Which are the Best Homemade Ice Cream Makers?
Homemade Ice Cream Makers bring much joy to families because of the rich, creamy ice cream they produce not easily found in most parlors or stores and they save them a lot of money from paying the stores' high prices each time they wish to eat it. Great combination, right? Better tasting ice cream for less money. And perhaps the best part of all is parents and kids alike can let their imagination run wild by making all different kinds of flavors.
Once you learn some of the basic ingredients you can make
up your own recipes or discover your favorites from great homemade ice cream book recipes like
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book
no longer will need to overspend on expensive ice cream from the store or go out of their way to look for creamy soft-serve ice cream either. Now those families can make all of this in the comforts of their own home.
So why be selective with which ice cream maker model you purchase?
There are many reasons why you need to be careful which model you buy. Choosing the wrong model may result in one of the following(but not all):
- The machine will not produce thick, creamy ice cream, instead it will be runny- a milkshake, but not ice cream
- Maybe it will indeed freeze ingredients (unlike the previous example), but it will take longer than the average non-compressor electric models (this will be explained further down)
- The revolving, mixing arm does NOT do its job, instead of churning ice cream it just pushes it around, not mixing it properly to produce desired creamy results
- Weak motors result in mixing arm getting stuck in ice cream
- Small openings, hard to drop in ingredients (some of the best models have this issue, but other good features and benefits outweigh this challenge)
Now the question is, which one suits you (or them) best?
Gourmet Homemade Ice Cream Makers vs Economic Homemade Ice Cream Makers Under $100
Besides looking at the serving size, which unless you will be hosting big parties or events, the general size ranges around 1.5 quarts. One serving is a 1/2 cup and there are 8 servings in a quart of ice cream. The focus here will be electric ice cream makers and just how fancy you would like to go.
Whether it's for a gift to someone else or a gift to your own family some (but not all) of the major concerns regular ice cream makers have tend to be speed and convenience of production, length of pre-freezing, storing capabilities, ease of cleaning, ease of inserting ingredients, noise and of course one of the most important points- price.
Best Economic Homemade Ice Cream Makers Under $100
So you and your family (or the family you're shopping for) wishes to gulp down on some delicious homemade ice cream, but your budget allows you to spend less than $100?.
No problem! Here are some of the best selections to choose from. Based upon multiple reviews by Amazon.com users and multiple tests run by Cooks.com here is the good, the bad and the ugly of some of the top economic name brand models under $100. When carefully following the instructions from the recipes, all produce creamy, rich, good quality ice cream not found in stores, but the main concern here is the pre-freezing time before the actual production of your finished product.
Cuisinart ICE-20
(approximate price- $50)
The Good
- Produces tasty, creamy ice cream in around 20 minutes.
- Easy-to-use- large opening in top for ingredients
- Extra automatic motor shut off feature to prevent overheating
- Cleans easily
The Bad
- Ingredients must be stored for around 10 hours of pre-freezing (which is the case for all discount models under $100, since they don't have compressors) before beginning production process
The Ugly
- Noisy
Overall outlook: Very good machine for the price, the only major downside, as with all economic models, is the pre-freezing time. If you wish to make two different flavors you would have to clean out the bowl and then wait another 10 hours before being able to make the second batch, but the easy solution is to purchase an additional Freezer Bowl
Best price for Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
KitchenAid KICA0WH Attachment
(approximate price- $60)
If you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer this will save you money. (**Fits most KitchenAid stand mixers. Know the exact model you have and make sure attachment fits.)
The Good
- Produces 2 quarts, more than average size
- Can vary mixing speeds to adjust texture
- Ice cream done in about 20 minutes
- Easy to clean
- Attractive to display on counter top
- Sturdy
The Bad
- Again, long pre-freezing time
- Takes up a lot of space in freezer
- Not compatible with all KitchenAid stand mixers
The Ugly
- Noisy
- Little space in which to drop in ingredients
Overall Outlook: If you have your own stand mixer or would like to have one in order to do other baking, then this attachment completes your dessert-creating needs. It's sturdy and attractive, and will produce the quality results you need although a little more difficult to use than the Cuisinart model.
