The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker, Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker, and the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, are three domestic ice cream makers with self-refrigerating compressors and are available from amazon. All three make excellent ice cream that is extremely smooth, dense, and creamy, but each has its drawbacks. This will be a comprehensive and impartial comparison of, as well as my experience with, the three ice cream makers.
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I’d also recommend having a look at the following machines:
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1. APPEARANCE
All three machines look aesthetically pleasing. The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker comes in a nice stainless steel and plastic finish: the top and front of the machine are made from stainless steel, whilst the sides and back are made from plastic. When I first unboxed it, I was surprised by just how small and light it actually is: it measures 16.5 inches (41.9 cm) in length, 12 inches (30.5 cm) in width, and 10 inches (25.4 cm) in height, and weighs 22 pounds (10 kg). On top of the machine is a small LCD display that shows the countdown timer, a start/stop button, a power button, and a 60 minute timer button. It operates on a standard dedicated US household circuit of 110-120v, 60Hz, (220-224v, 50Hz here in the U.K) and operates at 150 watts.
The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker, or Sage by Heston Blumenthal the Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker as it’s known here in the U.K, is constructed from stainless steel. It weighs 32 pounds (14.5 kg) and measures 16.2 inches (41 cm) in length, 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) in width, and 10.2 inches (26 cm) in height. On top of the machine are the manual timer, pre-cool, keep cool, °C or °F , start/pause, and music buttons, as well as the hardness setting knob. There’s also a large LCD display that shows temperature, manual or auto mode, timer, and the 12 hardness settings. Breville USA Support note that it’s designed to operate on a standard dedicated US household circuit of 120v, 60Hz, (220-224v, 50Hz here in the U.K) and operates at 148 watts (+/- 10 watts) when the freezer bowl is empty. While under a heavier load, the maximum amount of power that it will consumer (for a very thick ice cream) is 288 Watts.
The Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker is also constructed from stainless steel. It weighs 32.2 pounds (14.6 kg) and measures 16.8 inches (42.7 cm) in length, 11.2 inches (28.4 cm) in width, and 10.2 inches (25.9 cm) in height. On top of the machine is a small LCD display, the timer buttons, start/stop button, menu button, and the power button. It operates on a standard dedicated US household circuit of 110-120v, 60Hz (220-224v, 50Hz here in the U.K), and has a maximum power consumption of 180 watts.
Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker
Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker
Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
2. ICE CREAM MIX FORMULATION AND PROCESSING
To test the three machines, 3 ice cream mixes were formulated to contain 54.9% total solids, 23.3% milk fat, 10.8% milk solids-not-fat (the lactose, proteins, minerals, water-soluble vitamins, enzymes, and some minor constituents), 16.3% sucrose, and 4.4% egg yolks. All mixes contained fresh cream, fresh milk, skimmed milk powder, sucrose, and egg yolk solids. All mixes were heated to 72°C (161°F), held at that temperature for 25 minutes, cooled, and aged overnight at 4°C (39°F). Mix composition was kept constant for all 3 mixes but mix volume varied from 700 ml (0.74 quarts) for the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker and the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker, to 900 ml (0.95 quarts) for the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker. Results from the 3 tests can be seen in section 5.2 of this review.
3. OVERRUN
Overrun is the calculation of air that’s incorporated into frozen desserts and is calculated as the percentage increase in volume of the mix that occurs as a result of the addition of air (Goff & Hartel, 2013). Overrun can range from as low as 20% to as high as 150% in ice cream and 20% to 60% in gelato, with low overrun generally associated with a premium product. Overrun influences the rate of melt down, with ice cream containing a high amount of air (high overrun) tending to melt slowly (Goff & Hartel, 2013), and ice crystal size, with smaller ice crystals observed in ice cream made at low overrun than in the same ice cream made at high overrun (Hartel, 1996; Sofjan & Hartel, 2003).
The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker comes with two dashers: one for gelato and one for ice cream. Both rotate at a low 26 revolutions per minute (rpm), relative to typical speeds of 100-200 rpm in commercial machines, resulting in about 20% overrun when using the ice cream dasher, and about 14% overrun when using the gelato dasher. The dasher on the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker rotates at 25 rpm, resulting in overrun of about 8%. This is the lowest of the three machines and produces ice cream that is slightly heavier and denser than that produced by the Cuisinart ICE-100 and the Breville BCI600XL . The dasher on the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Maker rotates at 55 rpm, resulting in overrun of about 29%, the highest of the three machines. This produces ice cream that is slightly lighter and airer than that produced by the Cuisinart ICE-100 and the Whynter ICM-200LS.
4. MAXIMUM CAPACITY
The Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker comes with an impressive 2.1 quart removable aluminium freezer bowl, which has the largest maximum capacity of the three machines: 1400 ml (1.48 quarts) of mix, producing about 1600 ml (1.69 quarts) of frozen ice cream with about 14% overrun. However, although it’s capable of freezing a 1400 ml batch, I’ve found that it produces the best textured ice cream when the mix volume does not exceed 1000 ml (1.06 quarts), which increases to about 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) with 10% overrun. Above 1000 ml, the ICM-200LS produces ice cream that is slightly coarse but of acceptable quality.
The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker comes with a 1.5 quart removable anodized aluminium freezer bowl. When using the gelato dasher, I’ve found the maximum capacity to be just under 700 ml ( 0.74 quarts) of mix, producing about 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of product with 14% overrun. Above 700 ml (0.74 quarts), a considerable amount of product starts to brush against the lid as it freezes. When using the ice cream dasher, I’ve found the optimum capacity to be 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of mix, producing about 1000 ml (1.06 quarts) of extremely smooth, dense, and creamy ice cream with 25% overrun. I’ve found that although the ICE-100 is capable of freezing 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of mix, producing about 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) of extremely smooth and creamy ice cream with 22% overrun, the ice cream just starts to brush against the lid as it freezes. When the batch is increased to 1000 ml (1.96 quarts), producing about 1250 ml (1.32 quarts) of ice cream with 25% overrun, a considerable amount of ice cream is pushed against the lid and texture deteriorates.
