Walk down the kitchen aisle of almost any Mexican grocery store and you will see two kinds of tortilla press side by side: a silver one in cast aluminum and a black one in cast iron. They look like the same tool in two colors, and both press a ball of masa into a round between two flat plates. In use they behave quite differently, and the difference comes down mostly to one thing: weight.
This guide sets an aluminum tortilla press and a cast iron one side by side, using the two presses our other guides already recommend on each side, the IMUSA 8-inch cast aluminum press and the Victoria 8-inch traditional cast iron press. It explains each difference that matters in a home kitchen and helps you decide which belongs on your counter.
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Quick verdict: aluminum or cast iron tortilla press?
Buy a cast iron press such as the Victoria 8-inch if you want evenly thin corn tortillas with the least effort: its weight does most of the pressing, and America’s Test Kitchen named Victoria’s 8-inch press its best buy. Buy a cast aluminum press such as the IMUSA 8-inch if you make tortillas only now and then, need a press that is light to lift down and will never rust, and do not mind pressing twice to get the tortilla thin.
The rest of this page explains why, difference by difference.
Aluminum vs cast iron tortilla press: the differences side by side
The figures below come from each maker’s listing; where a maker does not publish a figure, we name the source we used or say it is not stated.
| Cast aluminum (IMUSA 8-inch) | Cast iron (Victoria 8-inch traditional) | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Not stated by IMUSA; about 2 lb in retailer listings | About 8 lb (Breadtopia, a retailer) |
| Pressing | Light top plate; more of the work is your arm | Heavy top plate does most of the work |
| America’s Test Kitchen | “Simply too light to press dough evenly” | Victoria’s 8-inch named best buy |
| Rust | Cannot rust; no seasoning | Rusts if left wet; seasoned with flaxseed oil |
| Finish | Bare gray aluminum | Flaxseed-oil seasoning; no PTFE or PFAS |
| Hinge and lever | “Easy lever”; handle lies flat for storage (ATK) | Reinforced design; flat plates engineered to prevent pinching |
| Care | Wipe clean and dry | Towel dry, never air dry; no dishwasher |
| Warranty | Not stated in the listing | Limited lifetime |
| Magnetic | No | Yes |
Weight: the difference that decides the rest
A tortilla press works by squeezing a ball of masa between two plates. The heavier the top plate and lever, the less force your arm adds and the more evenly the dough spreads. America’s Test Kitchen put it plainly in its tortilla press review: weight was the most important factor, and the testers got their best results from the heavier presses, made from cast iron, steel or wood, while presses made from lighter materials such as aluminum or plastic did not provide enough heft.
The numbers make the gap clear. Breadtopia, which sells the Victoria traditional 8-inch press, lists it at about eight pounds. IMUSA does not publish a weight for its 8-inch aluminum press, but retailer listings put it at roughly two pounds. Victoria’s own lighter HD model is 5.9 pounds by the maker’s figure, still about three times the aluminum press.
Weight cuts the other way when it comes to handling. An eight-pound press is awkward to lift down from a high shelf, and harder to manage for anyone with weak wrists or hands. A two-pound press goes anywhere, which is the whole reason aluminum presses exist.
Pressing results: thin, even and round
This is where the weight shows up on the plate. America’s Test Kitchen found the IMUSA cast aluminum press “simply too light to press dough evenly”, with dough that often slid off-center and squeezed out the sides. Lighter presses in its test routinely made smaller, thicker tortillas, some as small as 3 inches across.
Victoria’s 8-inch press fared much better in the same review: its wide plates kept dough from squeezing out the sides. The testers’ one caution was that pressing very hard on the handle occasionally made tortillas of uneven thickness, so with cast iron, press firmly but let the weight do the work.
An aluminum press can still make a good tortilla with a little technique. Masienda, a masa supplier, recommends pressing, opening the press, turning the tortilla in its liners and pressing again for an even round on any press. With a light press, that second press is not optional. Both presses work best with thin plastic liners: Masienda suggests cutting two circles from a thin grocery or bread bag, since parchment and zip-top bags are too heavy.
Heat: neither press is a cooking tool
It is a common question, so it is worth saying: you do not heat a tortilla press. Neither IMUSA nor Victoria tells you to warm the plates, and the cooking happens afterward, on a hot comal. Our guide to the best comal for tortillas covers that half of the job.
Where heat does matter is next to the stove. Cast iron and aluminum both conduct heat, so a press parked beside a busy burner can grow hot to the touch, and a heavy cast iron press stays hot longer. Keep either press a little away from the comal, and keep the masa covered with a damp towel while you work.
Rust, seasoning and everyday care
Aluminum has a clear advantage here. It contains no iron, so it cannot rust, and there is no seasoning to maintain. Wipe off any masa, dry the press and put it away. IMUSA does not say its press is dishwasher safe, so wash it by hand.
