Cuisinart Ice Cream Makers

Cusinart offers four ice cream makers, from the ICE-20 Automatic Ice Cream, Frozen Yoghurt and Sorbet Maker (pictured, listed at $80) to the ICE-50BC Supreme Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker ($399).

A very comprehensive report on ice cream makers at Slate said about the ICE-20:

Cuisinart has been setting the standard for well-made, unfancy, durable gel-canister ice-cream makers for years, and this update on the classic continues in that tradition. The concept is almost entirely the same, only now a ye olde bucketlike exterior graces the machine, lending it a hokey New England-y, nostalgic quality. If you want to go gel canister and plan only to perfect Philly-style ice cream, this one's for you. However, the difference between this and a compressor model is very noticeable on French-style recipes. I started with a Cuisinart, and liked it a lot, but I also understood its limits in servicing my growing obsession....I like this well-made machine, but if you plan to join the fellowship of the ice-cream nerds, this is merely an inexpensive starter.

And about the Cuisinart ICE-50BC:

Cuisinart recently added a compressor model to its ice-cream offerings, and they've cut some corners to keep the price down. The big one: Where most compressors take about 20 to 30 minutes to brew up ice cream, the ICE 50BC is supposed to take 30 to 40 minutes (or more). I was wary that a longer freezing time could result in larger ice crystals, which are more detectable to the tongue, thus giving your ice cream a grittier bite. But I was pleasantly surprised, as were my tasters. I found that the ICE 50BC did make a very nice ice cream, and in well under 40 minutes. A brushed stainless-steel box with no frilly-silly add-ons, the machine is also beautifully designed.

A San Francisco Chronicle review commented on the ICE-20:

After testing ice cream in a number of different machines, we found three we especially liked.

The Cuisinart automatic ice cream maker, often available for $50 or less at many major retail outlets, is a self-contained model with a freezable bowl that uses a removable paddle to churn. Compared to similarly designed ice cream makers, this one produced the most consistent results, freezing ice cream in 20 minutes.

The Devices and Development website said about the ICE-20:

The maker is easy to use, easy to clean, and fast. Using a double-insulated freezer bowl that holds up to 1-1/2 quarts of frozen dessert, users throw in the ingredients, press a button -- and you've got yourself some ice cream brewing. The maker also has an easy-lock lid, and a large ingredient spout for adding ingredients. There's also a recipe book, to make you get top use out of the maker.

As far as problems, it has very few. One is that it's slightly loud. It shouldn’t too much of a problem, but might ruin a romantic dinner if put anywhere in the vicinity. Another problem isn't too much of a problem, but a bit of a hassle -- which is that the freezer bowl must stay in the freezer before you use it....

If you like ice cream and want to have it at your beck and call -- buy this maker. It's cheap, it's well-made, and it makes great ice cream.

Food critic Bill Addison said in a Washington Post interview:

Favorite brand you'd recommend?
I'd go with Cuisinart. I used the "Cuisinart ICE-20 - Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker" that retails for around $50 with an organized friend (read: organized cook) recently, and the ice cream (it was Meyer lemon ice cream) came out fluffy and smooth.

I have an antiquated ice cream maker from the early 90s that keeps on keeping on. If it died tomorrow, I'd invest in Cuisinart's ICE-50 self-refrigerating machine for $250.

According to Burning Void Reviews, also writing about the ICE-20:

I bought this to replace our old, broken Krups Ice Cream Maker. I chose the Cuisinart because...oh, who am I kidding. Because it was the only ice cream maker that cooking.com carried. Oh, yes, and I've had lots of good experience with the Cuisinart brand.

...The Cuisinart wins in almost every way over the Krups. First, the freezer bowl is smaller, so it fits in the freezer more easily. Don't let this fool you though - the Cuisinart makes the same 1.5 quarts that the Krups makes. The bowl is just designed better.

...We've replaced our Krups with a Cuisinart, and we believe that we have traded up in every way. If you need an ice cream maker, I heartily recommend the Cuisinart.

* Get the Latest Price on the Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Sorbet Maker.

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