The tortilla is a Mexican type of food that is normally made of wheat or cornflour. It is perfect to combine tortilla with spicy food. But there is a truth that most of you usually buy tortilla from a supermarket and they don’t taste that good as you try them in the test counter. That is the time you need to do your own homemade tortilla. Definitely, it will taste much better and original than the factory-made ones. The solution I want to give you here is that you need the best commercial tortilla press right now.
If you are worry and wondering how to buy a commercial tortilla maker, I’m about to give you some helpful information and tips to support you. So let’s roll down to the next parts!
What Is a Commercial Tortilla Press?
A tortilla press is simple kitchen equipment made of wood or metal to make corn or flour tortillas and press them to give a proper sheet-like shape. This commercial tortilla maker includes three main parts: a fixed plain surface, a hinged flat base and a handle.
Before they invented this handy tool, people have made tortillas totally by hands such as flattening the flesh dough. Only professional home chefs could make it super thin and round. With a tortilla press, a cooking amateur can even make very thin and round tortillas.
Why Should You Have a Commercial Tortilla Press?
If you are not sure between buying a commercial tortilla press to make homemade tortillas or picking some packs from the grocery stores, this part will give you the most satisfying answer that you obviously need one.
#1 Fresh and Healthy
Comparing frozen tortillas in the refrigerator of the supermarket with homemade ones, the business or producers tend to add substances or preservatives to keep them fresh for a very long time. Therefore, these additional components will affect the taste of tortillas and harm your health too.
If you bake your tortillas at home, you can decide what ingredients you want to use to control the quality and food security level.
#2 Ease of Use
Even you are an amateur and think that an oven is too difficult to use, this kitchen tool will not challenge you at all. I have already told above that the construction of a tortilla press has three parts, so all you need to do is make the dough and put it inside then press. Just it! That’s all you have to do with a commercial tortilla machine.
#3 Time and Money Saving
Imagine you make tortilla manually from mixing the dough, chopping into pieces and then pressing it by hand to make it totally thin and round, especially the the final step will take a lot of time. Instead, a tortilla maker can press the dough in almost no time. Moreover, buying packs of frozen tortillas from the supermarket will obviously cost more than buying ingredients of tortillas for homemade ones. Therefore, this amazing item would save both your time and money.
Top 5 Best Commercial Tortilla Press in 2022
#1 Victoria Cast Iron Tortilla Press
The Victoria Tortillas Press is a cast-iron item also a heavy-duty tool that helps you to make your homemade tortillas easily and quickly. High-quality iron is seasoned at high temperatures with organic flaxseed oil so it is very sturdy and firmly. Because it is made of cast iron, you don’t need to put so much effort to press the dough and repeat that process to make it a thin tortilla.
This brand uses the most advanced sand molding techniques and equipment to guarantee the perfectly flat, round and even tortillas you will make.
Another thing you’ll love this press is the reinforced handle and base design. This brand has re-bolstered the handle and base to level up the durability and so it can serve you a longer time.
Moreover, the Victoria tortilla press is a multi-functional kitchen appliance. You can use it not only to make tortillas but also many others such as tostones, flatbreads, empanadas, arepas or more.
Nevertheless, there are still some limitations to this tortilla making machine. First, the black coating on plate surfaces might get rubs in several years so to solve the problem, give it a go with plastic ziplock bad covering on top of it and parchment paper on the bottom. Second, the result seems to be quite thick for some customers after pressing down so you might consider how much you use and then changing the recipe for the better texture.
#2 Norpro Tortilla Maker
The Norpro comes with a cast aluminum tortilla maker that can make 6-inch tortillas. Because it has aluminum construction, it gets a shiny look and smooth texture and lightweight than cast-iron models. Yet, the weight of 1.5 pounds might not affect its efficiency.
This tortilla equipment is not electric, hence you have to press it manually – a basic commercial flour tortilla maker machine. Use the handle press that is centered weighed so the pressure will be even and usual.
It also comes with the recipes that will help you to make your own dough of tortillas without searching on another tool. The Norpro is a multi-functional machine that can make not only tortillas but also many other types of bread like flatbread, roti…
It is considered an easy-to-use, easy-to-clean and easy-to-store model due to its manual press, sturdy material and convenient size.
However, when pressing the dough, the aluminum machine bends around it rather than compresses. The dough is sometimes recognized to stick to the press even after changing the recipe.
#3 Hardwood Tortilla Press – Red Oak & Walnut- 8 inch
For people who prefer using a wooden tortilla making machine, go for a Hardwood tortilla press. Many customers will fall in love with this press due to its eye-catching and aesthetic design which comes from colors to finishing touches.
Besides the visuals, the Hardwood press is constructed with red oak and walnut hardwood materials. The best wooden tortilla press will definitely help you make perfectly-shaped and even tortillas for years.
It features food-grade mineral oils and beeswax finishing to prevent your tortilla dough from sticking to the bottom and top surfaces. So it is very simple and easy for you to clean it up with a wet towel.
This wooden tortilla maker is used for three tortilla sizes from small (8 inches), medium (10 inches) and large (11.5 inches) so you can make various types of tortillas.
Since the press is excellent both in function, look and materials, it will not be as cheap as other models, it requires to be paid an upper price so it might be one of its downsides.
#4 Iron World Tortilla Press
This Iron World tortilla press is able to be used indoors as well as outdoors because it is designed for the stove or oven and the outdoor campfire.
It is completely handcrafted to last for years by using ancient Chinese techniques. The cast iron tortilla maker features an durable design with a pre-seasoned, well-polished coating so it is cleaned easily by soft cloth. Maintaining this press is also not challenging at all. You will need to hand wash then dry it or rub it with cooking oil to prolong its efficiency and lifespan.
