Tips For Choosing a Kitchen Pasta Maker - Manual Or Electric?

For many homemade pasta makers,   the choice boils down to a manual or electric machine. Although it can get a little more complex than just being about whether you want to make pasta in half the time or not. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of both types so that you can decide which one is best for you. Are you ready? Let's get started. 

The Manual Kitchen Pasta Maker

This small kitchen appliance generally will require you to adopt a crank-style of making pasta. You will have to churn and flatten the dough. To do this, you set your machine to make the kind of pasta you want. Mix the dough, then run feed it to the machine while cranking it to push the dough forward until it comes out on the other end.

You remember dough/clay toys as a young girl? This is very similar to what a manual machine is like except you rotate instead of press in the dough. 

The advantage of using this kind of machine is authenticity. You may not get uniform-looking pasta, but then, this is the charm of this pasta maker. Many genuine lovers of pasta prefer this paste maker, calling it the "real deal" and making the enjoyment of the pasta meal all the more fulfilling.

There are limitations with this kind of pasta maker in that it does not have a wide variety of pasta shapes and styles.

The Electric Kitchen Pasta Maker

What makes the electric machine so popular is the fact that all you need to do is pour in the ingredients, and the pasta maker mixes the dough for you. Once the dough is ready, the pasta machine will churn it out. You literally can leave it to work on its own while you make your pasta sauce.

You have a wider variety of pasta shapes and designs to choose from, and generally, this kind of machine is easier to clean and maintain. In exchange, you will be using electricity, although not too much that it makes a dent on your power bill.

Tips to Find Best Pasta Maker

Tips to Find Best Pasta Maker

There are quite a number of pasta makers online and even in your favorite appliance or supermarket. It can get pretty confusing trying to decide which one. Many often base their decision solely on price, only to regret it later on. One reason would be the limitations on a inexpensive pasta maker, thus rendering it almost useless since you can’t be more creative with your pasta dishes.

On the other hand, the Italian made pasta makers are quite costly which makes it unattainable for many. Here are some of your options in getting a good pasta maker without spending too much.

Use the Internet

Nothing beats the internet in terms of speed and magnitude. You can get all the information you need within a couple of hours.

Talk to Chefs and Pasta Experts

Do you have a favorite pasta dish? Why not visit the restaurant again and talk to the owner. If not, ask the servers or even the chef. Most of them are willing to give you useful information about equipment, just don’t ask them about recipe secrets.

Consider a Used or Refurbished Commercial Pasta Maker

Provided you get a warranty, you should be okay with a refurbished or even used pasta maker. Also, these kinds of machines are better used in homes, not in restaurants anymore since it will not be subject to too much wear and tear.

Motor Pasta Machine

A motor pasta machine is not necessarily an electric pasta machine to begin with. You can buy a manual pasta machine and then attach a motor to it, if you want to have this option. On the other hand, you can buy one that already gives you both options, although be prepared to spend a larger amount on the machine.

Using a motor pasta machine is a lot of fun. It’s like the Toys for Big Girls version of your child’s play dough machine, but a lot better. You get to eat what you make. It’s great if you have kids because it teaches them to appreciate better-tasting food, not to mention more nutritious food.

There are quite a lot of choices in motor pasta machines, but the better ones come from Italy or the United States. There are some that are made and assembled in Asia, but if you decide to buy one of these, be sure to know where to bring it in case it needs parts or repair.

If you buy a motor pasta machine, you should use it as often as possible. If not, be sure to lubricate it before using it if it has been in storage for a while.

Where to Find Used Pasta Makers for Sale?

Pasta is a really loved food of Americans and is the staple food of Italy. This food of Italian origins has traveled all over the world and it is amazing to find out how the food has become one of the favorites of people of different nationalities. In the olden period, pasta was made at home, and even though the procedure did require considerable time and efforts, yet no brand of pasta could compensate the taste of the home-made one. However, as time progressed and when people started living busy lives, it was not easy to make your own pasta at home and thus people resorted to the packaged ones which are widely available in the market. However, pasta machines have provided us the new path through which pastas can be made at home without much hard work. But, most of the people are confused on the aspect of where to find used pasta makers for sale.

A number of second-hand pasta makers are available on sale on the internet as well as in stores. EBay is a very popular online shop which sells various kinds of used pasta makers, both of the manual and electric built. Some of the individual sellers also advertise their sale of this machine online so you check the listings of the people who are ready to sell the same from your local directory listing. Many people also put it in their garage sale items so you can try checking the same in your neighborhood as well. Also, by used pasta maker do not interpret that they are not properly working devices as many people like to sell their old items to make space for new ones even if the device is working well. You get good discounts on used pasta makers depending upon the condition of the device. Many users are willing to give up to 50% of discount on these machines which will save you a lot of money and if you are lucky, you can get to buy an electrical pasta machine at the price of the manual one, which is both economical and useful for you.
Photo: Michelle Meiklejohn

Benefits of Commercial Pasta Machines

Pasta is a true Italian dish and in the earlier times, pasta was hand-made at home which was the fresh way of making pasta and making pasta dish from the same will be very nutritious and healthy without any preservatives. Preprocessed pasta is not very tasty and healthy and it is better to make pasta right at home. People think that making your own pasta is not an easy task but with the commercial pasta machines, you can certainly achieve to prepare good quality pasta right at your very home.

