Ice Cream Machines

[kpurvis]

I've been considering investing in the KitchenAid attachment. Does anyone have feedback on it?

[Jeni Hicks]

I have the KA ice cream maker attachment - and so far I'm very pleased with it :)

Although my ice cream making has been limited to endless batches of vanilla, chocolate and -yum!- fresh strawberry only, the attachment has been a star since the beginning. The ice cream reaches a "slightly stiffer than soft serve" consistency after about 15 minutes - it can be eaten as is, or frozen for a harder consistency. The old Cusinart machine I had rarely got past "cold soup"...the recipes I used were the same.

I'm really happy that I got mine, and would recommend it highly.

HTH!

[HungryChris]

I have a Musso 4080 Lussino that I got by bidding (and winning) on a Simac on e-bay. How that happened is still a mystery. The thing was delivered brand new with a warranty from a supplier several states away from the woman selling it. My only guess is that the supplier did not have the Simac in stock and made the substitution. Once I did my home-work and realized that it was an upgrade, I stopped my original protest. It had cost me about $320.

As far as the machine goes, my very first batch was just awsome! I love the fact that you can wip out quart after quart at a rate of about 1 every half hour. This was great when I knew my sisters kids were coming over.

I also like to do sorbe and gelato experiments.

Deb (on South Beach) likes to bring over a few 6 oz cups of Blue Bunny Lite 85 fat free, no sugar added yogurt (black cherry is her fave right now) and in about 20 min it produces really good SB friendly frozen yogurt.

My latest gelato was made with 2 peeled large seedless oranges which when run through the blender yielded 1 1/2 C puree. I matched that with 1 1/2 C whole milk, 1/2 Tbs Vanilla extract and 2 heaping Tbs sugar (you have to taste the mixture to see how much sweetness the fruit brings to the table). That was pulsed for a moment and popped into the bowl of the Lussino, which had been running on the refrigerant cycle for about 5 min. I was looking for the Good Humor Creamcicle taste. About 20 min later I had it, soft serve style and the bulk went into the freezer to be hardened off. I could hear the Good Humor bells ringing from my childhood when the truck was really a motorcycle with a big cooler. Next will be the toasted almond!

Let me also add that this thing is a big and heavy item. It will fill both arms and weighs around 30 lbs. I keep it in my spare bedroom/appliance garrage cause I just don't have the space to devote to it when it isn't being used. It is not for everybody.

edited to correct spelling (where is the eG spell-check???)

Cheers,

HC

Edited June 30, 2005 by HungryChris (log)

[kpurvis]

I have the KA ice cream maker attachment - and so far I'm very pleased with it :)

Although my ice cream making has been limited to endless batches of vanilla, chocolate and -yum!- fresh strawberry only,  the attachment has been a star since the beginning.  The ice cream reaches a "slightly stiffer than soft serve" consistency after about 15 minutes - it can be eaten as is, or frozen for a harder consistency.  The old Cusinart machine I had rarely got past "cold soup"...the recipes I used were the same.

I'm really happy that I got mine, and would recommend it highly.

HTH!

←

Thanks for the report, Jeni. Sounds like it would worth the investment, especially since I have the luxury of a deep freezer for storing the canister.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thanks for this post, kpurvis ... just looked at the prices .. wow! think I'll stick with my Cuisinart for now though ...

[bradyvickers]

The raspberry custard turned out great. Very smooth. I have made a few batches in the machine so far. The raspberry custard, coffee ice cream, and a cantaloupe sorbet. The coffee ice cream texture was good, but the flavor wasn't. The texture of the cantaloupe sorbet was bad. I think I needed to strain out the fibrous bits. Anyway, I would highly recommend the KA ice cream attachment it works great.

[Lesley C]

I'm testing both the KA and Cuisinart makers this week for an article.

The KA was iffy for a few reasons.

One, it doesn't have a lid, which means loss of temperature. It's also not hygenic (but that's the bacteria-crazed ice cream maker in me speaking). There was a fly buzzing around my kitchen when I was churning the ice cream and he came pretty close to melding in alongside the chocolate chips a few times.

