The 6 Best Tortilla Presses of 2024

Best Overall

Central Coast Woodworks Hardwood Tortilla Press

View On Amazon $83 View On Etsy $80

This handsome tortilla press makes quite a statement aesthetically, and in addition to being highly rated by experts and consumers, it stood up to our testing and earned itself the best overall spot on our list. Available in 8- and 10-inch versions, as well as solid red oak instead of the pictured walnut and red oak striped design, this press comes from a shop based in Santa Maria, California, and is treated with food-grade mineral oils and beeswax.

In testing, we found that the long arm in this tortilla press provided the ideal leverage to press perfect round tortillas of even thickness easily. We particularly liked the size because it made small and medium tortillas as well as slightly bigger tortillas for enchiladas. While testing, we made extra batches of dough, just so we could press more tortillas with this press. Even after pressing dozens of tortillas, we wanted to keep going, because it felt that effortless.

The press worked well for grain-free flours like cassava and almond and for corn, but what thrilled us the most was that the press produced thin, evenly flattened whole wheat roti/chappatis. We were also able to shape pita breads with this press. It did a better job than other tortilla presses when used with all-purpose flour for flour tortillas. However, the resulting tortillas were quite thick and still needed to be rolled out with a rolling pin to get them thinner.

Cleaning the press is easy. Simply wipe it down with a cloth and store it. We didn’t feel that it needed to be seasoned during testing, but with regular use, it might need seasoning more often. It is large in size, so you'll want to consider your storage options before purchasing.

Size: 8 inches | Material: Red oak and walnut wood | Seasoned: Treated with beeswax and mineral oil

Best Budget

Fox Run Tortilla Press

View On Amazon $23 View On Wayfair $23 View On Walmart $24

Most tortilla presses are made from cast iron, but there are quite a few cast aluminum versions out there, and this material has its own advantages. For one thing, presses made from cast aluminum like this one are less expensive than the alternatives.

When she first launched her catering business in Los Angeles, Ramirez bought several cast aluminum presses to save money. They're still plenty heavy to help you get the job done, but not so difficult to move around your kitchen. There's just one caveat: "They don’t always press as evenly as cast iron, so your tortillas might be a little lopsided," Ramirez says.

The Fox Run tortilla press feels light and is portable because of its weight, which helped when we made tacos for a large group of people. People easily carried it from one workstation to the other. The cleanup was also easy, and a quick wash by hand was all it needed. This model has a compact design, making it easier to stash away when not in use. The light weight did not work in its favor when we tried to make flour tortillas or larger tortillas. When we pressed hard, the tortillas either turned out lopsided or broke in the process.

Size: 6.25 inches | Material: Cast aluminum | Seasoned: No

Most Versatile

Victoria 6.5-inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press

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This press is a bit smaller than some tortilla presses out there, but that can work in your favor if what you desire are the smaller corn tortillas traditionally used in Mexico for tacos. It comes seasoned with flax oil, making it ready to use and easy to clean. While it is generally low maintenance, we found that each time we cleaned the press with water, it needed to be dried carefully and re-seasoned.

During testing, we made tortillas and pressed empanadas as well as poori dough.  We found the Victoria cast iron press to be quite versatile, and it delivered on gluten-free flours with equal aplomb. Its slightly more compact size made it easy to store in the kitchen, which only meant that we used it more often for all kinds of pressing matters of the dough kind. You don't have to press too hard or long to achieve thin, rolled-out tortillas and rotis. The design of the handle distributes the weight evenly across the plate. The flat tab on the edge of the top plate helped lift up the press easily after pressing the dough down.

Size: 6.5 inches | Material: Cast iron | Seasoned: Yes

Best for Corn Tortillas

ARC USA 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press

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Many tortilla presses are made with cast iron—and for good reason. Ramirez thinks cast iron is the best bet for most home cooks, as "the heaviness does a lot of work for you." This model has a slightly bigger plate than many other models, allowing you to make a bigger tortilla for when your cravings lean more burrito than taco.

We found the handle to be one of the best features of this press. It is strong and has heft. That made it easy to press down tortillas of various sizes. You can control the size and thickness of the tortillas and other flatbreads by controlling how hard you press down on the handle, 

The press was pre-seasoned when it arrived, and unless water was used on it, it stayed seasoned. But each time we cleaned it with water, it needed to be dried completely and then re-seasoned. For corn tortillas, we found that using a plastic sheet (cut out from a plastic bag) worked best and released the tortilla from the press without much trouble. The press worked equally well for making grain- and gluten-free tortillas. We also used it to roll pita breads and flour tortillas. Pita breads with a well-rested dough turned out nice and even, but the flour tortillas were slightly lopsided.

Size: 8.1 inches | Material: Cast iron | Seasoned: Yes

Best for Flour Tortillas

Eleganceinlife Cast Iron Tortilla Press

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Doughs made from corn are typically softer and easier to press than those made from flour. This 7-inch press is a good choice if you’re making primarily flour tortillas, because its cast-iron handle is especially heavy. The design is well balanced, which helps you get the even thickness that can be hard to achieve, especially with flour dough.

Alternative flours can be even stiffer, but this press is up to that job, as well. Those who make low-carb or paleo-compliant tortillas from flours like coconut, almond, cassava, and more will find this model to be the right tool for the job.

In our testing, we could press small and medium tortillas with this press. We worked with a well-rested all-purpose-flour dough to make the flour tortillas. We were able to press the dough into really thin flour tortillas. The press also worked for making tortillas from cassava flour. It was easy to clean if any dough got on it. For flour tortillas, we didn’t have to use a parchment paper or plastic sheet to prevent the tortillas from sticking. The flour tortillas never stuck to the press.

Size: 7.3 inches | Material: Cast iron | Seasoned: No, but has a nonstick coating