If you're looking to stretch yourself in the kitchen, learning to make your own pasta can be a fun and rewarding cooking project. A great pasta maker can help streamline the process and make your experience even better. From manual to electric models, there is no shortage of great pasta makers available to help you make your favorite fresh noodles at home.
To find the best options, we put 10 top-rated models to the test. We used each one to make fresh pasta and rated them on their ease of use, consistency, versatility, cleanup, and storage. Read on to discover the best pasta makers available, according to our testing.
About Our Tests
Allrecipes product tester Samantha Lande scoured the internet for the best pasta makers on the market from reputable brands like Maracato, Imperia, Phillips, KitchenAid, and more. Each pasta maker was used to make two standard pasta shapes: fettuccine and spaghetti. During testing, Samantha paid special attention to the following factors:
- Ease of Use:How easy is it to make/shape the pasta? Do you need to be an "advanced" chef, or is it pretty straightforward?
- Consistency:How uniform were the sheets of pasta? Did it consistently cut/shape the noodles well?
- Versatility:Can it be used with attachments to create a variety of shapes and sizes?
- Cleaning and Storage:Does it clean easily? Will it fit easily into a cabinet or pantry for storage?
Our Top Picks
Our Top Pick:
Best Budget:
Best Electric:
Best Hand Crank:
Best for Unique Shapes:
Our Top Pick
Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine
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Why It's Great: Attachments allow for noodle thickness customization; optional motor saves time; easy to clean
Grain of Salt: Electric motor sold separately
We love this Marcato option because it combines the functionality of an electric pasta maker with the feel of a manual option. You can create hand-cranked sheeted and cut pasta, or you can opt to purchase a small motor to help speed up the process. You still do your own mixing and kneading, but the motor helps things flow through faster, reducing the pasta sheeting and cutting time.
This machine produced gorgeous pasta during our tests. Because it flowed quickly, less dough tended to stick than other pasta makers we tested. The noodles were consistent, and there's a removable double-cutter in the machine as well. If you do use the motor, make sure you align it properly to keep it from shaking.
It comes with two attachments that allow you to make both fettuccini and angel hair noodles. It also has nine settings between 2.5 and 0.3 millimeters, so you can customize the thickness of your noodles.
Made from nickel- and chrome-plated steel, this machine is durable and built to last. Although it's recommended to hand wash, it's still very easy to clean. Simply wipe it down with a damp cloth and use a small brush to clean out any hard-to-reach areas. You can store this in your cabinet or leave it on your counter.
The Details: Made of nickel-plated and chrome-plated steel; 8 x 8 x 7 inches; 5.41 pounds
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Shule-Pasta-Maker-69c9071cfcc94e26b8bd5bddc522cd98.jpg "We Tested the Best Pasta Makers for Rolling Fresh Noodles at Home (2)")
Why It's Great: Sturdy build; more compact than other options; nonslip features
Grain of Salt: Fettuccini and tagliatelle options only
At half the price of some of its other competitors, the Shule held its own as a solid pasta machine for an under-$40 investment. The machine is sturdy, and the parts are well-made with nonslip features in the base and handles.
During our tests, it produced some pretty consistent pasta. The limitations are in the variety, however, since your only options to cut are fettuccine and tagliatelle. Overall, this machine is a great option for beginners.
The Details: Made of cast stainless steel; 8.3 x 8 x 6.2 inches; 6 pounds
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Why It's Great: Consistent noodles; quick; compartments store equipment
Grain of Salt: Can be challenging for beginners
If you are looking for an electric pasta machine that will take care of the whole process, this one does just that. Simply add your ingredients, and the pasta maker will mix, knead, and extrude your pasta for you. We tested an older model, and it was one of the quickest out of all of the electric pasta makers we tried, producing consistent noodles each time.
Although it can be slightly tricky to know the right consistency from the start, once you have a feel for the look of it (it tends to look more crumbly than like a dough made by hand), it's easy. You also have more leeway to experiment with various types of pasta using different flours or by adding spinach, carrot, or beet juice.
This Phillips pasta maker includes attachments for six different shapes, a drawer to store the shaping discs, and tools to cut and clean the maker.
The Details: Made of alloy steel and plastic; 32.7 x 22.9 x 32.2 inches; 13.2 pounds
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Why It's Great: Traditional build gives authentic experience; wooden handle for easy gripping; additional attachments available
Grain of Salt: Dough can get stuck if not used properly
This is your classic Italian pasta maker. It's well constructed and has a tray to rest the pasta you are feeding through, which was a nice feature that not all of the other machines had. It's versatile—if you want to buy additional attachments to add to the machine—but comes with two pasta rollers, one for solid sheets and one for fettuccine or linguine.
Pasta making can take some time to get used to, and the Imperia was one of the first ones we tested. On user error, we got dough stuck in the machine, which became slightly difficult to remove, but the tools provided helped. If you're willing to endure a little more trial and error, this machine provides an authentic pasta-making experience.
