‘Chisss’.. Something so satisfying about the sound of water hitting a hot dosa tawa. Isn’t it? A dosa tawa is a must-have in most Indian kitchens for those crisp and fresh dosas, and we aim to find the best for your home. We intensively tested six popular brands offering non stick dosa tawa in our test kitchen. Divided over multiple stages, we made over 200 dosas on these tawas over two types of heat sources. These tawas were further tested by our community of mums in their respective home kitchens.
We collectively chose Vinod Dosa Tawa as one of the best non-stick dosa tawa brands in India. Batch after batch, this made the most evenly cooked, crisp dosas. We Also Recommend Wonderchef Dosa Tawa for its superb spreadability.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison of Non Stick Dosa Tawa Brands
Non Stick Dosa Tawa Brands | Mishry Rating | Buy Now On Amazon | Buy Now On Flipkart |
Vinod (Top Pick) | 4.5 | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
Wonderchef (Also Recommended) | 4.3 | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
Bergner | 3.6 | Add To Cart | – |
Cello | 3.5 | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
Prestige | 3 | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
Alda | 3 | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
Our Review Factors
We picked six brands of dosa tawas that are available easily online and offline as well. All our contenders had –
- A diameter between 25-30 cms
- Non-stick surface
- Lifted edges
- Induction and stove top compatibility
The review factors we tested the tawas on are –
1. Design
Is the tawa designed ergonomically? How smooth is the surface? This also helped us gauge the ease of usability and spreadability. Does the oil roll towards the edges or stay in the center?
- The grip of the handle is also a part of this parameter. Is it sturdy? Does it heat up when we cook on the tawa? Can the handle take the weight of the dosa tawa? How comfortable is the grip?
- Sturdiness – What holds the handle and tawa base together? Is it sturdy or does it wobble? After multiple usages did the rivets that hold the tawa base to the handle come loose?
- Material of the tawa – The material of the tawa, coating type and material of the handle were all gauged under this segment.
- Thickness and weight – Does the thickness and weight of the tawa impact the dosa in any way? Does it play any role in heat distribution?
2. Cooking Ability
We were looking for a tawa that cooked crisp, evenly cooked dosas consistently. These are non-stick tawas, so checking them for their ability to cook dosas without them sticking to the surface was a must. Do the dosas cook evenly from the sides and the centre? When we lift the dosa, does the dosa stick to the base or does it flip easily?
3. Spreadability
How easy is it to spread the batter on the tawa? Is the motion smooth or restrictive? Does the batter stick to the base or lifts easily?
Apart from these three prime parameters, ease of cleaning, pricing and warranty period were contributing parameters.
Related Reading – Best Tawa For Chapati
Our Review Process
Why did we choose to test non-stick dosa tawas? Why not cast iron?
Yes, traditionally cast iron tawas are used to make dosas. We chose to test non-stick dosa tawas instead because they are widely used, are convenient, easy to handle, economical, and versatile. Moreover, not everyone can handle a heavy dosa tawa or doesn’t want to get into the cumbersome task of re-seasoning it.
To find the best non stick dosa tawa brands in India, we divided our review process into four stages –
Stage 1 – Research + Visual Inspection
This stage included us comparing prices, coatings, thickness, warranty periods, and size of the tawa. During this phase we also decided which type of dosa batter we would use for testing.
Temperature and teflon – Teflon coatings are safe to use if the cooking temperature is under 260 degree C (500 degree F). This temperature is much higher than what we generally use for everyday cooking and we can safely say that there aren’t a lot of dishes that require such high temperatures for optimal, even cooking. Which is why non-stick cookware that is PFOA free is considered safe to use.
To make crisp and thin dosas, a temperature of 60-80 degree Celcius is required. We cooked the dosas on induction cooktop in the ‘dosa-chapati’ feature which is pre-set to 60 degrees. This temperature range is best for making crisp, even dosas.
Stage 2 – Induction cooktop testing
As the tawas we ordered were all induction friendly, testing them on an induction cooktop was the next logical step. We tested the tawas on an induction cooktop for 2 weeks, making 4-5 dosas on each everyday.
We used Usha Induction Cooktop to test all the tawas to standardize the process. The heating time and the number of dosas made each day were the same. We also standardized the washing process. The same scrubber and dish soap were used. We did not wash until the tawas had completely cooled down as it can hamper the coating.
Our observations were recorded each day, and we timed the dosa-making process.
Stage 3 – Gas stove testing
The gas stove testing (one week) was important because the majority of the population in India uses this as a heat source in their kitchen. Apart from the change in heat source, the entire process remained the same.
