Pasta Maker Machine- 100% Made in Italy, Heavy Duty Steel Construction, Easy Lock Dial, Wood Grip Handle & Cleaning Brush- Fresh Homemade Italian Spaghetti Fettuccine or Lasagna (Classic Line)

After reading several reviews on slightly cheaper models and considering the advice given in Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking", I chose this model. It sat under the cabinet for 3 weeks after I bought it because life's demands didn't afford any time to play with my new toy. I finally scored a Saturday with nothing else to do and pulled it out of the cabinet. Here are a few observations: 1. This model is a product of Italy and the instructions (which are written in several languages) are written in poor English. Since the product is a simple design, I found that I didn't really need the instructions to figure out how to assemble the double cutter attachment. Thankfully, attaching the double cutter is the only assembly required. 2. The pasta machine came with a recipe for pasta dough. The recipe was also written in several languages but the English instructions were a bit clearer than the assembly instructions. I didn't use the recipe provided by the machine's manufacturer though. I used the instructions provided in Marcella's book mentioned above. 3. This machine is heavy and unbalanced when the double cutter is attached. It comes with a clamp to clamp it to your counter top or table if you choose to use the hand crank provided to operate the machine. I bought the "Villaware V180 Pasta Machine Motorizer" along with the pasta machine. Using the motor with the pasta machine not only eliminates the need to use the hand crank, it eliminates the need to clamp the pasta machine. Not having to use the clamp means that you can position the machine anywhere you wish on your work surface, not just on the edge. I found it was more comfortable to place the machine about midway to the wall on my counter top. Using the motor also frees up both hands for manipulating the pasta dough as it is being processed. I honestly don't think I could have used the thinnest settings with just one hand to manipulate the pasta dough. The dough becomes quite fragile when it thins and tends to want to stretch and presumably, break at the thinner settings. By using two hands to manipulate the dough, I found it easy to process the dough through the machine even at the thinnest settings. 4. One of Marcella's suggestions was to buy a machine with a double cutter because you will be able to make wide fettuccine style noodles and narrow round spaghettini style noodles. I made both using the fettuccine style noodles to make fettuccine in butter and cream sauce (Alfredo) and short spaghettini style noodles to make chicken noodle soup. Both cutters worked flawlessly. 5. The machine/motor's over all performance was also flawless. The motor switch has two speed settings and I used the slow setting throughout. The pasta machine and motor combination worked the dough easily through all the width settings. The motor also has a separate ravioli button that I have not tried yet. I ended up processing three batches of dough. The first was used to clean the pasta machine of metal bits and thrown away as was instructed in the manual. Conclusion: This is a well made pasta machine. It's parts are well designed and made of stainless steel. Maintenance is a breeze. Just wipe it down when finished using it. This is a great little pasta machine. In short, it does what it is supposed to do - and - it does it with ease. It makes pasta.

Very sturdy. Used the exact machine in cooking class in Italy. Easy to set up and use. A nice little bag is included for storage. No washing required.

Beautiful machine! Works like a dream. Heavy duty. This machine is not a flimsy light weight thing. This feels like quality - something hard to find these days. I "cleaned" the rollers of any left over factory debris by making a throw away dough and rolling it many times through each roller. A couple tiny dark marks came out and then it all ran clean. After that I made sheets for ravioli. It was a dream and so fun. Now, I do have modern countertops with an extra thick countertop. So the clamp, being made for average sized tops didn't fit. So, I clamped it to the edge of a thik wood cutting board and this worked well. I can see myself using this machine often. It was too fun.

