Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta Maker & Noodle Machine with 7 Molds for Spaghetti & Fettucine and More, Makes 2-3 Servings in 15 Minutes, White (86650)

Much much easier to use than the Philips models. It makes noises, several weird unnerving noises and the friction will make some hotspots... but I just made the most amazing semolina and eggs pappardelle at the first try, and the mess in the countertop was MINIMAL. It took me around an hour to prepare dinner + lunch + dinner, a lot of protein with the eggs and semolina, and if you make a big pot of sauce Sunday, you will be just fine for the entire week. The machine stops after several minutes of deep extruding and there is no way to restart, unless you disconnect the machine from the electrical outlet. Please, restart the movement as soon as possible, otherwise you will have a big lump impossible to process. I do recommend to prepare small batches of 300 g each time. A pinch of oil will be very helpful, and remember that the best pasta it is made just with yolks, semolina and some wheat flour. Skip the salt, you have to add that taste in the water.

Bought this a year ago. Used it three times. Every time it was a hassle just to get even a quarter pound of pasta. Unit constantly stopped and had to be restarted. After the third use, I put it in the pantry and forgot about it. Just pulled it out today to try and make homemade lasagna noodles. You have got to be kidding me. What a complete piece of worthless junk. Waited too long, now I can't even return it. The best part of this unit was opening my garbage container lid and tossing it into the trash. That's what this pasta machine is, TRASH.

The key to success is to follow the directions explicitly. Weigh the flour on the built-in scale, add precisely the correct amount of liquid. If adding egg, whip the egg and include it in the liquid measurement. The resulting dough will be dry, coarse and rather grainy, not doughy at all. But when it extrudes through the pasta disk, it will solidify into perfect pasta. All the negative reviews appear to be the result of improper measuring that resulted in thick, gooey dough that will not feed properly into the extruder. Cleaning the machine is time-consuming and requires patience, but so does cleaning up after you make noodles from scratch on your countertop with a rolling pin. The machine works as advertised and the fresh pasta is great! Again, measure exactly and follow the directions!

I just used this machine for the first time. I have never made pasta before--not by hand or machine. Before I tried it for the first time, I joined a group on social media for folks with automatic pasta makers like this. Those folks had some good tips. I mixed up a basic dough with one egg, semola, and all purpose for my first try. I did two knead cycles back to back. Then let it rest for 30 minutes (a tip I learned in the scial media group). It looked a little dry so I added about 10ml more water to my dough and did the quick pasta cycle--which kneads and immediately extrudes. I used the die/mold for wide noodles--traditional egg noodles. The machine will not extrude all of the dough. It stops after awhile, so I had to restart it twice. There was still dough left, but I had plenty of noodles. I'll try to figure that out later. I read another review that said to slightly elevate the back end to force more of the dough toward the front. It extruded exactly as the manual said that it should--at first the noodles are a little rough, but then they were very smooth. The noodles tasted great! I am really pleased. My hope is to be able to use some freshly milled kamut in my pasta making. I need more experience before I attempt that with this machine. For the price I am happy.

This pasta maker is easy to set up and use. I have had no problem making any size pasta. I have used the regular spaghetti size disc, extra thick, but my favorite is the angel hair thin pasta dough disc that I mostly use all the time. The couple recipes they give are easy to follow to make great pasta! I have had no problem at all with this machine that makes homemade pasta and it’s so quick and easy! I timed my self on clean up and I can have the whole machine cleaned and the discs cleaned in about 5 to 6 minutes which includes getting the pasta out of the wholes in the disc used. Basically I am done cleaning by the time the pasta is cooked and ready to eat. I am amazed at this pasta machine and have had no issues with it at all and I have had it about 4 months. I make multiple pasta weekly. This machine is awesome!

I have had the Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta maker for more than a year now, and it's time to pass on my thoughts. As others have said, the machine requires a pretty precise mixture in order to work well. It nicely weighs the flour for you and directs you to add the correct amount of liquid. I have found that using one beaten egg and 5 ml of olive oil mixed in with the water and using slightly more liquid than the machine calls for works best for me. I have not been successful at using any wheat flour at all, only white flour. Also, the nozzles for smaller pasta sizes, like angel hair don't work at all. The dough just jams up in the nozzles and won't go through no matter how much you thin it. The most frustrating aspect of using this machine is it quits multiple times during making of a single batch of pasta. I have to try multiple combinations of instructions in order to get it going again. Most often, I have to unplug the machine and then somehow get it started extruding pasta again. I had difficulty getting the machine to use most of the residual dough, but I have recently discovered that placing a thin plate under the back end during the extrusion phase makes the dough migrate to the nozzle end of the machine and results in better usage of the dough. Now that I think about all the difficulties in using this thing, I think I'll change my rating to 3 stars instead of 4.

The Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta Maker (model 86650) promises fresh, homemade pasta in just 15 minutes. While it delivers on convenience and ease of use, it's not a perfect fit for all types of flour, especially fresh-milled wheat. Here's a breakdown of my experience: Pros: Super convenient: It mixes, kneads, and extrudes pasta automatically, saving you time and effort. Easy to use: The digital keypad and built-in scale make the process foolproof, even for beginners. Versatile: Seven pasta shapes give you plenty of options to experiment with. Compact and tidy: The machine is small and comes with a storage drawer for the discs, keeping your counter organized. Fun and creative: Making your own pasta can be a rewarding experience, and the ability to customize with different flours and flavors adds to the fun. Cons: Not for all flours: While it works well with all-purpose flour, I had mixed results with fresh-milled wheat. The dough often came out too dry and crumbly, making it difficult to extrude. Limited capacity: It only makes 2-3 servings at a time, which might not be enough for families or large gatherings. Cleaning can be tricky: While some parts are dishwasher safe, the nooks and crannies of the extruder can be challenging to clean thoroughly. Pricey: At $129.99, it's not the cheapest pasta maker on the market. Overall: The Hamilton Beach Electric Pasta Maker is a great option for casual pasta enthusiasts who primarily use store-bought flour. It's convenient, easy to use, and offers plenty of versatility. However, if you're a serious pasta lover who wants to experiment with fresh-milled wheat or make larger batches, you might want to consider a machine with more power and flexibility.

Most importantly!!! This takes some practice and some basic baking knowledge. Get a scale! Sift your flour! Measure precisely! All basics when it comes to baking. My wife can duplicate anything a chef has ever put in front of her, but, her baking skills weren’t as impressive. She had to make three batches before she got it right. Once she started with the digital scale and sifting her flour it made all the difference in the world. Now she looks like a professional. Her homemade carbonara has never been better!