Once you taste fresh-made pasta it can be difficult to slum it with the store-bought varieties. But dining out at a fancy trattoria every night is not always possible, nor is it financially advisable. Thankfully, fresh pasta is something that any home cook can master. All it takes is some flour, water and eggs. Oh, and a dedicated pasta maker.
These specially-designed machines allow you to roll out your pasta dough into perfectly formed sheets that can be cut into the noodle of your choice. From spaghetti to tagliatelle, nothing is off-limits thanks to this well-oiled workhorse.
Of course, there are as many machines on the market as there are pasta varieties. Some are simple to use and require very little effort, while others will give you serious pasta elbow. To make sure you get the best, we’ve sifted through all the pasta makers on Amazon and selected four that are sure to outperform rest.
1. Marcato Design Atlas 150 Pasta Machine
Deemed the Ferrari of pasta makers by Cook’s Illustrated, this Italian stallion is world-famous and for good reason. The traditional machine can easily make three different types of authentic pasta shapes, including lasagne, fettuccine and tagliolini. You can also purchase additional pasta cutting accessories if you want even more variety. Made in Italy, the machine evenly rolls pasta dough for a consistent texture, cook time and taste. Cooks can choose between 10 different thickness settings, from paper-thin to heavy, and create the style of pasta that best suits each recipe. The machine is crafted from chrome-plated steel and can be clamped onto your bench to keep it nice and secure while you work. You can use the hand crank to churn out the pasta manually or affix the specially designed motor (sold separately) to roll automatically.
Amazon
2. Lello Pastamaster Pasta Maker
If you love eating pasta but hate the idea of cooking it from scratch, allow us to introduce you to Lello’s electric pasta machine. This all-in-one design does everything for you, from kneading the dough to cutting the pasta. All you need to do is add the ingredients into the mixing bowl, flick the “on” switch and you’ll have up to 3 lbs of pasta in just 20 minutes. Equipped with a powerful 300-watt motor, the machine can produce eight different pasta types, including the crowd-pleasers spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine and macaroni. It can even be used to make cookies, breadsticks, pretzels and pizza. It features automatic shut-off to prevent overheating and can be easily taken apart for cleaning. The machine also comes with a recipe book that is full of dead easy dishes.
Amazon
3. Cuisinart Pastafecto Pasta Maker
Cuisinart has earned a sterling reputation for its high-quality cookware—and this pasta maker is no exception. The nifty compact design is stylish and won’t hog too much space on your counter. On top of that, it’s dead easy to use. The motorized machine can mix, knead, and extrude up to one pound of fresh pasta in just 20 minutes. It includes six shaping attachments that allow you to create spaghetti, rigatoni, fusilli, small macaroni, fettuccine and bucatini. You can even make bread dough if you so desire. The machine also comes with measuring cups, a storage bag and a cleaning tool to keep you organized.
Amazon
4. Philips Pasta Maker Plus
Philips has turned making fresh pasta into a one-push job. Its easy-to-use electric pasta maker can produce a pound of noodles in just 15 minutes. That’s your weeknight dinner sorted. It takes care of all the menial tasks, including mixing, kneading and extruding. Simply add eggs, flour and water, and, hey presto, you’ll have fresh pasta in a flash. If you’re feeling a little creative you can also incorporate herbs, beets or spinach to personalize your pasta. The machine comes with four different shaping discs to make spaghetti, fettucini, penne and lasagne. The discs can all be stored in the machine’s bottom drawer, along with the cleaning implements.
Amazon
