Ice Cream Makers

Traditional bucket-type ice cream makers

For 150 years, White Mountain has been manufacturing old-fashioned wood-bucket ice cream makers with steel freezer cans and dashers (stirring paddles). You can still buy a hand-cranked ice cream maker, but you can also find electric models that don't require much muscle. These ice cream makers still demand attention, since you need to add ice and salt periodically. Rival bought the White Mountain brand a few years ago, and now manufactures all units with that name. These traditional ice cream makers are great if you want to make a large amount of ice cream. Most countertop models (discussed below) make 1.5 to two quarts of ice cream, but bucket-type models generally make four or six quarts.

The hand-cranked 4-Quart Rival White Mountain F64304-X (*est. $150) , which requires lots of ice and table or rock salt, looks like the traditional ice cream makers many of us remember from childhood. Users posting to Amazon.com say that the White Mountain F64304-X produces fine ice cream. They complain, however, that the crank is difficult to turn and that both crank and bucket are prone to rusting. Several users say these ice cream machines aren't as sturdy as they once were. Some users say that the "cheap" hand crank is prone to breaking.

An electric version of White Mountain's hand-cranked ice cream makers is the 4-Quart Rival White Mountain F69204-X (*est. $200) , which simply substitutes a motor for the hand crank. This model is tested at Slate magazine, where reviewer Stephen Metcalf says its ice cream was certainly creamy. But using the machine was pretty labor intensive. "I enjoyed it, but this is a family ritual, not a gourmet's delight," writes Metcalf. If you want this type of ice-and-salt ice cream machine, the White Mountain makes great ice cream. It's not convenient, but that's probably not the point. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that noise is the trade-off for the machine's "especially strong motor." Cook's Illustrated gripes that the machine is "unbearably loud." The 6-quart version – the Rival White Mountain 6-Quart F69206-X (*est. $200) – is probably a better deal, since it doesn't cost any more than the 4-quart version.

We did find some complaints that although the White Mountain's wooden bucket looks great, the salt can eventually erode the metal bands holding the bucket together. We also read some sporadic reports of leaky canisters, which allowed salt into the ice cream. Replacement buckets (*est. $55) and additional 6-quart canisters (*est. $35 each) are available from Rival.

Budget electric ice cream makers

While bucket-type ice cream makers are best used outdoors or near a floor drain, the most popular modern ice cream makers are countertop appliances. The cheaper electric models (under $100) use a gel-filled canister, which must be pre-frozen for between six and 24 hours. In most cases, the bowl's walls are filled with a chemical coolant. When you pour ingredients into the canister, ice cream immediately begins forming on the canister's sides. A dasher, or paddle, scrapes the sides as the canister rotates.

All gel-canister ice cream makers produce ice cream with the consistency of soft-serve. Leaving the canister in the freezer for several hours -- or, preferably, overnight -- firms the ice cream. Most gel-canister ice cream machines have rather loud motors. If you want to churn one batch after another, you'll have to buy more than one canister. Unless you have enough freezer space to store a canister, you're obliged to plan ahead, placing the canister in your freezer the day before you want ice cream.

Slate's review says that the Cuisinart ICE-20 ice cream maker (*est. $50) is a well-made, no-frills starter machine. This model uses a gel canister that you must first pre-freeze. According to Gourmet's review, it makes ice cream that's a bit icy, but not unpleasantly so. The Cuisinart churns out 1.5 quarts of smooth, light-bodied ice cream in about 20 minutes. Most owners posting reviews to Amazon.com are very happy with the simple Cuisinart ice cream maker. Overall, almost 700 reviewers give the Cuisinart machine a total of 4.5 stars (out of five). A few say that the 1.5-quart size is a bit small for a family and that the bowl takes up a lot of space in the freezer. Still others complain that the plastic cover feels flimsy, and one or two report breaking paddles. Cuisine magazine also reviews the Cuisinart ICE-20 ice cream maker; editors like its removable bowl (for easy cleaning), but note that the automatic shut-off feature can occasionally stop the machine before ice cream is ready. The Cuisinart ICE-20 weighs about nine pounds and has cord storage underneath. It comes in red, white and translucent pink. Cuisinart sells extra freezer bowls (*est. $25).

Gourmet's editors say that the 2-Quart Cuisinart ICE-30 ice cream maker (*est. $90) performs virtually identically to smaller Cuisinart ICE-20. Though the ICE-30 makes two quarts, reviews say the smaller model isn't as noisy. Both deliver good ice cream in about 20 minutes. Although the bowl on the Cuisinart ICE-30 is not removable, Gourmet says that the machine is still easy to clean. Fine Cooking calls the larger Cuisinart ice cream maker a consistent performer. Editors like the unit's large hopper, which makes adding ingredients and monitoring progress easy. Owners say that the machine's brushed stainless-steel housing looks sleek.

