Customer Reviews

Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream Maker

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I spent hours scouring the internet and reviews both in the UK and the US before finally buying this fabulous product. The main considerations for me were 1. quality of the machine (sturdy/unlikely to fall to pieces after two uses) 2. ease of use 3. no need to freeze any parts in advance 4. no need to add vodka to the bowl every time you used it (like apparently the Gaggia). Amazon delivered this item on time with the usual amazing logistical efficiency that makes them my number one choice for buying anything on the internet. We let the product sit for 24 hours and have been churning away ever since. I bought a couple of books with this but the one I like the most is the ultimate ice cream book by bruce weinstein which is all you need to figure it out (includes sorbets, granitas, yogurt etc.). This is a really fantastic machine. Buy it and have a great time.

***

Having deliberated long and hard over which machine to buy, we were initially favouring the Gaggia (based on many positive reviews) but got the opportunity to buy this at £70 or so less than the Gaggia.

So, we took the plunge and I have to say it is spot on. I have seen one review which complained of this machine cutting out when the consistency reached a certain point but this sounds like a good safeguard to me. Besides, if you want it rock hard, then you would have to freeze it separately anyway - I fail to see how you can have the paddle mix it when it is solid.

There are some recipes included and the vanilla is pretty much identical to the one in Ben & Jerry's recipe book. All the vanilla recipes we have seen said to use vanilla extract so we did, but this is expensive compared to vanilla flavouring or essence. So we tried vanilla flavouring instead and a more sensitive palette may indeed discern between them, but we couldn't - that's the norm for us now. We have used strawberry flavouring and banana flavouring too and they are both spot on. We've also made grapefruit by using 125 ml of grapefruit juice and 300 ml milk in place of the 425 ml milk, then mixed the chopped grapefruit segments at the end - if you like grapefruit, this tastes unbelievable.

It is a doddle to use, too - mix your stuff, put it in the bowl, decide what consistency you want (this is only so you can set the timer to the desired duration) and switch on. All that remains then is to wait for the 'ding' and make sure you get to it before anyone else does.

The capacity of this machine is very good too, making 1.6 litres which is around 3 pints - this is more than most other makes. This sounded a lot to us at first but we soon discovered that it actually doesn't go very far once people know there's some to be had. We always intend to freeze some but there's never any left to freeze.

We have used our machine quite a bit already and it is superb, as are the results. Everyone who has tried any raves about it, then comes back for more.

A word of caution, though - watch the calories; the output from this machine is so good, moderation really is a struggle.

***

Gets four stars because I love the machine - makes great ice cream / sorbet etc, seems very solid and well made, and isn't bad to look at.

But loses a star because it makes an unholy racket that might put you off using it. Don't imagine that you can have the machine going in a room you are using. It makes a grinding, groaning noise that sounds like mechanical torture, and then the paddle changes direction and it gets even worse.

Strange because I can't imagine what's making such a racket - the chiller unit is pretty quiet, so it must be the stirring paddle. But plenty of other kitchen gadgets manage to turn a paddle or blade without inflicting that kind of din.

Mine lives under the stairs and the gnashing of cogs can still be heard throughout the house. Buy one - but only if you've got somewhere to muffle it!

Like others, I did much research before purchasing. After all it would be an expensive appliance purchase to 'get wrong'. I was within seconds of purchasing the Magimix competitor product but after looking at a YouTube demonstration I realised I did not like the requirement to place a saline or alcohol liquid between the bowls mentioned here and buried in the product's online manual AND I did not like how the arm 'looked' that was to turn the paddle... it looked flimsy.

All the positive recommendations here swayed me. After all I already had a Cuisinart US voltage ice cream maker for some time.

Bottom Line: I could not be more pleased with how this product makes ice cream! I am an experienced ice cream maker and have used any number of freezer insert type models over the years. Ice cream can now be made 'on a whim' all that is required is to make the mix, pour it in and turn it on. At first I thought the 40-60 minute churn time would be a negative of the product but the resulting ice cream texture is so good that it is worth the wait. And yes it is a bit noisy while in action but still the time and noise issues are minor given the quality of the outcome. Hence my 5 star recommendation.

I have owned this machine for a few months and am very happy with the results. The recipe book that comes with the machine contains a reasonable number of recipes and, after trying vanilla, I decided to experiment! Blueberry ice creams is fantastic (I just liquidised and strained two punnets of blueberries with a small amount of apple juice and substituted the mix for the milk in the vanilla recipe) and did the same with Raspberries. Have also made honey ice cream (vanilla recipe again, this time leaving out the sugar and adding 200g or so of honey), which was fragrant and delicious. It seems you can make lovely ice cream with minimum fuss, to the extent that I no longer purchase ice cream at all.

