The 5 Best Tortilla Presses

When you realize how simple it is to make your own corn tortillas at home, you typically never want to go back to buying the store-bought ones again. The best tortilla presses are made from durable materials and let you control the thickness of your finished tortilla. With some exceptions, tortilla presses are designed specifically for making corn tortillas using masa harina. If you plan to make flour tortillas, a great rolling pin is a better choice, although certain options can be used with flour-tortilla recipes if you rest the dough for a longer period of time before pressing.

When shopping for a tortilla press, the first thing you'll want to consider is whether or not you want a manual or an electric model. Manual presses are the most common, and can be made from wood, cast iron, or aluminum. After using one to press your tortillas individually, you can have multiple tortillas cooking on a griddle or comal at once. Electric presses cook tortillas immediately after they are pressed, but they also take up a little more space — and you can only cook one tortilla at a time. However, these can be a versatile tool to have in your kitchen if you also make other flatbreads like roti or chapatti on a regular basis.

Manual wooden presses are the most traditional option, and while they are beautiful, they take up quite a bit of space. If you have a smaller kitchen, opt for a cast iron or aluminum tortilla press, which will give you all the functionality of a traditional wooden press, but with a lower profile. Keep in mind that presses are generally designed to make tortillas of a specific size — this will be noted in the product's description. Most presses make either 6-inch tortillas or 8-inch tortillas.

When using a manual tortilla press, be sure to always put your ball of dough between two sheets of parchment to prevent it from sticking to the press. Tortilla presses are also not dishwasher safe, so all of the options on our list will need to be wiped down with soap and warm water.

Ready to take your at-home taco nights to a whole new level? Here are some of the best tortilla presses you can buy on Amazon.

1. A Classic Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Press

• Type: manual
• Material: cast iron
• Weight: 7.52 pounds
• Tortilla size: 8-inch

This cast iron tortilla press has over 1,400 five-star reviews on Amazon, so if you want to make sure you're getting great quality for the price, this is a good place to start. It's made from durable pre-seasoned cast iron, so you can use it as soon as you take it out of the box. It also comes with 100 pieces of parchment paper that are cut to the ideal size for making 8-inch tortillas, meaning you'll never have to deal with getting masa stuck to the inside of your press. This press also works well with flour tortilla recipes, according to the manufacturer. Since this press is made from seasoned cast iron, you can also cook your tortillas in the press over a gas stove, which makes it a true multitasker. It's not dishwasher safe, and must be wiped clean and dried immediately.

One fan raved: “I’ve been making and rolling out tortillas the old fashioned way that my grandmother and mom taught me. This tortilla press made the job so much easier and way less messy. I couldn’t be happier with my purchase! Highly recommended.”

2. A Budget-Friendly Aluminum Tortilla Press

• Type: manual
• Material: aluminum
• Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Tortilla size: 6-inch

This aluminum tortilla press is another great entry-level product. Since it's made from aluminum, it's much more lightweight than cast iron or wood tortilla presses. Reviewers loved how sturdy it is, but some noted that it's harder to get a super thin tortilla because of the lightweight material. This press makes 6-inch tortillas, which are perfect for street-style, tacos, but a larger 8-inch option is also available. It's not dishwasher safe, and must be hand-washed. It's also recommended to use parchment or another lining to make sure your tortillas don't stick.

One fan raved: “I really like this press, was recommended by America's test kitchen. Works great, have used about 4 times to make corn tortillas and I am very happy with it. The key is to make sure your masa dough isn't too wet or to dry. I cut a [plastic] bag open and place my dough between the press it makes it way easier to get the tortilla off.”

3. A Traditional Wooden Tortilla Press

• Type: manual
• Material: Red Oak and Walnut
• Weight: 5.3 pounds
• Tortilla size: 8-inch

This traditional-style wooden tortilla press is not only highly functional, but it's also a beautiful hand-crafted piece that you'll want to keep on display. Made from sturdy red oak and walnut that's been treated with food-grade mineral oil, the long handle provides great leverage and the heft of the press itself makes thin, even tortillas. It works best for making corn tortillas, and should be lined with parchment or wax paper before pressing. This version makes 8-inch tortillas, but the brand offers a few additional tortilla presses, including a 10-inch option made from red oak.

One fan raved: “So I had to wait until I actually made corn tortillas with this press to leave a review. As you can tell by the photo's provided by the maker that this is a stunning piece of wood work. It's nice enough as to where I would love to display it, but space in my kitchen is sparse [so it] stays in its shipping box until needed [...] I want to pass my tortilla maker on to family after I croak. This fits the bill.”

4. A Versatile Electric Flatbread Maker

• Type: electric
• Material: stainless steel with nonstick plates
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Tortilla size: 10-inch

If you want a true multitasker, this electric tortilla press from StarBlue can do a lot for a single appliance. It's great for a variety of flatbreads, including both corn and flour tortillas as well as roti and whole-wheat wraps. You can also use it as a sandwich or quesadilla press. Since it's an electric model, you can press and cook your tortillas all in one step — the only downside is that you can only cook one at a time. This press produces restaurant-quality 10-inch tortillas, and with nonstick plates, you don't need to use any kind of lining. It's not dishwasher-safe, and must be wiped clean by hand.

One fan raved: “Bought this for a gift for a friend who cooks often. Thought he would enjoy [making] homemade tortillas and he loves it! The weight of the press is significant and made me feel like I was buying a quality product. It’s easy to use and the tortillas are delicious!”

5. A Colorful Cast Iron Press That Comes With A Serviette

• Type: manual
• Material: cast iron
• Weight: 3.94 pounds
• Tortilla size: 6.5-inch

This colorful tortilla press is made from recycled cast-iron with an attractive food-grade red coating that makes it a great accent-piece for any kitchen. This tortilla press offers all the usual benefits of cast iron, including good leverage and a heavier weight — however, since it is powder coated, you shouldn't use it on the stovetop. It makes 6.5-inch tortillas and comes with a traditional serviette that you can wrap your tortillas in to keep them warm while you prepare your taco fillings. Verve Culture's kit is handmade in Mexico, and also comes with a recipe booklet that dives into this history of tortilla-making.

One fan raved: “I bought this product for my grandmother to make tortillas and she absolutely loves it so far.”