There is no doubt that you can taste the difference between homemade noodles and store-bought noodles. Homemade noodles taste so much better, they are fresh and there are no preservatives needed to make them last for years in a plastic bag or cardboard box. Anytime you have the chance to have homemade noodles, go for it.
However, there is a reason that mass-produced store-bought noodles are in such high demand. Making your own noodles is an absolute ton of work. You need to mix all the ingredients together, stir them up, knead the dough to just the right consistency, roll it out to the right thickness, cut the noodles, let them dry, and then you can finally cook them and eat them.
Because of this problem, automatic noodle makers have become quite popular these days with so many people spending more time at home. There is no doubt that everyone should have the ability to make their own homemade noodles, but what are the best automatic noodle makers you can get for your money?
Table of Contents
Best Overall Automatic Noodle Maker for the Money- Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Plus, Large, HR2375/06
The Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Plus Is a fully automatic pasta-making machine. It will mix, knead, and push out the noodles for you making it necessary for you to only add the ingredients and choose the setting. It is small enough to fit in a cupboard and big enough to make a half pound of pasta from scratch. It allows you to make 4 different types of noodles:
- Fettuccini
- Penne
- Spaghetti
- Lasagna
It comes with dishwasher-safe parts which makes it much easier to clean and take care of. It is simple to take apart, clean, and reassemble. It also ships with a recipe book compiled by cooking experts, so you can try new pasta ideas while you are learning how to use the noodle maker.
Features
- Makes some pasta in as little as 10 minutes- this is quite fast compared to traditional noodle-making techniques
- Includes four shaping discs, allowing you to make 4 popular shapes of pasta noodles
- Makes fresh pasta which tastes much better than store-bought pasta noodles
- Allows you to make your own healthier pasta with your own ingredients
- Has dishwasher safe parts which makes it much easier to clean and maintain than other units that are not constructed of dishwasher safe parts
- Ships with detailed recipe book written by actual cooking experts that will give you many new pasta recipe ideas
Pros
- Makes pasta from scratch
- Has the ability to make 4 popular shapes of pasta
- Easy to clean and maintain due to the parts all being machine washable
- Machine is not too big or small, fits in the cupboard and still makes a lot of pasta in one batch
Cons
- It is a bit more expensive than some of the other options
Summary
The Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Plus is a great way to make your own noodles without too much skill or fuss. It will allow you to make different noodle shapes and provide a recipe book for you to learn some noodle recipes. Although it is not the least expensive option for making noodles at home, it is the best value for the money since it will create all the popular noodles with almost no work from you. As long as you get the ingredients right and use the correct settings you can let the machine do the work.
Best Compact Fully Automatic Noodle Maker- Philips Compact Pasta and Noodle Maker with 3 Interchangeable Pasta Shape Plates – White – HR2370/05
Similar to the larger Philips model, the HR2375, this noodle maker allows you to simply place the ingredients inside and turn on the correct setting. It can make up to 3 servings of homemade pasta in only 18 minutes, not quite as much as the larger model but plenty for a single person or a couple. It comes with 3 different pasta shaping disc attachments for Fettuccini, Penne, and Spaghetti.
Features
- Automatically makes up 2-3 servings of fresh pasta in under 20 minutes by using the specially designed mixing bar.
- Has a 40-inch power cord which makes it easy to find a nearby power outlet.
- Creates 3 popular kinds of pasta shapes, making it versatile and easy to use. The shaping discs create very smooth pasta because of the double extrusion process.
- Optionally you can get 3 more pasta shaping discs for more shapes- Angel hair, Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, and Lasagna.
- The shaping discs have unique extrusion holes which create extra smooth noodles by making sure the dough comes through smoothly.
Pros
- Less expensive than the larger Philips model
- Allows up to six pasta shapes if you get the additional discs or three shaped out of the box
- Creates fresh homemade pasta very quickly in under 20 minutes
- Comes with a long power cord making it easier to use in a kitchen with few electrical outlets
Cons
- It is not a very large pasta maker. If you have a large family, you will need to make more than one batch of noodles to feed everyone.