The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker also comes with a 1.5 quart removable anodised aluminium freezer bowl. I’ve found that it has a slightly smaller optimum capacity of 700ml (0.74 quarts), which produces about 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of extremely smooth, dense, and creamy ice cream with about 30% overrun. When the mix is increased to 800 ml (0.85 quarts) and 900 ml (0.95 quarts), I find that although it’s able to freeze both amounts, it produces ice cream that isn’t quite as smooth and creamy as that made using a 700ml (0.74 quarts) mix.
5. ICE CRYSTALS IN ICE CREAM
Ice crystal size is a critical factor in the development of smooth texture (Donhowe et al., 1991) with smooth and creamy ice cream requiring the majority of ice crystals to be small, around 10 to 20 µm in size. If many crystals are larger than this, the ice cream will be perceived as being coarse or icy (Drewett & Hartel, 2007; Goff & Hartel, 2013). Ice crystal size is affected by the composition of the ice cream mix and by freezing, with the latter done in two stages: dynamic freezing, where the ice cream mix is frozen in an ice cream machine whilst being agitated to incorporate air, and static freezing, where the partially frozen ice cream is hardened without agitation in a freezer. Ice crystals form only during dynamic freezing and grow during static freezing.
In this post, we’ll be looking at the key principles that underpin crystallisation, as well as the effect that the features on the three machines have on these principles. These will include the dasher, the self-refrigerating compressor, and the freezer bowl.
5.1. NUCLEATION
As the aqueous ice cream mix is added to the machine, the refrigerant removes enough heat to bring the mix below its freezing point. A layer of ice then freezes to the wall of the cold freezer bowl causing rapid nucleation, or the birth of small ice crystals (Hartel, 2001). These ice crystals are scraped off the wall by the rotating dasher and scraper blades and dispersed in the middle of the bowl where the mix is warmer and causes the ice crystals to grow and undergo recrystallisation (large crystals growing and fusing together) (Russell et al, 1999; Drewett & Hartel, 2007). Once the warmer mix in the middle of the bowl is cooled sufficiently, some of the ice crystals scraped from the cold ball wall begin to survive and grow.
It’s important to have a high rate of nucleation so as to create as many small ice crystals as possible (Hartel, 1996).
5.1.1. THE DASHER
Nucleation is affected by the rate of heat transfer from the mix to the cold freezer bowl, with a high rate of heat transfer promoting a high rate of nucleation (Hartel, 1996; Goff & Hartel, 2013). Because heat travels more slowly through ice than stainless steel or aluminium, ice building up on the freezer bowl wall acts as an insulator and lowers the rate of heat transfer. Goff & Hartel (2013) note that even a very thin layer of ice remaining on the bowl wall can cause a dramatic reduction in heat transfer. The rotating dasher and scraper blades help promote high heat transfer by scraping off the ice layer that forms on the side of the cold bowl wall. Keeping the scraper blades as close to the bowl wall as possible is therefore important because it prevents ice build up, thereby ensuring efficient heat transfer (Goff & Hartel, 2013).
A fundamental flaw common in all domestic machines I’ve tried is poorly designed dashers that leave a gap between the scraper blades and the bowl wall, resulting in a build up of ice on the bowl wall and inefficient heat transfer. It’s only when you get to commercial machines that you find dashers with spring-loaded blades pushed firmly against the side of the bowl.
The Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker comes with a plastic dasher that has a plastic scraper blade and two mixing blades attached. When fitted onto the central pin in the freezer bowl, I’ve found that it leaves the smallest gap of the three machines between the scraper blade and the side of the bowl, and actually makes contact with the bottom right quarter of the bowl wall as it rotates, resulting in minimal ice build up.
The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker comes with a plastic dasher that has two plastic scraper blades attached. I’ve found that when fitted onto the central pin in the freezer bowl, it leaves the largest gap of the three machines between the scraper blades and the side of the bowl, resulting in the build up of a relatively thick layer of ice on the bowl wall.
The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker comes with an ice cream and a gelato dasher. Both are made of plastic and both have two plastic scraper blades attached. When fitted onto the central pin in the freezer bowl, both leave just a slight gap between the main scraper blade and the side of the bowl, resulting in a relatively thin layer of ice build up on the bowl wall. As they rotate, the main scraper blades on both dashers actually make contact with just a small part of the bowl when the lid is off, but not when the lid is fixed in place.
Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker
Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker
Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
5.1.2. THE SELF-REFRIGERATING COMPRESSOR
The freezer bowl temperature is another factor influencing the rate of nucleation and ice crystal size, with lower freezer bowl temperatures promoting higher rates of nucleation and smaller ice crystals. Drewett & Hartel (2007) found that decreasing the coolant temperatures at the freezer bowl wall caused higher ice crystal nucleation rates and reduced recrystallisation in the warmer bulk mix, which helped the ice crystals remain small. Similarly, Russell et al. (1999) found that as the freezer bowl temperature was lowered, the nucleation rate increased accordingly. Cook & Hartel (2011) simulated ice cream freezing in an ice cream machine by freezing ice cream mix in a thin layer on a microscope cold stage. The temperature at which ice cream mix was frozen on the cold stage varied from -7, -10, -15, and -20°C (19, 14, 5, and -4°F). They found that warmer freezing temperatures gave more elongated and slightly larger crystals with a wider size distribution.
To promote rapid nucleation, the temperature of the refrigerant should fall within the range of -23 to -29°C (-10 to -20°F) (Goff & Hartel, 2013), with the freezer bowl wall temperature estimated to be a few degrees warmer. I’ve found the compressor in the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker to be the most powerful of the three: it’s able to get the freezer bowl temperature down to an impressive -36°C (-32.8°F) when empty. The compressor in the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker is able to bring the freezer bowl wall temperature down to -30°C (-22°F) when empty, and the compressor in the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker to -28°C (-18.4°F) when empty.
