Ice Cream Maker Recommendations Please?

[Munch]

Good morning everyone,

I have been trawling t'internet for advice and recommendation and have only really found out that it has given me a headache!

So.... I then concluded that the best place to seek advice was my friends on the vine

I want to buy hubby an Ice Cream maker for his birthday (just before xmas) but dont really know where to start. I have looked at a few (on the cheaper end of the market, not mastered the art of growing pennies yet ) but do they all actually 'cook' the ice cream or are there some that only do the mixing bit and you have to put them in the freezer to finish?

Does anyone have a trusted model?

Help please

Thanks muchly

[Glutton4...]

Well, it's the right time of year for ice cream, innit!?

[Munch]

I know I know! he has wanted one at work for ages but boss wont pay for commercial one (£1000+) and he was oggling recipe for a lovely sorbet yesterday which got me thinking...... put it this way he is NOT easy to buy for!!!

[vicky]

I've got a Kenwood IM250, very much the cheaper end of the market...
You put the bowl into the freezer for 24hrs before making (it's really bulky so no good if you have lots already in your freezer) then set it up with the motorised whisk and pour in the mix which then freezes due to the bowl temperature. When finished scrape semi frozen mix into a freezer container and keep in freezer or eat straight away.
Minus points
Freezer space for bowl (a whole shelf)
Need to be prepared and get it in 24hrs before
Takes a few goes to get the hang of it, frustrating!
Takes a while to scrape out meanwhile mix is melting again!
Makes only enough for 2 not very greedy adults

Plus points
Nice icecream

Don't bother with this model!

[T8Ter]

Hi Munch,
I have the Cuisinart ICE30BCU, which makes 2l at a time, as above you have to keep the mixing bowl in the freezer prior, but it does make lovely ice cream. I'd love to have one that does the churning and freezing in a self-contained unit but at £200+ not sure I'd get value out of it.

[Nicos]

Mine is one of these...can't recall if it's the larger or smaller one....but an older model.
Buy Magimix Ice Cream Maker, 11047 Le Glacier 1.1, White online at JohnLewis.com
Sounds similar to Vickey's

I tend to do ice cream in batches of say 2 or 3 different ones over a period of 4 days and store the machine in the cupboard the rest of the time.
I do have 2 large chest freezers- but put things like butter inside, or frozen peas so it's not using up quite so much space.

A couple of years ago we made vanilla ice cream with crushed up mince pies...and that was a refreshing alternative on Xmas Day for those who find Xmas pudding a bit too 'heavy'.

Mine is a bit fiddly but you soon get used to it. Sounds like mine does bigger quantities, so more worthwhile the effort???

I think that's a lovely idea for a pressie!

[northepaul]

I have a John Lewis one - about 40 quid I think...sounds similar to the others - you put the inside bit in the freezer for 24hours before use. Its ok, but I find that if the icecream mixture is too thick it tends to stick to the frozen inner rather than churning properly.
Its excellent for making sorbets though - roasted plum is the bestest along with watermelon!

[Hilary B]

I bought the cheapest 'with freezing bit' one I could find on e-bay a couple of years ago. If I can find it (it got put away for the winter) I'll look for the name. It makes about a pint of ice-cream at a time, all you need do is prepare the mixture (I mostly use ones without eggs to avoid having to make a 'custard') pour it in and switch on. You do have to keep an eye on it, especially for sorbet (I part-freeze a fruity syrup, then add beaten egg-white) and sit works best to transfer the mix to a storage container when not-quite-frozen.