If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, you might be interested in the KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment (*est. $80) . The attachment includes a gel-lined freezer bowl, a plastic dasher and an adapter ring. It's capable of producing two quarts of ice cream in 15 to 18 minutes. Slate's tester found it easy to make an ice-cream base in a mixer and says that you can whip more air into the base by adjusting the mixer's speed, resulting in fluffier ice cream. Gourmet says that the end result is light and creamy. While Gourmet's review says that the attachment is terrific for those who own a KitchenAid mixer and have a fairly roomy freezer, Slate's tester finds the price for a plastic bowl and dasher "absurdly high." We found well over 150 mostly glowing Amazon.com user reviews of this attachment, plus one Epinions review which was brief but favorable. Detractors are usually upset that this attachment didn't fit their specific model of KitchenAid mixer, so be careful to check that before you buy.

Soft-serve ice cream makers

If you prefer making soft-serve ice cream, a number of new novelty models are on the market. These tall ice cream makers look a lot like commercial soft-serve machines, with built-in containers for sprinkles and other mix-ins, cone holders and metal pull-down levers for dispensing ice cream. But while commercial soft-serve makers use powerful, quick-cooling compressors, machines for household use come with gel canisters that must be pre-frozen for at least 12 hours at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Many home freezers don't get this cold, and even if you follow the freezing instructions to the letter, ice cream may come out runny. Several owners say that they pre-froze the canister far longer than 12 hours, but the ice cream never set up. What's more, these machines have a lot of nooks and crannies to clean.

The Cuisinart ICE-45 Mix It In Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker (*est. $110) receives middling reviews at Amazon.com. About half the owners who've posted reviews say that ice cream came out soupy. A number of owners say it's too tall to fit underneath their kitchen cabinets and too bulky to store easily. Even owners who used this machine successfully say it needs to run longer than the recommended 12 to 15 minutes to whip ice cream to the soft-serve stage.

Owners report many of the same problems with the Deni 5530 Automatic Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker (*est. $55) ; no matter how long owners keep the gel canister in the freezer, the ingredients never thicken enough to be called ice cream. More than three-quarters of the owners posting reviews to Amazon.com report disappointment with this machine.

Self-cooling ice cream makers

This type of ice cream maker has its own compressor, so you don't have to wait for a bowl to pre-freeze. Another bonus is that you can use these machines to make frozen drinks. And since there's nothing to pre-freeze, there's no waiting – you can make a second batch as soon as you like.

Some self-cooling ice cream machines require an infusion of saltwater, and some are quite noisy. Others have non-removable bowls, making clean-up tricky. They're almost all heavy, too, with some weighing nearly 40 pounds.

The Musso 4080 Lussino (*est. $700) receives Slate's top rating for the "sublime" ice cream it produces, and Cook's Illustrated calls it the Cadillac of ice cream makers. This ice cream machine has a stainless-steel housing, bowl and dasher. It can produce 1.5 quarts of ice cream in about 30 minutes. A transparent plastic dome allows you to check your ice cream's progress. Gourmet editors call the Lussino a "conversation piece," and it had better be – owners posting to Epinions say the 38-pound Lussino cannot be moved easily from countertop to cupboard. Most owners make room for it on the counter.

Gourmet editors praise the Musso ice cream maker's relatively quiet, powerful operation, but testers complain that the Lussino, which has a non-removable bowl, is tricky to clean. Not true, say several owners posting to Amazon.com. They recommend removing the dasher and cleaning the bowl with hot, soapy water and a sponge. Owners posting to Amazon.com and Epinions love this machine; in fact, nearly all agree that it's worth the high price. If you're going to make plenty of ice cream and want the very best, the Musso is the way to go.

We found a handful of reviews for Lello's Gelato Pro 4090 (*est. $400) . Testers say that it delivers two quarts of creamy ice cream in about 30 minutes and cleans up easily. The Gelato Pro's feed tube is very small, and at 39 pounds, the machine is heavy. The few owner-written reviews we found at Amazon.com are mostly raves, with the exception of one owner who received a defective unit. A single Epinions review says that this relatively quiet machine makes excellent ice cream. However, the owner does grouse that the "buzz-beep" of the machine's timer is annoying.

The Lello Gelato Junior 4070 (*est. $215) represents a step down from the Pro Gourmet ice cream maker in price and in capacity, but not in ice cream quality. The Pro Gourmet makes two quarts of good ice cream, while the Pro Junior makes a single quart. Slate magazine's Metcalf says that this is a "good machine for the money," but that it does have some design flaws, including an attached lid and paddle that make clean-up tricky. Owners posting to Amazon.com say that the machine's built-in timer does not turn off the motor. Slate's Metcalf says that drips "seem to catch nearly everywhere in hard-to-clean places." Most owners like this machine, but a few say that the chute for mix-ins is too small.

