Crafting delicious dough shapes from scratch can be time-consuming, so thank goodness someone invented pasta makers! They can produce everything from tortellini to penne and even vegetable-based spaghetti if you're feeling extra healthy! But, with so many brands of makers available, you may have trouble deciding which one is the best for you. This buying guide will help you understand the different types, how attachments can affect the shape of the pasta, and even how to clean your new purchase!
Plus, we've included detailed reviews of our favourites in the UK from brands like KitchenAid, Philips, and Marcato available at Amazon and John Lewis. Whether you're after a cheap manual machine or a professional electric gadget as a gift, we've got recommendations for every budget. Moreover, we have partnered with chef Ryan Yen for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Quick List - Top Pasta Makers
Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels, he also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
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Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels.
He also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
Whilst manual pasta makers do need some muscle on your part, they're less stressful than having to continually roll out the dough by hand! They involve carefully feeding the dough into the machine and then manually turning the handle until your dough is through. Their classic design often lasts longer and is easier to clean, as you have no electrical parts to worry about.
These gadgets are great for producing long forms of pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine and generally cost a lot less than electronic machines. Still, although they're quicker than rolling by hand, they do require a fair amount of time and patience. They’re also unfortunately not suitable for making small, spiral shapes like fusilli or macaroni.
As you can probably guess, electric pasta makers need to be plugged into a socket. They automatically pass the dough through the machine, cutting down on preparation time and the amount of effort required - some will even knead the dough for you! These devices can also produce a more comprehensive array of pasta shapes, such as penne and rigatoni.
However, these makers don't come cheap - they typically cost between £100 and £400! Also, they’re prone to breaking after a few years of continuous use, so you may need to fork out again, later on, to get your machine fixed or pick up a new model.
The next thing to consider is arguably the most difficult decision - which type of pasta do you want to make? Unfortunately, as we mentioned earlier, no single pasta maker can make all of the shapes that exist! Nonetheless, machines come with different attachments that'll help you get some variety onto your plate.
If you’re looking to make simple lasagna sheets or shapes such as fettuccine or linguine, then opt for a machine with blades. Luckily, these are included in most manual pasta makers. To create hollow shapes, you'll need an extruder that pushes the dough out through a chamber. These are more common on electric machines than on manual ones.
To make things easier, we'll provide information on exactly which types of pasta each machine in our recommendations section can make, included the specification table below each product review.
In addition to the shape of the pasta, its level of thickness is crucial too. Pasta like capellini and vermicelli needs to be thin, whereas shapes like cannelloni should ideally be made from thicker dough. So, to create all kinds of delicious dishes, be sure to check whether the machine you want to buy has multiple thickness settings - the more, the better!
While almost all pasta makers come with spaghetti and fettuccine cutters, you might be interested in other features that'll improve your cooking experience. Some beneficial accessories that may be included are ravioli trays, rolling pins, and measuring cups. You might also prefer a device with a clamp, which will secure it to the tabletop, making sure your pasta stays in one place!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chefly All in One Pasta Set|P1802 | ![]() | Make 8 Different Types of Pasta by Hand | |
2 | Philips Pasta Maker|HR2375/00 | ![]() | Electric Pasta Machine That’s Ready in Under 20 Minutes | |
3 | Imperia Italian Pasta Gift Set | ![]() | Durable Pasta Set With 10 Different Thickness Settings | |
4 | Maryaz Electric Pasta Maker Machine | ![]() | Feeds Your Entire Family With the Push of a Button | |
5 | Tilia Five Piece Pasta Set | ![]() | Make Unusual Pasta Shapes With This Manual Machine | |
6 | Cicik Fully Automatic Electric Pasta Maker | ![]() | Make Pasta, Wontons, and Dumpling Skin With This Fully Automatic Machine | |
7 | SMART Pasta Making Machine|SPM400-SS | ![]() | Perfect Pasta and Noodle Maker for Couples or Smaller Households | |
8 | KitchenAid 3 Piece Pasta Deluxe Set | ![]() | Pasta Maker Attachment for KitchenAid Stand Mixers | |
9 | Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine | ![]() | A Budget-Friendly Pasta Maker Made in Italy |
We love the convenience of electric machines, but there's nothing like making pasta with your own two hands! That's why we've opted for this all-in-one manual set from Chefly for our top pick. It provides you with the cutters required to make 8 different types of pasta, and you can choose between 9 thickness settings.
