The rod is easier on your hands and wrists. You place your palm on each end of it and roll using even pressure across the dough. On the downside, your hands touch the dough; some people enjoy this “dough feel” as a technique in itself, but touching too much risks heating the dough from your hand warmth, so you need to work quickly. The rod is usually cheaper than a rolling pin and it has another benefit of not having any crevices which could attract random pieces of dough. The rolling pin is used by holding the handles and rolling the cylinder across the dough. The downside is that you need to place more force on the dough and as a result, the dough is not stretched as evenly as with a rod because you’re exerting pressure in uneven ways. Some rolling pins are one piece with handles, a cross between both types of rolling pins.
Many wooden rolling pins stick to the dough. This can be a real hassle, especially if adding a lot of flour makes the pastry over-floured. However, some woods are better than others; look for an oilier wood that will not stick as much. A wooden roll cannot be chilled for pastry that needs to stay really cool. Wooden rolling pins can mark more easily than other types of rolling pins.
Marble is prone to chipping. It is usually purchased with a wooden stand supplied; be sure to always use this stand when chilling and storing the rolling pin.
Some metallic rolling pins can be filled with water in the same manner as glass ones.
Read the instructions accompanying a glass rolling pin for water temperature. If the water is too cold, the rolling pin will sweat and the liquid will be transferred to the dough.
The standard length for a French rolling pin is 20", while 12" (30cm) is the standard for wooden, metallic rolling pins. Marble rolling pins tend to be 10"(25cm) in length. Rolling pins longer than 32" can cause bowing. Don’t choose a longer one for normal dough work; it will be too unwieldy to work with.
The handling feels good to you and it’s easy to use The balance feels right The surface won’t stick to the dough or heat it up It’s easy to clean.
There are also specialty rolling pins that imprint decorative designs. These are for the serious baker with a specific design in mind, such as marzipan, pasta, shortbread, gingerbread, fondant, etc.