TIP #1 – LOW FREEZER BOWL WALL TEMPERATURE
It’s a good idea to leave the compressor running for about 15 minutes before you add the ice cream mix. This will ensure that the bowl is as cold as possible when the mix is added and help promote higher rates of nucleation and a shorter residence time.
5.2. RESIDENCE TIME
Residence time, that is the length of time the ice cream mix spends in the freezer bowl during dynamic freezing, has a significant effect on the final ice crystal size distribution, with longer residence times resulting in larger ice crystals (Russell et al., 1999; Goff & Hartel, 2013; Drewett & Hartel, 2007; Cook & Hartel, 2010). Russell et al. (1999) showed that residence time in the freezer bowl had a more important impact on final crystal size distribution than did the initial nucleation rate. A similar study by Drewett & Hartel (2007) also concluded that residence time has the greatest impact on final crystal size distribution, followed by draw temperature and dasher speed. This is because a longer residence time gives the ice crystals in the centre of the freezer bowl more time to recrystallise and grow larger (Russell et al., 1999; Drewett & Hartel, 2007).
A high rate of heat transfer and colder freezer bowl temperatures contribute significantly to shorter residence times. Lower freezer bowl wall temperatures can lower the bulk temperature of the ice cream faster, reducing residence time and improving the ice crystal size distribution (Russell et al., 1999; Drewett & Hartel, 2007). Commercial machines usually take between 8-10 minutes to freeze a large batch, ranging from 3 to 44 quarts, of ice cream. Below are the results from my residence times tests.
1. WHYNTER ICM-200LS
Mix volume: 900 ml (0.95 quarts).
Frozen volume: About 950 ml (1.00 quarts).
Overrun: About 8%.
Residence time: 28 minutes.
Draw temperature: -10°C (14°F).
Texture: Really nice, smooth, and creamy. Quite heavy and not very airy.
2. CUISINART ICE-100
Mix volume: 700 ml (0.74 quarts).
Frozen volume: About 840 ml (0.89 quarts).
Overrun: About 20%.
Residence time: 30 minutes.
Draw temperature: -10°C (14°F).
Texture: Really smooth and creamy.
3. BREVILLE BCI600XL
Mix volume: 700 ml (0.74 quarts).
Frozen volume: About 900 ml (0.95 quarts).
Overrun: About 29%.
Residence time: 34 MINUTES.
Draw temperature: -9°C (15.8°F).
Texture: Nice, sweet, and creamy. Nice and airy and quite light.
Although residence time has a significant effect on the final ice crystal size distribution, a short residence time won’t guarantee smooth and creamy texture. The quality of homemade ice cream is, in my experience, more dependent on the recipe than on the machine you use. You might find it useful to have a look through my Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe to get an idea of mix composition.
5.3. DRAW TEMPERATURE
Draw temperature refers the temperature at which ice cream is removed from the freezer bowl and is usually -5 to -6°C (23 to 21.2°F) in commercial machines (Goff & Hartel, 2013). Draw temperature determines how much ice is frozen, with between 33 and 67% of the water in the mix being frozen during dynamic freezing and the hardening stage accounting for an additional 34-57% (Goff & Hartel, 2013). Caillet et al. (2003) showed that decreasing draw temperature resulted in more water being frozen and, consequently, increased ice crystal content. Similarly, Drewett & Hartel (2007) note that draw temperature significantly influences mean ice crystal size. They showed that ice crystals were larger at draw temperatures from -3 to -6°C (26.6 to 21.2°F). When the draw temperatures were colder than -6°C (21.2°F), the mean ice crystal size decreased.
To attain a low draw temperature, the freezer bowl temperature must be low to give rapid heat removal. Rapid heat removal allows for faster ice nucleation rates, which results in smaller ice crystals (Berger et al., 1972). I’ve found that the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker and the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker have the lowest draw temperatures. The Whynter ICM-200LS has a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F) for mixes between 900 ml and 1200 ml (0.95 quarts and 1.27 quarts). With a larger 1400 ml (1.48 quarts), draw temperature drops to -9°C (15.8°F). The Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker has a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F), and the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream a draw temperature of -9°C (15.8°F).
5.4. EXTRACTION TIME
To quickly review, we know that ice crystal size is critical for the development of smooth texture, with small ice crystals imparting smooth and creamy texture, whilst many large ice crystals impart coarse or sandy texture. A high rate of nucleation, a short residence time, and a low draw temperature play a significant role in promoting and maintaining small ice crystals and these three factors are governed by heat transfer and the freezer bowl temperature, which are, in turn, affected by the dasher and the self-refrigerating compressor.
At draw temperature of between -5 and -6°C (23 and 21.2°F), ice cream will have a consistency very similar to that of soft serve ice cream. Ice cream is usually served in its scoopbable state at around -12°C (10.4°F) and so requires further freezing, or hardening. This is known as the static freezing stage and its aim is to preserve the small ice crystals and air cells formed during dynamic freezing. The extraction time, that is the time it takes to empty the ice cream from the machine and get it into your freezer for hardening, is another factor that has a significant effect on ice crystal size.
As you extract your ice cream from the bowl, it spends time at room temperature. During this time at relatively warm room temperature, some of the ice melts from the large ice crystals and the crystals that were initially small melt completely. This is known as ripening and occurs when ice cream is held at elevated temperatures (Goff & Hartel, 2013). When you then get your ice cream into your freezer for hardening, the melted ice re-freezes onto the large ice crystals that survived. The result is that the total number of ice crystals is reduced and their size increases, resulting in coarse or sandy texture. Just holding your ice cream at room temperature, therefore, results in an increase in mean ice crystal size.
