MARCATO Made in Italy Atlas 150 Classic Manual Pasta Maker Machine, Chrome Steel. Makes Lasagna, Fettuccine & Tagliolini .

Excellent machine. I read many of the reviews (so helpful, thank you) before purchasing this. It's a beautiful gadget, very solid. I used Biba Caggiano's recipe (Trattoria) of 2 eggs and 1 1/4 C of flour and it's come out perfectly every time (have now made it about 8x). I mixed the dough by hand once (making a well with the flour, etc.) and all the other times I've used the Cuisineart to mix it quickly. No noticeable difference, a lot less mess with the Cuisineart. Also, based on recommendations in the reviews, I watched a few videos on You Tube before I tried it the first time. There is not much variation out there (from Mario Batali to Marcella Hazan) so I've stuck with Caggiano's ratio of flour to egg since it works so well. A few reviews said you need help, but I find (while help is more fun) that as long as the machine is clamped to the counter, I can easily do it myself. I wanted fresh pasta for canneloni and lasagne noodles (I prefer dried pasta for everything else) and these come out beautifully and delicious. I did make some fettucini since it comes with that attachment and it was also good. I recommend going through the process to #7 and then running it through 2x on #7 rather than going to #8 which is a bit too thin for fettucine. 8 is great for lasagne sheets. I paid attention to everyone who said DON'T wash with water and I find that if you wipe the machine (while cranking the handle) well with a damp cloth or paper towel, it comes quite clean. I also run a paper towel through it once I've done the wiping down part. I'm comfortable that it's clean. When the fresh pasta craze hit in the 90's (?) I thought eveyrone was nuts. Dried pasta is so good (Di Cecci being my favorite) and why would anyone want to go to this much trouble to make fresh pasta, which to me always seems foamy in restaurants. I only got this machine because I was giving a young friend (13) a cooking lesson, and I thought we'd go all the way by making our own noodles. What fun! There's something really satisfying about doing this and I found myself coming up with excuses to make a batch of pasta and mostly giving it away (I still prefer dried for strands or shapes, but you can't beat fresh lasagne sheets). The "fresh" lasagne sheets you can buy at the market is still foamy to me, but what you'll make at home with this machine tastes exactly right. Have fun!

Heavy duty and works quite well. I did not experience any issues with the handle falling out. I suspect those reviewers didn't push it in hard enough for it to seat in and "click". I was considering getting a cheap alternative in the $40 range, but decided this is one of those things I won't use too often, but it's a lifetime purchase.From the way it is built with heavy duty stainless steel (no rust spots as again I noticed in photo reviews of other cheaper products) I don't ever expect to have to replace this. There is a motor option you can get, but the hand crank seemed easy enough and I was able to do it all by myself (holding the dough in one hand, turning the crank with the other). But if you are making pasta a lot, the motor would likely speed things up quite a bit.

I first learned how to make pasta decades ago by the amazing Marcella Hazan who answered a question from a student who wanted to know the difference between this machine and an extruder for making spagetti. Her answer still makes me chuckle and I tell the story often. This was her answer: "You live on the third floor of an apartment building and you need to get down to the street, you can walk down the stairs or you can jump out the window...both get you to the street but in different states...the extruder is jumping out the window, this machine is walking down the stairs".There is no better way to make pasta than with this machine, known by all the best chefs...I've never known one to break. Now in full disclosure I have been using my KitchenAid pasta attachment for years as I like having both hands free, but miss the simplicity of the non electric option and my atlas remains with my previous employer...I like knowing if the lights go out I can still make pasta. Although the 180 model is wider, I find all my ravioli molds, like the norpro are the perfect width for this machine. It would be useful for those that use the ravioli rolling pin, as they are about 18 inches wide, but for most people the 150 model is just perfect.As most other reviewers will tell you, making the perfect pasta does not mean mastering this machine...it's really very easy to use...it's mastering the perfect pasta dough. If your dough is the perfect consistency it will go through the machine effortlessly. Although there is a learning curve involved...your not breaking the genetic code here...you just need trial and error and some patience. Youtube videos are great but nothing but trial and error will teach you the "feel" of perfect pasta dough. The best advice I can give you is to tell you the dough is a lot dryer than you would think...in the bowl it's granular the size of peas or smaller but if you take a handful and squeeze a fistful it will hold together. I will also tell you that even with my KitchenAid with the 475 watt motor, the dough hook will strain when kneading and I do most of my kneading by passing it through the number one setting multiple times (10-12). The first few times you pass it through you will think you are a failure...it will not come out in one piece but in various jagged pieces and look like a mess...that's okay, the gluten has not fully formed yet even if you DID knead it and let is rest 30 minutes. Just do your best to put the pieces together and keep passing it through...after many passes...maybe a dozen more or less you will see the dough change as the gluten develops. A slight sheen to the dough and more uniform and pliable. Once you can form one piece of this dough through the number one setting, you can go on to number two...some people go through number two twice...sometimes I do, sometime I don't and I have no reason as to why...just my mood of the minute. After that go through each setting only once. I strongly suggest looking at some youtube videos to give you more confidence before trying. The following are just some various tips:I don't use the automatic ravioli machines from any makers because the pasta must be thick enough not to tear apart (usually setting 3) and I find that too thick for good ravioli (I usually use 4). The Ravioli makers with a press like the norpro are easy to use and make a better ravioli.I make big batches of dough at one time and freeze my fresh ravioli or pasta...if you do this you will need to work with small balls of dough...if they are too big your sheets will be too long to handle. Make sure to keep the other pasta dough from drying by covering with a damp paper towel and check frequently because it will dry quickly...I usually redampen the towel after each sheet. For a sheet of ravioli that will give me a top and a bottom for my mold I use a piece of dough about the size of a tangerine. Three cups of semolina flour with three eggs ect...give me four balls of dough and I gather the scraps from each tray and it gives me enough for another full tray when I'm done.Check your roller each time before adding the dough to it...even the smallest crumb of dough left behind will cause your dough to rip.If you don't have a pasta drying rack but you have a dishtowel rack, the kind with three long bars you attach to the wall to hang multiple dishtowels to, it works better than most racks because your pasta can be really long.Add ins to your pasta are great but many will cause tears at thinner levels, especially fresh cracked pepper. Even if you buy chopped spinach, put it through your food processor in small batches for best results.When you get the confidence to try ravioli, ignore all the OCD comments about making sure all the air is out of the "pillow", I read where once reviewer actually used a toothpick to get out air bubbles. I gently press the top layer of dough over the filling once in the tray, but I have never gotten anal about it and never had a ravioli burst on me. Also when cooking use a gentle boil not a rolling boil for ravioli, this will also prevent bursting. I have used water to seal my edges before going over with a rolling pin and I have used nothing...I found no difference. When using a mold like the norpro, put in more filling than you would think...once you press down it will fill in the voids and give you a nice filled "pillow".Please learn this lost art and teach it to your children and grandchildren...it is a wonderful way to spend a weekend day and you can make tons to freeze in serving portions for later use (freeze first on cookie sheet than transfer to plastic bag or foodsaver). Nothing you can buy is as good as you can make for a fraction of the price.

This pasta maker is not only easy to use, it's FUN to use!! I thought about buying the attachment for my KitchenAid, but it's so much more expensive and cranking dough through this pasta roller is a very smooth crank operation for anyone (even kids) to do. I love it.