I posted an ice cream base recipe a few days ago and DivotMaker requested a gadget review of my ice cream maker, so here 'tis...
Cuisinart ICE-50BC Features: (from Cuisinart's web site)
Commercial-style compressor ice cream maker makes batch after batch no waiting required
No pre-chill or freezing bowls required
Fully automatic 60-minute timer 1-1⁄2 quart capacity
Brushed stainless steel housing with embossed logo
Transparent lid with ingredient spout Instruction/Recipe book
Limited 3-year warranty BPA Free
- See more at:
http://www.cuisinart.com/discontinued/ice_cream/ice-50bc.html#sthash.AO4rPvaN.dpufI've had mine for 3 or 4 years now and never had a bit of trouble with it. You can make one and a half quarts of ice cream, gelato, sorbet, etc. The unit has a built in compressor so you don't have to pre-freeze a bowl to make ice cream, just turn it on. Some of the reviews for this model complained about too many plastic parts, and I suppose that could be a concern, but I haven't had any parts break on me. It fits on the shelf in my pantry and it will freeze 5 cups of ice cream base in about 30 minutes. I think I paid about $450 for mine. It came with a recipe book, but I think my ice cream base recipe is better. You can find it in the recipe section.
Apparently Cuisinart has discontinued this model and replaced it with the ICE-100. You can still get the ICE-50BC but they are selling for anywhere from over six hundred bucks to a thousand dollars. Jeez.
The ICE-100 sells for less than 300 bucks. It looks like the newer model doesn't have the external motor driven arm that turns the paddle. This is probably a good improvement. I would definitely consider the ICE-100 if I were shopping for an ice cream maker today. There are other manufacturers making ice cream freezers with built in compressors (DeLonghi, Whynter, etc). I chose the Cuisinart after looking at reviews and then considering that my Cuisinart Food Processor has lasted over 20 years without a single problem. The built in compressor was definitely a selling point for me. With the other models you have to pre-freeze a bowl and you are limited to making 1 batch of ice cream at a time until the bowl re-freezes. With a compressor, you can crank out as much ice cream as you need for any occasion.
I don't know why the older model ICE-50BC is selling at such a premium when it's a discontinued model. I would certainly suggest to anyone considering one of these that they look closely at the ICE-100 instead.
I consider an ice cream maker to be an essential kitchen gadget that belongs in your pantry alongside a restaurant quality pasta machine, a meat slicer, water bath canner, food processor, a stand mixer, meat grinder and sausage stuffer.
If you just want ice cream on the cheap, get a White Mountain electric. They have a huge 6 quart capacity and last for forever. I had mine for probably 20 years before I replaced it with the Cuisinart. The only problem I see with the old style ice cream churns is you have to deal with the crushed ice/rock salt brine and they tend to be very noisy. Forget about the antique hand crank ice cream churns, you just don't want to put that much work into ice cream when electricity is so cheap.
One last word of general advice when shopping for any gadget. Beware of manufacturer claims about "professional" or "commercial" quality. Usually this means they just beefed it up a little and jacked the price up a lot. There is a very wide gap between the quality of products intended for home use and those specifically manufactured for the food service industry. If you really want a commercial ice cream maker, meat slicer, or food processor you can expect to pay a lot for it. On the other hand, restaurant tools take a severe beating and get abused daily and still hold up. A stand mixer made for home use wouldn't last 2 days in a commercial bakeshop. You have to balance what your willing to pay with how hard your going to use it.
Just my 2 cents.