The machine is noisy, there's no getting away from that and it is better to leave it to work its magic whilst you are in another room. But the ping when it finishes is loud enough to alert you when the cycle is completed.

I've given it four stars as it is expensive but the results are worth it and it is incredibly easy to use.

This machine arrived a few days ago, and we've had a go at four different ices, mainly from the Ben and Jerry ice cream book. I have to say that the results have been exceptional--specifically a dark chocolate ice cream with bits of chocolate covered crystallised ginger, and a strawberry frozen yogurt (simply made just with mashed strawberries, lime juice, sugar and Greek yogurt--the result was absolutely delicious, better than any frozen yogurt I've ever bought). The machine is very easy to set up and a doodle to clean. The one setback is, as others have noted, that it is rather loud. I set it up in our utility room, where it happily churns away without disturbing anyone, and if this is an option for you, I'd certainly go with it. It's very quick to make a good size amount of ice cream, which means you can throw the mixture together when people unexpectedly come over, and hey presto, less than an hour later you have something delicious to have with your coffee. No need to plan ahead and pre-freeze anything, which is a real bonus. I've been freezing left-over ice cream, and whilst it takes a few minutes to thaw to the right consistency, it still tastes amazing. If you love ice cream/frozen yogurt and sorbets, I'd definitely invest in this machine. It's not cheap, but you'll never have to buy ice cream again, and you'll always know what lurks in your ice cream and can decide exactly what you put in it, and how rich or restrained you want it. A top purchase.

You need to think where on earth you are going to put it, it is rather large (28cm x 35cm and 28cm tall), heavy; noisy and it must not be tipped 24 hours prior to use. However, with its brushed steel finish and plain, sleek lines, it is not unattractive. It comes with an instruction book, including basic recipies for ice cream, sorbets and iced drinks. It is simple to use, and makes up to 1L of fantastic ice cream - smooth, creamy and full of flavour (although British palates may choose to use less sugar than the recipies suggest) 1L may not sound much, but the ice-cream is very rich, and this is ample for 10-12 people - there does not appear to be a minimum amount

I bought the machine (my first ice cream maker) after lengthy deliberation & market research and eventually selected this one because 1. No bowls had to be kept in the freezer 2. I got the (wrong) impression that I would be able to churn 1.5 litres within 20 minutes. Apparently it takes 40 minutes to churn and it makes 1 Litre at a time.

This is info I would have wanted to have prior to purchasing this ice cream maker, as I feel some of the info provided was misleading. I hope you find it helpful in making up your mind or clarifying things

BOOKLET provided with the machine offers a small number of recipes (8 ICE creams: vanilla, choc, coffee, mocha latte, sweet cinnamon, creme brulee, white choc with nuts, choc truffle; 4 FROZEN yogurt: vanilla, choc, raspberry, peach; 4 SORBETS: fresh lemon, cranberry, blueberry, orange & mango) . To my taste the amount of sugar in the recipes is enormous, so I cut it down significantly. The lemon sorbet was great (increased qty of lemon & orange juices and reduced sugar). The raspberry frozen yogurt (with low fat yogurt) was very tasty (again reduced sugar qty). Ben & Jerry's recipes MUCH better!

* CAPACITY - One litre only (it is a 1.5L bowl but the instructions specify not to overload more than 1 L per batch). I tried churning three batches one after the other and the final products were harder than after only one churn. However the Support team recommended letting the machine rest between batches.

* CHURNING TIME - the booklet recommends 20 - 40 minutes churning for soft and 40 - 60 minutes for hard ice-cream/sorbet/frozen yogurt. The "soft" 20 minutes churning product was too runny and did not freeze even after putting in the freezer (it remains runny if not churned long enough), so I now churn for 40 minutes.

* PREP TIME- Most recipes require preparation and cooling before churning so whereas I thought I'd just throw some ingredients into the bucket and press a button, I was wrong! Most ingredients have to be chopped/cooked/boiled and then chilled for approx 2 hours before churning.

* FREEZING - Booklet recommends consuming within 3 days. I kept it for far longer (three weeks) and it was fine (it does come very hard and needs to be left for 15-20 minutes to soften, apart from the B&J's ice cream which is softer).

* SIZE of the machine: huge!

