Rolling pins are cylindrical tools used in the kitchen to make both sweet and savory dough thin and spread. Made of silicone, stainless steel, plastic, wood, or marble, the classic models with handles are available on the market, the French models, without handles, and the engraved ones, which have reliefs on the surface.
Let’s find out together which are the best of this year, what are the features to consider before buying one and how to use it correctly.
Buying Guide to Select the Best Rolling Pins
The rolling pins are of cylinder-shaped kitchen tools used to spread any type of dough. These are ancient instruments originally made exclusively of wood but which are currently available in silicone, stainless steel, plastic, and marble.
They are used to prepare not only the base for pizza, tagliatelle, or any other type of fresh pasta but also to roll out sugar paste or marzipan to make cakes and desserts.
The most popular models on the market are the classic ones with handles, the French rolling pins, consisting of a single-cylinder without side handles, more suitable for those who are familiar with its use, and those engraved.
The latter is made of wood, beech or maple, and has engravings on the surface useful for decorating the doughs, especially those for biscuits. Given the different types available, choosing a perfect rolling pin for your needs can be complicated.
Stiff or Soft
The first aspect to consider when choosing the most suitable rolling pin is the type to be preferred. On the market, there are, in fact, rigid and soft models, which lend themselves to working different types of dough.
The fixed one is formed by a cylinder, which is usually made of wood, and two side handles to ensure a good grip while rolling out the dough. This variant is the most classic, very similar to that used in antiquity and preferred by those who love tradition.
The rolling pin instead has two handles that contain two pins around which the central part turns independently. The effort here is reduced, as the article moves by itself while you are driving it: in a fixed model instead, all the force you have must be used to flatten the dough.
Its dimensions are very important: the diameter and length are two values to consider when choosing the best brand. The larger ones are useful for processing considerable quantities of ingredients while the smaller ones help to roll out the dough directly into the pan.
The Maintenance
If you are used to comparing prices and opt for a more expensive rolling pin, you will be very careful to treat it properly. If, in general, it is possible to wash them by hand directly in the water, it is good to pay attention to the wooden models.
It is better to rub them with a damp cloth and not to leave them to soak since they tend to absorb liquids and could flake apart as well as taking on a bad smell.
How to Choose the Best Rolling Pin?
To choose the best rolling pin, it is necessary to take into consideration the types available, the materials, the dimensions, and the weight, the cleaning, and the cost.
Right below we had also shared the guide about how to use the rolling pins properly.
Types Available
Are commercially available today classic rolling pins, so-called French rolling pins, those adjustable and those carved? The first is the traditional ones, generally made of beech or maple wood, equipped with ergonomic handles to make the grip easier and easier.
The presence of the side handles allows you to easily move the tool on the doughs, especially the more elastic ones, while the heavy material and the diameters, which usually have large dimensions, allow you to work them in less time and with less effort.
The French rolling pins, however, are those compounds from a single-cylinder devoid of lateral handles. These types are made of stainless steel, plastic, or wood and are ideal for spreading large enough pasta surfaces. Their main advantage lies in the fact that the tool is moved through direct contact with the palm of the hands, a feature that allows it to slide easily on the dough. It must be said, however, that for those who are unfamiliar with the use of this tool, it is necessary to practice a little before learning how to use it without difficulty.
The adjustable ones who, through special accessories, are used to obtain different pasta shapes. These rolling pins have markers of length and depth and are sold with interchangeable disks with different sizes.
The latest models are the carved ones that are characterized by the presence on the surface of reliefs that allow you to decorate the dough. Precisely for this feature, they are rolling pins to choose from to make mainly cookies.
Materials
The materials used to make these kitchen utensils are wood, stainless steel, silicone, plastic, and marble.
- Wood: it is the material used to make traditional rolling pins. The tools belonging to this category are mainly made of beech or maple wood, types of wood that, despite being robust and resistant, are still light and easy to handle. We emphasize that it is a very porous material and that the dough will tend to stick on the mortar if a little flour is sprinkled on the work surface. It is not possible to wash them in the dishwasher but only by hand.
- Stainless Steel: it is a non-stick material that is not only resistant and guarantees durability over time, but also hygienic and safe. These kitchen utensils are characterized by a particularly smooth surface that prevents the dough from sticking. Consequently, also cleaning, which can be carried out either by hand or in the dishwasher, is very easy. Some belonging to this type are not particularly light but glide easily on the dough to be worked. They are rolling pins that should choose who knows how to use them well and who is dedicated to a professional kitchen.
Silicone: this material is characterized by its non-stick, easy cleaning, and resistance to high temperatures. Essential features for kitchen utensils because they allow you to use it for a long period without damaging it. As for plastic, if you decide to buy a silicone model, it must be certified for food contact and free of substances, which could prove harmful. - Plastic: less robust than other materials, plastic is one of the materials used to make the rolling pins because it is light and non-stick, two fundamental characteristics for a tool of this type. If you decide to opt for a model of this type, it is essential to make sure that it is a non-toxic, safe, and certified plastic for food contact. Although they can be used for any type of dough, plastic rolling pins are especially suitable for rolling out sugar paste or marzipan.
- Marble: it is a non-porous and non – stick material by nature. These features allow it to slide easily on the dough make it easy to clean. The only cons of this material are that it can be heavy and not easy to handle for those who are not very familiar with the use of this tool. Also, the marble rolling pins are more expensive than those previously described and more difficult to find on the market.
Dimensions and Weight
The size factor depends a lot on personal needs. Obviously, the larger the tool, the more its weight will increase. Those who want to choose a rolling pin to prepare cakes and desserts should buy one that is not too long and with a large thickness.
While those who want to prepare homemade pasta should choose a long and quite thin one, as for the weight factor, a light one is easier to handle than a heavy one. It must be said, however, that those with a heavier weight allow the dough to be rolled out faster and with less effort.
Cleaning
The cleaning is a critical component to consider before purchasing one. It is, in fact, a tool that comes into close contact with food, which will then be ingested.
Before proceeding with maintenance and cleaning, it is necessary to make sure, by reading the instructions on the package or in the instruction booklet, that the material composing it is washable both by hand and in the dishwasher.
Choosing a rolling pin that can be cleaned in both ways is the ideal solution. Generally, most rolling pins made of stainless steel, silicone, and plastic can be cleaned both ways.
A different discussion must be made for those in wood and marble, which can be cleaned only by hand. As for the former, it is necessary to remove all the dough residues from the surface carefully and to use a damp cloth.
We do not recommend using running water directly: wood is a very porous material, and if it is not dried thoroughly, it risks rotting carefully. Marble models, on the other hand, should be cleaned simply by using a cloth, hot water, and a common detergent.