Summary
If you need a compact automatic ramen noodle maker, but don’t need a very large one, the Philips Compact Pasta and Noodle Maker is a good option to consider. It creates up to 3 servings in under 20 minutes, which is quite an achievement. Making homemade noodles by hand takes much more time and does not produce consistent results like this compact noodle maker will do. It is not the least expensive way to make homemade noodles, but it is certainly the easiest.
Most Versatile Fully Automatic Noodle Maker- Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta and Noodle Maker, Automatic, 7 Different Shapes, White (86650)
The Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta and Noodle Maker is similar in function to the first two automatic noodle makers, but it has some differences which put it into a class on its own. It can make between 2-3 servings of pasta in only 15 minutes, which is slightly faster than the first two machines here. It does all the mixing, kneading, and extruding for you while you are doing other cooking tasks. It comes with 7 different noodle shaping discs right out of the box, making it the most versatile of the machines. It comes with 7 discs which allow you to make the following noodle shapes:
- Thick spaghetti
- Angel hair
- Spaghetti
- Wide noodle
- Fettuccini
- Penne
- Lasagna
It weighs just under 10 pounds at 9.62 pounds and is 12 x 6.8 x 10.8 in size. It is a fully automatic noodle-making machine where you add the ingredients, and it does all the rest of the work.
Features
- It will make up to 3 servings of homemade pasta automatically leaving you more time to work on the rest of the meal.
- Creates ready-to-cook pasta in only 15 minutes- This is slightly faster than most other automatic ramen noodle machines.
- There is no need to dry the noodles once they are extruded. Once they come out of the machine, they are ready to cook right away, this saves some time and allows you to work on other things.
- There is an internal scale that will help you measure the ingredients. It will help you calculate the proper ratio of water to flour.
- Allows you to make vegan pasta or gluten-free, comes with 4 recipes.
Pros
- Great value for money considering how much it does and how much it costs
- Faster than many other automatic noodle makers
- All in one solution for making homemade noodles that require no drying or extra time waiting
- Not too big and will fit in almost any kitchen or cabinet when it is being stored
Cons
- It is not able to supply enough pasta in one session for a large family, capacity is not very big
Summary
As the most versatile automatic noodle maker, the Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta and Noodle Maker allows you to make 7 different pasta shapes up to 3 servings with no drying in only 15 minutes. It is an all-in-one solution for making homemade noodles whether you want vegan, traditional, or gluten-free noodles in any of the 7 included shapes, it can take care of the noodles while you work on your meal.
Best Noodle Maker with Slow Juicer Combo Machine- EMERIL LAGASSE Pasta & Beyond, Automatic Pasta and Noodle Maker with Slow Juicer – 8 Pasta Shaping Discs Black
The Emeril Lagasse Pasta & Beyond Automatic Pasta and Noodle Maker is similar to other automatic noodle makers here, but this one is also a complete slow juicer, which is a unique feature that really makes this machine stand out from the pack. It comes with 8 pasta shaping discs which are:
- Lasagna
- Angel hair
- Udon
- Tagliatelle
- Fettuccini
- Penne
- Spaghetti
- Linguine
In addition to making 8 different types of pasta noodles, it is also a slow juicer that will let you make juices and smoothies as well. It is a hefty 16 pounds and sits at 13.9 X 6.2 X 10.9”. It comes with 8 pasta shaping discs, the juicer attachment, and a recipe book. In addition, it also includes a noodle cutter, 1 dry measuring cup, spatula, cleaning tool, and cleaning brush. It is an all-in-one juicer and noodle maker that comes with all the accessories you would need as well as a recipe book by Emeril Lagasse, a world-renowned chef.
Features
- Includes 8 pasta-making discs and soft-serve attachment- This allows you to make 8 different pasta shapes as well as use the machine as a slow juicer.
- Dishwasher-safe parts and the included brush make it easy to clean when it gets dirty.
- Can make up to one pound of fresh pasta in one session.
- Allows you to make many different kinds of pasta from vegan to gluten-free, as well as many healthy juices and mixes.
- Made by Emeril Every day, a world-renowned USA Based company.
