I'm in the market for a pasta machine. What's better...the one you crank by hand or the motorized one that goes on my KA stand mixer? Or is there another motorized one that operates independently of the stand mixer? I'd like to keep this purchase under a hundred dollars, and my primary use will be gumpaste/fondant, not pasta.

Thanks for your advice,
Sherri

I vote for the motorized one...while more expensive than the hand crank versions, it allows you the use of both your hands to handle the pasta itself. I had a crank type machine, but would get frustrated easily because of having only one hand to deal with the pasta. Plus it's a lot faster and more consistent. Here's some links for ya!

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=2-3/qid=1132679759/ref=sr_2_3/602-3060885-6525461?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0002T4Z8M

and....

http://www.target.com/gp/search.html/ref=sr_bx_1/602-3060885-6525461?field-keywords=pasta+machine&url=index%3Dtarget

Hope this helps!

I have eyeballed the motorized one for several years now but I think I still prefer my hand cranked machine. I'm rarely ever making pasta by myself so having enough hands is not a problem. I like the hand-cranked one for control over the dough going through. Motorized or hand-cranked will give you uniformity in thickness obviously, so the only diff is use.

To support my opinions, I'll add that my family has been making dozens of raviolis from scratch every Easter for longer than I have been alive. We all still use the hand-cranked machine.

that stupid motor is so loud i dont even use it any more and i prefer to do it by hand so i dont have to hear it...

just my opinion...but if your sensitive to loud noise while your working, i wouldnt suggest it

I have a hand crank one, and have been very happy with it, and have never thought of replacing it with a motorized one. Although I have never used a motorized one so I can't make a judgement call between the two, but I am happy with my hand crank model.

Wilma

i have a hand crank one, which is great because you can take it to the table with you. You can also buy a motor for the hand crank if you end up wanting to go that route. I've never used the rollers for the KA, but when i went to buy them the reason i went with the portable one is because i didn't want to be tied to my kitchen counter.

Anyone know where I can get the attachment for my Kitchenaid?

If you have a plug near your table, portability isn't an issue. I didn't care for the marks the hand crank left on my countertop or my table, even though the grip things were padded slightly...and if I used a cloth or towel between the grip/clamp and the surface of the table or counter, it would move around while I was using it some. Some motorized ones have quiter motors than others, and some hand cranks can tend to be kind of wonky...my MIL has had 3 crank models and wasn't happy with any of them, so she borrows my motorized one all the time now. We, too, have been making pasta in our family for quite a long time.

Thanks you guys! I'm going shopping Friday (isn't everyone?!) so I'm hoping to get a good deal on one.

Haha, no way I'm going out on Black Friday.

I appreciate everyone's recommendations. I'm going with a motorized one, I think, but don't quite yet know whether to go with the KA attachment or a free-standing one.

Happy shopping, Misdawn! Please post back if you get one.

~ Sherri