Rolling pin

[I82Much]

I'm in the market for a new rolling pin. I've been using my mother's but it's old, wooden, light, and just not something that's fun to use. Is something like this a good buy? I see a similar one in williams and sonoma for $70, wondering what the price discrepancy is for. I mainly use rolling pins for pie crusts and pastries.

Any help will be appreciated

[jgarner53]

I say, go simple, either with a tapered rolling pin like this, or a straight pin like this, in either maple (lighter) or boxwood (heavier).

The tapered rolling pins are easier to turn when, say, rolling out pie crust, but you can't beat the straight, French rolling pin for something like beating butter into a puff pastry or croissant dough (and how therapeutic!)

The disadvantage I see to the cheap marble pin you linked to is the length. Ten inches isn't very wide. I suspect the major price difference may come from 1) where it's made and/or 2) Williams-Sonoma is known to be very pricey.

Just my $.02. I've never worked with a marble rolling pin, so I can't attest to how well they work, whether they stick more or less than a wooden pin, or whether the extra weight is worth it.

[I82Much]

I actually found myself using the rolling pin without the handles when making the croissants, at least towards the end, and i'm sure something like that that's designed for that purpose would be much more efficient.

I too noticed the small length, perhaps I'll look into the tapered or straight french pins.

What would you recommend when leverage is an issue? It takes quite a bit of pressure to work with some doughs..

[andiesenji]

What would you recommend when leverage is an issue? It takes quite a bit of pressure to work with some doughs..

If you need more weight than in a regular straight pin, try to find a hardwood dealer who carries maple bannister stock.

These are larger in diameter than a regular rolling pin, you can get the exact length you want and all it takes is a bit of sanding on the cut ends to round them slightly and you have a pin that will last a lifetime (or two).

The one I have is 2 1/2 inches in diameter (standard for bannisters) is 22 1/2 inches long (it was a scrap. And it cost me $5.00.

I sanded it, finishing with 600 grit, then washed it, let it dry completely then oiled it with food grade mineral oil, (the stuff in the drug store next to the Milk of Magnesia.)

I use it to beat stiff dough fresh out of the fridge, puff pastry, etc., and the extra weight really helps.

For really big jobs I have a commercial stanless steel pin with ball-bearing handles, but I doubt you want to spend that much on something unless you will be using it constantly. I could do without it but at the time I bought it I thought I needed it.....

[Behemoth]

I'm in the market for a new rolling pin.  I've been using my mother's but it's old, wooden, light, and just not something that's fun to use.  Is something like this a good buy?  I see a similar one in williams and sonoma for $70, wondering what the price discrepancy is for.  I mainly use rolling pins for pie crusts and pastries.

Any help will be appreciated

I bought that one ages ago and didn't care for it. Dough always sticks to it because unlike wooden rolling pins, flour does not. Also it is just not wide enough. The weight doesn't help, especially with the handles you really lose a lot of control. Heck, if you PM me your address I will mail you mine, for free.

I have a tapered wooden rolling pin now which I love. I've never had trouble rolling out cold dough, but I do try to work on lower surfaces whenever possible (kitchen table rather than counter, for example)

Edited June 13, 2004 by Behemoth (log)

[rickster]

I like the non tapered heavy solid wood pin. I find it is a little easier to get a uniform thickness on the pie or pastry dough with this rather than the tapered one.

[Wendy DeBord]

This is kind of like picking out what type of jeans you like to wear........everyone has a different opinion for different reasons.

Personally I'm most comfortable with a long heavy wooden pin with ball bearing handles. It feels comfortable to me, I feel totally in control using it. I like a heavy wide pin because I think it does more quicker for me, I can really use my body weight to bare down with it and not just my arms.

A pin with-out ball bearing handles is the slowest most uncomfortable method to me, I think it requres all arm musle for those. I can't get my body weight and motion to take the work load off my arms.