We used ID Dosa & Idli batter for our entire review process. It was ordered fresh everyday. We made sure the type (oil/ghee) and amount of fat used for EACH dosa remains the same (1 tsp).
Stage 4 – Testing by mums
Our community of mums tested these tawas in their respective home kitchens. The panel included – Meenakshi from thepepperjournal, Vaishali Singh from vishuztadka, and Teenu Terrence from Letstalkfood.
Their observations and experience were collaborated with ours and out came a collective winner.
Best Non Stick Dosa Tawa Brands – Detailed Review
1. Vinod Marbilo Non-Stick Aluminium Dosa Tawa – Mishry Top Pick
Batch after batch, day after day, the results were consistent. Grip wise, the sleek handle has a thumb dent and is comfortable to hold. The material of the handle could have been a bit better, but it’s not a deal breaker.
Vinod’s non-stick dosa tawa weighs 608 grams and has a 250 mm diameter. Priced at Rs 995/-, the tawa is gas and induction friendly. It is also dishwasher safe, metal spoon friendly and comes with a 24 month warranty period. The tawa is PFOA free with a durable marble finish coating.
What Mishry Mum Meenakshi says about Vinod Dosa Tawa – ‘Although the grip and spreadability is nice, the size could have been a bit bigger. A bigger size ensures easy flipping of the dosa especially if you’re making a stuffed/masala dosa.’ For this we recommend buying a tawa with 28-30 cm diameter.
Do note that Vinod’s Dosa Tawa is also available in 28 cm, but as it was unavailable during our reviewing phase we ordered the smaller one.
Pros
- We liked the smooth finish of the tawa.
- The non-stick coating is PFOA free.
- The consistent results are commendable. Our dosas were crisp and evenly cooked.
- Spreadability is excellent.
- The grip is fairly comfortable.
- It is priced economically.
- It comes with a plastic scrubber and wooden spatula.
Best Suited For
Not only dosas, but this tawa is ideal for all types of chilas, crepes, and pancakes. It is sure to give you evenly cooked results every time.
2. Wonderchef Granite Non-Stick Dosa Tawa – Also Recommended
Wonderchef’s Non-Stick Dosa Tawa weighs 857 grams and has a 28 cm diameter. It is priced at Rs 2000/- making it one of the most expensive ones amongst all the contenders.
What Mishry Mum Meenkshi says about Wonderchef Dosa Tawa – There was no manufacturing defect or handle issue with the tawa received by our mum expert. To corroborate with our findings, Meenakshi also found the spreadability to be excellent. ‘The size of the tawa is excellent and makes large sized dosas. So if you need to add a stuffing, it will be easy to flip.’, she adds.
Pros
- The spreadability is supreme. Full marks!
- Even browning and consistent results.
- Smooth surface.
- The tawa is easy to clean and maintain.
- It has a comfortable grip.
Cons
- During our time test, we found out that Wonderchef’s tawa takes the longest to cook each dosa. This lowers the yield of dosa per minute.
- Our tawa had a loose/wobbly handle which brought down the overall experience for us. But that wasn’t the case for the mums who tested this in their home kitchen.
3. Bergner Bellini Plus 5 Layer Marble Non Stick Dosa Tawa
Mishry’s experience – What we liked about Bergner’s tawa is the comfortable silicone handle with one of the most firm grips. The spreadability is great. Even though we used 1 tsp of oil per dosa, after cooking a few batches we noticed that a lesser amount of oil is required to cook on this one. We reduced the quantity to half in a few batches to check which confirmed this.
During our induction testing, we found that the dosas Bergner produced were not crispy at all. Although they cooked well and evenly, the crispiness dosas are known for could not be achieved. We observed that they crisp up a little bit more during the gas stove testing, but weren’t as much as our Top Picks.
After multiple uses, the rivets turned brown and the red colored base slightly chipped off.
What Mishry Mum Vaishali Singh says about the Bergner Dosa Tawa – ‘I liked the design & sturdiness of the Bergner tawa. The shape of the handle & its grip is better, and it does have a smooth and flat surface. Comparatively (between Prestige and Bergner), the dosas made on Bergner are cooked evenly from the center as well as the edges.’
Our mum expert and team members both felt that the size was a bit restrictive. We suggest going up to 28/30 cms while picking your dosa tawa.
Pros
- Good spreadability.
- Consistently even cooking.
- Full points for the comfortable grip. The silicone sleeve on the handle makes it even better.
