Philips Pasta Maker review: a honest hands-on comparison

I’ll review the Philips Pasta Maker and compare it to the other best tested models. Is this the right pick for you? I’ll explain whether this pasta maker suits your needs (and your expectations)!

Summary of the Philips Pasta Maker review

Likes and dislikes

Okay, I had my doubts but the Philips Pasta Maker is a great machine. However, it definitely shouldn’t be everyone’s first choice – but it may just suit your list of needs.

Who should buy the Philips Pasta Maker?

Should you buy the Philips Pasta Maker? Yes, I think it’s a great machine for those that don’t have the time to prepare and make fresh pasta. Whenever you feel like it, with this machine you’ll be sure that fresh pasta will always be an option for dinner (or lunch). The pasta it extrudes is good, but a bit dense. While it isn’t the real thing, its miles ahead of supermarket pasta. The convenience this machine gives you, gives you no excuse to ever go back to the dried supermarket pasta.

The Philips Pasta Maker isn’t the best choice for everyone. If you want a more traditional approach and don’t mind spending time learning the craft of pasta, this might not be the right choice. Pasta rollers like the Marcato 150 (with optionable Marcato motor attachment) and the KitchenAid pasta attachments give you more control, precision and are better choices if time isn’t always of the essence.

Using the machine – accessible and surprisingly quick

If you stick to the recipes Philips provides and use the flour & liquid measuring cups, the results are pretty darn great. A lot of novice pasta makers don’t have a problem with using their machines, but getting the dough right is more difficult. You’ll be amazed how this machine makes it look like very little effort with a pretty pretty good pasta as the result.

I’ve been making homemade pasta for a long time now and I appreciate Philips attempt to make homemade pasta accessible for everyone.

I was pretty happy with the results I got with this machine. Making a batch of pasta every day is definitely quicker than I manage to do with a manual machine. The pasta tastes good, but I can’t get around the fact that its more dense and has a different texture than handmade pasta. Its miles ahead of store bought pasta!

Fresh pasta with the Philips Pasta Maker

The video below really shows how easy and quick it is to use.

Free recipe book with correct measurements

The free pasta recipe book for the Philips Pasta Maker is a welcome addition and sets you off to a good start. The recipe book features over 20 different pasta recipes and the right measurements for 24 different pasta flavors. The measurements that Philips has added are very convenient and will make it a lot easier to make the perfect pasta dough.

The Philips Pasta Maker is a great choice for those who favor speed, efficiency and ease of use. However, you won’t be getting artisanal pasta. You’ll compromise on control and precision as there is only one thickness for the pasta. Making the dough is fast and easy with this machine, but it misses a lot of marks that usually go into making pasta dough. This reflects into the taste, texture and thickness of the pasta the Philips Pasta Maker extrudes.

Shaping discs

The Philips Pasta Maker comes with 4 shaping discs. Lasagna / dumplings, penne, spaghetti and fettuccine. There are two difference 2-piece sets out there: A set with rigatoni & macaroni as well as a set with angel hair & pappardelle. The attachments aren’t crazy expensive, but still – the combined price is the same as a decent manual pasta maker.

In comparison with other machines, these extra shaping discs are pretty cheap. While they’re made of very hard plastic, they’re still made from plastic. Compare this to KitchenAid, Marcato and Imperia attachments which are all made from metal. However, I’m comparing pasta rollers with a pasta extruder, which isn’t completely fair.

This doesn’t change the fact that for around 50,- you’ll get four extra attachments. Not a necessity since you already get 4 shaping discs, but a good deal nonetheless.

The machine & the accessories

The Philips Pasta Maker comes with a flour and liquid measuring cup, a slicing tool, four different shaping discs and the tools to clean two of these discs. Besides the ingredients, Philips is giving you everything you need to make fresh pasta with minimal effort. The slicing tool can be used for more than cutting of the extruded pasta. There’s a reason its on my list of most essential and best pasta tools out there.

To me, all of this seemed like quite the statement: promising fresh pasta in around 15 minutes without many of the normal procedures when making homemade pasta.

Considering the fact that with the manual pasta rollers the process has multiple phases, which can take around an hour. Normally you’ll be kneading the dough, letting the dough rest and rolling it through several thickness setting to achieve a nice, thin sheet of pasta. The Philips does none of this and simply extrudes the pasta through the shaping discs. The result is a firm, more dense pasta shape.