Best price for KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment
Hamilton Beach 68220 Ice Cream Maker
(approximate price- $30)
This model has a see-through top to allow you to watch the ice cream being churned inside. The price is hard to beat.
The Good
- The price, you could afford two, one for your family and another as a gift
- Produces good ice cream fast, about 20 minutes
- Carrying handle, easy to take to someone else's house
The Bad
- Again, long pre-freezing time
- Small space in which to drop ingredients
- May be difficult to assemble at first
The Ugly
- Has many small plastic pieces, potential durability issue
Overall Outlook: For the most budget conscious consumer this is a good pick. It does have some durability questions, but you get what you pay for. Many consumers rave how much they love their HB 68220. In the end it produces the ice cream they desire.
Best price for Hamilton Beach 68220 1.5-Quart Capacity Ice Cream Maker, White
Best Gourmet Homemade Ice Cream Makers
You want the best model out their, without actually buying an ice cream parlor. Money is no object, ok, well, it still is, but you are willing to spend more to gain some convenience.
Perfect! Then check out these models. You will get everything the machines above have and more. Exquisite quality ice cream in minutes, but without the extra wait time of pre-freezing since most gourmet machines have compressors which freeze the ingredients fast! What's that? No extra wait time you say/ That's right!
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino
(approximate price- $700)
The Good
- Makes very rich, creamy French Style ice cream perhaps the best you've ever had
- Quieter than economic models, less annoying
- Convenient production, no pre-freezing requiered, saves a bundle of time
- Extra bonus: can make fruity, icy drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
- Easy to use, big opening to drop in ingredients
- Sleek, metallic look, nicely adorns any kitchen
The Bad
- Price, much more expensive than the economic models
The Ugly
- Weight, heavier than budget models (about 40 pounds)
- Hard to clean, non-removable bowl
Overall Outlook: Hands down the best machine on this page, unfortunately with that comes also the most expensive machine on the page. Produces the best quality ice cream, is the most attractive to display, will produce the best results in the least amount of time from start to finish, most versatile since it produces drinks and the quietest when at work. Party's on! Invite your friends and relatives.
Best price for Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker, Stainless
Cuisinart ICE-50BC
(Approximate price- $250)
The Good
- Bigger bowl, produces 2 quarts which will save you a little time if you're serving a bigger group
- Easy to use, big opening in top to drop in ingredients
- Automatic shutoff switch to prevent overheating
- Light weight (about 13 pounds)
- No pre-freezing time, saves a lot of overall production time
- Easy to store with extra ice cream, yet attractive to display on countertop
The Bad
- Longer production time, although there is no pre-freezing time, takes about 40 minutes to finish
The Ugly
- Noisy
- Plastic parts, potential durability issues
Overall Outlook:Will produce top, quality ice cream, just perhaps not quite to the level as the Musso Lussino, but it is much less expensive and there's no pre-freezing time. Has some questions about durability, but Cuisinart machines are regarded as some of the best on the market. This may be the best buy of all the machines overall if you cannot affored the Musso Lussino. Save some money and buy all the accessories and recipe books!
Best price for Cuisinart ICE-50BC Supreme Ice Cream Maker
Rival F69206-X 6 Qt. Electric White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer
(Approximate price- $180)
The Good
- Serves a lot of ice cream, great for big parties
- Entertaining, you can see the ice cream being made
- Produces creamier ice cream than other large freezer models
- Attractive wooden shell on cannister
- Powerful, industrial motor is very durable
- For large amount of ice cream produces fast (about 30 minutes)
The Bad
- According to some users, some parts are vulnerable to rust after many uses
The Ugly
- More laborous to use, more steps involved
Overall Outlook: Great quality freezer if you tend to have many parties or large get-togethers. It will last you a long time and is fun to watch. It will be the highlight of the party. If you only plan to produce smaller amounts of ice cream then choose between the above models.
Best price White Mountain F69206-X 6-Quart Electric Ice Cream Freezer
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