Review: Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Last year one of my personal chef clients asked me if I could make them ice cream. So I shopped around for an ice cream maker. I didn't need anything big (when I was a kid we made a couple of gallons at a time) and I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a piece of equipment I didn't think I'd be using that often. I settled on the Cuisinart ICE-20 Ice Cream Maker.

Manufacturer's Site

Description: Cuisinart ICE-20 Electric Ice Cream Maker

1 1/2 quart capacity

8.5 x 8.5 x 11.5 inches

9 pounds

Available in white or red

3 year warranty

Pros:

Transparent cover with large feed tube for adding mix-ins

Non-stick interior

Makes ice cream in 20 - 30 minutes without ice

Powerful motor

Cons:

Container requires freezer space

Requires at least 24 hours to properly chill container

Additional containers are expensive

Unit is noisy

Container must be hand-washed

Price: $49.95 MSRP

When I was looking for an ice cream maker I had bias in favor of Cuisinart. My Cuisinart Food Processor is over 30 years old and still going strong so, although past performance isn't a guaranteed predictor of future performance it (particularly for a different product) the units I looked at were as heavy as my food processor, which is an indication of powerful and well-built motor. I was also tempted by the ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. I have a tiny kitchen and I would have preferred not having to figure out where to store another large appliance.

But the Kitchen Aid attachment retails for $100 and that struck me as a lot of money for a bowl and paddle. Additionally, in a review of ice cream makers in Cooks Illustrated a couple of years ago, the editors noted that ice cream made with makers where the paddle moves (as with the KA) tends to form ice crystals within a couple of days of storage in the freezer whereas when the bowl moves the ice cream maintains its texture better.

Additionally, the Cuisinart took first place in the Cooks Illustrated review. Logging on to the Web I was lucky enough to find a factory refurbished Cuisinart maker for $30. At that price there was no competition, so I bought it.

I've made nearly two dozen batches of ice cream now (some custard-based and others with just cream) and I'm pleased with the unit. It produces a lusciously creamy product in about 30 minutes. On the down side, I have to store the device in a hall closet because I simply don't have space for it in my kitchen. Additionally, although the manual says the container can freeze in as little as six hours I've found that 24 is better - and the ice cream mixture needs six to eight hours in the refrigerator.

The Cuisinart Ice Cream maker makes just enough ice cream for to last two people for about three days. And given my previous experience with Cuisinart, I expect this ice cream maker to last a long time. Recommended.