There's lots of options to consider when buying an ice cream maker, and there's certainly one that'll fit within any budget. I've had several readers inquiring about ice cream makers and although there's extensive information in my book, The Perfect Scoop, here's additional information about each kind that's available, to help you out:
- I've been using the Cuisinart ICE-50BC with excellent results for the past 6 months and could not live without it at this point. Not only is the machine very efficient, the price is extraordinary for a self-refrigerating machine, although for a novice, it does fall into the 'investment' category.
I've never seen a self-refrigerating machine at this price and was skeptical, but my ice cream maker has been a real powerhouse and I consider it an indispensable part of my batterie de cuisine nowadays.
- A lower-priced option is a machine such as the Cuisinart ICE-20. This machine is a excellent value, and you'll need to pre-freeze the canister for 24 hours (no cheating!) before you plan to freeze your ice cream or sorbet.
These machines make great ice cream and are very affordable. You also should get an extra freezing bucket, which you'll find will come in very, very handy.
- If you have a KitchenAid mixer, their wildly-popular KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment works really well. I had the opportunity to use one during my visit to the KitchenAid factory recently, and was really impressed with the care and precision of the attachment.
Like everything they make, the ice cream attachment did a great job of churning up the various ice creams that I ran through it. Note that if you live outside the United States, European KitchenAid mixers are different and the attachment made for US-models will not work with them.
You can also find more of my recommendations for machines and ice cream making equipment at Let's Make Ice Cream!
Happy Churning!...
There's a time of year at which one doesn't make sorbets and ice creams??? As you francophiles might say, "Mon Dieux!" or however one spells it. I'll stay in South America and keep churning year round! I use a Krups that I have to prefreeze the canister... hmmm... a self freezing unit...
David, I've never understood how the KitchenAid one works - does it have a pre-frozen canister too?
BTW, I love my low-budget Donvier ice cream maker. I've had it for nearly 20 years (!) and although I don't make the same volume of ice cream as you it has stood me well. I had to replace the paddle a couple of years ago, but that was relatively cheap.
Thanks for the low-down though - I've had people ask me about ice cream makers and now I know where to send them!!
Dan: I think they discontinued the Krups unit, at least in the US. I had one here, but it started leaking and saw a newer model at the store. But a brief search turned up 'unavailable' at Amazon. I think the Cuisinart has taken its mantle...and now that I have the self-refrigerating one, I ain't going back!
...now go make some Dulce de Leche ice cream!
Meg: Yes, the KitchenAid unit needs to be pre-frozen as well. I wanted to test the Donvier, but in spite of the fancy-sounding French name, they're not available in France. I know some people like them, but with the other units having come down in price, I don't see that many Donviers around. Perhaps I'll see yours soon on eBay.fr...but I won't hold my breath.
the heat is on, and although I would love to make my own, here in Italy it is so easy to jut walk down the street and get some...
and when you have a fabulous artisan Ice Cream/chocolate boy... I can't resist.
you can go for jeans.. I am going for Gelato!
Hungry?
David,
I don't understand why the KA maker is so damned expensive. Any idea?
Although I'd kill to have ICE-50BC, until I do I prefer an actual ice-packed churn to the frozen insert type. I feel lucky to have quite an ancient Waring which uses a couple trays of ice and half a box of conventional table salt and can still make 2 quarts of something yummy. With this tiny treasure I can make ice cream without making sure anything is frozen a day in advance, without giving up valuable freezer space to something empty, AND (big "and") I can turn around and make a second flavor immediately. Besides that, it's sooo much easier to empty the churned cream into a freezer storage container because it doesn't continue to freeze to the side of the bowl after the dasher has stopped scraping it free.
I bought the Kitchenaid attachment a month ago and have been really happy with it. It does require pre-freezing but it stays really cold and hardly thaws when the batch is complete. It also makes 2 quarts, which a lot of the 'prefreeze' types can't do.
I will be trying the ginger and white chocolate one next weekend, definately. Can you give some information on why the "pre-boil" is neccessary? I made mango sorbet last weekend and just grated in a little knob of fresh ginger and you could really taste it.