5.4.1. THE FREEZER BOWL
I’ve found that because of the space in the large 2.1 quart removable freezer bowl in the Whynter ICM-200LS, it’s extremely quick and easy to extract the ice cream using a large wooden spoon. I haven’t had any problems removing the dasher before commencing extraction, which I find speeds up extraction. I’ve found, however, that extraction takes considerably longer when freezing a large 1400 ml (1.48 quarts) mix. This is because the increased mix volume hardens and prevents the dasher from being removed, making it more difficult to quickly scoop out the ice cream. I’ve found the removable freezer bowl in Cuisinart ICE-100 equally as quick and easy to empty during the extraction stage. On the Breville BCI600XL, however, I’ve noticed that the plastic central pin on which the dasher sits rises about 10 cm (4 inches) from the centre of the bowl and only leaves a gap of 5 cm (2 inches) between it and the side of the bowl. This means that you have to use a smaller spoon, which I’ve found makes the extraction stage take slightly longer.
TIP #2 – QUICK EXTRACTION TIME
It’s important that you extract your ice cream from the freezer bowl and get it into your freezer as quickly as possible. This is to minimise the time it spends at relatively warm room temperatures, where ice cream starts to melt, thereby limiting ice crystal growth during hardening.
Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
5.5. THE STATIC FREEZING STAGE
When you extract your ice cream at between -6°C and -10°C (21.2°F and 14°F), significant changes to the ice crystals continue to take place until the temperature decreases to -18°C (-0.4°F), preferably -25°C to -30°C (-13 to -22°F) (Goff & Hartel, 2013) to halt these changes. Marshall and others (2003) note that during static freezing, ice crystals grow by about 30% to 40%. Donhowe (1993) showed that faster cooling of ice cream during hardening resulted in smaller mean ice crystal size.
TIP #3 – FAST COOLING
To promote faster cooling of your ice cream during static freezing, it’s important to ensure that your freezer is set to its coldest temperature. If you have a super chill button, or something similar, it’s a good idea to switch this on.
It’s also a good idea to place your empty plastic container in the freezer a couple of hours before you start churning a batch. This will remove any heat stored in the container and will help prevent ice crystals that come in contact with the relatively warm plastic during the extraction stage from melting.
6. NOISE LEVEL
I’ve found all three machines very quiet during freezing and haven’t had any issues with noise. The Whynter ICM-200LS is the quietest of the three during freezing, producing about 72 dB. The Breville BCI600XL is a close second, producing about 73 dB of noise during freezing, and the Cuisinart ICE-100 the loudest, producing about 85 dB of noise during freezing. I haven’t found it a problem sitting in the same room with either of the three machines on.
7. ISSUES RAISED BY USERS
7.1. WHYNTER ICM-200LS STAINLESS STEEL ICE CREAM MAKER
Two pertinent issues that have been raised by users in their reviews on amazon are a squeaking noise and the dasher grinding to a halt before the ice cream has hardened sufficiently.
7.1.1. SQUEAKING NOISE
Several users have complained that their ICM-200LS makes a squeaking noise during freezing. The first time I froze a 900 ml (0.95 quarts) mix, I did find that the dasher made a squeaking noise as the mix hardened. This was due to the top of the dasher rubbing against the small plastic support tube in the lid. Surprisingly, I only encountered this noise the first time I froze a 900 ml (0.95 quarts) and haven’t encountered it since. I presume this issue was due to an initial teething problem.
7.1.2. DASHER GRINDING TO A HALT
The second issue that has been raised by several users is the dasher clicking and stopping before the mix has had sufficient time to harden. Throughout my testing, I’ve noticed that the dasher does start to slip a minute or two before a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F) is reached. I’ve found this to be because the teeth on the gear that drives the dasher, and the teeth on the underside of the freezer bowl, are quite small and slip as the mix hardens. This problem is annoying but I’ve found that it doesn’t prevent the mix from being sufficiently hardened nor a draw temperature of -10 (14°F) from being reached. I would, however, like to see bigger teeth on the driving gear and on the underside of the bowl on a future Whynter model to prevent this problem.
7.2. CUISINART ICE-100 COMPRESSOR ICE CREAM AND GELATO MAKER
An issue that’s been raised by several users in their reviews on amazon is the build up of residue on the drive gear located on the underside of the freezer bowl. Users have noted that when the freezer bowl is soaked in a sink full of soapy water, some of the diluted ice cream mix gets in through the plastic seal on the underside of the bowl and through two small holes that have been drilled into the gear. Over time, this diluted ice cream mix hardens and causes an unpleasant smell.
After I froze a batch of ice cream, cleaned the bowl, and left it drying overnight, I turned the bowl upside down and unscrewed the three screws that hold in place the plastic seal around the gear. I noticed that there was some water that had got in through the seal and the two holes the previous night and and hadn’t dried. This didn’t get into the bowl itself, nor did it smell of dairy.
One user has noted that the gear on the underside of the freezer bowl looks very similar to that on a bread machine and that usually the instructions for bread machines warn to clean the inside of the bowl only and never to soak the entire bowl in water because it will damage the drive mechanism. When cleaning the bowl, I now ensure that my sink hole plug is open and use running hot water and a soapy sponge to first rinse off any left over ice cream mix inside the bowl. I then use running water to clean the outside and underside of the bowl instead of soaking it in the sink. I also regularly unscrew the the plastic seal on the underside of the bowl and pour boiling water over the seal and gear to sterilise them both. I make sure that both are dry before I screw the seal back on.
Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker
7.3. BREVILLE BCI600XL SMART SCOOP ICE CREAM MAKER
Several users have complained of a loud grinding noise, similar to gears grinding in a car’s transmission. Throughout my testing, I haven’t had any problems with grinding or squeaking noises, and have found the BCI600XL very quiet during freezing.
