Best Pasta Makers to Buy for Healthy Pasta

If you love pasta, you need one of the best pasta makers.

If you think you need boxed or bagged pasta or to go to a restaurant to enjoy your favorite pasta dishes, you’re missing out. Home cooks can make pasta that is fresh and better tasting. (bellarinova.com) Plus, the ingredients are simple and affordable.

Store-bought pasta is cheap and convenient, but owning a pasta machine can save you money in the long run. Using one also isn’t as much effort as you probably imagine.

Manual pasta makers give home cooks a more authentic pasta making experience, while an automatic machine can help even the novice chef make quality pasta with ease. Our buying guide will help you know which is best for you.

Here are the top 5 best pasta makers.

Editors’ Choice: Imperia Pasta Maker

This old fashioned, Italian-made pasta machine is the same style home cooks throughout Italy like to use.

This appliance is simple to use and small enough to store in small spaces. The manual style features a chrome-plated and wood hand crank and a base available in either silver or retro red.

The base clamps to your kitchen countertops to help you crank the lever without straining. The rubber feet prevent the machine from sliding.

The Imperia pasta maker comes with two pasta rollers: one for solid pasta sheets and one for making linguini or fettuccini. It also has a tool for making ravioli.

Imperia Pasta Maker Pros

• Easy use: The simple, manual machine helps you make pasta with ease. There are no extra buttons, functions, or features you have to learn how to use. All you have to do is roll your dough.
• Pasta versatility: This device can handle the most basic pasta making priorities including solid sheets, linguini style strips, or stuffed and crimped ravioli.
• Traditional design: This machine features a chic, retro design based on traditional styles used throughout Italy.

Imperia Pasta Maker Cons

• Cleaning required: To clean this machine, you need to brush flower and dust from the exterior. Then, handwash all the parts with water and detergent. Dry the device thoroughly so that it doesn’t rust.
• Limited functions: While this manual model gets the job done, an automatic machine has more pasta making functions and styles to try.
• Needs maintenance: This model is chrome. Therefore, you’ll need to put oil between the rollers to keep it running smoothly.

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Best Value: Oxgord Hand Crank Pasta Maker

If you’re looking for an affordable pasta machine, look no further than the Oxgord Hand Crank Pasta Maker.

This device looks and functions almost identically to more expensive models, but it is significantly cheaper. While the materials aren’t as high quality as brands like Marcato Atlas or Philips, the appliance gets the job done.

The Oxgord pasta maker is a traditional manual model that comes with three blade attachments. You can also select from nine thickness preferences to make spaghetti, linguine, fettuccini, angel hair, and solid pasta sheets at home.

The parts and base are stainless steel and detachable for easy cleanup.

Oxgord Hand Crank Pasta Maker Pros

• Affordable price: This is the best manual pasta maker you can buy for under $50.
• Easy cleanup: All parts are detachable and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
• Some customization: This device doesn’t have as many features as electric models. However, it includes nine thickness preferences and two blades to make five types of pasta.

Oxgord Hand Crank Pasta Maker Cons

• Cheaper materials: The Oxgord pasta maker is more affordable because it doesn’t have the same quality of materials or expertise as other bands.
• Less sturdy: While this machine will make delicious pasta, it doesn’t clamp as tightly to countertops as other models do.
• No motorized options: Some manual models come with motorized attachments if you don’t want to hand crank. This one doesn’t.

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Best Electric: Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker

When it comes to electric machines, Philips makes the best pasta maker.

This model is a powerful, automatic machine that makes hand-free pasta in as little as 20 minutes. It mixes, kneads, and will even feed the dough to make the pasta shapes of your choice.

All you need to do is pour the ingredients in and adjust the pasta length to your preference once it’s finished. It couldn’t be easier to make pasta at home.

This machine includes four disc shapes to make spaghetti, fettuccini, penne, and lasagna sheets.

All parts are detachable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. It also includes a cleaning tool to get the stuck dough out of hard-to-reach places.

Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Pros

• Easy cleaning: This device includes a cleaning tool for nooks and crannies. All the parts are dishwasher safe.
• Easy use: This device is excellent for hands-free pasta making. The appliance mixes, kneads, and feeds the dough into shapes for you.
• Fast pasta: This electric machine makes pasta from start to finish in as little as 20 minutes.

Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Cons

• Automatic only: A fully electric model is convenient. However, if you’re nostalgic for a traditional pasta making experience, a manual model is better.
• Fewer pasta shapes: It includes four pasta making discs, but other automatic models include up to eight.
• High price: While you can buy high-quality manual models for under $100, this automatic model will set you back around $200.

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Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Maker

If you’re looking for a fully functioning, high-quality, manual pasta maker, this is one of the best you can buy. It’s also under $100, making it affordable for a small kitchen appliance.