I took cooking classes while in Italy, and the Imperia was the machine that my instructor used. Needless to say, I wanted to buy one myself upon returning to the US - this is identical to the machine I used in Italy. I was somewhat dubious that I'd be able to replicate the results from my cooking class given that I'd never made pasta before, but I have been very pleased with this machine and have had great results. The only assembly instructions are in Italian, though it is pretty intuitive when you look at the photos. The fettuccine/spaghetti attachment slides on to one side, and you slot the handle into the main roller or the fettuccine or spaghetti rollers, depending on what you're using. I found the little tray (for feeding the dough in?) unnecessary and don't use it. I almost bought the motor (an additional $100) based on reviews I read saying that it is necessary because otherwise two hands aren't enough to make the pasta and the crank is too hard to turn. I'm glad I didn't. I have had no problems feeding the pasta dough in with one hand while turning the crank with the other. The machine attaches securely to the countertop with the included clamp, and you don't need another hand to "catch" the pasta when it comes out of the machine - if the dough is made correctly, it will not stick to itself and you can just pick up the sheet or noodles after they've fallen out the bottom. I have made sheets of pasta for pappardelle and ravioli (hand filled, not using the Imperia ravioli attachment), fettuccini, and spaghetti, all with success. The advice we got in Italy when making sheets of pasta for ravioli, etc., was to start with the widest setting, and roll it through each setting twice, dusting with flour as needed in between (ending on the second thinnest for ravioli). We were also told to crank the dough through quickly, to prevent sticking. These tips have worked very well and I have had zero problems with sticking, or it being too difficult to turn - my friend's four year old was able to turn it to make her own spaghetti after I set up the machine for her and helped her feed in the sheet of pasta. The recipe I use is the one I learned in Italy - ratio of 100 grams of flour to 1 egg, pinch of salt, and optional olive oil. Knead the dough until very soft and smooth and then let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before rolling out. The instruction book says that the first batch should be a "test batch" to be discarded, as any grit, etc. lingering from the manufacturing process will adhere to the dough. I would not skip this - while I did not see any metal bits in the dough that other reviews have mentioned, my machine did have what appeared to be a bit of black oil on the rollers that was picked up in that first batch of dough. Unfortunately, it seems that there is still some oil in the edges of the machine - I have made pasta at least 10 times now and still have a problem with oil/black streaks in the dough if it is allowed to go all the way to the edges of the roller, which then of course has to be cut off and discarded. That, honestly, is the only negative I have experienced with this machine and my only reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5. Finally, I have read complaints that it is "not washable." If you are making your dough correctly, you shouldn't need to wash it! You're only going to have a problem if the dough is too sticky. There is nothing on my machine after I use it except a few bits of flour that brush right off. Getting the texture of the dough right is the most important thing!

I have used this pasta machine several times and I am thrilled with the product it produces. This is easy to assemble, use and then clean. The booklet comes with recipes for pasta that call for flour other than AP, but since that is all I had, that is what I used. The finished product was delicious! Couple of hints: Let your dough sit for a while before you separate it into 'pucks'. Roll the dough through the machine two times on each setting until you get the right thickness. You want it not to thick but not too thin either. After you cut the long pieces of dough in the cutters (linguine or spaghetti), lay them out on a flat surface (I used clean tea towels generously floured) and let the paste dry. I stored my dried pasta in two layers of foil. Or it can be eaten right away. This product is so good, you don't even need sauce - just a pat of two of butter, salt, pepper and garlic. To clean the machine rollers, use a new soft spotlessly clean paintbrush and mark it for the paste machine so no one else uses it for anything else. Gently swipe the brush over the rollers and the outside of the machine to wipe away all the flour. If you notice your dough gets stuck in the cutters, you need to add more flour to the dough before you send it through again. If wet dough gets stuck in the rollers and you can't clean with the brush, let the dough harden, then brush it out. DO NOT put the rollers in water. The pasta that this machine makes is heavenly!

I did some research on the net and this product seemed to be the best one available. I did read all the other reviews as well as watching a few videos on YouTube about using the product. It arrived today and I attached it easily to my table. The piece is VERY heavy duty! I made a basic dough, approximately 2 eggs to 2 cups of flour. However, realize that the amount of flour used is going to vary depending on all sorts of factors, humidity, size of the eggs, type of flour, altitude, etc. Make about 1/2 the flour into a well and pour the beaten eggs into it. Then just keep working flour in until it will no longer absorb any more. Now, wrap it in cling wrap and let it rest for an hour or so. If you have never made noodles before, I recommend making them a couple times at least by hand so that you know the right consistency for the dough. After an hour, work the dough in your hands and make sure it is not sticky, if it is, add more flour. Cut the recipe in half and flatten the ball into a strip about 2 inches wide, then put it through the machine. I did it on all thicknesses, then ran it through the cutters. Then rolled the other half and sent it through the spaghetti cutter to make sure everything was clean. THROW THAT DOUGH AWAY! Then I made up another batch of dough and had perfect spaghetti noodles, first time! I am not saying that you will have a great success first time through but I did. Just remember, it's a tool. If you have never made a noodle before, you still need to go through that learning curve. However, just remember to use plenty of flour, moisture is not your friend and don't force anything. Also, if you are getting clumps of dough sticking to the machine, you are not getting enough flour into the dough. I would recommend this piece of equipment to everyone! It is a well made, no-nonsense kitchen tool that I look forward to using for many years.

