# The tools behind the numbers

Source: https://howtomakedosa.com/gear/
Updated: 2026-09-25

Every recipe on this site gives weights in grams and temperatures in degrees. That only works with a few tools. Here is what they are, what matters when buying each one, and what you can do without.

## The two you cannot skip

### Kitchen scale

The recipes are written by weight, because a cup of rice weighs about twice what a cup of urad dal does, and measuring by volume breaks the 4 : 1 ratio.

- Look for: **1 g** resolution, a tare button, capacity of **5 kg** or more
- Price: the cheapest digital scale from a known brand is fine

[Search for kitchen scales on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=digital+kitchen+scale+grams)

### Cast iron tawa

A heavy, flat cast iron griddle holds the 190–215 °C range steadily from one dosa to the next. Thin pans cool down every time batter hits them.

- Diameter: **28 cm** minimum; **30 cm** or more for [ghee roast](https://howtomakedosa.com/ghee-roast-dosa/)
- Surface: flat, with no raised rim that gets in the way of the spatula
- Pre-seasoned: saves you the first round of [seasoning](https://howtomakedosa.com/dosa-sticking-to-pan/#reseason)
- Not for: an induction hob, unless the listing says it is induction-compatible

[Search for cast iron dosa tawas on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cast+iron+dosa+tawa)

## The one that removes the guessing

### Infrared thermometer

Point it at the pan and it reads the surface temperature in a second. This is how you know the tawa is at 200 °C and not 250 °C. It is also useful for checking the oven-light temperature for fermenting.

- Range: up to at least **300 °C** (570 °F)
- Note: shiny stainless steel reads low. Cast iron reads accurately

[Search for infrared thermometers on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=infrared+thermometer+cooking)

A [probe thermometer](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=digital+probe+thermometer) does the other job: checking batter temperature after grinding (under 30 °C) and in the fermenting spot (26–32 °C).

## Grinding

### Wet grinder or mixer grinder

A **wet grinder**, with stone rollers turning in a stone drum, grinds slowly and stays cool. It gives the fluffiest urad dal and the best rise. If you make batter every week, it is worth it.

A **mixer grinder** (the Indian kind, with a tall steel jar) is faster and cheaper, but it heats the batter. Use ice water and grind in 90-second bursts, as in the [master recipe](https://howtomakedosa.com/#step-grind-dal).

A high-speed Western blender works in a mixer grinder's place, with the same short bursts and ice water.

- Wet grinder: **2 litre** tabletop size is enough for a 500 g batch
- Mixer grinder: **750 W** or more, with a wet-grinding jar
- Voltage: Indian appliances are 230 V. In North America, buy a 110–120 V model

[Search for wet grinders on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wet+grinder+110v)

## Small things

- **Flat-bottomed ladle, about 80 ml:** one scoop is one dosa. [Search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dosa+ladle+flat+bottom)
- **Thin, wide steel spatula:** slides under a crisp dosa without breaking it. [Search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dosa+spatula+stainless+steel)
- **Idli stand:** a 4-tier stand makes 16 [idlis](https://howtomakedosa.com/idli/). [Search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=idli+stand+4+tier)

## What you can skip

- **A dosa-specific non-stick pan:** easy, but it browns less and wears out. A cast iron tawa lasts for decades.
- **Electric dosa makers:** they don't get hot enough for a crisp plain dosa.
- **Batter-fermenting gadgets:** an oven with the light on, or an Instant Pot you already own, does the same job. See [fermenting in cold weather](https://howtomakedosa.com/ferment-dosa-batter-in-cold-weather/).

## Keep going

- [Dosa sticking to the pan](https://howtomakedosa.com/dosa-sticking-to-pan/): Heat, seasoning and batter checks, plus how to re-season a cast iron tawa that has stopped releasing.
- [Batter calculator](https://howtomakedosa.com/dosa-batter-calculator/): How many dosas, and how warm is your kitchen? Get every weight in grams and every wait in hours.
- [Rava dosa](https://howtomakedosa.com/rava-dosa/): The instant one: no soaking or fermenting, and a watery batter poured from a height to make the holes.