So, you have decided to add a pasta maker to your kitchen? The first question that arises is which machine is the best for your kitchen, you and your family. After all, making pasta is a family activity in many cases. As always, it is recommended that a person buy the best quality appliance he can afford. The emphasis is on “afford.” Pasta makers can be very inexpensive or a commercial grade machine can be quite expensive, with accessories costing up to $2000.
If the best pasta machine a consumer can afford is an attachment to a mixer, it is probably best to wait until a better machine can be purchased. A good quality pasta appliance can cost as little as $200 for the manual version. It is always better to start with quality as making pasta can be tedious when the maker does not have fluid motion. Additionally, cheaper pasta machines could rust over time, although it is always recommended that the maker not be washed with water. Cleaning any of the more expensive or even the less expensive appliances is a matter of running dough through the machine as it will act like a magnet for any pieces or pasta dough left behind after the cutting process.
Most of us will immediately look for a motorized pasta maker, one that will do the work after the dough ball is made. The idea of turning a handle to push the dough through the cutters does not have much appeal for many. However, it is best to begin with a high quality pasta maker that is manually operated and can have a motor attached when needed or affordable. To quote my mother, “The new will wear off and it will be forgotten.” That is often true with these wonderful little appliances. Many of us believe we will be making pasta every week, only to find that the amount of time consumed in the process is only diminished by our saturation of Italian dishes. While it is always recommended that the appliance be stored in its original box, many machines are put away after one or two uses never to be seen again until the family yard sale.
The best pasta machine for quality and affordability is probably the Imperia SP150 pasta maker. It can be purchased for less than $200, is made of stainless steel, is manually operated but can be upgraded to electric. When making pasta is a new idea for a family, they will appreciate the ease of operation. Plus, it will give the family time to see if the “new wears off.” If making ravioli or linguine is something that is a regular activity it is easy to upgrade.
Related posts: