Buying guide for Best taco holders
Everyone loves tacos. They are a delicious dining treat and a full sensory experience. Tacos are made from hard or soft tortilla shells, full of any number of ingredients such as beef, chicken, cheese, and almost any vegetable imaginable. From customizing your meat choice to adding the perfect amount of sour cream and cheese on top, everything about making and eating tacos is steeped in fun and individualism.
That’s why it’s important to have a well-designed taco holder to make the process easier for everyone. You need somewhere to place your tacos when on the table so they don’t fall over, spilling their contents. Tacos are all about options, but if your taco spills all over the plate before you even get a taste, then what was all of that preparation for? Check out our shopping guide for the best taco holders, and you’ll be sure to make your family and friends sing your praises on the next taco night.
Key considerations
Think about how you and yours prepare and eat tacos, and you’ll have a better idea about which taco holders suit your needs best. Consider the following factors when shopping for your new taco holders.
Taco capacity
Some taco holders are meant for a single shell. Others have space for three or more. Consider your personal setup for eating tacos when choosing a taco holder. If you always serve them in threes, you’ll want a tri-shell holder. If you serve them individually, a single-shell option would work just fine. It should be all about convenience.
Material
Stainless steel, rubber, and plastic are the most common materials for taco holders. The type of material you use is important for a few reasons. First of all, stainless steel is a conductor of heat; plastic and rubber are not. If you want to make sure your tacos stay warm for as long as possible, a stainless steel option is preferable. If that’s not a concern, any other material will do.
The second reason that material matters has to do with post-meal cleaning. We all know that tacos make for a messy meal. Consider how easy or difficult each material may be to clean afterward, and which ones are dishwasher and microwave safe. For example, stainless steel is extremely easy to clean, while food can stick to rubber, making it difficult to clean.
Shape
You may prefer a taco holder with a wide opening to allow for easy “loading” of a soft-tortilla taco. However, you may instead want a taco holder with a narrow opening, so the contents of your taco don’t fall out as soon as you finish preparing it. Think about how you like to make and eat your tacos to determine which shape you prefer.
Storability
Multi-shell taco holders can be clunky and large, especially if they are made of metal or another non-pliable material. Think about how and where you want to store your taco holder before making a final decision on the right one for you. How you will deal with your taco holders when they are not in use is an important consideration.
Expert Tip
Building your crunchy tacos in the holder is easier than using soft tortillas, so if you have kids who might get frustrated with a floppy soft taco, consider buying crunchy shells for them.
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Features
Taco holders have a surprising number of features available. Many of these features are designed to enhance the overall eating experience. If you want to make your taco preparations more fun and exciting for all involved, consider getting taco holders with one or more of these features. Your friends and family will thank you for it.
Children’s designs
To make taco night even more fun, some taco holders are designed with creative themes for children: dinosaurs, trains, cute chihuahuas. These products hold tacos and warm hearts at the same time.
Serving handles
Restaurant-style taco holders are a great way to serve your family or guests without making a mess or burning your hands. Some stainless steel taco holders come equipped with wooden handles on either side so you can carry them from the kitchen to the table without worry. Consider this feature if you want to serve your tacos restaurant-style for a special experience.
Reversible design
Many taco holders are designed in a W pattern. You have the option of turning the holder upside down. More often than not, this pattern allows you to customize the taco space for two or three tacos. It’s a nice way to have some versatility when serving your tacos to family and friends.
Salsa bowls
There are taco holders that include small bowls on either end of the holder. These bowls can be used for salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or any other ingredients used to make or enhance your meal. This is a nod to the aforementioned individual nature of personalizing your taco to your own tastes.
Expert Tip
Make lots of bowls for goodies. Take the soft seeds out of tomatoes and dice the sturdy flesh, then lightly salt and toss it in a bowl for service. Make bowls of guacamole, sour cream, meat, grated cheese, pico de gallo, and any other fillings you’d like to add. Have a couple of hot sauces nearby too for those who like it spicy.
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Taco holder prices
Inexpensive
Taco holders that cost from $5 to $10 are generally made of plastic. These are the most basic design, incorporating a simple “U” or “W” shape. Some hold multiple tacos, but the majority are single-shell holders.
Mid-range
Between $10 and $20, you’ll find a mix of materials and styles, including single and multi-taco holders made of plastic, rubber, or metal. Most in this range are made of stainless steel and are the multi-shell style.
Expensive
In the range of $20 to $30, taco holders are available in almost every material and design type, but they will be the most likely to have special features such as carrying handles and salsa bowls.
Expert Tip
Taco holders, even if dishwasher-safe, might be best hand-washed. Especially the decorative plastic style – heat cracks can thread through the plastic, though they don’t seem to create weak points in the structure.
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Tips
- Don’t stick to just one kind of taco. The fun of trying different foods is that you don’t know what you may like. If you usually eat hard shell tacos, try some soft ones, and vice versa. You might also want to consider a vegan taco if you usually eat beef or chicken. You might surprise yourself.
- If you have children, take that into consideration when choosing your taco holder. Plastic and rubber options are generally more child-friendly because they have fewer sharp edges to hurt little hands.
- Let everyone at the table design their own taco. Being creative is part of the fun of a good taco. You might even try letting each person at the table design a taco for the person next to them!
- Always make sure any beef, chicken, or pork is fully cooked before using it in your tacos.
FAQ
Q. Is there a standard taco recipe that I should follow if I want to be a purist?
A. No. Although there are some basic standards used in tacos such as meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, you should explore any flavors you want to in making your tacos, such as avocado or shrimp.
Q. Will any of the sauces I use on my tacos permanently stain my taco holders?
A. No. Taco holders are designed to have all different sorts of food products spilled on them without staining. Feel free to use anything you want on your taco without the fear of stains.
Q. Can I make my tacos in the taco holder, or should they be used only for serving?
A. You can use your taco holders in any way that you see fit. Use them for preparing your tacos or for merely serving them. There is no right or wrong way to use your taco holders.
Q. Should I pair sides with my tacos, or are they meant as a standalone meal?
A. Mexican rice and refried beans are the most common sides that go with tacos. Mexican-style street corn is another delicious pairing option.
Q. Are there any taco options for me if I’m a vegetarian?
A. Absolutely. Just because you don’t eat meat doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious taco with your friends and family. Search online for vegetarian taco recipes such as bean, chickpea, or vegan sausage. You’ll find all sorts of recipes for tacos with no meat products.
