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Pasta Equipment: Rollers, Extruders, etc.

Suvir Saran

By Suvir Saran
in Kitchen Consumer

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deltadoc

deltadoc

Posted
Posted

I definitely prefer the Atlas. Gives me more control over the pasta, and handling it provides the kind of tactile feedback that I need to know if the pasta is "just right". It consistently makes sheets of uniform thickness, and I find that using one hand to crank and one hand to "carry" the sheets onto the countertop is no challenge at all.

If the pasta won't crank through properly, then I know that it requires further attention from me. When it comes time to boil, I want the pasta to stay together!

doc

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moosnsqrl

moosnsqrl

Posted
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Max, not to hijack this but curious if any of you have tried the KA extrudor attachment?

Judy Jones aka "moosnsqrl"

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.

M.F.K. Fisher

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markabauman

markabauman

Posted
Posted

Someone bought me the extruder as a gift a while back. Don't like it at all. Not like artisanally produced bronze die pasta at all. I've used a hand crank for over 30 years and got the KA roller/cutter last year- just great, esp. as noted if you are working solo. It's like having an extra pair of hands.

Mark A. Bauman

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

I have a motor for my Atlas. I love it. As a relatively inexperienced pasta maker, I find I'm forever trying to find a third hand if I'm cranking by hand; the motor takes that problem away.

I can't compare the product of the Atlas vs. the KitchenAid since I haven't tried the KA. I do have their mixer, though. If the Atlas motor ever gives up the ghost I might try the KA instead.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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Mussina

Mussina

Posted
Posted

KA all the way! I used a hand crank for years but in a recent Gourmet article they compared the different pasta machines and ranked the kitchen aid the best. The Atlas does not get the pasta thin enough (according to Gourmet). You can purchase just the roller (I hand cut as well) online. I think mine came from cooking.com.

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Chris Amirault

Chris Amirault

Posted
Posted

I had an Atlas for years and recently dropped the benjamin-plus for the KA attachment. I love it. My main problem with the Atlas involved securing it somehow -- my tables don't have the requisite flat edge -- and my lack of a third arm and hand. Honestly, if I had a motorized Atlas and an easy way to attach the thing, I'd have been a happy clam.

Chris Amirault

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Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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maxmillan

maxmillan

Posted
Posted

Thanks to everyone for your input.

I'm convinced to get the KA attachment. I checked out the KA site and the price for a pasta roller/cutter is over $150.

Is there more than one kind of pasta attachment one can buy? The roller sounds more within my budget as I don't mind cutting my own fettucine and I'm probably going to make jumbo raviolis and other unusual shapes.

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Katie Nell

Katie Nell

Posted
Posted
Thanks to everyone for your input.

I'm convinced to get the KA attachment.  I checked out the KA site and the price for a pasta roller/cutter is over $150.

Is there more than one kind of pasta attachment one can buy?  The roller sounds more within my budget as I don't mind cutting my own fettucine and I'm probably going to make jumbo raviolis and other unusual shapes.

Not that it's a whole lot better, but I saw the KA attachment for $100 at B,B,&B the other day... not sure if it was on sale or not... you could also use one of those 20% off coupons that they send out every week! (I'm getting the attachments for my b-day! Woo hoo!)

"Many people believe the names of In 'n Out and Steak 'n Shake perfectly describe the contrast in bedroom techniques between the coast and the heartland." ~Roger Ebert

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Chris Amirault

Chris Amirault

Posted
Posted
Is there more than one kind of pasta attachment one can buy?  The roller sounds more within my budget as I don't mind cutting my own fettucine and I'm probably going to make jumbo raviolis and other unusual shapes.

It sounds like you want the roller and cutter. They also have an extruder.

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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KitchenQueen

KitchenQueen

Posted
Posted

I've got the manual Atlas, I've got all the KA attachments, roller, extruder etc.

The KA roller rocks when you don't have a partner or extra set of hands.

The KA extruders are crap.

Haven't used the Atlas in several years. I think it's an Atlas anyway. Good machine, stuck in the garage in the original box, gathering spiders and dust.

Wanna know what I'd really like?

Many posts ago on this thread I read about a Japanese poster (I think) who could not find or afford a manual machine.

We need a thread where those of us who have good equipment we no longer use, can donate it to other members. Maybe recipient just agrees to refund the postage or something.

Am I being stupid? I just can't see tossing good stuff in the garage to die just because I don't happen to use it anymore.

And no, I do not know how I ended up with 3 crockpots, or 4 hand mixers. :wacko:

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

We need a thread where those of us who have good equipment we no longer use, can donate it to other members.  Maybe recipient just agrees to refund the postage or something.

Am I being stupid?  I just can't see tossing good stuff in the garage to die just because I don't happen to use it anymore.

