What Do I Need to Start Pasta Making (2026): 5 Things, About $163

Buy the manual roller if you want to make pasta more than once. The Marcato Atlas 150 is the pick here because it rolls evenly, cuts fettuccine and tagliolini, and does not ask you to find an outlet beside the counter. Five useful tools cost about $163 before flour and eggs. That is enough for a first batch this weekend, without turning the kitchen into a restaurant supply room.

The short list

1. A manual roller and cutter ($105.54): MARCATO Atlas 150 Classic Manual Pasta Maker Machine, Made in Italy, Chrome Steel with Black Hand Crank. The Atlas 150 clamps to the counter, rolls sheets up to 6 inches wide, and has ten thickness settings. The included cutter handles fettuccine and tagliolini. Start on a wider setting, fold the sheet, and pass it through again until the dough feels smooth. The machine is not dishwasher safe, so brush it clean when the dough has dried.

2. A scale that reads 0.1 grams (about $19): Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale, 0.1g with Bowl (11 lb). Pasta dough is forgiving, but weighing the flour and eggs makes the second batch repeatable. The scale also helps when you adjust hydration after the first mix. Put the bowl on it, tare, add 200 grams of flour, then add the eggs. You will know what changed when the dough is too stiff or sticky.

3. A bench scraper (about $7): Bench Scraper / Dough Cutter (Stainless Steel). Use the flat edge to gather flour, cut the dough into portions, and lift a sticky sheet from the counter. The measuring marks are useful, but the sharp edge is the reason to buy one. A knife works in a pinch. The scraper is faster and keeps you from dragging dough across the worktop.

4. A lidded container for the dough (about $12): Cambro 6-Quart Round Food Storage Container with Lid. Pasta dough needs a rest before rolling. The 6-quart container gives a two-egg batch room to sit without drying out, and the clear sides let you see whether the dough has relaxed. Cover the dough for at least 30 minutes. A mixing bowl with a plate over it works while you decide whether this hobby is sticking.

5. Cotton towels for drying the noodles (about $19 for 12): Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels, 12 Pack (28 x 28 Inch), 100% Cotton. Lay a clean towel over a sheet pan or the counter, dust it lightly with flour, and spread the cut noodles in a loose layer. The towel keeps the pasta from sitting in a wet patch. You do not need a dedicated drying rack for a first batch, and twelve towels will find other jobs around the kitchen.

The cheap way to try it first

You can test fresh pasta for the cost of flour and eggs. Use a rolling pin, wine bottle, or even a straight-sided glass to flatten the dough. Cut tagliatelle with a sharp kitchen knife and cook it right away. Borrow the machine before buying one if you are unsure. The free path is less uniform, but it teaches you the part that matters: how the dough should feel after kneading and resting.

What to skip

• An electric extruder. It makes a different kind of pasta and costs several times more. Learn rolled dough first. Upgrade when you are making short shapes every week.
• A pasta drying rack. Towels and a sheet pan handle a dinner-sized batch. A rack becomes useful when you make pasta for a crowd, not when you are learning.
• A ravioli stamp set. Cut sheets and make fettuccine before adding filled pasta. Ravioli adds filling, sealing, and storage problems before you know whether the dough is right.
• A pasta-specific flour on day one. Regular all-purpose flour and eggs are enough for a first try. Buy 00 flour after you have made a batch and want a softer, silkier sheet.

The math and the first weekend

$105.54 + $19 + $7 + $12 + $19 = $162.54, so call the tool total about $163. Ingredients are extra and vary by grocery store. On Saturday, mix 200 grams of flour with two eggs, knead until smooth, cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Roll one small piece at a time, cut it, and cook the noodles within a few hours. If the pasta tears, let the dough rest longer. If it sticks, add flour in small amounts instead of dumping a whole handful on it.

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