Kitchen & Coffee
Pasta makers
7 kinds worth knowing, 8 picks, and what to check before you buy.
Pasta makers suit people who already cook from scratch and want a weekend project. Think of a parent who makes Sunday dinner, a friend who bakes bread, or a couple who like cooking together. The gifts that get used fit how the person already cooks. A hand-crank pasta machine rewards patience and suits someone who likes hands-on work. An automatic pasta maker suits someone who wants fresh noodles on a weeknight without the rolling. Before you choose, think about counter and cupboard space, how much cleanup the person will put up with, and whether they want flat sheets like lasagna and fettuccine or shaped pasta like macaroni and fusilli.
Kind 1 of 7
The classic crank pasta machine
A pasta machine usually means a hand-crank unit that clamps to a counter. It presses dough through smooth rollers to make sheets, then through cutters to make noodles. It suits someone who enjoys the process and has room to store a heavy steel tool. Before buying, check how wide the rollers are, how many thickness settings it has, which cutter widths come with it, and whether the clamp fits the edge of their counter. Most shouldn't be washed in water, so the person should be fine with brushing off dried flour.
Kind 2 of 7
Pasta rollers for sheets and lasagna
A pasta roller flattens dough into even sheets for lasagna, ravioli or hand-cut noodles. Some are hand-cranked, and others attach to a stand mixer so both hands stay free to feed and catch the dough. A mixer attachment is a good gift for someone who already owns a compatible stand mixer and uses it often. Before buying, confirm the attachment fits their exact mixer. Also check whether cutter heads come with the roller or are sold separately.
Stand mixer pasta roller and cutter set
Ideal for anyone who already owns a stand mixer and wants to expand its capabilities into homemade pasta production.
Kind 3 of 7
Hand tools for traditional shapes
Manual pasta makers go beyond the crank machine. They include a chitarra, the stringed frame for square-edged spaghetti. They also include a ridged gnocchi board and a small crank that rolls out cavatelli. These are good for a cook who likes regional recipes, and they take up little space. Most need no power and are simple to clean. Check what each tool makes, since many do one shape only. Wooden pieces need to be kept dry.
Authentic spaghetti chitarra pasta maker
An excellent choice for the pasta connoisseur interested in making unique square-cut spaghetti or fettuccine with a distinctive texture.
Dedicated cavatelli maker machine
Ideal for individuals who want to easily produce large quantities of uniform cavatelli, gnocchetti, or malloreddus pasta.
Traditional gnocchi board and roller
Perfect for home cooks who appreciate the rustic charm of making authentic, ridged gnocchi from scratch.
Kind 4 of 7
Presses and moulds for filled pasta
A pasta press stamps or seals dough into filled shapes like ravioli. It's often a tray with a matching cutter or a set of hand stamps. It suits someone who already rolls sheets and wants to try filled pasta without folding every piece by hand. Before buying, check the size of each piece and how many the tray makes at once. It's also worth knowing whether the dough sheets need to be a certain width to fit.
Specialty ravioli maker press kit
A thoughtful present for culinary enthusiasts eager to craft delicious, homemade filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini.
Kind 5 of 7
Pasta cutters for clean edges
A pasta cutter can be a rolling wheel with a fluted or straight edge. It can also be a multi-blade roller that cuts several strips at once, or a cutter head for a machine. It's a small, easy gift for someone who already makes dough and cuts it with a knife. Check that the blade edge suits what they make: fluted for pappardelle and ravioli, straight for tidy sheets. A comfortable handle helps too.
Kind 6 of 7
Extruders for tubes and spirals
An extruder pushes dough through a shaped die to make rigatoni, macaroni, bucatini or fusilli. Rollers can't make those shapes. Handheld versions are compact and good for small batches. Larger ones are cranked or attached to a mixer. This suits a cook who wants short, sauce-catching shapes. Before buying, check which dies are included and whether more can be added. Look at how the dies come apart for cleaning, since dough gets stuck in the small holes.
Versatile handheld pasta extruder tool
A practical gift for those who enjoy making various extruded pasta shapes or even churros with a simple, manual press.
Kind 7 of 7
Automatic makers for weeknight noodles
An automatic pasta maker mixes flour and liquid, kneads the dough and pushes out pasta through a die, all in one countertop unit. It suits busy households and anyone who wants fresh pasta without learning to roll dough. Check the footprint and how many dies it comes with. Look at how many parts need washing after each use. Also find out whether it takes different flours, like semolina or whole wheat.
Electric pasta maker machine
An excellent gift for busy individuals who desire fresh pasta quickly, handling mixing and extruding with minimal effort.
How to choose pasta makers as a gift
- Match the tool to the pasta they actually eat: rollers for flat noodles and sheets, extruders or automatic makers for tubes and spirals.
- Ask about storage space, because a steel crank machine or a countertop appliance needs a permanent spot.
- Look at how each piece cleans, since pasta tools that are fussy to clean often end up at the back of a cupboard.
- For a stand mixer attachment, confirm the brand and model of the mixer they own before choosing.
- Pair a single-shape tool like a gnocchi board with a regional cookbook or good semolina to round out the gift.
Usually safe to skip
- Novelty single-shape gadgets for someone who rarely cooks, since they tend to get used once and then forgotten.
- A large automatic machine for a small apartment kitchen, where there's no room to leave it out and it rarely gets used.
- Stand mixer attachments bought without checking their mixer, because a part that doesn't fit is useless.
Questions people ask about pasta makers
- What is the difference between a pasta roller and a pasta extruder?
- A roller squeezes dough between two cylinders to make flat sheets, which you then cut into noodles. An extruder forces dough through a shaped die to make tubes, spirals and other short shapes. Many home cooks start with a roller and add an extruder later.
- Is a manual or automatic pasta maker better for a beginner?
- It depends on what they enjoy. An automatic maker handles mixing and shaping, so it's the quickest way to get fresh pasta. A manual machine takes some practice, but it gives more control over dough thickness and suits someone who likes hands-on cooking.
- Can pasta makers go in the dishwasher?
- Usually not. Most crank machines and wooden tools should be brushed clean once the leftover dough dries, and never soaked. Some automatic makers and extruder dies have parts you can wash, so check the care instructions for the model you choose.
Looking for one person in particular? Shop by person.
Everything else
All pasta makers picks
Showing 1–8 of 8