It can make pretty firm noodles, but you must need a motor. Otherwise it's not gonna work.
Pasta machine roller body is always the same so don't need buy more expensive brand.
The way to make your noodles firm is to add whole eggs and probably lye water.
But you might like the smell of alkaline in the noodles. Somebody likes it.
It makes me hate my noodles sometimes. It stinks a little.