For me it doesn't matter what type of dough I'm rolling out..........like I've seen little rollers for gum paste..........but the smaller the roller the more aukward it is in my hands. But then I roll dough alot so I handle it differently then a homemaker ever would.

[KarenS]

I collect rolling pins- I have about 60. What I use every day is a "french stick". I don't care for ball bearing rolling pins at all. Most of them are too short and will create unnecessary lines in things you roll. I roll al lot of sucre; I want to roll quickly. I move the dough constantly. A stick will let you fix cracks and keep going (they are very long).

[bleachboy]

I have a Martha Stewart brand rolling pin from K-Mart. It's Canadian maple and in the slightly tapered style. I don't remember how much I paid for it, but it couldn't have been much, being from K-Mart. I think it's a very good rolling pin. It meets my needs, anyway.

[jumanggy]

I bought a french rolling pin, and it works great, except that the warmth here makes things stick after a while.

Should I never wash it and instead do the washing-sanding-mineral oil thing once a year?

[opqdan]

I bought a french rolling pin, and it works great, except that the warmth here makes things stick after a while.

Should I never wash it and instead do the washing-sanding-mineral oil thing once a year?

←

After using my mother's basic wooden rolling pin for years, I bought a tapered "french" rolling pin as one of my first baking items.

I've been very happy with it. The taper helps with pushing dough out from the center.

I don't think a marble rolling pin would be very usefull. I suppose that it would have 2 advantages over wood, the heavy weight, and that you can cool it in the freezer or fridge before rolling dough out. For the first part, I'm a a yound and virile male, so I've got no problem.

As far as the "cold" advantage, I always throw a sheet pan in the freezer, and when the dough (puff pastry, pie dough whatever) begins to get too warm, I take the pan out, and set it on top of the dough for a while to chill it in place.

Plus, with such a price tag, you could buy a couple wooden ones.

[finnfann]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the Sil-Pin, silicone coated rolling pins. Is there any merit to the non-stick claims? They have a variety of styles, including the "baker's" version without handles. The one pictured here: http://www.sil-pin.co.uk/default.asp does not appear to be tapered but I thought I saw tapered ones at the store.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I have three rolling pins:  an antique wooden one with handles, a coming-up-on antique metal one with handles, and a small 11x1¹/₈ inch wooden one.  I wanted a better pin for cookies and pastry.  Last week the Rose Levy Beranbaum rolling pin was on sale and amazon delivered one this afternoon.

 

The RLB pin is a hollow, plastic 18x2 inch tube; with rubber endcaps.  It looks rather like a mailing tube.  I can't say I am thrilled, but I will give a try before returning it.  It seems light and flimsy.  To my taste the diameter is too large and the length not as long as I would like.  The plastic material is supposed to be non-stick but does not feel all that non-stick to me.

 

My question:  what length and diameter are ideal for a non-tapered rolling pin?  Or does it come down to hand size and personal preference?

 

[heidih]

16 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

My question:  what length and diameter are ideal for a non-tapered rolling pin?  Or does it come down to hand size and personal preference?

 

 

Those are good questions. I also thnk it comes down to your height and your rolling table height and the diameter of your usual dough needs.. You are pushing from above and out - not squooshing forward. My fave is in garage buried but it is an Indian one. Less diameter, more control. Otherwise I use the old fashioned handle one but put my on the edges not the handles. My 2 cents. The reason buried is is cuz I tend to use base of palm or ith flat bread pull and move around I don't do rolled cut out cookies anymore.

[chromedome]

56 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I have three rolling pins:  an antique wooden one with handles, a coming-up-on antique metal one with handles, and a small 11x1¹/₈ inch wooden one.  I wanted a better pin for cookies and pastry.  Last week the Rose Levy Beranbaum rolling pin was on sale and amazon delivered one this afternoon.

 

The RLB pin is a hollow, plastic 18x2 inch tube; with rubber endcaps.  It looks rather like a mailing tube.  I can't say I am thrilled, but I will give a try before returning it.  It seems light and flimsy.  To my taste the diameter is too large and the length not as long as I would like.  The plastic material is supposed to be non-stick but does not feel all that non-stick to me.

