Did you know that Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world? That’s according to a survey by market research firm YouGov. Over 90 percent of Spaniards, French, Swedes, and Brits favored Italian food more than any other foreign cuisine. The firm also found that for Americans, food from Italy was second only to American cuisine.
To help you enjoy quality Italian food at home, we’ve examined dozens of pasta makers out there to help you find a good one. But you may first want to consider: should you buy a pasta maker? After all, you can buy ready-made pasta in the store. Why bother with another tool in the kitchen?
Of course, it’s going to take more time to make pasta at home, and it’s likely to cost you a little bit more, too, than store-bought brands. There are a few reasons why you may want to go this extra mile for your pasta, though. The first is taste—most people use pasta makers simply because they say homemade pasta tastes better. Plus you’ll have more control over the ingredients that go into it, which can be particularly important for those with allergies or food sensitivities. Pasta makers come in two basic types:
- Manual: These are the most common and involve a little manual labor on the hand-crank to roll the pasta through. They are considered best for pasta like fettuccine and spaghetti. These typically cost less than electric varieties and are considered more reliable over time as they have fewer parts to break.
- Electric: Also called “automatic” pasta makers, these use motors to automatically draw the dough through the rollers. They are typically easier to use when making macaroni and ziti, and allow you to make other pasta types with little extra effort. They typically cost more than manual types and may require repairs now and then, but they do make the whole process faster and easier.
Which type you choose is up to you, depending on what you want the pasta maker for, how much time you have to make it, and what you’re willing to spend.
We recently reviewed dozens of pasta maker products to find the ones that will best fit your lifestyle and needs. We looked at factors like ease of use, speed of use, ease of cleaning, durability, pasta types produced, and cost. All of these top-rated pasta makers can be purchased online at Amazon.
We’ve identified the Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine as the best option. Called the “Ferrari” of pasta machines by Cook’s Illustrated, it is made in Italy to help you create authentic pasta flavors for your home-cooked meals.
In This Article
The 5 Top-Rated Pasta Maker Products
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pasta Maker Overall | Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine | 4.6 |
| Best Runner-Up Pasta Maker | Imperia Pasta Maker | 4.4 |
| Best Budget Pasta Maker | Newcreativetop Pasta Maker | 3.6 |
| Best Electric Pasta Maker | Hamilton Beach Pasta Maker | 3.8 |
| Best Pasta-Making Attachment | KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment | 4.4 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change.
Best Pasta Maker Overall: Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine
Whether you’re just getting started making pasta or have been doing it for years, the Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine will do the job for you. Made in Italy from chrome-plated steel, the unit includes the pasta machine, pasta cutter, hand crank, clamp, and instructions. You can also buy separately up to 12 different attachments for making different types of pasta.
With just this unit alone, you can make lasagna, fettuccine, and taglioni. The rough surface of the rollers gives you a porous pasta that more easily absorbs the sauce, and you also have your choice of 10 different thickness settings, from a paper-thin 0.6-millimeters to 4.8 millimeters. Simply turn the adjustment dial to the thickness you want.
Reviewers love the sturdiness of this machine and frequently comment on how well it’s made and the smooth and quiet motion. To clean, simply wipe with a soft cloth or dry brush.
Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine Key Features:
- Made in Italy for traditional quality
- Made of chrome-plated steel for long-lasting use
- Makes three types of pasta
- Works with up to 12 additional pasta-making attachments
- Easy wipe-down cleaning
Best Runner-Up Pasta Maker: Imperia Pasta Maker
It’s just a little smaller and a little cheaper than the Marcato, but the Imperia Pasta Maker is still a good option for enjoyable pasta-making at home. It’s also made in Italy of heavy-duty, chrome-plated steel, and comes with a 6-inch wide roller and double cutter head that makes thin spaghetti and wide fettucini noodles.
Users say you can also roll the sheets you get into tubes to make manicotti. Additional attachments are available if you’d like to make other varieties of noodles, and if you get tired of turning the hand crank, you can buy an accompanying motor for an additional about $100.
Use the steadfast table clamp to keep the pasta maker from going anywhere while you’re cranking out the noodles. Choose your thickness with the dial on the side, and if you’re looking for some help making the pasta, this machine comes with a pasta recipe book. That addition also makes the Imperia Pasta Maker a great gift for friends and loved ones.
Most reviewers rave about how well the machine works, how easy it is to set up, and how tasty the pasta is when finished.
