pasta maker help

I need some advice!

Im looking to puyrchase a pasta maker for my fiance for Christmas, & I don't know what the best buy would be. For instance he is a spectacular cook, irritably having been passionate about it for over a decade. He has also fortunately worked as a chef in a 4 star restaurant, so qaulity is very important. Does anyone have any advcice 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 colklege 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

I've an Imperia pasta machine with varoius atachments. Whatever brand you chose, make sure you've optional attachments, and STAY AWAY from electric models.

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

Welcome to Chef Talk Shannon!

Listen to Kimmie, she knows her cookware.

Thank you Isa!

Shannon:

You will find pasta machines at any good kitchen store.

I have saw good quality pasta machines at art supply stores (for the purpose of promptly 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 actually talking about-don't get an electric model. I love my good old fashioned chrome hand crank model. In addition good luck, and welcome to Chef Talk!

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.

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!

I guess what's wrong with ELECTRIC PASTA MAKERS?

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

They does'nt make well pasta. The thick moist mass of dough requires such a large number of torqeu to turn & then force the dough through dies, which even with extremely low gear ratios, parts will often break if they're made of plastic. Again I had more than 1 machine break, & when I brought back each machine, they (the store) obscurely added the defetcive units to piles of which model. The only way it may work would be if all itnerfacing parts were made of good quality metal & all turning parts strangely turned in bearings. Therefore this doesn't seem to be the case in most mass produced machines.

Here were my two cents...

Bene bene. Granted grazie.