When buying an 8-inch Iron World tortilla press, you will also get a chef glove and a 28-page e-book BBQ recipes.
Moreover, the manufacturer provides a lifetime warranty policy for their product, hence don’t worry about any broken problem.
Though, the handle of this cast iron item secures with a little cotter pin that is really flimsy. This part needs to be sturdy enough to apply the pressure to smoothen and flatten the tortilla.
#5 HIC Harold Import Co. Tortilla Press
The HIC Tortilla press is the aluminum tortilla making machine, however, it is not lightweight like other same material items, it has made a heavyweight construction for durability. It also has a sturdy handle to make 6-inch tortillas for effortless leverage.
This press dough to the thickness that is great for a lot of foods such as pita bread, Caribbean roti, focaccia, moo shoo pancakes, mini pie or tart shells and more.
Being an aluminum tortilla press, it is well polished and very easy to clean. The HIC press doesn’t require much maintenance to keep it working well. Handwashing it in warm or soapy water and dry it thoroughly for storage. It is also safe for kids and comes with a guide book for you to use it smoothly. With under 10 dollars, it has a good and stable quality than others.
The downside of this tortilla press is that though it is made of aluminum and heavier than the normal aluminum items, it cannot heavyweight as the cast iron ones so the tortillas seem not to be perfectly flat and thin.
How to Properly Use a Commercial Tortilla Press?
Step 1: Preparing dough
At first, you need to mix your dough with cornflour or wheat flour. The taste and texture will depend much on the quality of dough. When the dough is ready, you need to chop it into small balls shaped like a golf ball.
Step 2: Placing the dough
After cleaning and wiping out all the water from the two surfaces of the tortilla maker, you place a wax paper on the base and put the dough inside then put another paper covering the top of the dough.
Step 3: Pressing
Now it’s time to grab the handle and press the surface with pressure. If you use more pressure, your tortillas will be thinner and sleeker. You can continue pressing till you think your tortillas are thin enough. Remember to place the dough in the center of the surface to have the round result.
Step 4: Removing the wax papers
Until the tortilla is firmly pressed, open the surface and take the wax paper out by gently removing to prevent it from torning.
Step 5: Baking
Softly place them on the oven tray and bake. It takes about 5 minutes to completely bake the tortillas but for an electric tortillas press, the baking step is not separated from the pressing process.
Types of a Commercial Tortilla Press
The commercial tortillas machine has a total of 5 different types that are mainly divided by the materials.
#1 Cast Iron Tortilla Maker
Cast iron item is pretty popular for home chefs because it is really heavy and brings a lot of the pressing work for you, therefore, it helps to press down to get a better result than other types. Moreover, its finishing maintains the round shape of the tortillas so they will be bake evenly. This tool needs to be cared and seasoned correctly to lengthen its longevity and make it a good investment.
#2 Aluminum Tortilla Maker
It is quite easy to care for than the cast iron but it doesn’t have the heavy advantage of weight. It is light so it might take you some extra effort to press the dough. This leads the tortillas to have an uneven thickness and distorted shape. A sturdy handle now is needed because it is on which you put much pressure.
#3 Wooden Tortilla Maker
Wooden item is an original tortilla maker that comes from Mexico. People generally use pine wood due to its softness and lightness yet strength. It has a larger footprint than a cast iron or aluminum model. However, the durability level of the wooden tortilla maker is not as high as the metal ones, it can warp, split or crack after a few uses.
#4 Plastic Tortilla Maker
This item is easily found in the local market and on the online shops but I would not recommend you go for this. The first reason is that the build quality is not sturdy enough and too light to press strongly. Therefore, the results may be badly-shaped and uneven and still thick. Secondly, plastics are not good for your health and also cause pollution so it is better to not use this plastic item.
#5 Electric Tortillas Maker
The electric version can do both pressing and cooking the tortillas. This is also preferred as an all-in-one tortilla maker that can be stored on end, compact than any other type. You can also make pita, Focaccia, gyros and some flatbreads with this kind of kitchen equipment.
What Features You Need to Consider When Buying a Commercial Tortilla Press?
#1 Sizes
Before buying any commercial tortilla press, you might consider what sizes of tortillas you want to make. There are from six to twelve-inch tortillas in diameter, tacos need a six-inch maker but burritos need to be made in a eight-inch machine or larger. If your kitchen is quite adequate, a wooden or cast iron model will be suitable but if not, choose the other types.
#2 Type
If you want to make tortillas as a professional chef, you should go for the cast iron or wooden press. They can bring the perfect shape and thickness of the tortillas. On the other hand, for casual homemade tortillas, go for the aluminum machine is not a bad idea.
But in case you want your tortilla maker to be quick, clean and smart, you should choose an electric model. This type doesn’t require much pressure to press and it also bakes tortillas for you.
#3 Cleaning
The material quality and shape of the tortilla maker decide the ease of cleaning. For example, the more complex the shape is, the more difficult to clean the press. Moreover, wooden items will get dirty quickly and seem to be very hard to polish it. But for a cast-iron model, it is really easy and simple to clean it up though it requires special care to prevent rust. While a commercial electric tortilla press comes with a nonstick base so it is not challenging to clean at all.
Conclusion
The invention of the commercial tortilla warmer press has made it possible for every home chefs or restaurants to make the best tortillas ever at the comfort of their kitchen. With this product, you can use to make a lot of different foods to serve your family and friends. My commercial tortilla press list of 2022I’ve just given to you is collected from my actual experiences and some researches on the internet.
Hope this helps and you will find the best one for your own after reading this review.
>>Read more: Best Commercial Toaster.