Almost everyone loves a good pasta dish. It’s a hearty stick to your rib’s kind of meal that’s perfect for a family gathering. The problem with pasta is that to make it fresh it can challenge even a seasoned homemaker so we often opt for the boxed or premade type, and while it can make a decent meal it falls short of making a meal everyone will remember.
So, here is an option, a pasta maker, this is a way to speed up the process of making pasta from scratch. In this review we will look at the good, the bad and all the other details of the top 8 best pasta makers for 2022.
Let’s dive right in and get the review started with our top choice for a homemade pasta maker.
Top 8 Best Pasta Makers for 2022
1. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Pasta Attachment – Best Overall Choice
There are so many varieties of pasta that choosing one can be almost as overwhelming as the process of making the pasta. This unit keeps it simple and makes just three types of pasta that can be used for the largest assortment of dishes.
If you own a Kitchen Aid mixer this may be the easiest and best choice for you to up your past making culinary skills. It attaches directly to the mixer and churns out pasta in sheets, spaghetti, and fettuccine styles. This is an electric pasta maker and that means no turning of a hand crank, the machine does the work not you.
It is easy to clean and allows you to access the cutting area to remove extra or stuck dough. It is lightweight and easy to store but also made of stainless steel so it will last a lifetime. The three pasta blades are contained in one attachment to reduce storage space and it offers eight thickness settings so you can dial up your favorite pasta just the way you want it.
Pros
- It is simple to use
- It is easy to clean
- It makes three varieties of pasta without having to change attachments
- It has a large selection of thickness settings
- It mounts directly to your Kitchen Aid mixer
- It is an electric pasta maker
Cons
- It will only work if you own a Kitchen Aid mixer
- It only produces three types of pasta forms
2. Phillips Pasta Maker Plus – A Close Second Place
This may be one of the easiest to use stand-alone electric pasta makers on the market. It does all the labor for you including mixing and kneading the dough. You simply add your chosen ingredients, select the past type you want from one of the included pasta wheels and turn the machine on.
Featuring components that are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. This unit can offer eight pasta types with the different wheels and can turn out a half a pound of pasta in about ten minutes.
Phillips does offer additional pasta wheels for separate purchase so you can add even more variety to your pasta dishes, including thinner angel-hair types.
Pros
- It offers a large selection of pasta shapes included with your initial purchase
- You don’t have to make the dough, it does it for you
- The components are dishwasher safe
- This is a stand-alone unit, no need for another machine
Cons
- It’s a bit on the pricey side
- This is a fairly large unit and will take up some storage space
- Additional purchase is required for some popular pasta shapes
- There is no thickness adjustment other than the pasta discs
3. Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta and Noodle Maker – A Solid Third Place
This is another stand-alone electric pasta maker that takes care of making your pasta for you. Hamilton Beach has created this unit to go as far as weighing the ingredients as you add them to help you make perfect pasta every time.
Aside from weighing out the ingredients this unit mixes, kneads and extrudes the pasta all by itself. You can select from seven different pasta shapes and the unit features one-touch digital controls. You can customize the pasta you make with the selection of the pasta disc and the unit stores the discs in its base.
Pros
- A stand-alone unit that doesn’t require another mixer to use
- You don’t need to make the dough before you use the machine, it does it for you
- There is no need to dry the pasta before use, it comes out ready to go into the pot
- This unit is offered by a well-known kitchen appliance manufacturer
Cons
- This is a fairly expensive pasta maker, but more reasonable than the number two choice
- A stand-alone unit that requires a bit of counter and storage space
- A few mixed reviews about the reliability
4. Marcato 8334 Atlas Pasta Maker – A Top Choice for A Hand Crank Machine
Manufactured in Italy, I mean who knows how to make pasta or pasta machines better? Right? This is a hand crank unit designed to make pasta in basic sheet form or spaghetti and fettuccine varieties. You can choose from ten different thickness settings from paper-thin to extra thick so you can create your perfect pasta.
Dubbed the Ferrari of the pasta machines it also has some extras that are sold separately. These extras can turn it into an electric machine and offer a larger assortment of pasta shapes as well. It’s made of anodized aluminum, so its lighter than others but built to last a lifetime.
Pros
- This unit has a ten-year warranty
- This unit is a snazzy red anodized aluminum
- It offers a large variety of thickness settings so you can customize each batch
- The unit can become an electric model if you purchase a separate motor
- It has a large assortment of additional accessories for purchase separately
Cons
- It does cost quite a bit more than some other hand crank units
- It is limited on pasta styles and requires additional purchases for other shapes
5. Imperia Pasta Presto – A Good Choice for a True Pasta Lover
The reason this one is a good choice and not higher up on the list is that it is expensive, even when compared to other top electric models. This is an electric model, but it doesn’t mix and knead the dough for you, it simply cuts and presses the dough to your desired style and thickness.
It features a non-stick surface to help prevent the pasta from sticking and also help make cleanup fast and easy. It has two cutters built-in and can be used with other accessories to create a wide variety of pasta shapes and thicknesses.
