Ice Cream Maker Machine Best Deals On Ice Cream Maker Machine

We bought this ice cream maker thinking we could use it for a big party we were having. It turns out that the freezer bowl will give you about 10 – 12 servings before it needs refreezing. So we opted not to use it for the party (not enough servings) but instead use it for our family.

I was a little apprehensive about buying this product since similar product reviews were none to flattering. This unit howover seems to work just fine.

The instructions claim that the ice cream is ready to serve in about 12 – 15 minutes but we found that 20 minutes was needed to reach the right consistency. But, once it’s ready, the ice cream poured out perfectly (we even got the knack of twirling the column of ice cream into our cones). We’ve decided that the vanilla ice cream recipe is our family’s favorite.

Clean up was a snap since all the parts can be easily removed and cleaned.

We tried the condiment dispensers and my kids loved it. We found that certain things don’t work well if they aren’t chopped finely or if they don’t have a slippery surface (like m&m’s). Otherwise, it’s cool to have the ‘extras’ intermixed with the ice cream.

Overall, this product is nicely engineered and works very well.

In reading the reviews for this product, I’ve noticed that some people may have been expecting something more than what Cuisinart is selling. Having used this unit several times now, here are my impressions and thoughts.
- The unit uses a freezer bowl to freeze the product. That means that the bowl MUST be frozen solid and the product MUST be very well chilled, otherwise you will not get good results. We have just kept our freezer bowls in the deep freeze when not in use so that we can make ice cream fairly quickly. It’s probably best to mix up your soft serve mix at least an hour in advance and put it in the coldest part of your fridge or (as another reviewer suggested) in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to get it as cold as possible without prematurely freezing it.
- The freezer bowl doesn’t have a huge capacity. It can make “10-12″ servings – if your servings are small. 6-8 is probably more like it. If you want more, make certain you purchase an additional bowl and keep it frozen.
- The instructions on time expectations generally say 10-15 minutes, and this can be true if you chill the ice cream mixture very thoroughly. Otherwise it will take longer, probably more like 15-20 minutes.
- The first serving or so may be fairly soupy – I have found that I can dispense some into a cup and then re-add that into the top of the bowl.
- The “mix-ins” really don’t mix in to the soft serve at all, they are really topping dispensers. If you’re expecting something like a DQ Blizzard, it’s not the same. Also, don’t over-fill (or pack in) the mix in bins. I’ve had good luck with chopped peanuts, sprinkles and the mini M&Ms.

The differences between this unit and a more conventional ice cream freezer are mainly that this unit has a freezable bowl vs. a bowl that is placed in a mix of ice and rock salt. That means it is a little more convenient, but lacks the capacity of the conventional freezer. Our ice cream freezer makes about twice as much ice cream as the soft serve, but it is much louder, generally requires more clean up and doesn’t dispense the product. On the other side, I think a conventional freezer has more versatility if you are making things like frozen custards that set up harder than soft serve. Finally, the freezer just isn’t really as much “fun” as this one is which has real appeal if you’ve got kids in the family.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this gadget – but I did some research first and made certain I understood what I was buying. This is NOT like the soft serve dispensers in restaurants – but it’s very nice for a treat on a summer afternoon.

2.0 out of 5 stars
love Cuisinart but not this model
It makes good ice cream but won’t dispense unless the ice cream is just the right consistency. Too thick and you have to scoop.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Was weary from some of the reviews but glad I gave it a chance!
I almost didn’t buy this because of some the reviews but I’m so glad I didn’t listen to them and bought it anyways.

4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Investment for Ice Cream Lovers
After much anticipation, I finally got to try my ice cream maker today. Before purchasing and using this product, I read the reviews carefully being that this is a rather…

1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste of $100 DON”T BUY THIS P.O.S.
We have used the product three times, used the correct ingredients, and accurately followed all directions, yet the soft serve never dispenses through the opening.