 

My question:  what length and diameter are ideal for a non-tapered rolling pin?  Or does it come down to hand size and personal preference?

 

 

A friend of mine had a hollow one years ago. The whole point of the exercise was to fill it with ice cubes, so it would keep your pastry super-cold as you roll it. I can't say I was impressed with it.

I have two, a tapered one and one with handles. The one with handles is about 16" wide without the handles, and the...uh...barrel?...of it (the business portion) is about 3, maybe 3 1/2" in diameter. Works pretty well.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The Matfer (no, I'm not going to pay $94.80 for a French nylon rod) is 1³/₄ inches in diameter by 19⁵/₈ inches long.  That seems a more reasonable size.  However I wouldn't mind 24 inches personally.

 

 

[heidih]

36 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

The Matfer (no, I'm not going to pay $94.80 for a French nylon rod) is 1³/₄ inches in diameter by 19⁵/₈ inches long.  That seems a more reasonable size.  However I wouldn't mind 24 inches personally.

 

 

 

If I could find my ndian one I'd send it to ya. What us your major use?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

32 minutes ago, heidih said:

 

If I could find my ndian one I'd send it to ya. What us your major use?

 

Cookies, flatbreads, pastry.  I think I know now what pin I'll plan to get but first I want to experiment with the Beranbaum pin while I can still return it.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

My favorite is my mother's, roughly 12" + handles on ball-bearings, about 2 1/2 " diameter.   Altho I have several in various configurations, including a 3 foot Italian one with knob handles, I always reach for this user friendly, easy roller.   

[kayb]

I have a tapered, wooden one (I believe they're called French rolling pins?) made by a friend who does woodwork. First time I'd ever used that style. Rolling pin used the entire time I was growing up -- and I wish I still had it -- was an old round whiskey bottle with a long neck. As we were a tee-totalling household, I always wondered where the bottle came from.

 

[chromedome]

10 minutes ago, kayb said:

I have a tapered, wooden one (I believe they're called French rolling pins?) made by a friend who does woodwork. First time I'd ever used that style. Rolling pin used the entire time I was growing up -- and I wish I still had it -- was an old round whiskey bottle with a long neck. As we were a tee-totalling household, I always wondered where the bottle came from.

 

Two words for you... "medicinal purposes."

My paternal grandfather didn't hold with drinking, and had no respect for anyone who did drink. He did, however, keep a small bottle of brandy on hand for when he had a headache (a "bad head" in Newfoundland parlance, oddly echoing the French expression). These headaches occurred with suspicious regularity at the end of each week, though in fairness he reportedly only had one glass each time.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Rolling pin:  be careful what you wish for edition...

 

The RLB rolling pin went back.  To take its place I reached out to my favorite kitchen supply, McMaster-Carr.  Tonight was delivered my new pin:  a two foot by 1³/₄ inch, food grade, polytetrafluoroethylene* rod.  It fits comfortably in the dishwasher with no room to spare.  And no gecko will ever stick to it.**

 

The only problem, it weighs 2.25 kg/5 pounds.  By comparison my stainless steel rolling pin weighs 2 kg/4.4 pounds.  Knowing the density of PTFE, 2.2 g/cm³, I could have calculated the weight.  But I figured:  "How heavy could plastic be?"  In any event, the new pin arrived too late to roll the second half of the dough batch before dinner.

 

 

*in some circles known as Teflon.

**disclaimers and restrictions apply.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by JoNorvelleWalker
math (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I rolled the second half of my KAF Crystal Diamonds dough.  Maiden voyage of the JNW rolling pin!  I was more pleased than I expected.  The pin is heavy but the weight does the work.  With the (now returned) RLB pin I had to keep pressing down on the dough.  Plus the dough sticks less with mine.

 

Now to build my reputation, mark up PTFE rod 300 percent, and market it!  Unlike the RLB pin the JNW model only comes in white.