Pros
- It’s made out of stainless steel and has a non-stick coating
- It offers six settings for thickness
- It has a simple on-off switch so it’s easy to use and understand
- According to the product description, it can make a large variety of different pasta shapes and sizes
Cons
- There is no clear information about whether the accessories are included or must be purchased separately. This may limit the types of pasta made at the initial purchase to two
- This unit is expensive
- There is no information available about the warranty
- The clamp mount may not be desirable for some
6. Cestari Ultimate Pasta Machine – Another Great Choice in a Hand Crank Model
This unit is dubbed a professional grade pasta maker for good reason it can make a variety of pasta styles in an assortment of thicknesses and offers a stay-put suction cup mount.
You can choose from nine different thicknesses and the mirrored chrome steel finish makes clean up a breeze. The strong anodized aluminum cutters create sheet pasta and fettuccine noodles as well as others and the machine has a no questions asked lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Professional-grade aluminum cutters
- It uses a stay put suction cup base instead of a clamp
- It has a modern look of polished chrome
- It is American made
Cons
- This machine is more expensive than some other quality hand crank machines
- You will need an additional cutter to create some of the pasta shapes from the sheet pasta
7. Cucina Pro Pasta Maker – An Affordable and Good Option for a Home Chef
Let’s face it some of us can’t afford to spend hundreds on an expensive all in one machine but still want quality and options. This machine delivers on both.
Featuring a chrome-coated steel body this unit is built to last. This machine offers you the ability to make sheet pasta and a variety of noodles including ravioli with the included attachments.
Pros
- It is an affordable option for a blooming home chef
- This unit comes with several attachments to help you create custom kinds of pasta
- Made of steel with an easy clean chrome finish
Cons
- It may be harder to clean than some of the other hand-crank machines
- There seems to be missing information about how to use the attachments
- It does have a clamp mounting method that some may not like
- It may take a bit of trial and error to learn to use it properly
- The machine itself is not washable or dishwasher safe
8. TFCFL Pasta Maker – A Good Choice and a Unique Look
With an old school look, this machine will certainly add a bit of pizzazz to your pasta making. A heavy iron machine that is built to last with stainless steel cutters and all-metal construction.
This machine features a large easy to turn hand crank wheel and is easy on the eyes with a beautiful red finish. The heavy iron base needs no clamp to keep it in place and it can turn out enough pasta for a large dinner party with ease.
The machine is easy to clean, and the stainless-steel surfaces help the pasta come out perfect every time.
Pros
- This machine has a large crank wheel compared to others
- It features a unique look and a red finish
- It can make a variety of different kinds of pasta
- The heavy body requires no mounting hardware
- You can control the thickness of the noodles from 0.5-5mm
Cons
- This unit is bulky and heavy
- The manufacturer warns that the first few batches may contain some machine lubricant from the steel parts
- This machine is limited to the noodle cutter and will require you to use a hand cutter for flat noodles
- Some complaints that the bottom of the machine can leave scratches on a countertop
- It is a little higher priced than some other hand-crank machines
How to Choose the Best Pasta Makers
Learning to make homemade pasta can be a bit of a challenge and there is definitely a learning curve so you should keep that in mind when shopping for your pasta machine.
To help you narrow down your selections here are a few things to consider.
1. How often are you going to use this new kitchen gadget?
You could end up storing a fairly large and heavy machine you only use once a year. With this in mind you may want to select a hand crank machine to save some space.
2. Do you need a large variety of different pasta shapes and thicknesses?
If you only want to make spaghetti or fettuccine you don’t need a machine that does tons of pasta varieties.
3. Are you making small batches or feeding a small army?
This again will help you select your machine. Each machine can produce different quantities per batch. This can often be a major factor in your selection and there is a wide selection of machines in a vast price range.
TIP: A cheaper price may indicate a poor-quality machine so do your research.
4. Are you okay with mixing the dough?
This can help you decide between machines. Some of the stand-alone machines make the dough for you, and others require you to do this part. If you have ailments with your hands a stand-alone machine might be a better fit.
5. What about your storage space?
Read the details in the descriptions about the size of the machine before you make a purchase. Some of these machines are quite large and some are pretty heavy, and this can become an issue in a small kitchen. Some of these machines come with great warranties and others do not specify any warranty information.
TIP: Also consider the return policy incase you need to return the machine due to problems.
Conclusion
As you can see with this review there is a multitude of different machines available for the home chef in a large price range. If you are not going to use your pasta machine often you could possibly get along fine with an inexpensive model, however, if you are going to use this machine regularly, a higher quality machine may be a better fit.
Take some time and look over all of the available features offered by the different machines before you make your purchase. You know best what you are looking for as far as the pasta you want to serve and eat.
Don’t let the labor of pasta making stop you from enjoying your favorite pasta at home. Pick up one of these top 8 pasta makers and let it do the work for you. You will taste the difference in your finished product and so will your family or guests.