--Lisa
Lisa: Fresh ginger has an enzyme in it that can prevent proteins (like custards) from setting up, and cooking kills it. If you add a little ginger often it's ok, but I pre-blanche as insurance.
Kevin: I don't know the pricing policy for KitchenAid, but maybe the canister is made in America.
Rainey: Yes, it's frustrating those machines that only freeze 1 qt, since I've seen so many recipes lately for 2 qts (why do people do that?) I used to use and ice-and-rock-salt machine, and they do a great job, but the only one made is the White Mountain and most people don't want to spend that kind of money as they cost somewhere around $200, I think.
Judy: Can't a boy have both?
David- I just gave one of those old White Mountain machines away. It was just too bid and messy to use indoors. I wish someone could get Waring (do they even exist still?) to remanufacture their machine which is only about 1/3 larger than my Cuisinart ICE25-WS. Or that someone else would pick up the gauntlet and make such a machine.
It doesn't require rock salt and uses less than half the ice that the White machines do. It also works so fast there isn't any messy runoff and yet, at 20 minutes or so per batch, the crystals are still nice and small for lovely texture.
I pursue this hoping someone who could offer this third option over the compressor-included machines and the sealed coolant type is reading your blog.
Hi David, this is my first commentary! Very nice and interesting blog!
OK, here's my question : don't you think the KA attachment sold in the US works for our European models? It's not that expensive when compared to top of the range machines...
Hi Julie: Thanks! The US attachment, unfortunately, does not work on European KitchenAid mixers due to EU-required modifcations they do to the mixers sold in Europe. I believe they are planning to come out with an attachment for the European market in the fall, but I'm not certain. You can contact KitchenAid in the US and they may be able to help.
Thanks for your answer, David:)
David,
do you know if the Cuisinart is available in Europe?
The only machines I've seen here in Spain are either not too good looking, or incredibly expensive.
If only I have read this before I went into the trouble of ordering the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment only to find out it was only compatible with American mixers. They should have noted this in their Amazon listing. Well I guess I have to mix with hand until they come up with the European attachment!
I'm just planning on buying a Cuisinart ICE 50BC in the States and taking it overseas, running it with an appropriate size transformer. Is that what you do?
Barry
Hi Barry: I had mine shipped from the UK, and I use a outlet converter for it. I would call Cuisinart and verify voltage requirements, which vary, depending on country.
David,
I was wondering what type of consistency you get with the ICE-50? We just got one, and we have previously used the ICE-20's, and it doesn't seem to freeze up as well in the bowl as the ICE-20's did. Could you give us some sort of metric to judge ours, to make sure that its freezing adequately?
I've never used the ICE-20. I advise that it's best to call the company directly and pose your question to them, since they're in the best position to provide the correct answer. -dl
Hi David
Just got a Musso Lussino Lello ice cream maker and your book, The Perfect Scoop. So far, the French custard vanilla, Vietnamese Coffee, Chocolate, fresh pear and ginger sorbet and Philadelphia style vanilla recipes are excellent. Trying the Tiramisu today.
Which of your recipes uses canned Thai coconut milk?
Thanks for a great book on ice cream!!
There's a chocolate-coconut sherbet on page #141 that uses coconut milk. Enjoy! -dl
hi david,
just wondering about the consistency of the ice cream from this machine; is it a soft texture or is it hard ice cream like that of haagen daz?
Hi David,
I just got an ice cream maker and have been having a lot of fun with it. I live in Alaska (where they say, people eat more ice cream than any other place in the U.S.). This means when it's really cold, I can just keep my extra canister outside instead of making room in my freezer for it. My question is this: Should I still leave it outside for 24 hours, even when it's -20 F? Can I cheat? I've had my machine for 2 weeks and already made 8 flavors, but the waiting thing is tough (especially now that it's warmed up to +23 F). I tried using my bowl from the freezer after about 8 or 9 hours, and the ice cream firmed up slightly, but then was like soup when I added some Oreos to it. I ended up drinking it like a milkshake. One more question: I've been doing half-recipes because before making 1 1/2 qts., I want to know that I actually LIKE the taste. With the small Cuisinart, does this affect the ice cream (when the canister isn't full)? I ordered your book and it should be here soon! Looking forward to it. --Carrie
Hi David, So excited I got your book which believe me it far superior to all the other ones and we all know which ones they are. A true classic.
