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Marcato Pasta Machine Buyer’s Guide
The Marcato Pasta Machine Buyer’s Guide is intended to offer a quick reference guide and help you navigate the extensive Marcato product line easier.
This buying guide will also inform you of the numerous pasta shapes that Marcato’s machines can make as well as their traditional uses and compatibility with other Marcato products.
Pasta Machine Comparison Chart
Down below is a chart that outlines the key similarities and differences of each of Marcato’s pasta machines. Each of the Marcato models are linked for more product information.
| Marcato models | Steel roller width | Included pasta cutting accessories | Compatible with optional pasta cutting attachments* | Compatible with Pastadrive motor** | Color / Exterior material | Price |
| Classic Atlas 150 | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | Yes | Yes | Chrome steel exterior | $69.99 |
| Design Atlas 150 | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | Yes | Yes | Red, blue, ice blue, black, green, copper, pink (all are processed onto an aluminum exterior) | $89.99 |
| Ampia 150 | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | No | Yes | Chrome steel exterior | $49.99 |
| Atlas 180 | 180mm (7″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | No | Yes | Chrome steel exterior | $74.99 |
| Multipast Set (includes a Classic Atlas 150 with 3 pasta cutter attachments) | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini Plus: Reginette, Spaghetti, Raviolini (comes with set) | Yes | Yes | Chrome steel exterior | $159.99 |
| Atlasmotor Set (includes a Classic Atlas 150 and a Pastadrive motor) | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | Yes | Comes with this set | Chrome steel exterior (Atlas 150) and Metallic ABS (Pastadrive motor) | $159.99 |
| Pasta Fresca (electric pasta dough maker with 3 pasta cutter attachments) | 150mm (5.9″) | Lasagne, Fetuccine, Tagliolini | No | No | White ABS | $379.99 |
| Regina (pasta extruder) | N/A | Extrudes/cuts maccheroni, maccherocini, bucatini, fusili, rigatoni | No | No | White ABS | $99.99 |
* Optional Atlas 150 pasta cutting head attachments are for making: bigoli, capellini, lasagnette, linguine, mafaldine, pappardelle, reginette, spaghetti, spaghetti alla chitarra, trenette, vermicelli, and ravioli
** The Pastadrive motor is a 2-speed motor that converts any compatible machines from manual to electric. It simply fastens to the machines via an innovative bayonet fitting. The Pastadrive has many advantages which include:
- Porous and consistent pasta sheets due to the constant speed of the rollers
- Hands-free design that lets you keep just the right amount of tension on the dough
- Speeds up the pasta making process without compromising quality
- Excellent for meeting high production demands
- Finished in a metallic ABS that will fit into any kitchen aesthetic
Other Key Similarites:
Marcato fully appreciates the beauty of how two simple ingredients, water and flour, harmoniously combine to turn into dough, a generational and versatile creation. It is of upmost importance to Marcato that their products do not contaminate the dough in any way and instead promote wellness and food safety. All of their machines are designed and engineered with a number of exclusive internal and external machine components that ensure purity, which include:
- Rollers made of anodised aluminum alloy which guarantees no harmful dust particles transfer to the dough
- Combs and scrapers made of polymeric resin, yet another material that guarantees no harmful dust particles transfer to the dough
All of Marcato’s manual pasta machines, except the Regina (pasta extruder), were thoughtfully designed with a 10 position pasta sheet thickness dial. This allows you to fully customize your pasta and is excellent for meeting preferences, cooking the pasta evenly, and filling recipe requirements.
Marcato will also include instructions for setting your pasta sheet thickness dial correctly for your desired pasta shape. This is perfectly shown in this picture below:
Marcato Pasta Machine Buyer’s Guide: Types of Pasta that Marcato Machines Make
Each type of pasta comes from different regions in Italy and each have their own unique characteristics that Marcato fully represents in their products.
Though many of Marcato’s pasta machines are capable of producing at least 3 shapes of pasta, the Atlas 150 is the most versatile, as it is compatible with 12 other pasta cutting attachments (listed above). For an even wider range of pastas, the Regina pasta machine is designed with extruders and dies that can process and cut 5 additional types of short and long pasta including bucatini, fusilli, maccheroni, maccherocini, and rigatoni.