8. THE QUALITY OF THE ICE CREAM
All three machines produce excellent ice cream that is extremely smooth, dense, and creamy. The Breville BCI600XL incorporates slightly more air during freezing, resulting in ice cream that is slightly lighter and airer. The Whynter ICM-200LS incorporates the least amount of air, producing a nice dense ice cream. In a taste test, I found that ice cream produced by the Cuisinart ICE-100 was slightly smoother and creamier than that produced by both the Whynter ICM-200LS and the Breville BCI500XL, with the Whynter ICM-200LS a close second, and the Breville BCI600XL third for overall texture.
9. FINAL THOUGHTS
The Whynter ICM-200LS Ice Cream Maker has the largest capacity freezer bowl of the three with a maximum capacity of 1400 ml (1.48 quarts) of mix, producing about 1600 ml (1.69 quarts) of frozen ice cream with about 14% overrun, and an optimum capacity of between 900 ml and 1000 ml (0.95 quarts to 1.06 quarts) of ice cream mix, producing about 950 ml (1.00 quarts) and 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) of ice cream respectively with about 10% overrun. It also has the most powerful compressor, producing the lowest freezer bowl wall temperature of -36°C (-32.8°F) when empty, the smallest gap between the scraper blades to the freezer bowl wall, and the shortest residence time. It does, however, suffer from a dasher that slips and stops as the ice cream mix hardens. Because of its relatively large freezer bowl capacity, it might be a good choice for people who want to produce large quantities of ice cream.
The Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream and Gelato Maker comes with an ice cream and a gelato dasher, the latter incorporating slightly less air into the mix. It has a smaller 1.5 quart anodized aluminium freezer bowl with a maximum capacity of 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of mix, producing about 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) of ice cream with 22% overrun, and an optimum capacity of 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of mix, producing about 1000 ml (1.06 quarts) of extremely smooth, dense, and creamy ice cream with 25% overrun. When using the gelato dasher, the maximum capacity drops to just under 700 ml ( 0.74 quarts) of mix, producing about 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of product with 14% overrun. It does, however, require careful cleaning of the freezer bowl to prevent the build up of residue on the drive gear located on the underside of the freezer bowl.
The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker also comes with a 1.5 quart removable anodised aluminium freezer bowl. It has a maximum capacity of 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of mix, producing about 1000 ml (1.06 quarts) of ice cream with about 11% overrun, and a slightly smaller optimum capacity of 700 ml (0.74 quarts), producing about 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of extremely smooth, dense, and creamy ice cream with about 30% overrun. When the mix is increased above 700 ml (0.74 quarts), I find that although it’s able to freeze both amounts, texture slightly deteriorates. At 55 rpm, the dasher incorporates the most air during freezing, producing ice cream that is slightly lighter and airer than both the Cuisinart ICE-100 and Whynter ICM-200LS.
I’ve found that all three machines make excellent ice cream that is extremely smooth and creamy. In a taste test, I found that the Cuisinart ICE-100 produced ice cream that was just slightly smoother than that produced by both the Whynter ICM-200LS and the Breville BCI600XL. Because of the quality of ice cream it produces, my preference would be for the Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream and Gelato Maker.
I hope this review helps. If you’re considering buying one of the three machines and would like to support the blog, you can do so by clicking here to order your machine from the chaps at amazon.
10. COMPARABLE MACHINES
The Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker has a an optimum capacity of 600 ml (0.63 quarts), a short residence time of 16 minutes, and makes exceptional ice cream that is extremely smooth, dense, and creamy. The Lello Musso Pola 5030 Dessert Maker has an impressive 1300ml (1.37 quarts) maximum capacity, makes exceptional ice cream, and at 13 minutes has the shortest residence time of any domestic machine I’ve tried.
I hope that helps. I’d be happy to answer any questions so do get in touch and say hi! All the best, Ruben 🙂
References
Berger, K. G,, Bullimore, B. K., White, G. W., & Wright, W. B., (1972). The structure of ice cream – Part 1. Dairy Industries, 37(8), 419-425.
Caillet, A., Cogne, C., Andrieu, J., Laurent, P., Rivoire, A., 2003. Characterization of ice cream structure by direct optical microscopy. Influence of freezing parameters. Lebensm Wiss U Technol. 36:743–749.
Cook, K. L. K., & Hartel, R. W., 2010. Mechanisms of Ice Crystallisation in Ice Cream Production. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 9(2).
Cook, K. L. K., and Hartel, R. W., 2011. Effect of freezing temperature and warming rate on dendrite break-up when freezing ice cream mix. International Dairy Journal. 21(6).
Donhowe, D. P., Hartel R. W., and Bradley R.L., 1991. Determination of ice crystal size distributions in frozen desserts. Journal of Dairy Science. 74.
Donhowe, D. P. (1993) Ice Recrystallization in Ice Cream and Ice Milk. PhD thesis, University of Wisconsm-Madison.
Drewett, E. M., & Hartel, R. W., 2007. Ice crystallisation in a scraped surface freezer. Journal of Food Engineering. 78(3).
Goff, H. D., and Hartel R. W., 2013. Ice Cream. Seventh Edition. New York Springer.
Hartel, R. W., 1996. Ice crystallisation during the manufacture of ice cream. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 7(10).
Hartel, R. W., 2001. Crystallisation in foods. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.
Marshall, R. T., Goff, H. D., and Hartel R. W., 2003. Ice cream (6th ed). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Russell, A. B., Cheney, P. E., & Wantling, S. D., 1999. Influence of freezing conditions on ice crystallisation in ice cream. Journal of Food Engineering. 29.
Sofjan, R., P., and Hartel, R. W., 2003. Effects of overrun on structural and physical characteristics of ice cream.International Dairy Journal. 14, 255-262.
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This is amazing, thanks. Any idea why the Wirecutter seemed to get such a different conclusion from you? https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-ice-cream-maker
Hi there Matt,
Thanks for getting in touch. I don’t know why the guys at weitecutter reached a different conclusion. The Cuisinart ICE-100 is still the machine that I’d recommend.
All the best,
Ruben
Fabulous! Thank you so much. A proper review!