People are under the misconception that to make pasta at home requires lot of time and hard work but with the commercial pasta machine, you can definitely make your own healthy pasta at home and at the same time, you can make the same in bulk so that you can store the same for as long as you want. The only problem will be getting adjusted to the machine which takes a little more time than you would have thought of, but once you get to know the machinery and the little tips of using the device, you will realize that you are more than happy to make your own pasta. The freshly made pasta is so healthy and fresh that they would take only one minute to cook. 

Depending on your choices, you can make gluten-free pastas and special kind of healthy pastas such as whole meal, millet, quinoa, rice, corn, etc. You can definitely save a lot of money by making pastas at home as the ready-made ones available in the market are quite expensive.  The benefits of commercial pasta machines are in plenty and if you are an avid pasta lover, then you can definitely invest some money on this device so as to relish the goodness of hand-made pasta.

Are Microwave Pasta Makers Any Good?

Although Pasta is an Italian dish but the goodness of this dish is that it is popular all over the world, because of its simplicity and the amazing flavors which comes alive with this food. Pasta has definitely turned into a major food for Americans who love to savor the delicious flavors of this food. Most of the ingredients used in the pasta are simple but to make lovely home-made pasta requires time and efforts and in this modern age, most of the people have hardly got the time to cook food. Most of the people eat out to save time and efforts on cooking but focusing on those consumers who love to eat food made at home has thus been created the microwave pasta makers which have been helping people out to enjoy a delicious pasta right at their home.

Microwave pasta makers are mostly available in the online market wherein you can make perfect pasta right in your microwave. Usually, cooking pasta requires boiling, straining and frying and the use of various utensils and pans which makes the task a little arduous.  However, with the microwave pasta maker, you can easily cook and can prepare your favorite pastas in no time. You can cook any type of pasta using this machine especially the macaroni, rigatoni, penne and the shells too. Usually, in the normal cooking utensils, the pasta breaks while transferring between vessels. However, in the case of the microwave pasta maker, the pasta does not break nor sticks to the utensil. All you have to do is place the pasta inside the special vessel with some water and then set the timer of the microwave. The pasta cooks perfectly in a matter of a few minutes and even cooking is one of the major specialties of this device.

Microwave pasta makers are a great device which has been specifically constructed keeping in mind the needs of the current generation.
Photo: www.seenontvproducts.net

Benefits of Electric Pasta Maker Machine

Pasta maker is a must-have device for all those households which abound with pasta lovers. There is nothing more that can bring happiness to people who love pastas. However, hand-made pastas have a 50-50 chance of becoming good or bad and in this busy world nobody has the time to experiment when time is so precious. Pasta makers save our time and are the best machines for every household wherein you get to enjoy decent pasta anytime you feel like having one and that too within just half the time taken when you prepare the same with your hands. Pasta makers are available in abundance and depending on your requirements; you can go in for a manual or an electric one. However, the benefits of an electric pasta maker machine supersedes the manual one and hence, nowadays people like to invest a little more and like to go in for the electric one.

Even though the manual pasta makers are also good enough, yet, they require considerable manual efforts and thus, this is the age of electric pasta makers through which you can enjoy home-made pasta which truly satisfies your taste buds. Always remember that you can use your pasta maker for ages without any maintenance or replacement work, so the best thing to do would be to go in for a good quality one. You can have a moderate budget but if you find a fine quality one, then don’t’ hesitate to invest a few bucks more so that you can utilize the device for a long time.

Before going into a store to buy the machine, first do your own research on the various brands available and the customer reviews on each of them. You can get all the possible information from the web and thus you will get a rough idea on which brand will suit you and your needs. Manual pasta makers are cheaper but the benefits of the electric pasta maker machines make it a must-have device for our homes.

Buy Pasta Maker

Pasta has become a worldwide famous dish and it is difficult to miss the aptly flavored pasta which opens up all your taste buds and all you can think while eating it is ‘Yum’. Pasta lovers are spread out all around the world and although it is not difficult to make pasta yet, to make one with the right consistency and flavor is not very easy. A pasta maker makes our job very easy and if you are one of those ardent pasta lovers, then it is very much beneficial to own a pasta maker, which will see to it that you have the right pasta every time you feel like having one. However, you need to be well-versed with the tips to buy a pasta maker which will definitely help you in your search for the right device for you and your kitchen.

Your model of the pasta maker will determine the kind of pasta you can make, but most of these devices can definitely make lasagna, spaghetti, ravioli, and others. Once you decide that you definitely need a pasta maker for yourself, you need to first choose if you want an electric one or a manual one. You should consider a price range in your mind which will in turn help you to focus your attention in the devices available in the price which you can afford.  Do not go for the sophisticated ones and look for those which are easy to understand and operate. Varied kinds of cutting attachments are a must and make sure your pasta maker has the same. In case you go in for the manual one then go in for the kind which you can fix on to a table or countertop.

Understand the useful tips to buy a pasta maker and enjoy delicious pasta whenever you want!
Photo:  Suat Eman