Best Pasta Maker Reviews 2018

When it comes to price, your classic hand-crank pasta machine will run you anywhere from $40-$90, depending on the manufacturer. You may be able to find a cheaper pasta maker, but it probably will be lacking in quality. The construction and design needs to be finely detailed to get the pasta just right, so look for a well-established brand.

Some specialty pasta makers will run from $200-$350 for added features like dough-kneading in the electric models – these often also include such add-ons as measuring and cleaning tools, and recipe booklets. A finely crafted pasta maker from Italy will take you into the high end of the market and cost you $400 or more.

There are a variety of pasta makers out there. Picking one depends on your needs and cooking style. Be sure to look out for some of these key features before making your purchase:

• Hand-cranked or electric
• Variety of pasta shapes it produces
• Dough-kneading options on electric models
• Thickness settings
• Bonus tools that come with purchase
• Bonus recipe booklets
• Cleaning specifications
• Optional attachments sold separately
• Manufacturer’s warranty

Now let’s look at some of the construction and design features available…

A hand-cranked pasta maker should be heavy and sturdy, yet compact enough to easily store when not in use. A good hand-cranked pasta maker should have a skid-free base or feet to avoid kitchen mishaps, and come with clear instructions on how to use it. Most pasta makers offer multiple thickness settings for repeated running of your pasta sheets through the machine, until you get your pasta just right. Depending on how thick or thin you like your pasta, there can be anywhere from six to ten thickness settings on your hand-cranked pasta machine.

There are electric pasta makers that will do most of the work for you. From kneading the dough to extruding the pasta, these electric pasta machines take the guess work out of making delicious pasta, allowing you to produce large batches in a shorter amount of time. Look for features like an easy-to-read LED display, easy assembly, and automatic shut-off.

To showcase your skills and bring old-world style to your kitchen, you might want to purchase a pasta extruder from Italy, like the Bottene that makes a thicker Venetian-style pasta. With a unique construction design that offers long wooden handles that turn to extrude the pasta, this sort of pasta maker creates a romantic experience for those who like to take their time in the kitchen.

Each pasta machine offers a different number of pasta shapes through the use of specialty plates, discs, or dies that come with the machine. Some sell additional attachments separately, such as specialty dies for the perfect taglioni or tagliatelle.

If you love fresh pasta, but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then an electric pasta machine is probably the right choice for you. Once in a while, the pasta dough may get stuck in the machine, but electric pasta makers definitely simplify the task.

For those who want more control over the process, a hand-cranked pasta maker is the best choice. This allows you to work with the dough and refine the texture until it is perfectly to your liking. It also makes the process more fun, as you can really immerse yourself in the experience of making your own pasta.

Whether you opt for a hand-cranked pasta machine or an electric one, make sure you take the time to read the instructions thoroughly for the best results. Now let’s get into our top picks…