corn tortillas that are so soft, pillowy, and bendable, even an abuela (grandmother in Mexico and Latin American countries) would approve. They make the absolute best tortillas!
Our Top Picks:
- Sommer’s Top Pick: Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press – $24.99 at Amazon
- Best Budget Tortilla Press: Imusa 8-Inch Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press – $12.39 at Target
- Best Small Tortilla Press: HIC Harold Tortilla Press – $19.49 at Amazon
- Best Wooden Tortilla Press: Central Coast Woodworks Hardwood Tortilla Press – $84.99 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Tortilla Presses
1. Sommer’s Top Pick: Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press
Sommer’s top pick is this 8-inch model that’s the most similar to the small black cast iron tortilla press she has used for over 10 years to make recipes like her BBQ Carnitas or Chicken Tinga Tacos. This tortilla press is made by Victoria, a three-generation metalworking business located in MedelIín, Colombia.
Cast iron presses are a crowd favorite for their heavy-duty materials that provide durability and longevity. The extra weight of the plates, in tandem with the ergonomic lever of the reinforced handle, adds pressure for flattening. The sturdy plates of the Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press are made through a sand-casting and molding technique that yields perfectly flat and uniformly thin tortillas. Because the plates are pre-seasoned with flax oil, the press is ready to use and clean out of the box. It’s generally low maintenance to care for and wipes clean with a damp cloth – just make sure to dry it completely before storing.
What Sommer Says:
“It’s the easiest way to make perfectly shaped tortillas without a big machine. Small, inexpensive, and easy to store, it works great!”
The Specs:
- Diameter: 8 inches
- Weight: 8.9 pounds
- Material: Cast iron
The Pros:
- Compact
- Easy storage
- Consistent results
The Cons:
- Makes only small and medium tortillas
- Difficult to clean
- Heavy
What Others Are Saying
The Victoria 8-inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon from more than 25,000 reviews. It was also named the best-value tortilla press by Food & Wine.
Buy the Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press:
2. Best Budget: Imusa 8-Inch Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press
You don’t have to break the bank to get into tortilla making. This aluminum model costs less than $20 and is as sturdy and durable as some pricier options. Its traditional design features an ergonomic handle for effortless leverage and a hinge, making opening and closing to press corn and flour tortillas easy.
The 8-inch size is perfect for the taco aficionado who only wants to make street-style and authentic tacos that easily fit in your hand. However, if you need to press a tortilla for a burrito, quesadilla, or fajita, you’ll want to buy a 10-inch tortilla presser instead.
The Specs:
- Diameter: 8 inches
- Weight: 1.8 pounds
- Material: Aluminum
The Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
- Excellent leverage
The Cons:
- Hand-wash only
- Requires a lot of pressure
What Others Are Saying
The Imusa 8-Inch Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press has a 4.2-star rating on Amazon from more than 10,000 reviews. It was also named the best lightweight tortilla press by Delish.
Buy the Imusa 8-Inch Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press:
3. Best Small: HIC Harold Tortilla Press
HIC’s Tortilla Press is specifically designed for creating 6-inch homemade tortillas used for street tacos or homemade tortilla chips. However, it can also be used for pita bread, Caribbean roti, focaccia, and other flatbreads. Made from aluminum, it’s lightweight but durable, with a sturdy handle that makes it easy enough for a child to use – with proper supervision. Once you’ve pressed out all your dough, it washes easily by hand with warm, soapy water.
The Specs:
- Diameter: 6 inches
- Weight: 1.2 pounds
- Material: Aluminum
The Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
- Easy to store
The Cons:
- Can be inconsistent
- Only good for small tortillas
- Handwash only
What Others Are Saying
The HIC Tortilla Press has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon from more than 1,700 reviews. It was also named the best budget tortilla press by Delish.
Buy the HIC Harold Tortilla Press:
4. Best Wooden: Central Coast Woodworks Hardwood Tortilla Press
This handmade wooden beauty is a beast for the best-pressed corn tortillas. Artisans use both red oak and walnut to create the two-toned design that is stunning enough to make it a showpiece in any kitchen.
The wood is not pre-seasoned; it is treated with food-grade mineral oils and beeswax, so it’s hand-wash only. Keep in mind that this tortilla maker is only for corn tortillas (and other gluten-free types), as flour tortillas and wheat-based roti can stick. This particular press is great for 8-inch tortillas, but the company makes a variety of sizes with different types of wood.
The Specs:
- Diameter: 8 inches
- Weight: 6 pounds
- Material: Red oak, walnut, and stainless steel
The Pros:
- Beautiful design
- Easy to store
- Handmade from a small business
The Cons:
- Flour tortillas stick to it
- Handwash only
- Pricey
What Others Are Saying
Allrecipes and Good Housekeeping named the Central Coast Woodworks Hardwood Tortilla Press the best wooden tortilla press.
