How Can a Pasta Drying Rack Add Value to Your Kitchen?
Many people today have embraced the Italian cuisine that includes pasta. If you are one of these people, a pasta drying rack must not miss in your kitchen. To get dry pasta, you need a pasta drying rack. The rack plays a significant role in ensuring a proper airflow so that the pasta dries evenly.
The pasta drying rack also optimizes the taste of the pasta. This happens when it allows the dough to rest as it dries. You, therefore, need to get a drying rack for this purpose.
You will find a variety of pasta drying racks in the market today. In this article, we will review some of the five best pasta drying racks. Our best pasta drying rack is the Marcato Atlas Pasta Drying Rack, Tacaasta. We love it because it is strong and hence durable.
A List of the Best Pasta Drying Racks: At a Glance
| Name | Best for |
| Norpro Pasta Drying Rack Wood | Fresh homemade pasta |
| GOZIHA Pasta Drying Rack Noodle Stand | Cutting pasta |
| IPstyle Spaghetti Drying Rack Noodle Stand | Spaghetti, fettuccine, vermicelli, linguine, and lasagna |
| Marcato Atlas Pasta Drying Rack, Tacapasta | Long noodles |
| Navaris Collapsible Pasta Drying Rack | All types of pasta |
The 5 Best Pasta Drying Racks in 2021
Norpro Pasta Drying Rack Wood, 2.6
Amazon’s Choice in Manual Pasta Makers by Norpro
Best for drying fresh homemade pasta
Product description
Color: Wood
Material: Wooden
Features and details
The Norpro Pasta Drying Rack Wood is good for you if you like making your pasta at home. The manufacturer of this rack is NORPRO, which is located in Pacific Northwest.
- Rubberwood prevents pasta strands from sliding off.
- Simple design that allows you to make around 2 pounds of pasta at most.
- The wooden rack is 16 ½ inches tall and 7/8 inches thick. It has four 18 inch dowels that slide through the holes in the post. As a result, it creates eight well-placed arms so that they don’t mess with each other when drying pasta.
- Easy to assemble and disassemble in a few minutes. This makes it easy to store.
- Easy to clean since you only need to wipe it with a clean piece of cloth.
- It is durable because of its heavy and stable base.
- It is affordable because it is a wooden rack hence cheap.
- The Norpro Pasta drying rack has accessories that will make your work easier. First, there is the 1047 Norpro Pasta Machine Motor. This makes you change your pasta machine from manual to motor-driven. It has a strong motor, heavy-duty power cord, and speed control with a pulse button.
- The rubberwood used to make it is friendly to the environment.
Our take
It is low in price and hence affordable.
What we like
- It can both be used manually and also with a motor.
What we don’t like
- We don’t like the chemical smell on the wood.
GOZIHA Pasta Drying Rack Noodle Stand with 10 Bar Handles Collapsible
Amazon’s Choice in Manual Pasta Makers by GOZIHA
Best for cutting pasta
Product description
Color: White
Material: Ultra-durable ABS
The manufacturer is GOZIHA, located in China.
Features and details
- A compact design that is also collapsible. This makes it easy for you to store it when you are not using it. In addition, the compact dimension makes it easy to use on your kitchen countertop.
- Easy to assemble and disassemble.
- Four anti-slip solid toes on the backside for stability. So you need not worry about the rack slipping and falling.
- The material used to make it is of high quality. It is eco-friendly and non-toxic.
- It has ten different bar handles that allow you to dry up to four pounds of fresh homemade pasta noodles.
Our take
It is good for people who don’t like buying items on a regular basis. The reason is, it lasts long.
What we like
- We like that; however sturdy it is, it is affordable.
What we don’t like
- It doesn’t have an impressive length.
iPstyle Spaghetti Drying Rack Noodle Stand with 10 Bar Handles
Amazon’s Choice for “pasta drying rack collapsible”
Best for spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagna, linguine, vermicelli and tagliatelle.
Product description
Color: Green
Material: ABS Plastic
Features and details
- The iPstyle Spaghetti Drying Rack Noodle stand is manufactured by IPSHANG that is based in China.
- The ABS material is safe for your health and friendly to the environment.
- The arms’ pieces can hold up to 500g of pasta each, while the arms’ length can also accommodate more pasta.
- Collapsible, and hence easy to store.
- Easy to assemble since you don’t need to screw it.
- Easy to clean. You can wipe it with a dry cloth.
- A convenient design that does not slip.
- Comes with a coupon that allows you to save some amount of money.
Our take
The ABS material makes it a safe item to use.
What we like
- You can use it for various types of pasta.
What we don’t like
- It breaks when heavily loaded.
Marcato Atlas Pasta Drying Rack, Tacapasta
Best for long noodles
Product description
Color: Blue
Material: Polycarbonate and Steel
Features and details
- The Marcato pasta drying rack is a product of MARCATO in Italy.
- The 16 rods, which are 8-inches each, close up for easy storage. The rods also make it solid and durable.
- The steel makes it easy to clean. Use a brush or dry cloth to clean it.
- The multi-purpose wand picks pasta and carries it to a drying rack.
- Dries long noodles like spaghetti, lasagna, fusilli, fettuccine noodles, fettucini, and many more.
- Large enough to provide enough space to dry up to 4.4 pounds of pasta.
- The rubber toes make it slip-resistant.