I made peppermint ice cream which came out perfect in the machine. Luxurious. I had tinted it pink. I folded in crushed candy canes. Tasted divine and even had a few baby ice cream (tiny tiny cones) cones.
I kept cannister out to thaw out before cleaning. Next day I put back in freezer to get read for next batch of ice cream (chocolate). The soft serve peppermint which I had put in a great container was a tad harder but really just still soft serve. You could see a ripening but not what you call hard. What happened. Also, the bowl (when you shook it) was not frozen check. You could hear sloshing. Does it take a while to freeze again after you have used and then cleaned it (with hot water)? Linda
The freezer initially was cold enough, since when I took bowl out it did not slosh and I was able to make the mint ice cream.
Hi Linda: It's best to contact the manufacturer of your model as they're best equipped to answer questions about their specific machines. Thanks! -dl
Hi David. I'm thinking that by now since you wrote this article that you've been using the cuisinart 50 model (no need to freeze bowl) for some time? My question is whether you still feel the same way. I'm torned since I have read enough "problems and poor rating" on amazon w/ this product that is almost $300!! I'm not a professional but w/ the abudance of summer fruits coming and your book, I've turned into my own little ice cream shop. Problem is that I have the Krups ice cream machine similar to the cuisinart model that requires pre-freezing. The machine tends to get "stuck" when the ice cream even gets a little "thick" and I will have to hold it in place to continue churning. (It also erodes the plastic insert to the machine component bc of the friction. In addition, I have to refreeze the bowl before making the next batch. Right now, I have 4 premade bases just waiting to be churned. I need some feedback and advice--- i'm willign to invest if it's a great device but at 300 and some confusing comments, I'm soooooo confused. Advice David? Others?
dpn: I've been using my Cuisinart ICE-50 for around 3 or so years, and the only problem I had was that the plastic dasher broke after a lot of years of use. Since it was a $7 part to replace, I didn't mind. I do believe the machine comes with a limited 3 year warranty (please read the conditions before purchase as I'm not a representative of the company and am not affiliated with Cuisinart) so if you're worried about it, that might help.
It is an investment, but I've been very happy with mine. Some of the negative comments complained about the noise, but I'm wondering what people expect from an ice cream machine? Yes, it's not silent, but you're only using it for about 30 minutes. And a few other negative reviews mentioned things like "the company didn't return telephone calls", which sounds odd as most companies, if you call the customer service, you can't leave messages.
Of course, everyone has different experiences and I've been happy with mine. But I can't say for certain if it's the right machine for everyone.
David i left this question somewhere but cannot find the answer so here goes again...is the Cuisinart soft serve machine any good that u know of. I have the Cuisinart one that u use but I do like soft ice cream in a cone so worth it to buy ya think?
It's in the Ice Cream Q & A post. -dl
Hi David,
Love your Blog!!
Having increasing thoughts about making my own ice-cream. Being a novice I don't want to fork out too much dosh on a machine. I quite like the Cuisinart ICE-20 ice cream maker
which is currently half price on Amazon.com but, unfortunately not available in the UK - even if it was it would be extortionally priced!! I am planning a trip to the US soon and amongst other bits of kit would like to invest in the ICE-20 but, I'm curious/not sure what voltage converter to use? any suggestions?
Thanks Dayal
Hi Dayal: You should check out my post; Will my KitchenAid mixer work in Europe?
Although it's about KitchenAid mixers, people who live in Europe left information about conversions and such. Most manufacturer's don't recommend doing so, but there are some options there that people have used. I would call Cuisinart in the UK and ask them.
I did notice that Amazon in the UK has the Cusinart ICE-30 available, in case you're interested in that model.
David, do you have a machine in mind that would be a good machine for a small commercial operation? I am trying to start an ice-cream business from home and I am not ready to spend $8K on a machine, but the higher-end home machines just don't have enough capacity.
Any help would be great, thanks!
Sorry, I don't have any professional machine recommendations for home use. I do know some people use the Lello 4080 Ice Cream Maker, but I don't have much experience with it.