The chart below describes the various types of pasta that can be made with Marcato products.
| Pasta Type | Shape | Description | Marcato Product | Compatible with Pastadrive Motor? |
| Bucatini | long | Contains a small hollow center which is excellent for collecting extra sauce. Often enjoyed in the city of Rome. | Regina Pasta Machine | No |
| Fusilli | short / curly | Similar to the shape of a cork screw, which enables the pasta to catch sauces and other ingredients. Excellent with vegetable dishes and often used for pasta salad. | Regina Pasta Machine | No |
| Maccheroni | short | Short, cylindrical, and has a ribbed surface. Good for absorbing sauces and adding a rich and strong flavor to dishes. | Regina Pasta Machine | No |
| Maccherocini | short | Classic elbow-shaped mac and cheese noodle. Small, short, cylindrical, and has a ribbed surface. Absorbs sauces wonderfully and is excellent for soups and casseroles. | Regina Pasta Machine | No |
| Rigatoni | short | Originated in Rome. Cylinder-shaped with large inner diameter and ribbed outer surface. This design perfectly traps ingredients and absorbs sauces with its ribbed outer surface and collects other ingredients in its large diameter to create immense flavor. | Regina Pasta Machine | No |
| Capellini | long, very thin | 1mm wide. One of the thinnest pasta varieties. Traditionally enjoyed with light sauces. | Atlas 150 with Capellini attachment | Yes |
| Lasagnette | long, flat | 10mm wide. Excellent for main course dishes. Easily combined with sauces. | Atlas 150 with Lasagnette attachment | Yes |
| Lasagne | long, flat | up to 150-180mm wide depending on the Marcato machine. Very versatile shape. Often enjoyed layered, rolled, or divided into squares. | Atlas 150/180, Ampia 150/180, Pasta Fresca | Yes |
| Linguine | flat with oval cross section | 3mm wide. Traditionally seen in Genoa. Excellent with fresh sauces and fish. | Atlas 150 with Linguine attachment | Yes |
| Mafaldine | long, flat | 8mm wide. Traditionally seen in Naples. Resembles lace on a dress. | Atlas 150 with Mafaldine attachment | No (due to safety reasons) |
| Pappardelle | long, flat | 50mm wide. Traditionally seen in Tuscany. Has a rough surface and strong flavor. Often used with very flavorful condiments, such as a meat based sauce. | Atlas 150 with Pappardelle attachment | No (due to safety reasons) |
| Reginette | long, flat | 12mm wide. Features zig-zag edges. A regal shape that goes perfectly with rich recipes. | Atlas 150 with Reginette attachment, Multipast set | No (due to safety reasons) |
| Spaghetti | long with circular cross section | 2mm diameter. The most famous type of pasta worldwide. Very versatile and excellent for all types of sauces and recipes. | Atlas 150 with Spaghetti attachment, Multipast set | Yes |
| Spaghetti alla chitarra | long with square cross section | 2mm wide. Most famous type of pasta from Abruzzo, an Italian region east of Rome. Excellent with thicker sauces such as a meat-based sauce. | Atlas 150 with Spaghetti alla chitarra attachment | Yes |
| Trenette | long with a square cross section | 3.5mm wide. Traditionally seen in the Italian region of Liguria. Perfect for light, tasty sauce such as pesto. | Atlas 150 with Trenette attachment | Yes |
| Vermicelli | long with a circular cross section | 1mm diameter. One of the oldest types of pasta. Traditionally from the Campania region and made with durum wheat flour. | Atlas 150 with Vermicelli attachment | Yes |
| Tagliolini | Very thin, long | 1.5mm wide. One of the thinnest types of egg pasta. Fast cooking and perfectly pairs with light sauces and even soups. | Atlas 150/180, Ampia 150/180, Pasta Fresca | Yes |
| Fettuccine | long | 6.5mm wide. Very versatile. Excellent as a main dish with meat, fish, or vegetable sauces. | Atlas 150/180, Ampia 150/180, Pasta Fresca | Yes |
| Bigoli | long, round | 3.5mm wide. Traditionally made in Venice. Resembles thick spaghetti. Has a rough surface which is great for absorbing sauces/other condiments. | Atlas 150 with Bigoli attachment | Yes |
| Ravioli | Stuffed, square | 45mm wide. Excellent as a main meal and combining ingredients. | Atlas 150 with Ravioli attachment, Multipast set (sometimes comes with the Raviolini attachment instead) | No (due to safety reasons) |
| Raviolini | Stuffed, square | 30mm wide. Smaller than regular ravioli. Excellent for combining ingredients. | Atlas 150 with Raviolini attachment, Multipast set (sometimes comes with the Ravioli attachment instead) | No (due to safety reasons) |
Thank you for taking the time to read the Marcato Pasta Machine Buyer’s Guide. We hope that you found it helpful. There are many other Marcato products that were not listed in this post and can be found on our website here. If you have any questions regarding any of the Marcato products, leave them in a comment below and we would be more than happy to answer them.