Buy the Central Coast Woodworks Hardwood Tortilla Press:
Other Tortilla Presses We Researched
The Norpro is a great option for cooking with kids due to its compact, lightweight design and easy-to-use lever. To make it even easier, prevent your dough from sticking by lining each side with wax paper, parchment paper, or Saran wrap. It’s not quite as durable as other options and is only available in 6- or 8-inch sizes. The Norpro 6-Inch Tortilla Maker is available on Amazon for $19.70.
ARC USA 6.5-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press
This a good choice for smaller corn tortillas because the weight of this cast iron press does a lot of work and allows you to easily control the thickness and size of your tortillas by using more or less pressure. However, if you plan on pressing larger flour ones, you’ll want to upgrade to the 10-inch size, which is on the pricey side. Keep in mind the cast iron needs to be completely dry before storing. The ARC USA 6.5-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press is available on Amazon for $26.99.
Victoria 10-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press
While Sommer’s top pick was the smaller capacity Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press, we love both models, using the smaller capacity press for tacos and this larger model for burritos. However, the price tag of this larger model is significantly higher than its smaller counterpart. The Victoria 10-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press is available at Amazon for $85.99.
Why You Can Trust Us
Sommer is a professional recipe developer, food stylist, and food writer who shares hundreds of recipes with readers, including her favorite tacos and enchiladas. She creates her own tortillas from scratch and even has a Paleo “magic” plantain tortilla recipe that’s gluten, grain, dairy, and nut-free.
I’m Belle DuChene, an award-winning content writer and communications professor, and I’m passionate about all things lifestyle, including fashion, food, and French culture. (And wine, of course!) Over the course of 20 years, I’ve held almost every position imaginable in various restaurants, including ownership of Underbite Dog, a Korean-concept hot dog cart (that was named after my dog’s teeth). My work can be found on the Better Homes & Gardens website.
To make this list, Sommer and I worked together to leverage her personal experience with tortilla presses and then deeply researched the market to pick the best tortilla presses based on reviews pertaining to performance, size, and overall value.
What to Know About Tortilla Presses
What to Consider Before Buying a Tortilla Press
Size:
To identify the right-sized tortilla press, start with which fresh tortillas you prefer–flour, corn or both. Most will produce tortillas between 6 and 10 inches in diameter (although they can be as large as 12 inches).
Smaller presses are great for authentic corn tacos, made with masa harina, that are made to be small enough to fit in your hand, whereas larger-diameter tortillas are needed for a burrito or quesadilla. Keep in mind that a larger press can yield small taco shells by adjusting the amount of dough you place on the press plate and practicing the technique to get your shape just right.
Weight:
It’s a myth that you need a heavy tortilla press to make great tortillas. Lighter presses may offer better control so you can alter the dough to your preferred thickness easily. Consider how much effort you want to put into cleaning and moving your tortilla press around to store it.
Material:
Tortilla presses are typically made of cast iron, wood, stainless steel, or aluminum; each material has different features. Cast iron presses tend to be long-term purchases because they are so durable, but they may need to be seasoned and are not dishwasher-safe. Wood presses are usually larger, but they can warp. Both aluminum and stainless steel tortilla presses are lighter in weight but may not deliver consistent results.
How to Use a Tortilla Press
Since tortilla presses aren’t made to be nonstick, start by lining each side with a liner like wax paper, parchment paper, plastic wrap, or even a recycled plastic sack. Press the ball of masa dough onto the center of the bottom plate, use the handle to close and press, and repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sommer says there are times when you may want to grab a store-bought pack of flour tortillas on the run (like if you’re packing a lunch or putting together a meal in a hurry).
However, if you’re planning a gathering and want to make the same authentic and fluffy tortillas served at your favorite Mexican restaurant, a tortilla press is extremely useful for quickly creating uniformly round, flat, thin tortillas. But there are some workarounds to a tortilla press, like using two plates to smash your dough, although the results will be very inconsistent.
“You can also roll the dough with a rolling pin,” says Sommer. “This will surely give you a bit of an upper-body workout but does not negatively affect the quality of the tortillas!”
That said, it’s absolutely worth the investment if you make dozens of tortillas regularly, and grocery store corn tortillas just aren’t as good as the real thing.
Tortilla presses are made of different materials requiring different cleaning methods. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. A quick wipe-down with a dry towel will usually do the trick, but some may require using warm, soapy water, while others may be safe on the top rack of the dishwasher.
If you select a pre-seasoned cast iron product, extra care is needed to ensure its longevity. After use, you can use a damp or oiled cloth to wipe it clean. If that doesn’t work, use hot water and a brush to remove any dough bits from the crevices. Make sure to dry it thoroughly so no water remains or the press could rust. Prior to storing, oil the plates lightly with vegetable oil, then wipe dry with a paper towel. The next time you crave tacos, your tortilla press will be ready to go.
The Best Recipes to Use a Tortilla Press
There’s no denying the fresh flavor of handmade tortillas hot off the press. Check out Sommer’s favorite recipes to serve restaurant-quality tortillas at home. They are worth the effort and may have you ditching store-bought tortillas for good!