I'm far from an expert, but I took the plunge and bought a proper pasta roller this weekend. Fresh fettuccine carbonara with homemade bacon was epic. It'll only get better as we learn.
It's less work than I expected it to be. The stand mixer makes quick work of the dough and cleans up in the dishwasher. The roller is quick as long as the countertop space is clear.
I plan do start doing larger batches and drying pasta for quick use during the week. Should make for easy gift giving as well.
You can skip drying it and take it straight to the freezer. When I make a batch of ravioli, I always make a big batch of it and freeze what I don't use. If you plan on freezing ravioli or any filled pasta, roll it a little thicker, as thinner pasta may crack.
Agreed on freezing. I love making fresh pasta, but it can be a commitment if you're doing ravioli. Lately I've been making squid ink fettuccine to have with seafood since I haven't found anywhere in Houston other than BCN that has good squid ink pasta.