CUISINART Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Machine, 2-Qt. Double-Insulated Freezer Bowl, Silver, ICE-30BCP1

This is a very good ice cream machine for its class (home use, freezer bowl). I'd owned the 1 1/2 quart Cusinart model and liked it a lot. Then someone in my house put the drum in the dishwasher and I found out when I tried to make a batch of ice cream that wouldn't freeze. Using the 1 1/2 quart model I was always scaling down recipes or hovering over the ice cream as it churned with a spoon, stealing spoonfuls ice cream as it threatened to overflow the ice cream maker because I overfilled it (not that I really minded that). I like the 2 quart size for those reasons,If you've never owned one of these types of ice cream makers before, here's an overview. There are two main parts as far as what makes the ice cream. There is a paddle and a drum, aka the freezer bowl. The night before you intend to make ice cream (or earlier) park your clean freezer bowl in the coldest part of your freezer overnight. This is essential that the bowl be frozen through with no sloshing sound. This drum is what chills the ice cream.When you're ready to make the ice cream, put the frozen freezer bowl into the base of the ice cream machine, put the paddle in and put the top on, start the machine and then pour your cold (repeat COLD) ice cream mixture into the freezer bowl as it runs. The cold of the freezer bowl chills the ice cream mixture, the paddle scraps the sides of the freezer bowl as it turns which scrapes off the freezing ice cream incorporating it back into the ice cream mixture and churns air into the mixture. Let the machine run for 20ish minutes. Give it a peak every once in a while because watched ice cream never freezes ;). When it's done, you'll hear the motor struggle a bit more because of the thickness of the ice cream, the ice cream will be soft serve consistency and will be done as far as its adventure with the machine. From here you could eat it as soft serve, or scoop out the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze it for a few hours. let the freezer bowl warm up a little, then wash by hand with warm soapy water and a soft sponge or cloth.The negative comments that people have left seem mostly to be due to them not understanding how this machine works or that they expected something different, or both. Yes, you have to freeze the bowl overnight -- that's how this type of ice cream machine chills ice cream. It doesnt have its own refridgeration unit. If you want that, then pay 5x+ the price for a different type of machine. No, this machine doesn't produce solid hard ice cream -- it produces soft serve consistency because it churns and you can't churn rock solid ice cream. And You MUST WASH THE FREEZER BOWL BY HAND. This isn't a "to keep it looking it's best" issue like you sneak your pots and pans in the dishwasher even though you shouldn't -- the heat from the dishwasher will destroy the freezing liquid in the bowl and the bowl will never make ice cream again. You can tell that a well meaning relative put your bowl in the dishwasher because the bowl will still sound sloshy even though it's been freezing for days.The It Never Froze My Ice Cream comments -- the person either put their freezer bowl in the dishwasher or the bowl wasn't cold enough. Or the freezer bowl was defective.The It Won't Make Ice Cream Immediately, It Makes Soft Serve...comments -- that's true, but that's how this machine works.Some have commented that they have to let the finished ice cream (after being I the freezer) sit on the counter for 15 minutes until they can scoop it. My suggestions are: 1. Use more fat in your recipe, 2. Let it churn more air as the machine runs, 3. Know that most commercial ice creams have a ton of what they call "overhead" which is basically air in the ice cream. You may notice that the same volume of two different brands of ice cream weigh differently. Ultra premium brands like Haagen Daaz have little overhead compared to, say most grocery store brands. Lower quality ice creams also have thickeners and stabilizers that hold the ice cream together but keep it from really forming solid. Ever leave a bowl of ice cream on the counter overnight and the next day it's a little melted but mostly in the same shape? That's the stabilizers. All of this makes commercial ice cream soft and easy to scoop even though it's frozen. Take heart that better quality ice creams like the one you are making are naturally harder when frozen, and therefore may take a sturdy ice cream scoop and perhaps a little muscle to scoop. On properly made ice creams (enough fat, enough churning) I've never made a batch too hard to scoop straight from the freezer.In short, this machine works beautifully and its make quality ice cream. I'm very happy with it.

Very easy to use and clean afterwards. The texture is creamy and delicious and on the hot summer days it feels great to have a cold desert ready for you and your family, in about 20-30 minutes you can have yourself a delicious ice cream, while you are busy with other errands in and around the house you can just turn the machine on, you don't need to supervise it as long as you don't over fill it, all you need is a timer, its almost an effortless process.

$99 for a 2qt ice cream maker!! Or pay $300+ for a 2.6 qt. NOT. On my very first try made awesome chocolate ice cream! Two whole quartz just followed the directions and everything worked great. I was even able to make a couple of frozen drinks after making the ice cream because it was still cold enough to do so! Absolute bargain and I love the product! Easy to use as simple as putting the bowl in the freezer. Just keep it there, that's what I do. So when I'm ready it's ready. Just buy it you won't regret it.

I've always made homemade custard (eggs, flour...) Really didn't expect this little machine to freeze my custard without ice and rock salt. Within 30 minutes I had a soft serve treat and I'm about 45 it was just right. I had to save the leftover custard and freeze the next day because the freezing bowl is a little small. But that's not a problem. It functions like it says! Super easy clean up. Once you empty the bowl dry and store in freezer for next use! Definitely worth the purchase!

Recipes are pretty good and tasty. We make milk free versions and coconut milk and cream make good ice cream with included recipes. The only hard part to clean is the plastic insert but it does its job mixing pretty well. This unit is noisy and a little rumbly so I put it in the garage as even in next room its intrusive. The unit works really well and within 30 minutes you have a treat. Scraping the IC out the tub it a little bit of a pain as it sticks very well to the cold tub insides. A sharp wooden or bamboo scraper does the job. Very worth the money to make your own concoctions.

Love my ice cream maker! I love being able to create my own recipes using the basic vanilla and my own add-ins. Super easy to use! I like to make my ice cream 1 night and eat the next. It doesn't melt right away then.

I always wanted to make my own ice cream. I did my homework and research multiple brands and models withing brands. This one hands down was the right choice. It is easy to use and fun. I have impressed family, friends and co-worker with my creations!! Don't hesitate, you won't be disappointed.

My wife just loves this ice cream maker. She loves that it is simple to use, and she loves the end results. Since I got this for her she has been searching online to find all the different things she cam make with this. There is a little skill involved in how-to use this, but she is having fun learning.