After reading several reviews on slightly cheaper models and considering the advice given in Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking", I chose this model. It sat under the cabinet for 3 weeks after I bought it because life's demands didn't afford any time to play with my new toy. I finally scored a Saturday with nothing else to do and pulled it out of the cabinet. Here are a few observations:1. This model is a product of Italy and the instructions (which are written in several languages) are written in poor English. Since the product is a simple design, I found that I didn't really need the instructions to figure out how to assemble the double cutter attachment. Thankfully, attaching the double cutter is the only assembly required.2. The pasta machine came with a recipe for pasta dough. The recipe was also written in several languages but the English instructions were a bit clearer than the assembly instructions. I didn't use the recipe provided by the machine's manufacturer though. I used the instructions provided in Marcella's book mentioned above.3. This machine is heavy and unbalanced when the double cutter is attached. It comes with a clamp to clamp it to your counter top or table if you choose to use the hand crank provided to operate the machine. I bought the "Villaware V180 Pasta Machine Motorizer" along with the pasta machine. Using the motor with the pasta machine not only eliminates the need to use the hand crank, it eliminates the need to clamp the pasta machine. Not having to use the clamp means that you can position the machine anywhere you wish on your work surface, not just on the edge. I found it was more comfortable to place the machine about midway to the wall on my counter top. Using the motor also frees up both hands for manipulating the pasta dough as it is being processed. I honestly don't think I could have used the thinnest settings with just one hand to manipulate the pasta dough. The dough becomes quite fragile when it thins and tends to want to stretch and presumably, break at the thinner settings. By using two hands to manipulate the dough, I found it easy to process the dough through the machine even at the thinnest settings.4. One of Marcella's suggestions was to buy a machine with a double cutter because you will be able to make wide fettuccine style noodles and narrow round spaghettini style noodles. I made both using the fettuccine style noodles to make fettuccine in butter and cream sauce (Alfredo) and short spaghettini style noodles to make chicken noodle soup. Both cutters worked flawlessly.5. The machine/motor's over all performance was also flawless. The motor switch has two speed settings and I used the slow setting throughout. The pasta machine and motor combination worked the dough easily through all the width settings. The motor also has a separate ravioli button that I have not tried yet. I ended up processing three batches of dough. The first was used to clean the pasta machine of metal bits and thrown away as was instructed in the manual.Conclusion:This is a well made pasta machine. It's parts are well designed and made of stainless steel. Maintenance is a breeze. Just wipe it down when finished using it. This is a great little pasta machine. In short, it does what it is supposed to do - and - it does it with ease. It makes pasta.

What I ordered and high Quality, Exactly as ordered , very nice , easy to use , expected price point for quality , easy to store

 I had a very peculiar experience with this consumer product, and took me a lot longer than any used before, simply because this is literally the first time I ever owned an Italian-make product. The delicacy and excellent material that goes into this product aside, the trouble was making the device work as it says and explained in the manual, which was accompanied with disappointment after disappointment. It is essential to be able to use any new device for the first time, or a new brand of one used previously, to understand the very fabric and culture of the makers. For example, some places the steering wheel is on the right, and so on so forth. To actually be familiar with the point of view and other wide scope views of designers and builders of any item, goes a long way in getting started right away, or otherwise getting stuck, and ending up frustrated. Having had to deal with this type of machine, was hard enough. The delicate movements and order of things to do, are much more diffuicult for the same reason that one finds it difficult to drive in a different manner. However, it is worth the effort, and one is able to appreciate and experience and observe the Art and inguniety that is inherent in the Culture that stands out in any form and field of Art, Engineering, and Science and Mathematics, practicing cation to leave any other Culture intact and respectful in its own right, only to note that each is peculiar in its own right, and it is plainly interesting to observe a new one from closeby. The device works perfectly, provided one has gained sufficient experience and sufficiently skilled to do so. Many tips and method of use is missing from the users manual, but I think it serves better the purpose on hand, because each user has to devise methods of use which suits him or her best, and not necessarily something that is described and to be followed by everyone. A lot of trials and cracking puzzles and problems are involved to come up with the right product that it is claimed to provide, but that is what gratifying about this machine. As a sideline, automatic types might ease the work a lot, but less control is available, which is the price one pays to spend less effort.

J'avais déjà une machine à pâtes de la même marque, mais un vieux modèle que j'ai dû laisser en Italie. Étant donné que je considère Imperia comme une très bonne marque, j'ai décidé d'acheter le même modèle mais version plus récente. La qualité reste impeccable, et je suis ravie de retrouver l'expérience de faire des pâtes maison avec une machine aussi fiable et performante. La machine est robuste, facile à utiliser et le design très elegante.

works great, but you can find an electrical one for less than that price

Ich habe mich für die Imperia entschieden und bereue es nicht.Kleine und kompakte Maschine mit einem sehr guten Gewicht. Man muss die Schraube nicht bombenfest anziehen damit sie nicht wackelt. Die Imperia glänzt schön und lässt sich auch mit einem weichen Tuch und einem Pinsel toll reinigen.Die sechs Stufen der Walze reichen vollkommen aus um den Teig geschmeidig und hauchdünn zu bekommen. Die Kurbel muss man schon exakt einsetzten, ansonsten fällt sie andauernd heraus, bekommt man aber schnell ins Gefühl. Ebenso die Technik mit dem Zusammenlegen des Teiges ist reine Übungssache.Der mitgelieferte Aufsatz/Vorsatz ermöglichtes 2mm und 6,5mm breite Nudeln zu machen. Er schneidet sehr gut und genau. Das Reinigen geht wieder leicht von der Hand.Ich hab mir auch gleich noch weitere Aufsätze/Vorsätze bestellt und kann somit ein großes Sortiment an Nudeln herstellen.Meine Befürchtungen, dass es schwieriger ist als gedacht und auch sehr zeitaufwändig sein wird, haben sich bei der ersten Verwendung schon in Luft aufgelöst. Von nun an gibt es bei uns nur mehr selbst genudelte Pasta.Fazit: Kleine feine Maschine, einfach und schnelle Bedienung und Reinigung. Viele Aufsatz/Vorsatz Varianten und das alles zu einem vernünftigen Preis/Leistungsverhältnis.-- volle Kaufempfehlung --

La Imperia es una máquina clásica para facilitar el alisado y corte de la pasta casera. Es sólida y robusta y su fijación a la mesa aporta seguridad al trabajar con ella. Para hacer la pasta basta con mezclar un huevo con 100 gramos de harina (yo suelo usar 3/4 de harina de fuerza y 1/4 de harina normal tamizadas). No se recomienda poner sal en esta mezcla porque puede perjudicar a la máquina (mejor ponerla en el agua al cocer la pasta), ni tampoco aceite (crea una capa que impide que el gusto de las salsas penetre adecuadamente en la pasta). Se amasa un buen rato, se envuelve en film plástico transparente y se deja reposar entre media hora y una hora. Después se aplasta un poco con las manos y se pasa por el rodillo en su posición más ancha cuatro o cinco veces. Luego ya vamos reduciendo poco a poco el grosor. Los rodillos aplanan la masa sin dificultad aunque no recomiendo el nivél más fino a no ser que el objetivo sea hacer fideos para sopa. La máquina cuenta con un accesorio que es una especie de bandeja que se acopla en la parte superior para evitar tener que sujetar la plancha de pasta con la mano mientras se va aplanando o a la hora de realizar el corte. Para limpiar la máquina y los rodillos utilizar un trapo humedecido.

Comprei na Itália e por aqui novamente!É a melhor máquina de macarrão, recomendo super!