A Tortilla Warmer Is the Under-Rated Secret to a Perfect Taco Night

We updated this article in July 2022 to ensure all products recommended were available and to add more information about each product. Our original top-rated picks remain the same, with the addition of a straw basket tortilla warmer.

---

It’s important to make tacos or burritos with warm, soft tortillas. If you've ever tried using cold, dry tortillas, then you know that they simply won't mold correctly or hold the ingredients inside. That's where a tortilla warmer comes in: They help prevent tortillas from getting cold whether you’re prepping your favorite fish taco recipe for dinner or hosting a taco party with your friends.

To come up with our list of best tortilla warmers, the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab used their knowledge from years of testing cookware and various kitchen tools to recommend top picks based on material, size and brands that have tested well in the past. We also spoke to Bricia Lopez, co-owner of Guelaguetza Restaurant in Los Angeles, who uses tortilla warmers both at home and at the restaurant and considers a tortilla warmer to be a kitchen essential.

“Tortillas have to stay pliable,” says Lopez. “If you don’t use a tortilla warmer, the tortillas get hard easily and lose their beautiful texture.”

The best tortilla warmers will keep your tortillas warm and moist until it's time to eat them. They can be soft pouches made of cloth or sturdy containers made of plastic or ceramic. Depending on the material, they can be put in the microwave to gently heat tortillas right in the warmer. Plus, since many of them have pretty designs, you can proudly display them on your table or countertop.

Our top picks:

Read more below for the pros and cons of each tortilla warmer, along with details on how each pick was evaluated and tips on what to look for when shopping for a tortilla warmer.