Choosing an Ice Cream Maker

Choosing an Ice Cream Maker

Nothing quite compares to the simple pleasure of all natural homemade ice cream. The quality is so superior to anything commercially available that it just makes sense to produce your own ice cream.  To begin making your own ice cream, you will need an ice cream maker.  There are many models available and each have very different specifications and features, but there are few main things to look for to make sure your ice cream maker is a sweet investment.

Size

The number one consideration when it comes to purchasing an ice cream maker is the volume of ice cream that you will need to make at one time.  It takes a considerable amount of time to produce a batch of ice cream, so play to buy an ice cream maker that will fill your family’s ice cream need in one batch with some left over for later.  Larger families and ice cream enthusiasts will appreciate makers that the upper end of the size spectrum, ranging from 1.5 to 2 quarts at a time. Smaller ice cream makers are fine for small families, couples, even for dorm rooms.  Of course, if you start making homemade ice cream, you might need to upgrade your capacity for all the friends you are about to have dropping by.

Work

Old fashioned ice cream makers require a great deal of manual work to mix and churn the ice cream while it is being made.  While this may be great for nostalgia reasons, and perhaps an upper body workout, some people may not want to spend time mixing and cranking.  Hand crank mixers are still for sale in a variety of retailers, but with technological advances there are now makers that operate with electric cranks.  These mixers cut down on the amount of labor that goes into ice cream production, and because it makes the job easier you might find yourself making more ice cream than you would with the grueling hand crank mixers.  Of course, there are drawbacks to the electric mixer, chiefly that they are more prone to failure if the motor burns out.  They also don’t seem as interactive as the traditional hand crank mixers.

Reliability

Don’t buy a cheap novelty ice cream maker that will only break or wear out after a few days of use.  Many ice cream makers are of inferior quality because the manufacturer is betting that they will only be used a few times during the summer season and then forgotten about.  If you are serious about making your own ice cream, you want an ice cream maker with durable metal and high impact plastic construction.  Look at the mixing blades and make sure they are stainless steel and thick enough that they won’t bend.  Make sure the mixing bowl is dishwasher safe, and check if the manufacturer provides a warranty on the motor (if applicable.) Lastly, see if the retailer will let you plug the machine in to make sure it is functional.  A mixer that doesn’t work in the store won’t miraculously start working again when you bring it home.

Thank you for shopping with us. We hope you enjoy your shopping experience with us. We hope you enjoy your new Ice Cream Maker. If we can help you after your purchase, please let us know.