- Cooking on this tawa requires a lesser amount of oil comparatively.
Cons
- The dosas made on the tawa do not crisp up (induction). When made on gas top, the crispiness is still lower than our winners.
4. Cello Non Stick Dosa Tawa
Mishry’s Experience – Let’s discuss what we liked. The spreadability is effortless and the cooking is very fast. The dosas we made on Cello Tawa were consistently crisp but because the tawa is thin and heats up fast, in some batches the centre of the dosas tasted burnt. Cello lagged behind due to its design as well. The detachable handle is shaky/wobbly. If you ask us, it’s a hassle to attach/detach, making it an unnecessary design element. At the end of our review process we saw that the induction plate had burnt.
What Teenu Terrance says about Cello Dosa Tawa – ‘Attaching the handle was a chore. So I didn’t detach it often. When compared to Alda, this has a smoother surface, is lighter and easier to hold. It heats up too quickly, but my batter did not stick and spread well. The dosa cooked well in the middle, but not so much on the sides. The dosa detached itself easily from the sides.’
5. Prestige Omega Deluxe Granite Dosa Tawa
Mishry’s experience – Throughout our testing, Prestige’s dosa tawa gave us somewhat uneven browned dosas. The center cooked much faster on induction and gas top, while the edges remained a tad bit under. When comparing ease of spreadability, this tawa scored much lower than our winners. That said, it is easy to clean and maintain. After our review process ended, we could see some browning and damage to the bottom of the tawa (see picture).
What Mishry Mum Vaishali Singh says about the Prestige Dosa Tawa – Vaishali further confirmed what we observed and recorded. ‘I found that in the Prestige tawa, the dosas did not brown evenly from the edges, while the center turned dark brown first.’, she said.
6. Alda Graphito Non-Stick Crepe Pan
Mishry’s experience – The first thing we appreciate about Alda’s tawa is the fact that it requires very less fat to cook. The first few rounds we used 1 tsp of oil (as it was a standardized process). After that we noticed that it only requires half the quantity to cook the dosas.
That said, the cooking isn’t satisfactory. The dosas do not crisp up as much and the distinction of heat did not seem even throughout our induction testing phase. When we tested this on a gas top, the crispiness of dosas increased slightly. The motion to spread the batter is not smooth, making the spreadability much lower than the other contenders.
What Teenu Terrance says about Alda Dosa Tawa – ‘After 3 days of use, I noticed that the surface is not as smooth as Cello (the other tawa tested by her) and it heats and cooks slowly comparatively. The surface is flat but the handle design made it difficult to hold and carry. I think it makes it feel even more heavy than it already is. Moreover, when I peeled the sticker off the surface before use, the coating came off a little.’, explains Teenu.
‘After I added the ghee the dosa turned soggy. I had to flip the dosa to cook it through because it was taking such a long time for one side to cook.’, she added.
Pros
- The need to use a low amount of fat makes it an ideal choice of non-stick if you’re looking to cut down on your oil intake.
- We liked the grip of the tawa.
Cons
- The dosas do not crisp up on this tawa (induction testing). The crispiness only improved marginally during the gas stove testing
- Spreadability is low.
- Motion of spreading dosas is not smooth.
Our Winners Are…
We tested the tawas over three weeks on two sources of heat – induction and gas top. After making more than 200 dosas on six non-stick tawas, we chose Vinod Dosa tawa as our Top Pick. The design, spreadability and cooking ability is the best in this one. Moreover it is priced economically.
Priced on the higher side, Wonderchef Dosa Tawa performed very well too, making it our Premium Top Pick. The spreadability is unmatched and we loved how evenly the dosas cooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is this dosa tawa dishwasher safe?
Vinod and Prestige mention that their tawas are dishwasher safe. We did not try washing them in a dishwasher as we wanted to standardize the process.
2. Can roti be prepared in this tawa?
Roti tawas are thicker and concave in shape which ensure even cooking and puffing of the roti. If you’re looking for a roti tawa, check out our review of the hard anodised roti tawa.
3. Is this tawa oven safe?
No. These tawas are not oven safe.
4. Is this tawa made of pure granite?
No. None of the tawas are made using pure granite. Some tawas have a granite-finish coating.
5. Is this tawa metal spoon friendly?
Vinod Dosa Tawa mentions that a metal spoon can be used, but ideally a wooden or silicone spatula should be used on a non-stick surface.
In Conclusion
Which type of dosa tawa do you use at home – cast iron or non-stick? Tell us about your dosa-making preferences in the comment section below.
Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.