Second, I almost broke the paddle when I accidently increased the speed and then went back to the stir speed. I heard a horrible "crunch" noise. Nothing broke, but I think it might if it ever happened again.

Third, the Cuisinart offers the option of having multiple canisters. If I want to make chocolate and vanilla ice cream for a dessert, I have to wait 24 hours with the KA, whereas I can have the second freezer canister going right after the first with the Cuisinart. There's also a Cuisinart model that offers two canisters going at once. With the KA, multiple canisters is not an option and never will be.

Cuisinart test to come soon...

[Busboy]

I have a Cusinart and I think it works pretty well. And I got it for fifty bucks, with a second cannister thrown in, so I can make multiple 'screams at will.

I think they turn out a pretty good product at a pretty good price.

With the dual cannister Cuisinart, though, I've had trouble with the plastic lids (these things) that hold the paddles in place as the cannisters turn. The little plastic triangles that keep the paddles from spinning have been breaking off one-by-one meaning a $50 machine is rapidly approaching uselessness because of a small plastic part.

[scordelia]

I also have the Cuisinart, also got it on sale with a second bowl thrown in, and I love it. It makes great ice cream and it is compact. Recently, a friend of mine (who died) left me his fancy-dancy $1000 Italian ice cream maker with a built-in freezing unit, and I like my Cuisinart better. Thay both make equally good ice cream, but the Cuisinart is easier to clean and store. I am going to sell the other one on eBay or something.

[chefturnedbum]

Boy I have had a lot of machines over the years. I just got the musso unit and let me tell you, for the money it produces a beautiful product. The air whipped into this unit really makes the difference. I tried the cuisinart and it was ok. In the beginning I used moms whote mt. and rival mixers and they seemed to do just an adequate job as the previous two. The musso is expensive but well worth it and if you have a show kitchen it really stands out. Did a french style with black pepper and vanilla and it was really stellar. Next I did french style with fresh rainier cherries ( I am in WA. ) which I purchased for a buck and barised them in kirsch and paired with a valhrona chocolate ice cream. Orgasm in a bowl. Spend the money.

[LaurieA-B]

New issue of Fine Cooking (Sept. 2005) has an ice cream machine test and one they recommend is the Salton Big Chill. Anyone tried it? The appealing feature is that instead of freezing the entire bowl, you freeze a disk that goes under the bowl (takes up less freezer space).

[simdelish]

My new job has yet to get an ice cream maker for me... but in the meantime, one of the owner's friends, a caterer, brought in her Musso for me to use in the meantime.

For my purposes, it is a PITA, because it makes such small amounts (I get less than 2 qts out of it), and it is not easy to clean/sanitize, as there are no removable canisters, or an extruding exit to wash hot water thru. It takes me about 30-40 min to run a batch, sometimes more. When I have a big batch of some flavor, I just scoop out the first batch, don't even wipe out etc, just pour more base in and keep going.

The caterer said she hardly uses it (which is why she loaned it to me) (AND it won't pass the health inspector, so she keeps it hidden, and forgets she has it). She did say she used it for one very large NYE party, and they started cranking batches out starting at 4 or 5 pm, and didn't stop til 2 am. She said it didn't have a problem going that long.

I am fairly happy with the results, I guess an 8 out of 10. It definitely does not, for some reason, churn the mix as fine as the commercial machines I have used in the past (I found the CRM gelato maker the best of all).

For me, I have found I almost have to overdo it, as the super small batch has a tendency to start melting right away, while I am trying to scoop the stuff out and get into the freezer. The Musso does have 2 separate buttons, one for the dasher, and one for the cold/freeze. If I leave on the freeze while scooping, the edges get rock hard in a matter of seconds, which makes the mix lumpy.

I have used most of the home machines, and I would say this Musso definitely does the best job. If you are serious about ice cream, and can spring for the Musso, I would recommend it over the others. For now for me, the little Musso is doing the job at work, but it keeps my assistant busy, doing batch after batch. I am counting down the days, however, until I get a big 'un once again!

[rmockler]

thanks all and everyone for their great, informed input.

....