Marcato Atala is an Italian appliance company that uses high-quality materials and offers a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty on its products.

This manual machine rolls and cuts pasta noodles, fettuccini, lasagna, and tagliolini. This appliance also features ten thickness preferences.

More pasta shapes and a pasta drive motor are available separately.

Marcato Atala 150 Pasta Maker Pros

• 10-year warranty: This appliance includes a 1o-year manufacturer’s warranty that covers parts and labor for any defects.
• High-quality device: This device comes from an Italian company, Marcato Atala, that uses high-quality parts and craftsmanship.
• Motor function capability: This machine can switch to motor functions if your arms get tired of hand cranking. You’ll need to buy the motor separately.

Marcato Atala 150 Pasta Maker Cons

• Limited pasta shapes: This device only comes with three pasta shape options. You can buy more separately.
• Maintenance required: You’ll need to oil the rollers and handwash separate parts.

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Best for Noodle Varieties: Lello Pasta Pro Pasta Master

If you want a machine that comes with the most pasta shapes, this is the best model for you. This automatic pasta maker comes with eight pasta discs and is a little more affordable than Philips models.

Similar to other automatic styles, this machine does all the work for you. You pour in the ingredients, and it mixes, kneads, and pulls the dough into shapes.

This machine is capable of making three pounds of pasta in around 20 minutes.

Pasta styles include spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, macaroni, bucatini, fettuccini, lasagna, and solid pasta sheets.

Lello Pro Pasta Master Pros

• Convenient machine: The device does all the mixing, kneading, and dough-feeding for you.
• Fast pasta: This manual machine can make 3lbs of pasta from start to finish in 20 minutes.
• Variety of pasta shapes: This pasta maker includes eight pasta shapes instead of four like many other models.

Lello Pros Pasta Master Cons

• Lower-quality discs: You get eight disks, but they’re plastic. This material is more likely to break and gives you a rougher pasta texture.
• Nosy machine: Some reviews note that this machine is much noisier than other automatic models.
• Requires practice: You’ll need to experiment with ingredient proportions for different pasta styles.

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Types of Pasta Makers

If you’ve already shopped around for pasta makers, you’ve likely noticed there are two main models you can buy: electric or manual.

These styles are also known as automatic or hand crank pasta makers.

Here’s a breakdown of manual vs. automatic pasta makers to help you make the best purchase for all your pasta needs.

Electric

As the name suggests, you plug in electric pasta makers to get the work done.

These machines are the hands-free, fancier way of making pasta at home. These models are perfect for anyone who loves high tech kitchen gadgets or for novice chefs who don’t want to mix, knead, and feed dough through the machine.

Electric models are also pricier. Most automatic machines cost upwards of $200. Some are closer to $500, but you’re paying for the convenience.

All you need to do to make fresh pasta at home is pour the ingredients in and choose your pasta shape. These machines do everything else for you and can make about 2-3lbs of pasta noodles in under 20 minutes.

Some models will even walk you through the ingredients and proportions you should add for each pasta style.

Pros

• Best for novice pasta makers
• Convenient
• Easy to use
• Fast
• High tech

Cons

• Expensive
• Noisy

Manual

Manual pasta makers are the traditional, old-school way to make pasta.

If you’re a fan of vintage-style appliances or sticking to traditional cooking methods, this style is for you. You’ll have to mix, knead, and feed the dough yourself.

All manual models feature a hand crank that helps you manually feed the dough through the rollers. Some manual models feature a motor function option that will crank for you.

All manual styles come with a clamp to keep the machine secured to your countertops. This clamp gives you a better grip while you crank.

Similar to the electric model, manual models come with different pasta shape options. However, you’ll only be able to make flat shapes like fettucini, spaghetti, linguini, and solid sheets with a manual model.

Pros

• Best for long pasta styles
• Can be easier to clean
• Lasts a lifetime with the right care
• Reliable
• Some come with motorized crank options
• Traditional pasta making

Cons

• Limited pasta shapes
• Require more effort
• Requires more pasta making knowledge
• Takes longer to make pasta

Pasta Maker Buying Guide

If you buy any kitchen appliance, you know that they come in all kinds of varieties. Whether you need a food processor or an air fryer, it’s essential to do your research. What works for your friend might not be the best option for you.

Pasta makers are the same way. Your needs depend on things such as:

• Arm strength
• Budget
• Family size
• Frequency of pasta making
• Kitchen countertops and storage space

To make sure you get the best appliance for your needs, use our buying guide to get familiar with the features of pasta makers.

Build Quality

The build quality refers to both the quality of materials and the craftsmanship.

You can make quality pasta with a cheaper machine, but the appliance likely won’t last you as long. A well-made pasta maker should last for years. Some will last a lifetime with the right cleaning and maintenance.