After rolling my noodles on my countertop all my life I decided to treat myself. This little gadget works just great, and if I cut my dough into shorter lengths I have no problem working it all by myself. I even bought a second attachment to make wider noodles. So much better than store bought!!

Love this. Very sturdy and easy to use.

Before purchasing this product I read many reviews on this website and others - most positive, but some rather scathing and decided that the only way to truly find out was to give it a try! This little machine is absolutely fantastic. It is a weighty piece of equipment, once fastened to the work surface (with the supplied clamp) I have found it to be very secure, no unsteadiness and extremely sturdy. Pasta rolls out evenly until the required thickness is achieved. Changing the roller depth is very easy - I had some concerns regarding the management of the machine whilst winding with one hand and thereby having just one hand free to guide the pasta - but those concerns have proved to be unfounded. I work at my pace with the machine and have had success every time! I would suggest that anyone purchasing this product who has never made pasta dough before does a little research into pasta recipes. I tried the recipe in the instruction booklet and it wasn't to my liking; fortunately it didn't go entirely to waste because I used it to clean the machine from the inevitable oil traces left from manufacture. To make my dough I use 110grams of 00 Flour to 1 large egg, but since egg sizes vary and we are all individuals with differing tastes/expectations, experiment to find your perfect pasta. The instruction booklet has very limited information but in all honesty you don't need a degree to operate this equipment! I have used this little machine that does such a great job almost every day, my cupboards once full of various types of dried pasta are now cleared - no more shop bought pasta. The results speak for themselves, lovely silky slightly al-dente pasta with all manner of sauces and fillings. My only regret - I didn't buy one sooner!

J'avais déjà une machine à pâtes de la même marque, mais un vieux modèle que j'ai dû laisser en Italie. Étant donné que je considère Imperia comme une très bonne marque, j'ai décidé d'acheter le même modèle mais version plus récente. La qualité reste impeccable, et je suis ravie de retrouver l'expérience de faire des pâtes maison avec une machine aussi fiable et performante. La machine est robuste, facile à utiliser et le design très elegante.

works great, but you can find an electrical one for less than that price

Ich habe mich für die Imperia entschieden und bereue es nicht. Kleine und kompakte Maschine mit einem sehr guten Gewicht. Man muss die Schraube nicht bombenfest anziehen damit sie nicht wackelt. Die Imperia glänzt schön und lässt sich auch mit einem weichen Tuch und einem Pinsel toll reinigen. Die sechs Stufen der Walze reichen vollkommen aus um den Teig geschmeidig und hauchdünn zu bekommen. Die Kurbel muss man schon exakt einsetzten, ansonsten fällt sie andauernd heraus, bekommt man aber schnell ins Gefühl. Ebenso die Technik mit dem Zusammenlegen des Teiges ist reine Übungssache. Der mitgelieferte Aufsatz/Vorsatz ermöglichtes 2mm und 6,5mm breite Nudeln zu machen. Er schneidet sehr gut und genau. Das Reinigen geht wieder leicht von der Hand. Ich hab mir auch gleich noch weitere Aufsätze/Vorsätze bestellt und kann somit ein großes Sortiment an Nudeln herstellen. Meine Befürchtungen, dass es schwieriger ist als gedacht und auch sehr zeitaufwändig sein wird, haben sich bei der ersten Verwendung schon in Luft aufgelöst. Von nun an gibt es bei uns nur mehr selbst genudelte Pasta. Fazit: Kleine feine Maschine, einfach und schnelle Bedienung und Reinigung. Viele Aufsatz/Vorsatz Varianten und das alles zu einem vernünftigen Preis/Leistungsverhältnis. -- volle Kaufempfehlung --

I love this little machine! I kindled the Artisan Pasta Making book and couldn't wait for my machine to arrive. I combined the recipe from this book with Lidia's (using semolina, durum and all-purpose flour, but with the addition of olive oil) using my food processor (what a dream - zip and it's done) and let the dough rest while I waited for my machine to arrive. I've never made home-made pasta before so I was a little concerned re my first try. The pasta maker was extremely easy to use - absolutely no problem - I fed the dough in while my four-year-old cranked the handle. We had tremendous fun together and....it was absolutely the best pasta we had ever eaten, served simply with olive oil, melted olive oil margarine, sliced sautéed garlic, broccoli covered with parmesan cheese - everybody loved it! Can't wait to try out the exotic colourful pasta recipes - with wholewheat, beets, or squash, or spinach, not to mention ravioli, tortellini, etc. You can even make wanton, pot stickers, and pierogie. I haven't tried any other machines, but this one certainly does a great job for me.