Pros
- Versatile machine that can make pasta noodles or juices and smoothies
- Comes with all the accessories needed to use it and clean it as well
- A well made sturdy machine that weighs 16 pounds and will last a long time
- Comes with a recipe book by Emeril which includes some of his personal pasta and juicer recipes
- A fully automatic machine that will mix and knead the dough and extrude it for you with no action needed by you but to add the ingredients and turn it on.
Cons
- Large heavy duty machine may not be easy to use and store if you have limited counter or storage space
Summary
If you are looking for an automatic noodle maker but you are also a big fan of juicing, you may want to consider this machine. It will allow you to get your homemade noodles done as well as make some juices or smoothies all with the same machine, which will save quite a bit of money and prevent you from needing a noodle maker as well as a slow juicer. It is not the most inexpensive machine, but for what it does, it is certainly a good value for the money.
Best Budget Manual Crank Pasta Making Machine- ISILER 150 Roller Pasta Maker
If you are comfortable making your own dough, you probably don’t want to spend the hefty sum to get a fully automatic pasta-making machine. Instead, once you have the dough all mixed up and kneaded, you will only need something to help you flatten the noodles and cut them into the desired shape. The Isiler 150 is hand-cranked pasta roller machine that will allow you to take the prepared dough and shape it into pasta.
It is only just over 4 pounds and 7.9 x 6.1 x 7.7 inches which allows it to fit comfortably in just about any kitchen. It comes with a stabilizing clamp so you can clamp it to your counter space and avoid any slips while rolling out the noodles.
Features
- Consistent texture- Smooth rollers help to give your homemade pasta a consistent texture every time with a chewy mouthfeel.
- Thickness setting- It has an adjustable thickness setting so you can set it for thicker or thinner noodles, whatever the recipe calls for.
- 2 widths from various noodles- Pasta sheets can be cut with one of 2 widths which allows you to switch from spaghetti to dumpling skins to fettuccini and more.
- Food grade material- It is made of non-toxic aluminum alloy which is food-grade material and will never make you sick or rub off on your food.
- Sturdy table clamp- the included table clamp helps keep the machine stable while you roll out the dough.
- Easy to clean- It has a separated structure, so it is easy to clean and put away.
Pros
- Simple to use and clean
- Allows you to make many different flat noodle shapes in one machine
- Makes chewy tasty dough that does not rip like some automatic machines make
- Inexpensive and small enough to fit in any kitchen or storage space
- Can make noodles or dumpling skins
- Made of food-grade material
Cons
- You have to make your own dough, mix it, and knead it before you use this machine to roll and cut it.
Summary
If you are looking for a manual hand-cranked noodle maker for a low price, this is a great option for you. It is made of high-quality aluminum alloy and comes with a clamp so you can keep it in place during use. It is easy to clean, use, and store and produces high-quality noodles that you simply can not get with fully automatic machines. For the money you spend to get this pasta machine, you get quite a good value.
Best Kitchen Mixer Pasta Maker Attachment- KitchenAid KSMPRA Pasta Roller & Cutter Attachment Set
If you already have a KitchenAid mixer, you have already spent a hefty sum for a kitchen gadget that can mix the dough. It only makes sense that instead of plopping down a couple of hundred bucks for another full appliance like an automatic noodle maker, you may as well just get an attachment for the expensive gadget you already have. The KitchenAid KSMPRA Pasta Roller and Cutter Attachment set will connect right on the front of your mixer and take up hardly any storage room.
It is a stainless steel cylindrical attachment where you place your completed dough in the top and it comes out the bottom flattened and cut. The unit is completely designed by KitchenAid so it will work seamlessly with your mixer. It rolls 6-inch sheets of pasta with 8 different thickness settings.
Features
- Official KitchenAid product designed and produced to work specifically with other KitchenAid products.
- Fits all household KitchenAid stand mixers
- Has a convenient front pocket
- Rolls out six-inch sheets of pasta with a total of 8 thickness settings
- The spaghetti cutter will make classic spaghetti noodles
- Makes fettuccine noodles as well
Pros
- Created by KitcheAid so it is a high quality unit
- Works seamlessly with your existing KitchenAid mixer
- Small and easy to store
- Made of stainless steel so it will never rust
Cons
- Seems quite expensive for what it is.