Our take
It is expensive but durable.
What we like
- It hangs a lot of pasta.
What we don’t like
- It is pretty expensive.
- It is not safe to clean it in a dishwasher.
Best for all types of pasta
Product description
Color: Silver
Material: ABS
Features and details
- The Navaris is a collapsible drying rack that is almost similar to the Marcato drying rack. KW-Commerce makes it in China.
- Stable because of the non-slip feet. Moreover, the rubber feet keep it firm on the kitchen table.
- The rotating pasta hanger with 16 dowels makes it strong, holding up to 4.5 pounds of all kinds of pasta.
- Easy to store because you can collapse it, and it won’t take much space.
- Cleaning is an easy task. However, it would help if you simply wiped each dowel with a damp cloth.
- Two recipes of how to make noodles come with it.
Our take
The two recipes it comes with are a great advantage.
What we like
- It is easy to use. You just need to use the central dowel to place up to 2kg of dough on the pasta dryer rack.
What we don’t like
- The handles may become loose when a lot of pasta is placed to dry.
Buying Guide-What Should you Consider When Purchasing a Pasta Drying Rack?
Before you decide which pasta drying rack to buy, consider the following:
Materials they are made of
Pasta drying racks come in different materials. The common ones are made from wood, steel, and plastic.
If you want to have a drying rack that will last for a long time, go for a stainless steel one. Apart from being durable, they are also easy to clean. You will find most of them blending well with the modern kind of kitchen.
On the other hand, wooden drying racks are eco-friendly and very affordable. But, unfortunately, they don’t last for long compared to the stainless steel ones. After some time, they tend to crack.
The plastic drying racks are light in weight which is a positive and a negative trait. It is Positive because you can carry it anywhere, but its negative side is that it keeps collapsing over since it is not strong.
Size and Amount of pasta
The Amount of pasta is also a determiner for the drying rack that you will purchase. For instance, if you need to be making lots of fresh pasta, check the capacity unit of the dryer with the manufacturer. The capacity listings are always in pounds or square feet. In this case, a rack with many arms will hold more pasta.
The size of the pasta also matters. Most racks measure between 11 and 20 inches. If you prefer long noodles, then get a taller rack.
Features
What features come with the pasta drying rack? Check out the following features:
- Arms: What is the amount of pasta that you want to dry? If you’re going to dry large quantities, then get a model that has more drying arms.
- Wands: Some drying racks come with wands that help to move pasta quickly.
- Rotation: To maneuver easily, get a rack that rotates. A rack that has a rotating design will make loading and offloading of pasta easier.
- Collapsible design: You can fold some racks. This makes storing an easy task. However, if reassembling is going to take much time, then avoid the collapsible racks.
Cost
How much are you willing to spend on a pasta drying rack? If you want a high-quality stand, like the stainless steel ones, get ready to spend more. High-quality racks are expensive. If you don’t have an extensive amount of money, then go for wooden or plastic racks. The plastic and wooden racks are not suitable for bulk pasta making.
Stability
Irrespective of the material used to make a pasta drying rack, it needs to be stable. Some types of homemade pasta require a lot of time to dry. This means they will spend much time on the rack. So, the stand should not tip over when loaded with pasta.
Style/Appearance
We do not relate the way a rack appears to the way the rack functions. However, to some people, appearance may be essential. They may want something that matches the colors in the kitchen, and this is where appearance matters. They will always choose unique designs or those with colors that match their kitchen colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I clean a pasta drying rack?
A: Cleaning a pasta drying rack depends on the material used to make the rack. For instance, the wooden frames can be wiped using a dry cloth. However, if the stains are deep, use a damp cloth. For the stainless steel racks, observe the guidelines from the manufacturer to find out whether you can dish-wash them.
Q: How long does pasta take to dry?
A: For pasta to dry, ingredients and the kitchen environment matter. If you are planning to cook your pasta after making it, there is no need to dry it. Drying it for 30 minutes is good if you are planning to cook it in 12 hours. For storing in the fridge or freezer, dry it for a few hours.
Q: Do I need a pasta drying rack?
A: Most people don’t see the need to own a pasta drying rack. You will find people drying their pasta without a pasta drying rack. The truth is that, by not using a drying rack, you will need much space. Then, they also need to make sure the surface is floured. Other people use makeshift tools, which are not safe. The best thing is just having a pasta drying rack.
Key Takeaway
From the reviews above, this is what we have picked:
Best Drying Pasta Rack: Marcato Atlas Pasta Drying Rack.
Our take: It is an expensive drying rack, but it is worth the price since it will last for long. It can also take up a large amount of pasta.
What we like: The polycarbonate and steel material makes it very durable. In addition, it can take up to 4.4 pounds of pasta. It is also a foldable drying rack making it easy to store.
What we don’t like: It is expensive, and some rods are very low.
Best for your pocket: Norpro Pasta Drying Rack, 2.6
Our take: It is a wooden drying rack that is low in cost—best for those making pasta for the first time.
What we like: they made it from eco-friendly wood, and it is also easy to store because it is foldable.
What we don’t like: It is not ideal for making pasta in large quantities.
With the reviews in this article, you should by now have an idea of which drying rack to buy. They can dry spaghetti, vermicelli, linguine, lasagna, pasta sheets, and many more. The racks also have a design that allows air circulation over the pasta. So get one online and enjoy drying your pasta!
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