So .. my question, as a once- or twice-a-year ice cream maker, is: what's wrong with the cheapo Rival-style version with the ice and the rock salt? I much prefer this to my cuisinart. Given how infrequently I make ice cream, it's a bit of a hit or miss for me perfection-wise, but I can't imagine that's the machine's fault.

Anyone have any beef with these little guys, other than the ice and rock salt hassle if you use them a lot? Are my aspirations to making perfect ice cream for naught unless I shell out for a big machine?

[origamicrane]

one word

pacojet

the ferrari of ice cream machines

[EllenC]

[budrichard]

We have the Kitchenaid which is the 'Audi' of Frozen Dessert Makers since Ferrari does not win at Le Mans anymore! http://proline.kitchenaid.com/counter_top/...aker_detail.asp

This is actually a pro machine and is equivalent to the machines used in many restaurants and cooking shows. No pre-freezing is needed and one can regulate the 'over run' as with commercials ice creams. I find no way to do this with the PacoJet.

It makes a lot of ice cream and it makes it fast. The ice cream can either be dispensed like soft serve or the whole front comes off to allow the frozen mixture and blades to be removed and the mixture transfered into a vessel for further hardening. -Dick

[tan319]

That KA looks kind of decent!

[chefcyn]

[russ parsons]

I have a Cusinart and I think it works pretty well. And I got it for fifty bucks, with a second cannister thrown in, so I can make multiple 'screams at will.

←

busboy,

is this the dual canister cuisinart that you later referred to, or a single canister model that they included a spare. if so, where did you get it? i'm on deadline and that sounds like jsut the thing.

[bushey]

I just scored two ice cream makers on eBay (don't ask, I really don't know what I was thinking): the Panasonice battery-powered small one, and a gently used Rival electric 4-quart model. Total for both, shipped and all, was just under $40. Guess I'd better start looking for ice cream and sorbet recipes.............................

[tan319]

I was in a Williams Sonoma today and saw this CuisineArt ice cream machine with a built in freezer compressor for 249 bucks.Has anyone used it/bought it?

http://ww2.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm...1%7Crshop%2Fhme

What do you think?

The KA Pro Line looks great, it's built like a Taylor but this CuisineArt Supreme is very...affordable.

Talk to me!

Thanks!!!

[mart242]

I have the delonghi ICK8500. Bought it at the end of last year, made ~10 - 15 batches of ice cream / sorbet since then. Highly recommended, no problems with it beside a slightly noisy motor that mixes the ingredients. Easy to clean.

[scordelia]

I have a Cusinart and I think it works pretty well. And I got it for fifty bucks, with a second cannister thrown in, so I can make multiple 'screams at will.

←

busboy,

is this the dual canister cuisinart that you later referred to, or a single canister model that they included a spare. if so, where did you get it? i'm on deadline and that sounds like jsut the thing.

←

It's the single canister with an extra bowl thrown in (busbay and I have had this discussion as we have the same machine). That's what I have--the Ice 120 with an extra bowl. It works great! Very easy clean up and very good good textured ice cream. Also, is not much bigger than a blender.

Lots of people sell them. I got mine on sale from Neiman Marcus. Cook's Cupboard carries it. I am sure that Wiiliams Sonoma has it. I would go one of those web sites that does price comparisons like bizrate and see who has the cheapest.

[R Washburn]

I was in a Williams Sonoma today and saw this CuisineArt ice cream machine with a built in freezer compressor for 249 bucks.Has anyone used it/bought it?

http://ww2.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm...1%7Crshop%2Fhme

What do you think?

The KA Pro Line looks great, it's built like a Taylor but this CuisineArt Supreme is very...affordable.

Talk to me!

Thanks!!!

←

I have had the Cuisinart supreme for almost a year now and I really like it. Very nice if you are interested in making icecream in 1 Qt. batches. The only downside is that it is rather noisy.

Edited August 16, 2005 by R Washburn (log)

[tafkap4d]

I have the Cuisnart dual ice cream maker and while it is great it is a bear to store, clean and use. I wish I had purchased a smaller one. This one produces far more ice cream than three people can consume. If I were to do this over, I would definitely go smaller.