Summary
If you already own a KitchenAid Mixer you are probably already making your own dough. This attachment will allow you to take the dough and make it into noodles with minimal work. It attaches to the front of your mixer and will create noodles from your dough using the power of your mixer. It has 3 different attachments, pasta roller, fettuccine cutter, and spaghetti cutter. It is made of stainless steel and quite high quality as you would expect from KitchenAid. The only real downside is that it costs as much or more than a fully automatic pasta machine.
Runner Up- Budget Manual Pasta Maker- Ovente Manual Stainless Steel Pasta Maker Machine
While not quite on par with the Isiler hand crank noodle maker, this Ovente unit does a great job for right around the same price. It is metallic red which is a little stylish nod to the iconic KitchenAid mixer, and it helps the Ovente stand out from the crowd. It comes with a hand crank and stabilizer clamp as well. It is made with stainless steel which keeps it easy to clean and makes it food-grade material. It is just under 4 pounds and sits at 8 x 7.74 x 5.87 inches. It has an adjustable thickness knob that lets you choose how thick you want the pasta.
Features
- Made of stainless steel and food-grade carbon it will last for many years.
- Comes with 3 attachments to make the pasta process much easier. It also comes with the stabilizer clamp and hand crank.
- The clamp is adjustable so it will fit nicely onto countertops of varying thicknesses.
- Customizable- Has a 7 position dial to choose the thickness of the pasta noodles.
- Easy to clean- Simply clean with a brush or wooden rod when done using it.
- Comes with one year warranty.
Pros
- Simple hand-cranked pasta maker which is simple to use and understand
- Inexpensive and small enough to store and use in any kitchen
- Great value for the money when you consider how much you spend
- Made of stainless steel which will last for years
Cons
- Not automatic requires you to manually turn the crank in order to get the noodles
Summary
The Ovente Pasta Maker is great deal. It is not the best budget unit, but it is a solid second place choice. For the money, you would have a hard time finding a better manual pasta maker than the Ovente. It helps you make consistent noodles with varying thicknesses with just a few turns of the crank. It comes with a stabilizer and crank, so you get everything you need when you order the unit. For under fifty bucks picking this up is an easy decision.
Pasta Maker & Ramen Noodle Machines Buyer’s Guide
Types of Automatic Noodle Machines
There are many ways to make your own noodles at home, but the easiest way is to let a machine do the hard work of mixing, kneading, and extruding the noodles for you. There are three distinct types of automatic noodle maker machines, some more automatic than others.
Fully Automatic
The fully automatic types of noodle makers are by far the most hassle-free way to make your homemade noodles, but they are usually also the most expensive versions. You just need to add all the ingredients to the machine and use the correct settings, and the machine will do the mixing, kneading, and extruding for you while you work on the rest of the meal.
These machines are usually under 15 pounds and include some useful accessories and some have decent cookbooks included with the purchase.
You can expect to pay between a hundred and three hundred bucks for a good fully automatic machine.
Pros of Fully Automatic Noodle Machines
- Foolproof, difficult to screw up if you follow the instructions
- Most come with recipes for making different kinds of noodles
- They come with different pasta shaper discs
- Enable you to make round noodles which are very difficult to do any other way
Cons
- Usually quite a bit more expensive than the other types of noodle makers
Rollers and Cutter Attachments
This next type of automatic noodle maker is more of a semi-automatic machine. Attachment style noodle makers generally attach to an existing kitchen mixer and serve to roll the already made dough and flatten it out into flat style noodles, they usually have a cutter attachment as well so you can cut the noodles. These can be quite expensive as well especially some of the more high-end name brand attachments. These machines do not mix or knead the dough for you, but they certainly make it easier to make uniform noodles than by doing it manually with a dough cutter and rolling pin. They are generally slightly less expensive than the fully automatic noodle makers, but not always.