The Details: Made of metal; 8.05 x 7.2 x 6.2 inches; 7.6 pounds
Best for Unique Shapes
KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/kitchenaid-ksmpexta-gourmet-pasta-press-attachment-88dd2dd03f144559a5cf81376a57508f.jpg "We Tested the Best Pasta Makers for Rolling Fresh Noodles at Home (5)")
Why It's Great: Easy to use: produces uniform noodles; multiple shape options
Grain of Salt: Requires KitchenAid mixer
This machine was one of our favorites that we tested for its ability to make unique shapes that few other pasta machines created (hello, bucatini!). It was simple to use: simply attach to your KitchenAid mixer, drop in walnut-sized pieces of pasta dough, and use the attached cutter to slice your pasta where you want it.
It's super easy to make uniform and beautiful noodles. The pasta does get stuck in the changing disks, but they provide you with a solid tool to pick it out. The major downfall here, of course, is that if you don't already own a KitchenAid mixer, it's quite expensive to buy that plus the pasta press.
The Details: Made of stainless steel; 4.8 x 5.7 x 8.4 inches; 2.7 pounds
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Our Takeaway
We chose the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine as our top pick because the dough flowed quickly and tended to stick less than other machines. For something more budget-conscious, the Shule Stainless Steel Pasta Machine also produced some consistent results, though it only makes fettuccini and tagliatelleshapes.
How to Pick the Right Pasta Maker
Electric vs. Hand Crank
There are two camps when it comes to making pasta: those who prefer the convenience and versatility of electric pasta makers and those who prefer the more controlled, authentic experience you get with a hand crank pasta maker.
Electric pasta makers work by extruding the pasta out with the help of a motor, requiring you to work with the speed of the motor to cut the pasta to your desired length. Some even go as far as to mix and knead the dough for you, so all that is required of you is to dump the ingredients in. Of course, this added convenience usually comes with a higher price tag.
Hand crank, or manual pasta makers, are cheaper, but require more effort on your end. But unlike electric pasta makers, hand-crank machines allow you to stop and take breaks at your leisure, whereas electric machines require you to work at the speed of the machine. For the best of both worlds, you can find pasta makers with detachable motors.
And finally, if you have a stand mixer (like a KitchenAid), you can expand their use even further by purchasing a pasta maker attachment. Simply mix the dough in your stand mixer and push it through your attachment to create your desired shape.
Materials and Build
A quality pasta maker is usually constructed from steel rather than aluminum. Steel is weightier, which not only helps to make the machine more durable but also gives you a sturdier base to work with while you're cranking out your pasta.
Versatility
It's no secret thatpasta comes in endless shapes and sizes—that's part of the joy of making it! You'll find most pasta makers will come with standard blades that cut popular types of pasta like fettuccine, spaghetti, and sheeted pasta. However, some will also include or offer additional attachments for more specialized pasta types.
The Leftovers: Other Pasta Makers We Tested
Out of the total 10 pasta makers we tested, a few didn't impress us enough to earn a spot on our list.
Although we were excited to test the unique scale capabilities of the Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta Maker, we found that the scale did not accurately measure our ingredients, the lid was hard to remove, and the machine was difficult to clean. Similarly, the Starfrit Electric Pasta and Noodle Maker was slower than some of the other electric ones we tested, and it would sometimes shut off mid-cycle.
For hand-crank pasta machines, the simple-yet-classic OxGord Pasta Maker Machine had hardware that felt a little less substantial than some of the other models. Plus, the pasta didn't come out quite as smooth. And while the CucinaPro Pasta Maker Deluxe Set 5-Piece Machine had a lot more versatility than some of the other models, it fell short in construction and hardware. The hand crank felt much less substantial than other models we tested, and it kept falling off, causing the dough to get stuck and making for a more difficult process.
Common Questions
Is it cheaper or better to make your own pasta?
Fresh pasta is always better, but it's not always cheaper. Pasta is either made from flour and eggs or flour and water, and you'll want to make sure to use quality versions. It's not expensive but it might be slightly more than buying a box of pasta.
"Fresh pasta made with the right ingredients doesn't leave you with that heavy feeling in your stomach after eating, and just tastes worlds better with the ultimate texture," says Dario Monni, co-owner and chef of Tortello restaurant and pasta shop in Chicago.
Can you make pasta without a machine?
"The nonnas of Italy definitely don't use machines!" Monni says. It is possible to make pasta without a machine, it just may take a little more muscle.
"Using your hands helps you adjust to the differences in humidity in the air and differences in the amount of liquid in each egg," Monni explains. "We use a kitchen fork for all of our "volcanos"—rings of flour with eggs or water in the middle to make the dough—and then using rolling pins and some amazing handcrafted pasta cutters."
Is an electric pasta maker worth it?
"An electric pasta maker certainly helps if you are producing frequent and high quantities," says Monni. Electric pasta makers are pretty hands-off when it comes to mixing the dough (similar to a breadmaker) as well so that's also something to take into consideration.
Why Take Our Word For It?
Samantha Lande has created food, wellness, and health content for over a decade, and is the former associate editor of Eater Chicago. She performed side-by-side testing with different pasta makers, experimenting with and providing ratings for their ease of use, consistency, versatility, and ease of cleaning.
Melanie Fincher, an Alabama-based food writerwho has been working with Allrecipes since 2019, analyzed Samantha's insights and did further research to determine our list of the best pasta makers on the market.
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