Hope it helps! I need to update this review to make it a bit easier to read.
All the best,
Ruben
I’ve owned this for seven years and made hundreds of recipes. Excellent review but you left out one serious flaw: the design of the beater catches a huge amount of cream—maybe 15-20%—and it’s almost impossible to get it off. The blades are close together and not parallel, so a spatula doesn’t work. I’ve tried everything. If someone has a method I’d love to hear it. Out of frustration I sometimes resort to my finger, which promotes more melting!! The pictures of the other beaters look simpler.
Oops. I was referring to the Cuisinart 100. Don’t know how to edit my comment
Yes, I agree with you. I’m think of creating my own ICE-100 dasher since I own a couple of 3D printers. I was really surprised Ruben didn’t address this issue. The dasher really is a poor design.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate this detailed information. I was leaning toward the Cuisinart anyway, and now feel comfortable with that decision.
🙂
Thank you Ruben for such a detailed post! Just what i was looking for. Similar to our friends in one of the comments, I’m planning to buy a machine from US during one of my visits and get it back home in India. I was totally going for the ICM 200LS too I read about the slippage issue in your review. Now i think I’ll go with the Cuisinart ( keeping the bowl clean seems easier than slippage). Have you also looked at the Whynter icm-201SB? Not sure, but I’m guessing slippage might have been addressed here. Let me know if you plan on reviewing this, it might be better, I hope!
Thank you so much! You’re awesome!
Another question though, can you make sorbet as well in the Cuisinart?
Yes you can indeed make sorbet in the ICE-100. I’d recommend using a recipe with a high solids content (fruit pulp) and some corn syrup to reduce the amount of free water.
Hope that helps.
Ruben
Hi there Narin!
Thanks for getting in touch. Yes the Cuisinart ICE-100 would be my recommendation, just keep your eye on the bowl issue and make sure you do regular and thorough cleans. I’d recommend taking the bowl apart every now and then for a deep clean. I haven’t tried the ICM-201SB but I’ve been meaning to order it for a while now to test. I’ll post my results when/if I do test it.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
Thanks for this excellent review, Ruben. I want the most volume possible, (so a cup of ice cream doesn’t cost me so many calories as I watch my weight!). Would the Breville be the best choice for that, i.e. since it whips in the most air, it will give me a cup of ice cream at lower calories than the Cuisinart will, correct? I understand that means it will be less creamy and I will sacrifice some of the flavor, but I will get to eat more! 🙂 Please let me know if I understand this correctly. Thanks!
Hi there Jeanne!
Thank you for getting in touch and apologies for the very long delay in getting back to you. Yes the Breville whips in the most air, but I wouldn’t recommend it as an ice cream machine because it didn’t perform too well in my tests. I think the difference in calories between ice cream produced in the Breville and that produced in the Cuisinart will be negligible. A better approach would be to whip your mix with a blender for 5-10 second before you add it to your machine. This will have a significant effect on increasing the air content.
I’d also recommend looking into using fibre, flaxseed, or chia seed in your ice cream as a way to reduce the fat content whilst maintaining a high solids content. I want to do a bit more research into these ingredients before I post a recipe on the blog.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need a hand with anything else.
All the best,
Ruben
Buongiorno 🙂 i readed very well this riew. i say just… amazing .. ( italian yes.. but i don’t speak english well,.,) anyway.. i have a question ! i want to make something like gelato.. which one is best for gelato?
what different is between icecream a gelato ? air? overrun? i want to make dense e creamy.
thanks you for nice rivew . grazie Ruben.
Ciao Gino!
Thanks for getting in touch. Your English is perfect! The difference between gelato and ice cream is that gelato has a lower fat content, lower air content, lower solids content, and a higher sugar content compared to ice cream. Between the ICE-100, BCI600XL, and the ICM-200LS, I think the ICE-100 is probably the best for gelato. I wouldn’t recommend the BCI600XL. I will try and post a recipe for gelato on the blog soon.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
All the best to you in beautiful Italy,
Ruben
I was researching the purchase of an ice cream am machine with a compressor and came across your site and it answers some of the questions the other reviewers did not address, thank you. I was wondering if the percentage of overrun change with the different automatic settings or the hardness settings on the Breville? How does the kept it cool function affect the taste or quality of the ice cream?
Hi, Thank you for your comments. I am not an expert, but if the overrun in ICM-200LS is lower than the ICE-100…why your prefer the Cusinart option?
Hi there Luis!
Thanks for getting in touch. Lower overrun doesn’t necessarily mean smoother ice cream. High overrun, over about 70%, actually helps to promote smooth texture by preventing ice crystals coming together and growing. I personally prefer ice cream with lower overrun though. I prefer the ICE-100 because I found that it produced the creamiest texture out of the three machines.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben. Thanks for the great post. These were exactly the three models I narrowed it down to. Do you have any idea or a suggestion on one model over the other specifically for sorbet or italian ice?
Hi there Dagodstino!
Thanks for getting in touch. I haven’t tried making sorbet or Italian ice in any of these machines but would go for either the ICE-100 or the Whynter. The Breville would be my last choice.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
thanks. I will go for the larger capacity.
🙂 Let me know how you get on.
Ruben
Hi Reuben, This is exactly what I was looking for, many thanks for posting. I am in Australia and the Breville is currently priced at $339 and the CuisineArt at $469, so a $130 difference. If you were to do your review based as a percentage is the Cuisineart worth the extra $$$. Many thanks in anticipation of your response.
Hi there Tim!
Thanks for getting in touch. Yes I think the the Cuisinart ICE-100 is worth the extra money if you can afford it. In my tests, it made better ice cream than the Breville. I didn’t like the Breville’s smaller maximum capacity and I also prefer the denser ice cream made in the ICE-100; the Breville whips in slightly more air. That’s not to say that the Breville doesn’t make excellent ice cream, because it does, but my preference would certainly be for the ICE-100. If you’d prefer not to spend the extra, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the Breville.