* IMMEDIATE USAGE / STORAGE- The machine has to be kept upright for 24h prior to usage so immediate usage is not recommended. It is also very heavy, I therefore keep it on the worktop permanently (which takes up loads of space). Bear in mind it will need to be stored where you have access to the top, where the paddle and bucket access are (i.e. free space above the machine)

* EASY- The machine is really easy to assemble, clean and operate.

* NOISE - Yes it is noisy but I always prepare my desserts in advance of the event/dinner party so no problem. Otherwise shut the kitchen's door or leave it to churn while gardening :)

* SMELL: an odour of rubber was initially produced by my machine however it disappeared after several uses.

* SUPPORT: I called the Helpline to ask about the rubber odour - they were very responsive and quick. The machine comes with a 5 year guarantee so I have no concerns.

* BEN & JERRY Recipes - Highly recommended, this little book is worth buying (Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book [Paperback])
- I made the Peaches and the Banana ice creams; divine ice cream!
- Recipes based on a whisked eggs & sugar mixture, which creates a fluffy, lighter and subtle ice cream.
- Recipes use both cream and milk, as opposed to the Booklet's (and many other) recipes which are based on cream only. B&J ice cream is less creamy/heavy yet rich and full of flavour, with a better consistency. It also freezes well and is softer than the non-B&J recipes (no need to thaw in advance).
- Qty: I got away with churning the Peaches ice cream in one go, but had to halve the Banana ice cream ingredients and churn in two batches to avoid spillage. It is possible, according to B&J, to halve the qty of recipes to suit the size of your machine, and to use more milk rather than cream to create a less calorific ice cream.
- Sugar: the amount of sugar is just perfect for me (normally I find qty of sugar too sweet)
- The B&J's book gives a good introduction to ice cream making and very nice recipes for ice creams, sorbets, cakes, cookies and frozen yogurt.
- Most recipes require preparation and cooling of assembled ingredients (2-4 hours).
- American measurements and some American ingredients (which have British equivalents) - a bit of Google help required but really worth the effort.

* QUALITY- very nice. The B&J's ice cream is absolutely divine, and you can create flavours that do not exist in the market to suit your personal taste. Friends who tasted my home churned ice cream and sorbet decided to purchase a machine (and the B&J book) consequently.

*Recipes for quick ice creams with less prep time (even if you do not own an ice cream maker)available on the BBC Good Food website

*Containers: I keep my home churned products in supermarket purchased ice cream boxes - the size is perfect (the yield of a batch is the size of the box) and it seals well. All I have to do is label it.

* Price: I bought this end of April 2010 at £258 and in May 2010 the price dropped down significantly so Amazon kindly refunded me to reflect the reduced price. The price seems to be dropping down since then a bit more.

All in all, a relatively expensive machine, time consuming, but a nice gadget that allows one to create unique flavours of ice cream, sorbets and frozen yogurt. Good luck!

my family loves ice cream, but i am acutely aware of the rubbish and additives that goes into the mass produced stuff, so i'd been looking to buy a home machine for a while. when i saw this monster i had to have it - nearly bought it from amazon (they are the cheapest on the 'net) but my local cook shop had a deal on so i got it from there. it is an impressive piece of kit, heavy, robust and pretty noisy - but the ice cream is better than the shop bought stuff - and the healthy frozen yoghurt is tops - i totally recommend this machine. don't waste your money on cheaper machines, or fussy ones (gaggia and magimix), this is the one!

I chose this ice cream maker over the Gaggia and Magimix ones because :-

1) Looks - Strudy, retro design that co-ordinates with my existing gadgets and if it needs to live on your worktop this is important. (To me anyway!)

2) No need for alcohol to help the freezing process. I still cannot beleive that after paying nearly £300 for the others you need to 'feed' it with alcohol to help it freeze!

3) Capacity - seems to make double the quantity of the other 2.

4) Price - unbeleivably (given the above) up to about £50 cheaper depending on where you buy! I'd have still bought it if it had been the same price.

My machine is hardly ever off (family now fondly calls it 'the tractor'). Yes a little noisy but so so worth it. I bought 3 books from Amazon but find I like the Ben & Jerry's book the best.

Fresh strawberry ice cream and sorbet is like nothing I have ever tasted before. I have a son who is lactose intolerant and have been able to produce delicious sorbets and dairy free ice creams (using coconut cream and milk). I havent had to buy any ice cream at all since having the machine and given I have a family that would eat it for breakfast, lunch and tea if I let them it is so nice to know that what they are eating it chemical free!