Well, you could try starting such a thread. There's a thread titled FREE cookbooks, if you want to add to your collection that has worked more or less like that. It wasn't as active as some of us expected, but it's still helped a number of cookbooks find good homes.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx; twitter.com/egullet

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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  • 2 weeks later...
maxmillan

maxmillan

Posted
Posted
Thanks to everyone for your input.

I'm convinced to get the KA attachment.  I checked out the KA site and the price for a pasta roller/cutter is over $150.

Is there more than one kind of pasta attachment one can buy?  The roller sounds more within my budget as I don't mind cutting my own fettucine and I'm probably going to make jumbo raviolis and other unusual shapes.

Not that it's a whole lot better, but I saw the KA attachment for $100 at B,B,&B the other day... not sure if it was on sale or not... you could also use one of those 20% off coupons that they send out every week! (I'm getting the attachments for my b-day! Woo hoo!)

Woohoo. Got my pasta attachment at the local department store for Cad$131.21 in total (including tax.) I received 30% off with "scratch and save" and by applying for a points card/credit card.

I'll be busy making pasta from my new book. Can't wait to give my family fresh egg noodles. I'm sure my friends won't mind being guinea pigs.

Thanks for all your input.

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  • 1 month later...
Druckenbrodt

Druckenbrodt

Posted
Posted

I'd like to buy a pasta machine as a birthday present for my boyfriend (ha ha - a clever sort of present which effectively I'll be giving myself.) I'm based in France so ideally looking for brands that are likely to be available here.

What sort of things should I be looking for? Also: can you use Italian machines for rolling out dough for Japanese/Chinese etc recipes too?

Any other associated paraphernalia that would be fun to throw in with the machine?

Any words of wisdom/warning would be most appreciated.

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Angela Alaimo

Angela Alaimo

Posted
Posted
I'd like to buy a pasta machine as a birthday present for my boyfriend (ha ha - a clever sort of present which effectively I'll be giving myself.)  I'm based in France so ideally looking for brands that are likely to be available here.

What sort of things should I be looking for? Also: can you use Italian machines for rolling out dough for Japanese/Chinese etc recipes too?

Any other associated paraphernalia that would be fun to throw in with the machine?

Any words of wisdom/warning would be most appreciated.

I have some attachments that will cut the pasta into the long shapes. It attaches to the back side of the same machine, so you can roll to the left, switch the crank, and out comes your spaghetti, fettucini, etc. on the right.

There is also a (special!) ravioli attachment that was supposed to be a bonus treat. We tried it once and it was so ridiculously awful and messy we leave it in the box and do it the old-fashioned way.

So get the cutting attachment(s) if they are offered.

"I'm not looking at the panties, I'm looking at the vegetables!" --RJZ
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  • 1 year later...
dougal

dougal

Posted
Posted

Anyone got any hands-on knowledge of Kenwood's new extruder attachment (A910/AT910) and its range of bronze extrusion dies?

"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch ... you must first invent the universe." - Carl Sagan

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Jon Savage

Jon Savage

Posted
Posted
I am looking into a manual pasta machine for under $100. I've been recommended the Atlas machine and am also looking at Imperia at Williams and Sonoma. Does anybody have any other recommendations? Thank you!  :smile:

In your price range the Atlas is hard to beat. I've had mine for almost 25 years and it is still going strong.

Jon

--formerly known as 6ppc--

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  • 1 month later...
adegiulio

adegiulio

Posted
Posted

I just started using the Kitchenaid rollers. I love having the extra hand free, but have a bit of an issue with the spaghetti cutter. instead of cutting individual strands, it cut strand pairs. I could pull the pairs apart, but that would be tedious. Any hints on what is wrong? I have a feeling my dough may have been a little too moist...

tia

"It's better to burn out than to fade away"-Neil Young

"I think I hear a dingo eating your baby"-Bart Simpson

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Carole

Carole

Posted
Posted
I just started using the Kitchenaid rollers. I love having the extra hand free, but have a bit of an issue with the spaghetti cutter. instead of cutting individual strands, it cut strand pairs. I could pull the pairs apart, but that would be tedious. Any hints on what is wrong? I have a feeling my dough may have been a little too moist...

tia

The spaghetti cutters are the worst. About the only time I have luck with them is to let the dough dry out more. It seems nearly too dry. That way only a couple stick together with most of them separating. You really have to play around with it until you get the moistness in the dough just right. I cut the sheets of dough into 12 inch lengths, try one, if it's still too wet I wait a bit, try a second, etc. After a few times with this you'll get better at judging it.

I don't know if it matters or not but my dough recipe is 1 egg per 100 grams of flour and a dash of olive oil (per person).

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