I got this pasta maker about 2 years ago (as a gift, I would have bought a better one) and have used it 30-40 times.
I had a lot of problems at first and blamed them on this "cheap" machine.
This machine is made in China, not Italy.
Note I got the 5 piece set and not just the basic machine here.
The five piece set is a better deal. See:
V178 AL DENTE 5 Piece Pasta SetYou certainly should buy an Italian machine if you want the best, can't beat the Atlas or Imperia, but this machine works well enough for home use; and especially for the cost.
If your dough is sticking all around the rollers like the "I HAVE to wash this thing!" reviewer wrote, then you're not making your dough properly.
I HIGHLY recommend Pasta Tecnica if you're having problems with making pasta with this machine. The book pretty much solved all my issues and I found out that most of the problems I blamed on this machine were my own doing. See:
Pasta TecnicaFollow the instructions in the book, and this machine works just fine.
I heartily agree with the other reviewer about the ravioli attachment; useless. Ravioli is just not that hard to make.
The best tool for making raviloi is here:
Pastry CrimperBesides, it's real important to get all the air out of your ravioli so they don't burst while cooking and the ravioli attachment just can't do that.
By the way, it's true that you don't ever wash your pasta maker; if you make your dough correctly, you won't have to wash it. It's the same with ALL pasta machines and has been forever. Get a clean paintbrush to clean it.