The 7 Best Pasta Makers You Can Buy

Nothing is im-pasta-ble with the CucinaPro Imperia Pasta Maker Machine, which lets you make the freshest pasta you've ever tasted from the comfort of your kitchen.

Constructed of heavy-duty, chrome-plated stainless steel, this traditional-style pasta roller isn’t automatic, but the wood handle has an ergonomic grip so you can crank out carbs to your heart’s content. What's more, the 6-inch-wide dough roller unit has six thickness settings, an adjustment dial that reliably locks into place, and a removable double cutter head that makes 1/16-inch thick spaghetti and ¼-inch wide fettuccine noodles. And for added versatility, you can purchase a variety of attachments separately—even a machine motorizer.

“This is a very well-known brand in the pasta-making world. They date back to many, many years ago—1932, so they’ve been around for almost 100 years,” Papantoniou said of the Imperia. “They’re made in Italy from high-quality materials, so this is your classic manual pasta maker. It makes really nice, clean cuts, and it’s really easy to use.”

It’s good to note that CucinaPro specifically warns against washing this machine—whether in the dishwasher or by hand. To avoid rusting, you should only clean the Imperia’s rollers with a dry brush or cloth after each use.

You’ll never regrett-i a bowl of spaghetti… Especially if it’s made using CucinaPro’s Pasta Fresh Series Manual Pasta Maker. Though it’s modeled after the Imperia, this machine’s aluminum construction and plastic handle mean it's more cheaply-made—and therefore, more budget-friendly.

But there are other similarities that keep it on a level playing field with its competitors. With the capacity to make spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, and ravioli, the Pasta Fresh features three attachments so you can get more bang for your buck. It also features a handy knob that you can pull out and rotate to cycle through each of the nine thickness settings.

“Like the Imperia, this also is a manual pasta roller and cutter,” Papantoniou said. “It’s a little bit lighter weight than other pasta makers and doesn’t feel as sturdy, but it still gets the job done and offers a better value. It comes with a bunch of different attachments, whereas others often require you to buy them separately.”

Another similarity? The Pasta Fresh also needs to be wiped down with a dry cloth after each use, as opposed to hand-washing or sticking it in the dishwasher.

If you have some extra dough to spend, there’s no better investment than the Philips Viva Compact Pasta and Noodle Maker, which takes all the guesswork out of the pasta-making process with its automatic design.

This foolproof machine couldn’t be easier to operate: Just use the included measuring cup to add your dry ingredients to the hopper, turn the dial on top to start mixing, slowly add the liquid ingredients as the dough begins to form, and let this gadget do the rest. When the dough’s ready, the Viva extrudes the noodles out of the long kneading tube through one of its three shaping discs, so you can simply cut your dough with the chopping tool, cook, and enjoy.

Praising the Viva for its “cute” design, Papantoniou remarked, “Philips makes really good automatic pasta makers, and I do like how small, efficient, and fast this model is.”

In fact, this unit is so speedy that the Good Housekeeping Institute’s testers noted, “It has a small footprint, but still makes about two to three servings of pasta at a time in 18 minutes.” The key to the Viva’s recipe for success is its uniquely designed stirring bar, which features angled multi-pins to dredge up ingredients from every nook and cranny of the mixing chamber, so you can ensure a consistent texture and taste of your past. But there’s more to this machine’s thoughtful design than meets the eyes—it also comes with built-in storage space for the shaping discs, a cleaning brush, and detachable, dishwasher-safe components for nearly effortless cleanup.

Whether you live in a household with future MasterChef Junior competitors or you’re a burgeoning home cook yourself, the Hamilton Beach Electric Metal Pasta Maker is by far the best for beginners. This automatic pasta machine can have two to three servings of pasta dough prepped and ready to boil in 15 minutes or less.

Papantoniou hasn’t used the Hamilton Beach Electric Metal Pasta Maker herself, but commented, “This is one of those pasta makers where you can put your ingredients in it and it extrudes it for you. It’s pretty easy to use and has a large reservoir for when you’re inputting your liquids, and I would also say it’s a pretty good value.”

Contributing to its ease of use (and overall value) are the myriad of accessories that come with this pasta maker, including two measuring cups (one for flour and one for water), a cleaning tool, and seven attachments to make all kinds of pasta shapes, from long noodles to penne.

Like the Viva, this pasta maker also has removable dishwasher-safe parts and a built-in storage compartment to hold the pasta-shaping discs when they’re not in use. But that’s not all. What truly makes this one stand out is its built-in scale that tells you how much water you need for your amount of flour. This can come in handy considering this machine can make up to 1.5 pounds of pasta. However, all these bonus features certainly add extra heft: this machine weighs in at a whopping 11.5 pounds.

Some kitchens are so jam-packed that you can’t possibly imagine squeezing in another small appliance. But if you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, you don’t have to sacrifice the luxury of enjoying some lovingly-prepared cacio e pepe or baked pasta. Just pick up the KitchenAid 3-Piece Pasta Maker Attachment Set.

“This one is actually my favorite because it attaches to the KitchenAid mixer—it’s the one I recommend to people,” said Papantoniou. “It basically does the work for you in the sense that it’s electric and the attachments are good quality and it makes all kinds of different shapes of pasta. And if you want to make a certain design, you can just buy the attachment that you want.”

The KitchenAid 3-Piece Pasta Maker Attachment Set comes with two stainless-steel spaghetti and fettuccine cutters, as well as a pasta roller that can produce 6-inch sheets of fresh pasta that are just the right consistency for stuffing and shaping. Using the easily adjustable knob, you can also select from one of the attachment’s eight thickness settings to roll out paper-thin sheets to cut delicate strands of angel hair. And when you’re done, just use the included wooden cleaning brush to wipe off any extra debris, and you’ll be as golden as your pasta.

No, you’re not seeing double—unlike the KitchenAid 3-Piece Pasta Maker Attachment Set, the KitchenAid 6-Piece Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment Set is a pasta press, meaning it’s better at creating rounded and tubular shapes like macaroni. And it doesn’t even require a knife!

“If you like shorter shapes, this is the pasta maker for you,” Papantoniou said of the KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press. “It requires a little bit more work in making sure your dough is the right texture and consistency, but it has a nice cutter built into it, so you can easily cut your pasta as you’re extruding.”

On top of boasting a built-in pasta cutter, this kit comes fully-loaded with a pasta press, dough pusher, cleaning brush, storage case, and six interchangeable discs to make everything from bucatini to rigatoni. All you have to do is hook it up to your stand mixer and embark on your pasta-making adventure.

Also, because the KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press is constructed of stainless steel and plastic, that means you can throw the auger, pasta ring, and combination tool right in your dishwasher (so you can stay focused on what’s important—scarfing down that pasta you just made).