Customer Reviews

CucinaPro 150 Imperia Pasta Machine

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Length:: 9:14 Mins

My video shows the machine being put together and attached to worktop. It then shows the most difficult operation for the machine: making spaghetti.

29 Nov 2011: Please see my video review of Pasta Machine Cookbookfor how to make ravioli using the pasta machine.

Bought through Amazon UK it looks like the same kit for the USA. I got to this level after one week and several portions of pasta having never used a pasta machine before.

I made the pasta as 200g of '00' flour plus two large eggs. I then put pasta in plastic bag/sealed and left it for at least two hours. I then cut pasta in half with the other half being replaced in plastic bag/sealed for use the following day.

The humour may be lost in the Atlantic somewhere but I hope that what you see is useful. The spaghetti tasted creamy delicious.

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.

Before purchasing the Imperia, I AGONIZED for weeks over which pasta machine to buy. I have a KitchenAid stand mixer and I considered getting the pasta roller set for that because I figured it would be a strenuous job to hand crank. The problem was that I didn't know if I'd really like homemade pasta (I'd never had it before) and those rollers are about twice the price of the manual machines, depending on which one you buy. I didn't want to waste a bunch of money and then find out that I hate making pasta. Plus, I wanted the machine to be mobile since I plan on using it at friends' houses for dinner parties. Hauling my mixer is out of the question.

I almost bought one of the cheaper manual machines (PastaFresh or Roma), but finally decided on the Imperia because it was "middle of the road" in price and the others got almost equal amounts of bad reviews as they did good reviews. I'm so happy with this machine! The instructions are a bit iffy (impossible, really) but with the help of a few online videos and the Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles (recommended here), I attempted my first ever batch of pasta. I used the egg noodle recipe for fettuccine from the book. Terrific! I expected the process to be difficult and time consuming, but from start to finish it probably took me about an hour, including cook time. I mixed the dough by hand without a food processor and it wasn't even that messy. I ran a quarter of the dough through the rollers and cutters first to clean them out, then threw it away as instructed. I could see some grey in the dough when I was done, so don't skip this part unless you want metal dust in your pasta! The dough was coming out thin and stringy at first and I wondered what was wrong. I had the machine on setting 1, and you're supposed to start on setting 6! With a cheaper machine I probably would have stripped the gears trying to run the thick dough through setting 1, but the machine was fine afterwards.

My biggest problem was trying to keep the fettuccine from sticking together after I ran it through the cutter. I was not using enough flour. The Youtube video I watched recommended rice flour, and that worked wonderfully while I was rolling and cutting. I didn't dry the pasta before cooking, I just threw it right in the boiling water. It turned out delicious, much better than expected. And, if you're curious as to what spaghettini looks like, picture ramen noodles.

I also bought the Norpro ravioli press with the machine and book, and I wanted to mention that the rollers on the Imperia DO make the dough wide enough for use with the ravioli press. Some of the cheaper manual machines didn't have wide enough rollers to cover the entire press, and wouldn't have worked with it.

This machine is built like a tank. Everything seems very heavy duty and should last forever. I'm so glad I didn't buy a cheaper machine! If you're on the fence about spending this much like I was, just do it. You won't regret learning on one of the best machines out there. If you can't decide between this and the KitchenAid rollers because you think the hand crank will be too hard, trust me, I did it all by myself from start to finish with no issues.

the Pasta maker is terrific. small and easy to store. I had an attachment to my kitchen aid, but was never wide enough for the dough. this has a large opening. When I was in Tuscany taking a class in pasta making this is the model they used, need I say more....

I bought a cheap ($25) version of this style pasta machine at a gourmet kitchen store, only to be GREATLY disappointed when I got home - the crank handle was in three pieces and fell apart with almost every turn. The crank would only go around decently on higher # settings, and after a few minutes, popped out of gear or something and wouldn't go around at all. Only one roller would even turn after that. With all the force/pressure we were exerting on it, the clamp wouldn't hold it in place. After purchasing this one (I bought the red Williams Sonoma version) I was amazed at the difference. The crank is solid wood, and turns beautifully. The clamp is not really even necessary, as the machine sits nicely, but it does hold it down. The instructions were very helpful, and as a first time pasta maker, I whipped out beautiful ravioli and peirogie dough in a matter of minutes. The clean up was easy - just brush the flour off. You can't run any water on it or wash it with water, and you need to be careful of humidity, but I think this is the standard rule for pasta machines. Overall - a wonderful product.