Can I ask whether there is anything about my Cuisinart v Breville v Whynter review that you didn’t find helpful and would like improved?
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever machine you go for!
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
Thank you very much for your comparison. What would be your opinion between the ICE-100 and the ICM-200 if the latter is cheaper?
I live in Thailand, and it seems like the Whynter ice machine is sold under the Unold brand with slightly different specs. The Whynter-like model is sold for about $170-180 cheaper than the ICE-100, but only comes with a one-year warranty. Whereas the ICE-100 comes with a three-year warranty.
Do you think the better tasting ice cream from the ICE-100 still warrants the price & warranty differences?
Best regards,
Sukit
Hi there Sukik!
Thanks for getting in touch! Both machines make excellent ice cream but I found that the ICE-100 made slightly, very slightly, better ice cream in my tests. Do bear in mind that the quality of the finished ice cream is a lot more dependant on the recipe you use than on the machine. How different are the specs on the Unold brand machine? If you’re looking to save some money, the Unold brand might be a good bet so long as the specs aren’t too different to the Whynter.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever machine you go with.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben, Commenters!
I am in the market for a compressor ice cream maker, and had previously found the SweetHome review, which found the Whynter was the best, with Breville as an option, only they found the Cuisinart to be not even in the running! This comparative review (backed up by at least one commenter) suggests that perhaps they had a bad unit. Any thoughts on what else might have contributed to their results (from an ice cream science approach of course!).
Also, the overrun they measured was in the 50% range for all, and yours were much lower. Would that also be due to recipes?
I’m a little confused, but it certainly seems like the Cuisinart is the way to go. Just a little worried about the poor showing in the other review. Any thoughts or encouragement would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Paul
Hi there Paul!
Thanks for getting in touch! 🙂 I’m surprised the ICE-100 was not even in the running in the SweetHome review; I’m not quite sure what else might have contributed to their results. Yes the recipe will have somewhat of an effect on overrun, as will the time the mix spends in the machine. I found that all three machines made excellent ice cream but the ICE-100 was slightly better because of both texture and overrun (I prefer denser ice cream with less overrun). The ICE-100 is the cheapest out of the three, which is another reason it gets my vote.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever machine you invest in!
All the best,
Ruben
I would like to share results of a testing that I did, which supports much of your conclusions as well: I bought the same three ice cream machines and made a test batch in each. I pre-cooled each machine for 10 minutes. Results of a double blind tasting with myself and two other tasters indicated the following: all three of us strongly and clearly felt the cuisinart batch was the creamiest with best mouth feel. Interestingly this one froze the most quickly as well. Whyntner felt very slightly icy and Breville took the longest and I found its narrow canister the least user friendly.
Hi there Sefali!
Thanks for getting in touch and sharing your results! 🙂
All the best,
Ruben
Ruben, thanks for the amazingly thorough review. Your site is quite a find for a novice ice cream maker like me. I make mostly lowfat ice cream and sorbets and am wondering whether any of these are better for these types of desserts. I also prefer a harder type of ice cream versus softserve, although I am getting the impression they all create more of the latter. Will the lower fat treats do okay in the freezer to harden up, or will they end up like a brick? Many thanks
Hi there Tori!
Thanks for getting in touch! I hope the blog helps 🙂 That’s a good question. I don’t think one of the machines is better suited to low-fat ice cream over another. Low-fat mixes will probably freeze faster because of what I’m guessing will be a higher freezing point due to a lower sugar and total solids content in your recipe. This will very likely have the same effect on freezing time on all three machines, namely a faster freezing time compared to higher sugar and total solids content mixes.
If you prefer harder ice cream, I’d recommend reducing the sugar content to increase the freezing point. This will mean that more water will freeze at a given temperature, producing a harder texture. You might find having a quick read through my post on sugar in ice cream helpful. Fat won’t have a direct effect on the hardness of your ice cream but a lower fat mix will probably mean a lower total solids content, meaning there will be more water in your mix to freeze, which will produce a harder ice cream. All ice creams, unless you have a ridiculously high sugar content, will harden like a brick when frozen in the freezer at around -18°C. Ice cream is usually served in its scoopable consistency at around -15°C.
I hope that reply hasn’t bored you to sleep 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
Hey Ruben, thanks you so much for the great explanation, and sorry for the late reply but I had some urgent things to take care of, and I had to put my ice cream research on the back burner, haha
Your link was very interesting, and I’ll write more on that other thread
🙂
Hi Ruben,
great things you are doing here, thanks.
I was wondering which of the three has a better build quality (aside from the ice cream quality they produce)? which ice cream maker would last longer over time, should I be worried about the plastic parts (dasher, scraper blades, etc.)?
thank you
Hi there Joro!
Thanks for getting in touch! That’s a very good question. I don’t know the answer as I only had both the Breville and the Whynter machines for about a month. I’d recommend having a read through the reviews on amazon to see what people who’ve had their machines for a while say. You could also try posting a question on there for people to answer.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
Hello Ruben,
I just discovered your website and you have created the BEST website for people interested in making high quality ice cream at home. I read your individual reviews for the ICE-100, BC1600XL, and ICM-200LS. Then I found and read this comparison review. After reading the individual reviews, I decided I would buy the Whynter ICM-200LS because it produced the least overrun (I prefer a dense ice cream), lowest temperature, lest residence, and the dasher touched the side of the bowl (if only for one-quarter). However, then I read the comparison review and based on your recommendation am now thinking I will buy the Cuisinart ICE-100 because as you stated it makes the best tasting ice cream – smoother and creamier. I want to know if, in your expert opinion, one can tell the difference between a 10% overrun (ICM-200LS) versus a 22% overrun (ICE-100) in terms of the smooth, creamy, dense ice cream? Also, what is your expert opinion on the issue of the slippage of the dasher in the ICM-200LS versus the cleaning on the ICE-100 driver gear? Finally, I see that the kickstarter program ended and ma wondering if you have a method of accepting donations? You have saved me so much time and effort by providing this website that I feel you deserve something in return. Thank you! Tom
Hi there Tom!
