Not every molcajete you see online is made the same. Traditional molcajetes are made from volcanic stone, not cement. According to de la Vega, because they are made from volcanic stone, they should not look perfect, and though the material is porous, it should not leak either. “If it’s too perfect, it’s cement,” she says.
To ensure your mortar isn’t leaking, you can simply pour water into it and watch for any leaks. The last thing de la Vega says you want to consider is the pestle. The “mano” should feel comfortable to hold.
If you’re planning to regularly make salsa or guacamole for a crowd, you’ll want to opt for a larger molcajete. However, the larger the size, the heavier the molcajete, so you’ll have a hard time storing a large-sized model in a high cupboard. The larger size from Masienda has twice the capacity of the smaller 2-cup molcajete we used but weighs 12 pounds more. (Most of the molcajetes available online list the capacity in the product description.)