My father-in-law gave me an Imperia Pasta Machine as a gift for Christmas 4 years ago, and I love it. I had never made pasta before, but I love to cook everything from scratch so I was eager to try. I have used this pasta machine steady for 4 years now. My husband and I are pasta people, so we have past 2-3 times per week. It has stood up to the use and abuse we have managed to put it through and is in tip-top shape. I make a lot of linguine so my linguine cutting blade is a little squeaky, but it's nothing a little oil can't fix. I haven't bought pasta from a grocery store in 4 years. I would highly recommend this pasta machine to anyone considering making their own pasta. It is the best machine out there. All in all it is a very well built sturdy machine and WELL worth the money. If properly cared for, this is the type of investment that can be passed down through generations.

I found this to be easy to use. It is not as time consuming as it seems. The only down side to this is the instructions. I bought a seperate book on pasta that uses this type of machine or it would have been harder to use.

I had my heart set on the Italian-made Imperia 150, made by Imperia, distributed in the United States by CucinaPro (or formerly distributed by Villaware). I ordered this but I was sent the PastaFresh pasta maker (which happen to also be distributed by CucinaPro), I requested an exchange and got a second PastaFresh, then finally requested a refund. I called CucinaPro to answer a few questions and they told me that Amazon is not authorized to sell the Imperia, and that the attachments are not interchangeable so I should get the machine I intended. All I can tell you about the PastaFresh they kept sending me is that it's made in China, not Italy, and it seemed sturdy and fairly similar to Imperia. If you don't mind the difference, go for it. I got my Imperia (and attachments) though.

After reading several reviews, I wasn't positive if this was the original Imperia Pasta machine or not...I'm glad to say, this IS the original Imperia that comes in the same red/white box as shown elsewhere (for a much higher price that what is currently listed via Amazon).

The additional accessories fit this Imperia exactly. It comes with the standard roller (as pictured above) plus one attachment that has two different settings as indicated.

Heavy machine, very well made. Should last nearly forever with proper care. There are a few oddities with the machine including troublesome counter connection. Depending upon the size/type of your kitchen counter, you may encounter difficulties...we did. Fortunately, we have a small island work center that did the trick. The machine must be used near the edge of a counter for the handle to have sufficient clearance - these and other similiar design issues take a bit of time to get used to when first using.

Amazon seemed to have the absolute best price - couldn't come close in my area.

Pros:
-Nice weight to the unit. Feels solid.
-The noodle slicer attachment slides on nice and snug
-The noodle slicers are machined close enough to slice paper, yes I tried. The only "uncut" noodles I had were due to freshly cut dough sticking back together. Roll it into flour, toss a little, problem solved.
-The flat rollers are very well aligned, with no discernible play, at all settings.
-The clamp holds well. I used it on the edge of a corian bar counter. Never had a problem with the unit walking or shifting. Just make sure the surface and rubber feet are clean of flour.
-It's great for 3 year old kids who want to help in the kitchen. Play-dough you can cook and eat.

Cons:
-The overall finish is maybe not quite as nice as my mom's, lacking in depth of polish in the chrome. Metal knob feels thinner, but going from memory here. It's otherwise identical, but could be a different brand.
-The tray attachment (not pictured) tends to wiggle loose, and unless you flour the heck out of the dough, it will catch. It's not really needed anyway.
-I have some physical flaw in my arm I guess, because removable handles always wiggle loose while I turn.

Ok, so a 5 star machine would be machined out of a solid hunk of steel, chromed to look like a car bumper from the 50's, weigh 35 lbs, and cost $200. I review on advertised function and met expectations...

...I found none of the faults the 1 and 2 star reviews indicated. The cons really are minor. The fact is, it's a unit designed to make two types of noodles out of the box, and pretty much whatever flat pasta you want to roll out and shape. That's what it does, and does it well. I've made lots of noodles, and bunches of ravioli. I used to roll ravioli with a french rolling pin, this is so much easier. I like "traditional" hands-on methods (personal enjoyment reasons only), but this is a totally worth it compromise.

Will fresh pasta change your life? Probably not. I prefer it, it's a mouth feel, texture and taste thing for me. Pasta is so cheap, there is probably little cost benefit. It takes a little more effort than dumping a box into boiling water, but if you're reading this you should get it, it will be worth it to you.

(I am increasingly disappointed in Amazon's packing, but this is not a review of Amazon)