A new pasta machine?
October 20, 2009 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Cooking Tools, Cookware & Gadgets
My first pasta machine got requisitioned a really long time ago for use with polymer clay. Once you’ve used your kitchen equipment this way, you’re not really supposed to use if for food ever again. No problem, because the machine was cheap anyway. But now I’m starting to get a hankering to make pasta, so I’ve been looking about for a good machine that won’t cause me to mortgage the house.
Some of them come with motors, which adds greatly to the price, but helps with the problem that is the most frequent criticism of all the machines I’ve looked at: it takes at least one more hand than you’ve got. I can probably rustle up someone to help with the process (at least the first few times when it’s still a novelty), so I’ve been looking at the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine.
It has 9 settings for pasta, from 0.3 mm to 2.5 mm, case-hardened steel gears (wow!), and a 3 year warranty. It’s made in Italy, and is about $112.50. I know that other brands are available that are much less expensive. Any suggestions for me?
Image: Chef Tools
I have one of those. Once you get used to the machine two hands are enough to make a great pasta wheter you´re making fetuccini or ravioli.
I really recommend you to buy pasta machine from atlas, they are really good and lasts for a long long time. The only important thing is not wash the machine with water or you will have trouble very soon.
I had a cheaper machine but I don´t recommend it. It wasn´t pleasant to make pasta with that, most of the times the pasta had an awful looking. The machine was unusable within two years.
Enjoy your pasta.
I agree with Bruno. I’ve got that exact pasta machine and it’s fabulous. The first couple of times we made pasta, it took two of us (extra hands). But now that I’m used to it, I make the pasta by myself. It’s a great machine. I use a pastry brush to clean it off when I’m done. Easy as pie!
Yes, you just brush it off. A good pasta dough is not sticky, so there is not much that could stick to the machine. The only thing you have is flour and this you can easily get rid of with a brush.
We also have the Atlas and are very happy with it. The turning of the handle is our son of 3 years favorite kitchen activity. So we don’t have the problem of the third arm needed to turn the handle
We love our Atlas. I got it years ago and it just keeps on ticking. The other advantage of a quality manual machine, if you take good care of it, it never dies. It really is a lifetime purchase.
We also got the ravioli attachment which I’ve used a few times, Yum.
And yes, No Water should ever get near the machine. Just brush it off when you are done and put it away.
Thank you, Bruno! That’s what I was thinking…that it just takes some practice to be able to make the pasta without it being an electric machine. I’m the type that usually prefers the manual method to the electric anyway.
The cheap machine that I started out with (the one that turned into an art tool) has had pieces falling off of it ever since the very beginning. I don’t even know exactly where it is now :-/
Thanks again for your input.
Thanks! I wondered about the cleaning aspect of it…so you just brush it off?
LOL!! Maybe I should borrow him… OK, really, I’m sure that when I’m getting used to using it, my DH Mike will be happy to help. And to eat!
Alright, I’m sold! An Atlas it is…Atlas users seem to be a very dedicated and happy bunch. Thanks for the input Lisa. Ravioli too? Sounds great to me, and I really like the “don’t wash it” thing lol!