Sounds pretty calming, but most can’t afford to take this time during the weekdays. So, how does the Philips Pasta Maker compare and who should buy it?

Pasta extruders have been on the market for a while, both electric and manual. Truth be told, most other pasta extruders are of lesser quality when compared to the modern Philips Pasta Maker.

The Philips Pasta Maker is the size of a big coffee maker and if you plan on using it regularly, it wont look bad on your kitchen counter. It’s quite heavy and you don’t want to be dragging it through the kitchen everytime you want to make pasta.

The machine consists of a body with a removable dough tray containing a kneading hook, a lid and a control panel.

Comparing the Philips with KitchenAid, Marcato and its compact version

When it comes to electric pasta makers, there are several great choices that offer quality and ease of use. Below I’ll summarize the biggest differences, both pros and cons. For a full review of all the differences between Philips and these other pasta makers, refer to my guide choosing the best electric pasta maker.

First off, the Philips Pasta Maker offers an all-in-one package. You won’t get the same with the pasta makers below. You’ll be able to get better results and control over your pasta, and none of these models takes away the fun and mindfulness that comes with making pasta by hand.

The most obvious choice is the smaller Philips Compact model. It’s cheaper and takes up a lot less space than the original model. If you don’t have a big household and you’re with 2 or 3 at home, the Philips Pasta Maker Compact is a great option if you really want a pasta extruder and not a traditional roller.

Philips Pasta Maker VS KitchenAid comparison

KitchenAid offers a 3-piece attachment for their stand mixers. If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, this is my recommended choice. Comparing it with the Philips, it won’t mix and knead the dough for you. Let your stand mixer knead & mix the flour into pasta dough and skip the ‘hard work’ yourself. The KitchenAid is lower in price than both the Philips Compact and standard Philips Pasta Maker. Own a KitchenAid? Read my KitchenAid Pasta Maker review as I would recommend it over the Philips Pasta Maker if preparation time isn’t of the essence.

Philips Pasta Maker VS Marcato 150 /w Motor comparison

The Marcato 150 is a classic pasta roller that normally operates with a handcrank. Marcato sells a motorized attachment, which turns this high-end pasta maker into an electric machine. Choosing the Marcato is a good idea if you don’t own a KitchenAid, but want to enjoy real artisan pasta.

You’ll have a lot more control than with the Philips Pasta Maker, but it’ll take around an hour to make fresh pasta. You have to make the dough yourself in about 10 minutes, then let it rest for 30 minutes and finally roll and cut the pasta sheets. You’ll make multiple batches that you can store in the fridge or freezer. Not as quick and easy compared to the Philips Pasta Maker, but it’s aimed towards a different market. Read my Marcato Atlas Motor review.

Philips Pasta Maker VS Philips Pasta Maker Compact

As I’ve mentioned before in this review, it’s a great choice if you don’t want the more bulky original Philips Pasta Maker. It’s cheaper than the original and comes at a bit smaller size. You won’t be making the same sized batches, but you’ll save a lot of space on your kitchen counter.

While it takes up a lot less space than the original, but it doesn’t lack in its performance and results. It still mixes, kneads and extrudes the dough – the main selling point remains the same. I prefer this smaller model, as it takes up less space and still does the job.

The attachments of the original aren’t compatible with the Compact model. The same goes vice versa.

Cleaning the Philips Pasta Maker

How do you clean the Philips Pasta Maker?Pasta extruders are a bit more work to clean than a manual roller. It seems that Philips didn’t want to make the same mistake as many other manufacturers and they supply you with some cleaning tools for the shaping discs. The bin itself can be cleaned by hand or dishwasher.

It has been designed in a certain way that most of the parts can easily get detached and cleaned. The bin where the dough gets mixed can be cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher, and any dough leftovers the Philips Pasta Maker discs can be easily cleaned with the cleaning tool that you get for free with your purchase. You simply use the cleaning tool to push out all the remaining pasta from the pasta discs and you are done.

Most of the parts of the machine can easily get detached. This making cleaning the Philips pretty easy – it takes around 5 to 10 minutes depending on the mess you’ve made. making the cleaning an easy task.

You also won’t have to worry about any hidden leftovers in a hidden corner. The mixing area has been designed to have no corners at all, making it easy to clean.