My first and second experience with making pasta.
The first time I made pasta I had a lot of fun with it. I followed a recipe in my cookbook that recommended making the dough in my food processor first. It come out beautifully but it was a lot of hard work because everything was rolled by hand. I then bought a pasta roller machine (imperia, until it died) and it made the process a lot easier. But not easy enough for me. So I went out and bought this motor unit that made the rollers move by themselves without you having to do it yourself manually. I was a great solution and the third time I made pasta I used this motor and couldn’t be happier. It is an absolute must.

How it works.
You put the machine in the same spot you would put the handle and secure it. There is an arm on the main machine that moves up to secure it but if your model does not have this feature then you will have to secure it with a rubber band or against another object (your machine should have this arm otherwise a different machine with this arm). Then you turn on the motor. It has two setting. Setting one I would consider a medium speed, it will take about 10-30 seconds to get the whole pasta through depending on thickness and expertise with the machine. Setting two is only slightly slower. Both speeds work well but I use the high setting most of the time. They are controlled by a toggle switch and stay on until you press the toggle switch off. It is either on or off.
There is also a button you can press for ravioli. You press the button and the machine turns on, release the button and the machine stops.

What versions of pasta machines does it work with?
From my experience I know it works well with the Villaware pasta maker roller machine and the Imperia pasta maker roller machine. They have the same ports and it seems to me like the same manufacturer. The only issue if you need to consider is how the motor is secured. If you do not have an arm on the side of the machine you buy then return it and get one that does (or just open up the box to see.) If there is no arm or groove set the machine then it will slowly inch itself out of the port.

Durability
I have had no problems with it and I do not perceive any. Nothing has broken yet and there is nothing I can see that will break or break easily. With that said, it is not designed for restaurant usage and will die shortly if used for hours on end at a daily basis. Home use should be find.

My recommendations
In my opinion, a KitchenAid machine and pasta attachment is a better option (but not cheaper). It also gives you more room/height to work with and a I believe is it a stronger motor. But if you do not have a KitchenAid then this set up works just fine and it is a little cheaper. But please avoid the extrusion machines if at all possible. The Ronco version I own is not worth the plastic it is made of.

What I own
I own an imperia roller style pasta maker that got gummed up and I was unable to clean it out properly. I own an imperia pasta machine motor that worked with this unit. After the first pasta machine died I went ahead and bought the Villaware roller style pasta maker and currently use that. Basically the motor works with both units.

Cleaning it
Just get a damp cloth and wipe it down. No problems except that you may need a small cloth to get into the ridges of the unit. These could harbor flour and dirt.

Dimensions and weight
Weight: 2 lbs, 7.5 ounces
Length: 7.5 inches
Width: 4.5 inches
Height: 5 inches

Problems
I have had no major problems with the machine as of yet. The motor has been strong enough for my needs and no off smells (smells from an over used motor) have been released from the machine.
One minor problem is that my second pasta machine was not set up for my motor. To solve this I had to jam it against my stove to keep it from slipping out of the port. The other option is large rubber bands.

Summary
This tool makes using the pasta roller a lot easier. Instead of using the handle and manually moving the pasta rollers, you plug in the machine and make the motor move the rollers for you. This frees up both hands so you can properly feed the pasta through and guide it out of the machine. This tool also eliminates the need for the clamp on the main unit because the motor is very smooth and does not jerk the machine around. The motor does to be securely mounted to the pasta roller unit otherwise if will fall out of the holes. Most pasta machines are designed with a metal bar to keep the motor unit in place but if yours does not then you should consider returning it and buying a unit that does have this arm.

Other reviews you might be interested in.
Ronco Pasta Maker (extruder)
10 square Ravioli maker
Villaware Pasta machine (Roller)


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 50