Cast iron needs a little more attention. Victoria seasons its traditional press with non-GMO, kosher-certified flaxseed oil and uses no synthetic coatings or paints, which also means bare iron is exposed to moisture. The listing is clear that it should never be air dried or put in a dishwasher. Wipe it clean, dry it straight away with a towel, and keep a thin film of oil on it. If spots of rust do appear, Lodge, the cast iron maker, advises scouring the rust away, washing, drying thoroughly and re-oiling, and for larger patches reseasoning in a hot oven.
Durability, hinges and what you get for your money
Both presses are simple: two plates, a hinge and a lever. The parts that wear are the hinge pins and the lever’s pivot, and a loose hinge lets the top plate tilt, which presses one side of the tortilla thinner than the other.
Victoria describes its traditional press as a reinforced design with engineered flat plates that prevent pinching and an ergonomic handle for better resistance, and it backs the press with a limited lifetime warranty. Its HD models go further, with stainless steel hinge pins and a spare lever screw in the box. IMUSA describes only an easy lever and does not state a warranty in the listing; America’s Test Kitchen did like that the IMUSA’s handle lies flat for storage.
That is the real value question. An aluminum press costs you less effort to store and nothing to maintain. A cast iron press asks you to dry and oil it, and in return gives better tortillas from less pressing and, in Victoria’s case, a maker’s lifetime warranty. Check current prices on both; they change, and the gap between them varies.
How to tell which one you are buying
Some listings blur the line. While researching our cast iron tortilla press guide, we found several presses sold as “cast iron” whose own descriptions said they were cast aluminum. Read the bullet points as well as the title, and check the weight if it is given: an 8-inch press of about two pounds is aluminum.
Once a press is in your hands, a fridge magnet settles it. Chantal, a cookware maker, notes that aluminum is not magnetic on its own, while cast iron is. A magnet will grip a cast iron press firmly and fall straight off an aluminum one.
Choose aluminum if… / Choose cast iron if…
Choose a cast aluminum press if…
- You make tortillas a few times a year, not every week.
- The press will live on a high shelf or in a drawer.
- Lifting eight pounds is hard on your hands or wrists.
- You want a tool that cannot rust and needs no seasoning.
- You are happy to press, turn and press again.
Choose a cast iron press if…
- You make corn tortillas often and want them evenly thin.
- You would rather let the press’s weight do the work.
- You will dry the press after use and oil it now and then.
- You want a press with a maker’s lifetime warranty.
- The press can stay out on the counter or a low shelf.
Our pick on each side
These are the two presses we recommend once you have chosen a material. Both also appear in our guide to the best tortilla press, alongside larger cast iron, wooden and small presses.
1. IMUSA 8-inch Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press – Light and Rust-Free
This is the silver press many people picture when they think of a tortilla press. It is cast aluminum with a bare gray finish, 8 inches across, with a simple lever. IMUSA describes it as lighter than traditional cast iron, easy to handle, and easy to clean and store, and markets it for tortillas, tostones, arepas, empanadas and other flatbreads.
The light weight is the reason to buy it and the reason to think twice. Aluminum cannot rust, so there is no seasoning and no worry if it gets wet, and it is far easier to lift than a cast iron press. But America’s Test Kitchen found this press too light to press dough evenly, so expect to press, turn the tortilla in its liners, and press again, as Masienda recommends for any press.
An 8-inch plate is the standard size for corn tortillas, with room at the edges for the masa to spread. Wipe the press clean and dry after use; IMUSA does not say it is dishwasher safe, so wash it by hand.
Why we like it
- Cast aluminum, lighter than cast iron, according to IMUSA
- Cannot rust and needs no seasoning
- Standard 8-inch plate for corn tortillas
- Handle lies flat for storage, per America’s Test Kitchen
Key specifications
| Model | MEXI-86008 |
|---|---|
| Material | Cast aluminum |
| Plate size | 8-inch round |
| Weight | Not stated by IMUSA; about 2 lb (retailer listings) |
| Finish | Bare gray aluminum, no coating |
| Hinge and lever | Easy lever; details not stated |
| Made in | Not stated |
| Care | Wipe clean and dry; hand wash |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you make tortillas now and then, store the press up high, or find cast iron too heavy. It is the easiest press to live with.
Skip it if you want an evenly thin tortilla from a single press; a heavier cast iron press does that with less effort.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Light and easy to handle
- Will not rust
- No seasoning needed
Cons
- ATK found it too light to press evenly
- Usually needs a second press
- Weight and warranty not stated
2. Victoria 8-inch Traditional Cast Iron Tortilla Press – Weight That Does the Work
Victoria has made cast iron cookware in its own factories in Colombia since 1939, and this is its traditional 8-inch press: a heavy round base, a matching top plate and a long lever. Breadtopia, which sells it, lists it at about eight pounds, and that weight is what makes it easy to use. Close the lid on a ball of masa, press the lever with a steady hand, and the press does most of the work.
