Ice Cream Makers

[Green_Manelishi]

My wife and I decided to buy an ICM for Christmas. Are any of you SBers users of a particular model that you would recommend or not, and why? We want one that makes it as easy as possible.

 

[Thalassamania]

The Cusinart one is moderately priced , makes a good size batch, is easy to use and easy to clean.

 

[kelpmermaid]

It's not electric, but have you seen the one in the LL Bean catalog -- it's a ball that you toss around, and it makes ice cream in the process? It just fascinates me for some reason. I could eat my way into trouble with that.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...langId=-1&categoryId=41066&sc1=Search&feat=sr

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

my prediction: you use it twice and it is in the basement for the long haul.

The effort that goes into making ice cream in one of those thing exeeds it's worth. and the ice cream isn't really that good or interesting. you can make vanilla...sweet.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

my prediction: you use it twice and it is in the basement for the long haul.

The effort that goes into making ice cream in one of those thing exeeds it's worth. and the ice cream isn't really that good or interesting. you can make vanilla...sweet.

Does the quality of the ice cream that is produced increase with the cost/quality of the maker? If so, it might be worth the $$$; we eat a lot of ice cream. We are also tired of guar gum, carageenan, and other crap that is used as filler and stabilizer. Even Ben and Jerry's IC has been downgraded. Still a premium price though.

 

[do it easy]

I like the Hagen-Daaz or Dove stuff. Have you tried custard? You could just get a cow and keep it outside in the winter.

If you drink some scotch before the ice cream, it will make the cheap stuff taste better.

As far as a better machine making better ice cream, I'm not sure you could tell the difference as long as you had a decent machine. If you start with the phinest ingredients- barley, hops, yeast, and water... ooops, sorry, start with the finest ingredients, I don't think that you'll notice the difference between two decent machines. All it does is chill the milk and aerate it so it freezes with a fine ice crystal structure- the finer, the better. If the ice crystals are too large, it doesn't taste smooth and creamy.

Besides Green, I figured you would be the kind of guy that would make his ice cream in a wooden tub with rock salt.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I like the Hagen-Daaz or Dove stuff. Have you tried custard? You could just get a cow and keep it outside in the winter.

If you drink some scotch before the ice cream, it will make the cheap stuff taste better.

As far as a better machine making better ice cream, I'm not sure you could tell the difference as long as you had a decent machine. If you start with the phinest ingredients- barley, hops, yeast, and water... ooops, sorry, start with the finest ingredients, I don't think that you'll notice the difference between two decent machines. All it does is chill the milk and aerate it so it freezes with a fine ice crystal structure- the finer, the better. If the ice crystals are too large, it doesn't taste smooth and creamy.

Besides Green, I figured you would be the kind of guy that would make his ice cream in a wooden tub with rock salt.

Thanks for the compliment. But I have to consider my wife and her needs; she does not want to do the rock salt thing

 

[Firefyter]

They're not cheap, but one of the most popular and sturdiest brands out there is the White Mountain brand. They're wooden bucket, and you can get either hand crank or electric. I believe the prices start in the $150 neighborhood for the 4qt. hand crank and go up from there.

 

[almitywife]

ive had to give up all the bad stuff like icecream (and coke and bread and chips and...oh i could go on!) so to keep the sweet tooth in check i freeze freshly cut fruit (oranges or strawberries my fav) and then with my magic bullet blender (its chops & whizzes everything) i whisk up the frozen fruit to create my own fruit gelato without added sugar or chemicals

yummmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Thalassamania]

The Cusinart is about $40, does not need salt and makes great ice cream and even better sorbet. It's painless, you pour the stuff in and walk away.