Imperia Pasta Maker Key Features:
- Comes with a 6-inch wide roller
- Steadfast table clamp keeps the machine anchored
- Double cutter head makes spaghetti and fettuccini
- Adjust the thickness as you wish
- Makes a great gift
Best Budget Pasta Maker: NewCreativeTop Pasta Maker
If you haven’t tried pasta-making before and you’re not sure it’s for you, or if your budget is tight at the moment, try the NewCreativeTop Pasta Maker. For about $20, you get a sturdy, stainless steel press machine that’s easy to use and clean.
Even with this bargain brand, you can still choose from five different noodle molds for making spaghetti and macaroni of different thicknesses, plus fettuccine. You simply use a turning motion on the handle and the machine presses the dough through to create the noodles. The machine doubles as a juice press—add cut-up fruit instead of pasta flour to the internal container, then attach the lid and turn the crank over your glass to enjoy fresh-squeezed juice.
The unit is easy to clean—all of the parts can be taken apart and cleaned with soap and water, so no worry of the fruit taste spoiling your pasta taste, or vice versa. Some reviewers find this machine easier to use than a pasta maker, and love the low price.
NewCreativeTop Key Features:
- Make noodles at home for an economical price
- Allows you to make spaghetti, macaroni, and fettuccine
- Simply turn the handle to press the dough through
- Doubles as a juice press/maker
- Easy to clean with soap and water
Best Electric Pasta Maker: Hamilton Beach Pasta Maker
If you’re not into the hand-cranking idea, the Hamilton Beach Pasta Maker not only gives you a motor to help but includes additional functions such as mixing and kneading to make the whole pasta-making process fast and easy.
All you have to do is add the ingredients to the machine and push a button. This pasta maker has an internal scale that measures the flour and calculates how much water you need to add, then once the ingredients are ready, it mixes, kneads, and extrudes the pasta. Simply use the digital keypad to choose quick pasta or standard pasta noodles, then as the machine proceeds, it will light up the different functions being completed as it goes. What could be easier?
You’ll get seven different discs that you can add to the front of the machine to change the shape of the noodles. Choose from thick spaghetti, lasagna, spaghetti, angel hair, wide noodle, penne, and fettuccini. The machine also comes with a convenient storage drawer to store the discs you’re not using. There’s no drying required—once the noodles come out, they’re ready to cook right away.
The Hamilton Beach Pasta Maker is extremely versatile, allowing you to use vegetable juices, spices, and different flours to experiment with different flavors and colors. It comes with four recipes to get you started.
Hamilton Beach Pasta Maker Key Features:
- All-in-one machine gives you pasta in minutes
- The internal scale helps make sure you get the right amount of water
- Seven different noodle shapes possible
- Quick settings allow you to make “quick pasta” or regular pasta
- Comes with a few recipes to get you started
- Versatile—use vegetable juices, spices, and other flours for variety
Best Pasta-Making Attachment: KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment
Do you have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer? If so, there’s no reason to buy a separate pasta maker, because the KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment can be easily attached to your mixer to create an automatic pasta extruder.
The attachment fits all household KitchenAid Stand Mixers and allows you to make six different types of pasta from scratch, including spaghetti, bucatini, fusilli, rigatoni, small macaroni, and large macaroni. It’s made in Italy and attaches to the mixer’s power hub for motorized operation.
A built-in wire cutter lets you customize noodle length, whereas the durable plastic housing and pasta plates are made of BPA-free materials. The auger, pasta ring, and combo pusher and wrench are all dishwasher safe, though the manufacturer recommends you never immerse the housing or pasta plates in the water. The unit also comes with a cleaning brush.
To make the pasta, mix all ingredients in your KitchenAid bowl first, then drop the dough into the attachment to extrude the pasta. Reviewers note that it can take a bit of practice to get the consistency of the dough just right, but that the unit works well, is well-made, and that it works even with older machines.
KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press Key Features:
- Attaches to most KitchenAid Stand Mixers
- Allows you to make six different types of pasta
- Simply mix the ingredients in your mixer, then transfer the dough to the press attachment
- Built-in wire cutter allows you to customize the length
- Some components are dishwasher safe
With all these choices, you can soon be making your own tasty pasta rather than settling for the type that comes out of a box. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in other cooking appliances, check out our Best Bread Machines and Best Waffle Makers.