Cuisinart is well known for its simple, durable gel-canister ice cream makers, but the company has taken a step in a new direction with the introduction of the self-cooling Cuisinart ICE-50BC (*est. $300) , which has a built-in compressor freezer and costs much less than similar models. Gourmet's testers liked the "mousse-like" ice cream, but found it to be slightly icy. Slate's Metcalf says that the Cuisinart is "a brushed stainless-steel box with no frilly-silly add-ons." He adds that it is well designed, although Cuisinart has "cut some corners to keep the price down." The machine takes longer to make ice cream than most other machines in its class. While Gourmet reports that the machine took 50 minutes, Slate says ice cream was ready in 40 minutes. The Cuisinart ICE-50BC has an automatic shut-off feature, but if your ice cream isn't finished at the end of the cycle, you must wait five minutes before restarting the machine. If you really want a compressor ice cream maker and don't want to spend $700 on the Musso, the Cuisinart is the best budget model.

Important Features: Ice cream makers

Experts say that both gel-canister and self-cooling ice cream makers can deliver smooth, creamy ice cream. The main differences are convenience and cost. All our sources agree that homemade ice cream surpasses the store-bought stuff. Among professional reviewers, Slate's Stephen Metcalf is the most ardent advocate of self-cooling ice cream makers. His top two picks are compressor models. He argues that the difference between gel-canister and compressor models is most evident when a French-style base is used. French-style ice cream requires a cooked custard base, while Philadelphia-style batter is uncooked and has a higher ratio of cream to eggs. Metcalf says that Philadelphia-style ice cream is better suited to mix-ins than French-style.

Here's what reviews say about choosing an ice cream maker:

• Traditional bucket-type ice cream makers are fun for families, and they make a lot of ice cream. You'll need about ten pounds of ice plus salt, and you'll need to be near a drain. These make either four or six quarts, but you're better off making plain flavors since it's inconvenient to add mix-ins -- if you remove the lid, salt can taint the canister.

• Consider your countertop and storage space. Nearly all ice cream makers must be stored right side up, so consider how much counter and cabinet space you have. Some self-cooling ice cream makers are attractive enough to leave out on the counter. In all likelihood, you won't want to wrestle a 38-pound appliance into a cupboard.

• Consider your freezer space. Gel-canister models come with bowls that must be frozen. If you want to make ice cream at a moment's notice, you'll have to store the bowl continuously in your freezer. The Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker 68220 in particular is hard to store in a smaller freezer.

• Decide how much you're willing to pay for convenience. Self-cooling machines can make batch after batch without interruption and don't require pre-freezing, but prices start around $215 and rise quickly.

• Know when your freezer bowl is ready. The gel-filled work bowls should be placed in the back of the freezer, which tends to be colder. If you hear liquid sloshing around when you shake the bowl, return it to the freezer.

• Chill your ice cream base. The colder your ingredients, the more quickly your ice cream will freeze. The ideal temperature for your base is between 38 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the canister out of the freezer only when you're ready to make ice cream.

• Allow your ice cream to harden overnight for best results. After 20 to 30 minutes of churning in a canister-style machine (the least expensive type), ice cream will be at the soft-serve stage. Allowing it to freeze overnight can improve both the taste and texture. When transferring ice cream from a gel canister machine to your freezer, use shallow containers for a faster freeze. Before storing, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream. If you want to make more than one flavor of ice cream at once, consider a machine with multiple canisters. The Euro-Pro Triple Ice Cream Maker (*est. $65) makes three flavors of ice cream at once in one-cup stainless-steel canisters.

• You can make low-carb or low-sugar ice cream in your ice cream maker. Users posting to Amazon.com say that you can make good, if slightly harder, ice cream using artificial sweeteners. Many users say that having an ice cream maker inspires them to try unusual flavors. Some users say that ice cream becomes sweeter as it freezes and caution against over-sweetening the ice cream base.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (With Retailer Link)	Details from Amazon.com
6	Cuisinart ICE-20 (*est. $50)	details
3	Lussino by Musso (*est. $700)	details
3	KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment (*est. $80)	details
3	Cuisinart ICE-50BC (*est. $300)	details
2	Salton Big Chill Model ICM21 (*est. $40)	details
2	Girmi GL14US (*est. $50)	-
2	Donvier Ice Cream Maker (*est. $50)	details
2	Krups La Glaciere (discontinued)	-
1 each	Cuisinart ICE-30BC , Rival GC8151-WN , DeLonghi Model ICK8500, Simac, Lello Gelato Pro , Gelato Chef 2200 by Nemox , Cuisinart Pure Indulgence ICE-30 , White Mountain 4-Quart Electric , Lello Gelato Pro Junior , Rival 8706-P 6-Quart, Rival F69206 6-Quart , Chilly by William Bounds, Krups GVS 142, Hamilton Beach 68220

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