Victoria describes it as a reinforced design with engineered flat plates that prevent pinching and an ergonomic handle for better resistance. America’s Test Kitchen named Victoria’s 8-inch press its best buy, praising the wide plates that kept dough from squeezing out, with one caution: pressing very hard could leave a tortilla uneven.
The finish is plain cast iron seasoned with non-GMO, kosher-certified flaxseed oil, made without PTFE, PFAS or synthetic coatings, according to Victoria. That also means it can rust: the listing says it should never be air dried or put in a dishwasher. Wipe it, dry it with a towel and keep a thin film of oil on it. If you want a lighter cast iron press with stainless hinge pins, Victoria’s 8-inch HD model, our top pick in the cast iron press guide, weighs 5.9 pounds.
Why we like it
- Heavy cast iron, about 8 lb according to Breadtopia
- Flat plates engineered to prevent pinching, according to Victoria
- Victoria’s 8-inch press was America’s Test Kitchen’s best buy
- Seasoned with flaxseed oil; no PTFE or PFAS
- Made in Colombia, with a limited lifetime warranty
Key specifications
| Model | TOR-003 |
|---|---|
| Material | Cast iron |
| Plate size | 8-inch round |
| Weight | About 8 lb (Breadtopia) |
| Finish | Flaxseed-oil seasoning; no PTFE or PFAS |
| Hinge and lever | Reinforced design; ergonomic handle |
| Made in | Colombia |
| Care | Towel dry, never air dry; no dishwasher |
Why we recommend it
It is the press most home cooks should buy if they make corn tortillas regularly: heavy enough to press evenly, the right size, and from a maker with a long cast iron history. It is also the press we name in our tortilla making tools starter kit.
Skip it if you cannot lift eight pounds comfortably or know you will forget to dry it; the aluminum press is lighter and cannot rust.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Weight does most of the pressing
- Even tortillas from one press
- No synthetic coating
- Limited lifetime warranty
Cons
- Heavy to lift and store
- Rusts if left wet
- Pressing too hard can leave it uneven
How we compared the two
We compared the two materials on what a kitchen asks of a tortilla press: how evenly it presses, how much effort it takes, how it is cared for, how the hinge holds up and how easy it is to store. Specifications come from IMUSA’s and Victoria’s Amazon listings; the cast iron press’s weight comes from Breadtopia, a retailer, and the aluminum press’s from retailer listings, because neither maker publishes one for these models. For pressing results we relied on America’s Test Kitchen’s tortilla press review, which tested both Victoria’s 8-inch press and the IMUSA cast aluminum press, and on Masienda’s guidance on liners and technique. We have not used either press ourselves, and we say whose findings each observation is.
Tortilla press material questions, answered
Is a cast iron or aluminum tortilla press better?
For even, thin corn tortillas, cast iron. America’s Test Kitchen got its best results from heavy presses and found the IMUSA aluminum press too light to press evenly. Aluminum is better if you need a light press that cannot rust.
Does an aluminum tortilla press rust?
No. Aluminum contains no iron, so it cannot rust and needs no seasoning. Wipe it clean and dry it after use. A cast iron press, by contrast, must be dried straight away and kept lightly oiled.
How heavy is a cast iron tortilla press?
An 8-inch cast iron press typically weighs six to eight and a half pounds. Breadtopia lists Victoria’s traditional 8-inch press at about eight pounds, and Victoria gives its 8-inch HD press at 5.9 pounds.
How can I make thinner tortillas with an aluminum press?
Press, open the press, turn the tortilla in its liners and press again, as Masienda recommends. Use thin plastic liners cut from a grocery or bread bag, keep the masa ball centered on the plate, and keep the dough well hydrated so it spreads instead of cracking.
Is a cast aluminum press worth it?
For occasional tortilla makers, yes: it is light, needs no care beyond wiping and will not rust. If you make tortillas every week, the extra weight of cast iron saves effort every time you press.
Our final word on press materials
If you make corn tortillas often and want them thin and even with the least effort, buy a cast iron press such as the Victoria 8-inch traditional, and dry it after every use. If you make them now and then and want a light press that needs no care, buy a cast aluminum press such as the IMUSA 8-inch and press twice. Either way, start with good masa; our guide to corn versus flour tortillas explains how the two doughs differ and why a press is made for corn masa, and our tortilla making tools guide covers the comal, warmer and masa that go with it.
And if you would rather someone else made the tortillas tonight, see the menu or call to order.