Which Pasta Machine? [Split from Home Cooking board]

[foxy fairy]

[Split from http://www.chowhound.com/topics/460104

]

Okay, I'm convinced! One of these is going on my holiday wishlist. Sweety and I go to our favorite Italian deli/market every Sunday and watch them crank and then stuff ravioli. We've been wondering about treating ourselves to one -- it's going on the list. We are two - cranking will not be a problem.

**Where to buy? Which to buy?**

It looks like fantes.com is the way to go, $55 for the Atlas Mercato 150 or the Imperia, plus $10 shipping (not bad). Would anyone vouch for one of these over the other???

Imperia:
http://www.fantes.com/pastamakers.htm#imperia

Atlas Mercato 150:
http://www.fantes.com/pastamakers.htm...

[foxy fairy]

Looks like the Atlas and the Imperia are evenly matched... any final votes? This is on my list, and my mom wants to get a jump on shopping so she's insisting that I decide. Thanks, alanbarnes for the amazon.com link for the Imperia for $40 including shipping. What a deal! Looks like they have about the same number of attachments. I don't know which one?!?!

[Megiac]

I have the Imperia, but think they are about even. Get whichever one you get a better deal on.

[foxy fairy]

Hmmm... I could go with ebay I guess, but somehow I just don't trust that people will ever actually send me the item. I've had mixed luck with ebay, waiting for weeks and an item never showing up. grrrrr. On the other hand, the price break is great! But I'm asking for this as a gift and I know my mom will refuse to do ebay.

[Den]

Hopefully you haven't bought your machine yet...go to ebay. You'll find several unused and used pasta machines for much cheaper. I've had both the Atlas and Imperia and have a slight preference for the Imperia. Also, consider a motor even of you have another person to crank. we make several hundred ravioli at a time and the motor make the pasta sheets more uniform.

[jazzy77]

I had the Imperia, until I received the KitchenAid pasta rolling attachments for Christmas one year. Rolling pasta dough is much more enjoyable now....

[alanbarnes]

I've been eyeing one of those motors for a while now. It might be worth the price of admission just to eliminate the need the machine down.

[jazzy77]

The KA attachments ( the pasta roller, the spag cutter, and the fettucine cutter) mimic the hand crank machines and I can create a batch of fettucine in about 20 minutes from using the well-method to laying out the cut pasta to dry. The best thing is that I don't need another person or three arms to do it.

I debated buying the motor for my hand machine, but then the pasta rollers arrived at Christmas and there was no need.

[alanbarnes]

Had the KA. It broke, and KA won't sell replacement parts. Glad you like yours, but I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. Besides, a motor costs half as much as the KA roller set.

[jazzy77]

Geez, that's too bad about your KA - normally I hear nothing but good things about them.

I agree with you, the motor sounds like the best way to go, but I do recommend some type of automation - it makes everything so much easier.

[Winer]

I have the KA and use it at least ionce a week and have never had a problem. Surprised to hear about your problem. Good luck

[alanbarnes]

Lots of folks have the KA and love it. I loved mine, too, until it broke.

A quick internet search (after the thing broke, unfortunately) revealed that other people have had the same problem I did with the roller set: part of the drivetrain is made of plastic, and is prone to breakage. It's not clear what percentage of the pasta rollers break. What is clear is that 100% of them are irreparable because KA refuses to sell its customers a <$1 plastic part.

[Rella]

Yep, mine too. I got rid of my KA mixer. I was only saving it for the rollers, but they broke. But, EVERYBODY loves KA mixers, what can I say.

[Rella]

Looking at a new attachment for the Atlas, I see a picture of a Lasagna attachment that has the same type of plastic roller that cracked on my KA rollers. Gimme metal all the way.

[roxlet]

I got the KA attachments for Christmas last year, and I haven't looked back. I always felt that I needed a third hand when using my Atlas, and it would always slip whille I was cranking it. But with the KA attachment, that is never a problem. My KA is 30 years old and still going strong.

[Rella]

deleted

[alanbarnes]

I like my Imperia; don't have any experience with the Atlas. As far as where to buy, how about amazon.com? It's $40 including shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/Villaware-V150-...

[rfneid]

The Atlas is great, & will probably outlast you.

[Jeanne]

I have an Atlas Mercato that I've had for 20 years and it is in perfect condition. I don't know about the Imperia, but the Atlas is great.

[Rella]

I've noticed looking at the Atlas Mercato attachments that the product information on some of the attchments will have this information which is puzzling to me.

"... it is no longer necessary to trim the dough sheet to a narrower size instead it is used in its entire width saving time and increasing productivity- more noodles with every turn of the handle."

Anyone know what that means?