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Norpro Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press

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Brand: Norpro
Category: Kitchen

List Price: ~~$16.99~~
Buy New: $13.99
You Save: $3.00 (18%)

New (7) from $13.99

Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

22 reviews
Sales Rank: 2352

Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 4.5 x 15 x 8

MPN: 1063
Model: 1063
UPC: 028901010638
EAN: 0028901010638
ASIN: B00004UE8E

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: This is a different brand and came from william sonoma. it is 6.5 in and looks like the one pictured here,

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 11-15 of 22

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1 2 3 4 5

Physics of press leaves much to be desired. From a Chicano. July 20, 2004
80 out of 90 found this review helpful

There's often a construction detail that is left out in manufacturing these. Though this thing does press the masa into a disk, it will come out uneven in thickness. If you watch the top plate when you press the masa ball, the top plate will warp or bow as the masa lump resists it in the middle. The tortilla is pinched thinner near the handle. That's one problem. The other problem is the gap between the plates near the hinge. I don't think the manufacturers carefully gauge the gap between the plates nearest the hinge. If the plates actually touch near the hinge area, and they often do, the masa gets extremely pinched to transparency in that area. If this happens along with the warping when pressing, you get a tortilla that is fat in the middle and piched at two edges. Viewing it on edge you get a flying saucer shape.

Five solutions:
1) After pressing, even out the thickness with fingers or rolling pin. It helps if you press slowly, release and press slowly again. Pressing slowly prevents the warping of the top plate creating a more even tortilla. If you press too hard to fast, you risk snapping the handle.
2) Reject pliable aluminum and purchase a stiff cast iron one that you inspect visually for a proper gap between the plates near the hinge.
3) Acquire a mesquite wood one that is properly gapped near the hinge. If it's not you can always unscrew the hinge and reposition it. Pine wood is too soft to stand up to time.
4) Go back to hand rolling.
5) Buy packaged sawdust shaped to look like corn tortillas.

BTW - As a side note, 6 inches for a tortilla is a bit small and really kind of girly man size. Maybe they're supposed to mimick Tapas proportions from Spain. The tiny tortillas are quaint, dainty and authentic size I suppose and yet I think they were meant for four foot high Mexicans from the desert mountains. But I'm hungry and I want a manly, American consumer size tortilla the size of Texas! In my travels in Mexico I remember the little stands that offered these miniscule soft tacos which were okay for finches, sparrows and canaries, but common on - FEED ME!!! There are 8 inch presses out there and the wooden ones tend to make larger tortillas.

3 out of 5 stars

can't get it to work right January 12, 2004
4 out of 8 found this review helpful

I followed the recipe and the directions but the tortillas I produced were about 3 times as thick as ones you would buy at the grocery store. They cracked and it was very had to eat them. As for the press itself, it seems to be made well. I suppose it will take some practice.

2 out of 5 stars

Tortillas come out too thick November 2, 2003
12 out of 16 found this review helpful

The Tortillas come out too thick.
To get them thin, one has to roll them further with a rolling-pin. Not worth it.

3 out of 5 stars

Good within its limitations October 21, 2003
24 out of 24 found this review helpful

This is a sturdy tortilla press. Freshly made tortillas are a heaven sent delicacy compared to store-bought ones.

That being said, beware of the limitations. If you are looking to make burritos, for example, with your fresh tortillas, this won't do. The diameter of the tortillas you can produce is just too small. The other limitation is that it is difficult to get thin tortillas.

As a result, what you can produce with this is closer to what might be most purely "authentic" - a relatively small, relatively thick tortilla more suitable for eating alone or as a "soft taco" than anything else.

I like this product, but I continue to look for something to let me make larger, thinner tortillas.

4 out of 5 stars Works very well for me! July 15, 2002
114 out of 115 found this review helpful

I'll admit that at first I was a bit frustrated with making my tortillas. This quickly ended after I figured out a few things and my second batch was so much fun to make.

This is what I do:

1) Mix up the maza and keep it moist. I roll out the balls first.
2) Use 1 sheet of wax paper.
3) Fold the wax paper in half (I do this diagonally so that it fits)
4) Put the wax paper so that the open end is at the hinge side of the press and the folded part of the wax paper is at the handle side of the press. This will help in removing the tortillia.
5) Put your tortillia ball about 1 inch off center towards the hinge of the press and then fold over the wax paper and close the press. The maza being off center will keep it evenly pressed. If it is in the center it tends to get pushed forward too much and hangs off the press.
6) Open the press and run the wax paper with your hand a few times prior to peeling of the paper. This helps to break the bond. Turn the paper over and do the same thing to the other side. The tortillia now will fall out the paper very easily.
7) Since the paper peels off the tortilla from back to front, the tortillia will not rip. If the paper were the other way it tends to rip the tortillia as the handle side of my press makes the tortillia thinner there.

Hopefully this helps get you started. I love this press. Wish it were bigger though.

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