Most importantly, it's quick to clean - just take the device apart, and you'll be able to reach any problematic bits with ease. And, considering it doesn't have a clamp, it's surprisingly secure on any surface.
This is a brilliant pasta maker from trustworthy tech brand Philips that gets the job done in under 20 minutes - it even kneads the dough for you! The simple design is easy to assemble and small enough that it can be packed away if you're running out of kitchen space. It even has an integrated storage drawer for the shaping discs and power cord.
Although compact, this machine still holds up to 450g of flour, so it should feed up to 4 adults. It makes 4 shapes: spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, lasagna - basically all of the classics! Plus, it comes with a colourful recipe book that'll provide you with plenty of culinary inspiration.
This impressive set by Imperia has all the essentials that you'll need to get cooking up a spag bol storm! It contains 4 different cutters, as well as 10 different thickness settings and accessories like a ravioli tray and a rolling pin.
This is a well-built product made of solid chrome-covered steel that can be easily cleaned with a brush if it gets mucky. Additionally, it has a sturdy clamp to keep the device from falling off your kitchen side whilst you're turning the handle.
If you have a lot of mouths to feed, this electric pasta maker has you covered as it can continuously make 5kg of noodles in just 1 hour, and all at the push of a button. You can adjust the thickness of your dough sheet by turning the knob to one of nine different settings for your preferred dough thickness too!
Made of stainless steel, this machine is sturdy and will stand the test of time. With a rubber pad on the bottom, you also won't have to worry about it moving around or slipping off the countertop it churns out fresh noodles.
Designed to help you make healthy pasta at home effortlessly, this CucinaPro device has everything you need to make all of your favourite dishes. It can produce 5 different types, including angel hair - which is actually a pretty rare shape for manual pasta makers!
Furthermore, it's made from chrome coated steel - one of the most reliable and durable materials around. So you should have no trouble with it breaking any time soon. The only downside is that the gears can get stuck, making it difficult to roll the pasta out.
This automatic electric pasta maker is made of food grade stainless steel which is rust resistant, making it both safe and reliable. With a 135W high-power motor, it can continuously churn out 5kg of noodles, wontons, or dumpling skin within 1 hour.
You won't have to worry about it overheating too, as it has a protective function that will automatically turn it off once it gets too hot. A non-slip rubber mat will also protect it from slipping and sliding, giving you a stable machine to work with.
After something straightforward that even a beginner can use? This SMART pasta and noodle maker will be right up your street! It kneads the dough before pushing it through, so all you have to do is add the ingredients. We also love the fact that it comes with extra accessories like measuring cups and a cheese grater.
The single downside: it's a little small, only making 300g of pasta at one time. This is fine for smaller households or couples, but not ideal if you like to throw dinner parties! Still, all in all, it's a decent package.
Technically this is an add-on product for the KitchenAid machine rather than a pasta maker in its own right, but hear us out - it makes seriously good spaghetti! Plus, it has cutter options for fettuccine, spaghetti, and pasta sheets too.
Unfortunately, it's incredibly expensive, and if you don't already have the original KitchenAid appliance, then you're going to be forking out quite a lot of money to get it all set up. If you've got the cash, though, we'd say this is a gadget that's definitely worth investing in.
Kicking off our ranking is an affordable product made in the homeland of our favourite carb-loaded dish. Marcato has been crafting pasta machines in Italy since the late 1930s, so it's fair to say they know their stuff! This device is made from the finest chrome-covered steel and can expertly cut 4 different styles of pasta.
It also has 9 different thickness settings, so you can choose one with just the right amount of bite. Our only criticism is that the handle is made of plastic, making it feel kind of flimsy. Still, it's not bad at all for a budget-friendly product!
Things you'll need to make pasta at home:
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
No. 1: Chefly|All in One Pasta Set|P1802
No. 2: Philips|Pasta Maker|HR2375/00
No. 3: Imperia|Italian Pasta Gift Set
No. 4: Maryaz|Electric Pasta Maker Machine
No. 5: Tilia|Five Piece Pasta Set
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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