pasta maker help

[shannon426]

I need some advice!

I am looking to purchase a pasta maker for my fiance for Christmas, and I don't know what the best buy would be. He is a spectacular cook, having been passionate about it for over a decade. He has also worked as a chef in a 4 star restaurant, so quality is very important. Does anyone have any advice on what brands make the best pasta makers? Any ideas on where to buy them? Any advice from your personal collection on what the best buy is? I'm a college student myself, so I can't spend too much money, but I'm willing to invest in a quality pasta maker at a resonable price.

I'd love any advice you can give! Thank you so much

[Kimmie]

Dear Shannon426:

I have an Imperia pasta machine with various attachments. Whatever brand you choose, make sure you have optional attachments, and STAY AWAY from electric models.

Do a search by clicking here

and BTW, Welcome to Cheftalk. I look forward to post #2...

[Isa]

Welcome to Chef Talk Shannon!



Listen to Kimmie, she knows her cookware.

[Kimmie]

Thank you Isa!

Shannon:

You will find pasta machines at any good kitchen store.

[Svadhisthana]

I have seen good quality pasta machines at art supply stores (for the purpose of working with clay) for much less money than the same exact machine at a gourmet food store. I agree with Isa-Kimmie knows what she's talking about-don't get an electric model. I love my good old fashioned chrome hand crank model. Good luck, and welcome to Chef Talk!

[mudbug]

shannon426,

Are you looking for a traditional manual one or a small appliance?

If your fiance is truly passionate about cooking, there is a chance he might want a traditional manual pasta machine, the silver one like this:


If so, you should be able to find one at places like Gordmans, TJ Max, department stores, and hardware stores like Ace, True Value, etc for about $30.00.

If you still want to find a good electric pasta maker, look here for recommendations:

Epinions: Pasta Makers

Let us know what you decide.

[m brown]

I have the one in the picture with an optional motor! I use this at the restaurant and home. It is a workhorse that should last you many years! You can make pasta, clay, roll decorative doughts, sugar doughs. Great machine! Price it out at local shops and gourmets shops and sites!

[kokopuffs]

What's wrong with ELECTRIC PASTA MAKERS?

[Kimmie]

Here's what's wrong with electric pasta makers:

They don't make good pasta. The thick moist mass of dough requires such a large amount of torque to turn and then force the dough through dies, that even with extremely low gear ratios, parts will often break if they are made of plastic. I had more than one machine break, and when I brought back each machine, they (the store) added the defective units to piles of that model. The only way it might work would be if all interfacing parts were made of good quality metal and all turning parts turned in bearings. This doesn't seem to be the case in most mass produced machines.

Here were my two cents...

[kokopuffs]

Bene bene. Grazie.

[Jock]

Since Christmas has been and gone already, this discussion is probably academic in terms of Shannon buying a gift (I assume??)
That said and without wishing to appear pedantic, I'd like to make one point of clarification. The machines we are talking about are pasta rollers/cutters (whatever.) The pasta maker is "our own two talented hands".
Many years ago I was given one of the manual machines (like the one in the picture above) as a gift. It is one of my favorite tools and still works as well today as the day I got it. I love my pasta roller.
I agree with Kimmie and the other s who advocate avoiding electric models. There are just more bits to break and they are noisy!

Jock