Pros of Attachment Style Noodle Makers
- Take up less space in your kitchen
- Attach to existing kitchen mixer, saving you from having to buy and store another gadget in the kitchen
- Allow you to set thickness and make uniform noodles every time
- Faster and easier to roll and cut than the manual crank machines
- Allows you to mix and knead your own dough the way you like it
Cons
- If you don’t already have a kitchen mixer these are useless
- Much more expensive than the manual crank machines
Manual Crank
Manual crank-style noodle makers have been around for many years. These are the machines your grandma used in the kitchen to make fettuccini noodles back in the day. They are bulky, and sometimes heavy steel machines that need to be clamped to the edge of your counter or table.
They work by taking your already made dough and flattening it by squeezing it between two rollers while you turn a crank to move the rollers and push the dough along. Typically, it will take a couple of passes to get the dough to the desired thickness. Many of the manual crank noodle makers will also allow you to cut the noodles, sometimes using a special attachment.
Pros of Manual Crank Style Noodle Machines
- You control the thickness and consistency of the noodles from start to finish
- Much less expensive than the other two types of noodle makers
- No power is needed, no circuit boards involved, no chance of breaking unless you physically break it by beating it up too much.
- It will last much longer than the other two types of noodle makers
Cons
- Relies on your arm muscles to make the dough
What to Look for When Buying a Ramen Noodle or Pasta Noodle Maker
There are some things to consider when looking to purchase an automatic noodle machine, some things are more important than others.
Choose the Type of Machine
Automatic or Other?
The most important question to ask yourself is “Do I want to make the dough by hand?” This question alone will determine whether or not you go with a fully automatic machine that mixes, kneads, and extracts the dough for you, or one of the other two options. If you do not want to make the dough yourself, an automatic style machine is the best way to go.
There are some people who have been making their own dough for years and would not dream of letting a machine mix, knead, and extrude the noodles for them. When you let the machine do all the work, you are giving up a small amount of control and creativity. Some cooks just enjoy the act of mixing and kneading, it is quite therapeutic. So, even though it seems logical that everyone would want a fully automatic machine, it is just not the case.
Manual Crank of Attachment?
If you are one of the people who prefer to make your own dough, that takes the fully automatic machines out of the mix and leaves you with two other options, attachment style, or manual crank style. This is quite an easy decision. If you do not already have a kitchen mixer, the only logical choice is to go with a manual crank machine.
Decide Which Attributes Are Important to You
Now that you know which type of machine to get, it’s time to figure out which attributes are the most important to you. Price is always a concern, but it is not always the deciding factor in a purchase like this. Buying a noodle maker is a long-term purchase since the machine will last you for many years. Here are some of the things to consider once you know which type of machine you will get.
Space
If you have a very limited amount of space in your kitchen, you will want to take a close look at the size. The fully automatic machines can take up a good-sized chunk of counter space, but so can the manual crank machines, they tend to take up more edge space because they must be clamped to the edge you cannot set them in a corner or middle of the counter.
Ease of Use & Ease of Cleaning
Each machine has a different difficulty level as far as using it and cleaning it. Most of the automatic machines have many parts that are easy to remove, and most are even dishwasher safe. However, let’s be honest, taking apart machines and putting them back together is not fun for anyone, even if it is not very difficult. The manual machines are easy to clean especially if you use enough flour in the process of making your noodles, not much will stick to the parts. You can simply clean with a damp rag most of the time.
Types of Noodles
If you want to make a wide variety of noodle types, you may want to consider an automatic machine, as this is the only kind that easily can make up to eight or more kinds of noodles (depending on the model). Crank machines will only make flat noodles by default, but some will allow you to make spaghetti with a special attachment.
Price
Price is always a concern when purchasing something for your home. Generally speaking, when you are buying something long-term, price should be less of a concern than quality and how well the item matches your needs. It makes no sense to save twenty bucks on something that you will have for 20 years if you could have spent 20 more and got something you like much better. In my opinion, price matters much more on disposable or very short-term purchases like trash bags or paper towels.
Aesthetics
You have got to like the way the machine looks and feels. If you can get a great deal on one, but you don’t really like how it looks and feels, go ahead, and spend a little more on the one you truly like. This will be in your kitchen for many years, so when it is all said and done, get the best one for your needs and the one you like the most.