Look for brands with excellent reputations. Also, remember that a “made in Italy” designation doesn’t mean that it’s a better machine.

Quality machines will be made with high-quality materials, like stainless steel, and come with a manufacturers warranty.

Pay attention to the materials of all the parts. For example, plastic discs for making different pasta shapes are cheaper. However, they won’t last as long as stainless steel ones.

Plastic discs also affect the texture of the pasta. Pasta noodles made from plastic discs often aren’t as smooth.

Clamp Style

Manual pasta makers should all come with a clamp and rubber feet:

• The clamp secures your machine to the kitchen counter, which helps you get a better grip while you crank.
• Rubber feet will further secure the pasta maker to prevent any slipping.

Although the aesthetic may vary, most clamp styles are all the same. An open hinge secures around the width of the counter by tightening a screw with a rubber knob at the end.

If the manual machine you’re considering doesn’t include a clamp, don’t buy it.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Owning a pasta maker might be convenient, but cleaning one often isn’t.

Both manual and electric machines have a lot of nooks and crannies. Keep a dry brush on hand to help clean out those hard-t0-reach areas.

Machines that come with detachable parts are by far the easiest to clean. Dishwasher-safe parts are even better.

When buying a pasta maker, check what reviews say about the ease of cleaning. Make sure the product description clearly states that parts like rollers and discs are detachable from the base.

To keep your pasta maker in good condition, you’ll need to occasionally oil the parts and make sure never to put the machine away still wet. Otherwise, the pasta maker could get rusty.

Ease of Use

All pasta machines make it easier to prepare homemade pasta than the old school way — by hand.

But manual and electric models vary in how easy they are to use. They can also yield different results:

• An automatic or electric pasta maker will mix, knead, and feed the dough through for you.
• Manual pasta makers require you to mix, knead, and roll out your dough. Once it’s ready, you’ll have to feed it through the rollers with the hand crank. Some manual models feature a motor function that cranks for you.

While electric machines require a lot less effort than manual ones, figuring out how to use all the different functions can still take some practice.

Feed Width

The feed width refers to the amount of space you’re able to adjust for between the rollers.

This characteristic is an essential part of getting your pasta to your desired thickness. However, it only applies to manual models.

Manual models have two rollers that rotate as you feed the dough through them. You turn the rollers by using the hand crank.

To get the best pasta thickness (no matter what size you’re going for), start on the widest setting for the first pass.

For thinner pasta, you shorten the feed width for the second and third pass. You can adjust the feed width using a knob on the side of the machine.

Once the pasta is to your desired thickness, you can cut it into whatever shape you want or stuff two solids sheets with filling and then cut and crimp into ravioli.

Pasta Thickness

Aside from being able to make different pasta shapes and styles, a good pasta maker should be able to make at least 4-5 different pasta thicknesses.

• Thickness settings on manual models can adjust by increasing the distance between the feed rollers. You can widen or tighten the rollers using a knob on the side of the machine.
• Electric models come with control setting where you can select the thickness before the pasta making starts. Some automatic machines come with up to nine different thickness options.

If you like to vary the kinds of pasta you make, find an appliance with as many thickness options as possible.

Accessories and Attachments

A pasta maker is a necessary tool for making pasta at home, but having the right accessories and attachments can make the process even easier.

Whether you buy a manual machine or an electric one, you’ll likely want to purchase a few accessories.

These are the essential accessories:

• Drying rack
• Pasta cutter
• Stainless steel scraper

You can also consider buying attachments like other rollers and cutters for manual machines or more pasta discs in different shapes like macaroni and rigatoni.

Get to know these accessories so that you know which you’d like to have in your kitchen.

Pasta Cutter

A pasta cutter wheel is a tool you’ll want to have if you chose a manual pasta maker.

After getting your pasta sheets to your desired thickness, you hand cut them into shapes or use them to crimp ravioli sheets together.

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Pasta Drying Rack

A drying rack is another accessory that’s handy to have around when using a manual model.

After you roll the pasta, you’ll need to let it dry before boiling it in water. Opt for a wood dryer like the one from Bellemain above.

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Stainless Steel Dough Scraper

A stainless steel dough scraper is a useful pasta making tool to have when you’re making your dough from scratch.

You’ll be making a lot of homemade pasta dough when using a manual mode. This accessory helps you mix, knead, and even cut the dough before feeding it through your machine.

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If you love pasta, a pasta maker will quickly become one of your favorite kitchen appliances.

Whether you choose a traditional manual machine or an updated electric model, you’ll be able to make fresh pasta noodles at home in a variety of shapes and sizes.

With the right cleaning and maintenance, a quality pasta machine will last a lifetime. Use this buying guide and our top picks to help you pick the right one for your needs.