Thanks for getting in touch! 🙂 I think there is a slight difference between a 10% and 22% overrun ice cream yes: I find a 10% overrun a little denser and firmer, which I personally prefer. That’s not to say that ice cream with 22% overrun is worse though, just different. I find that there isn’t a noticeable difference in texture between the two overruns.
The slipping dasher on the ICM-200LS does get annoying yes and I’d prefer it to continue churning for just a bit longer, but it still manages to make great ice cream. I’ve also noticed that the freezer bowls on both the ICM-200LS and the ICE-100 look identical, although one is bigger, which leads me to suspect that they’re made by the same manufacturer in China. I won’t be surprised if a few users start noticing the same problem with ice cream getting in and hardening on the underside of the bowl on the ICM-200LS; this is a point I need to update on the review. I haven’t had an issue with ice cream getting in the underside of the bowl on the ICE-100 and hardening but I do now spend more time and attention during cleaning. You might need to keep an extra eye on this if you’re using the ICM-100 to make ice cream to sell.
Very kind of you to offer but I don’t currently have a donate button. I’ll bombard you with cries for help when I try again on Kickstarter 🙂 Please do use the blue ‘amazon’ link at the start of the review if you do order one of the machines. Amazon will send me a fee for referring you to their site if you then order one of the machines.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever machine you go with.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
thank you so much for giving us such detailed studies and reviews on the science of making ice cream. i’ve had Cuisinart ICE-30 and experimented with making ice cream for a while, and am now looking into a built-in compressor machine.
what matters to me the most is the dense smooth texture and less solid ice cream stuck on the wall of inner bowl. after reading your reviews on these three models, i’m a bit surprised that Cuisinart makes slightly better ice cream texture, given Whynter has the least overrun rate, smallest gap between blades and bowl and lowest freezer bowl wall temperature.
from your experience, which brand offers the best quality machine? it’s a critical factor for me because i’m planning to bring one back to Taiwan, and i can’t afford having a malfunction machine and go back and forth with its manufacturer.
again, thank you very much for such a resourceful place 😀
Hi Ruben,
I’m not in the ice cream business here, I’m just really into experimenting and making ice cream the way i want it and share it with family and friends. So your input on the quality of these three brands would help. Since you are in the business for years and have used many machines, have you noticed any issues or signs that we should be aware of? Like broken blades in inviews on Amazon? Or does every machine you’ve come across still work just fine and i should buy either brand with confidence? Thank you.
Hi there Peta!
I hope the reviews help 🙂 Yes I was a bit surprised that the ICE-100 made better ice cream than the Whynter ICM-200LS; that’s not to say that the ICM-200LS didn’t make excellent ice cream though. Slightly higher overrun isn’t necessarily a bad thing as small air bubbles contribute to smooth texture.
I’m probably not the best person to ask about durability or how long each machine lasts because I haven’t spent several years with each of the compressor machines I’ve tried. I think the ICE-100 has a 3 year warranty in North America but I don’t know whether this would extend to Taiwan. I’m not sure about the Breville or the Whynter. I’d recommend posting a question on the reviews section on amazon about durability; perhaps someone that has had their machine for a few years will be able to help more than I can.
Sorry I can’t be of more help. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever compressor machine yo go with!
All the best,
Ruben
Noticed in your references that “Ice Cream” by Goff is listed. Have you looked at the book “Ice Cream” by W.S. Arbuckle? If yes, how does it compare with the Goff Book?
Portions available online at Google Books for the W. S. Arbuckle book.
Hi again Jim!
I’ve actually been reading quite a bit of Arbuckle’s 1986 edition today but don’t have the full book. I haven’t read his 2012 fourth edition but it might not be a bad investment if you can get yourself a cheap copy.
All the best,
Ruben
Have read a little of Arbuckle on Google Books. An E book version is available but the hard cover looks pricy. Just received “Ice Cream” by Goff and getting ready to turn the pages.
Noticed that you have cited Arbuckle in some of your other postings.
I’m tempted to give the new Arbuckle and Marshall book a go.
Wonderfully detailed review of those three machines. Good work Ruben…………..although we do miss seeing you when you don’t make a video :c(
Now, I’m thinking the Whyntner is the one for me. It has the largest capacity and seemed to get the coldest and the dasher fit the tightest. Thanks again Ruben for sharing all your ice cream science!
Hi again Kurt!
Thank you for the kind words! Being in front of a camera is not my favourite way to spend my time but I’ll try and put up some video reviews of the three machines when I get some time. It would be great to get your feedback on this review and even better to get feedback on what you don’t like so that it can be improved!
The Whynter is a good machine, apart from the slipping dasher as the mix hardens, but my preference would probably be for the cheaper Cuisinart ICE-100 because it produces roughly the same amount of frozen ice cream, which I found to be slightly creamier.
Good luck with whichever one you go with!
All the best,
Ruben
I want to thank you for all the research/testing you’ve done to compare these three models. I’ve owned a Lello 4070 Gelato Junior for many years, and while I do like it, the amount of ice cream it leaves frozen to the sides of the bowl really bothers me. What I’ve noticed is regardless of the flavor, whatever is stuck on the bowl sides is always darker than the rest of the ice cream. If I scrape it off and mix it into the rest of the mass during extraction, even after further freezing in my freezer you can still see the areas of darker/lighter ice cream (which makes it appear as if the mixture wasn’t blended properly at the outset, but of course it was). So, distance between the edge of the dasher blades and the bowl sides is very important to me. If I ever need to replace my Lello, I’ve been looking at the Gourmia – a brand I don’t think you’ve evaluated. I hope you do take a look at the Gourmia at some point; it is one of the less expensive brands and frankly, more affordable for me than the others.
Hi there!
Thanks for getting in touch and thank you for the kind words! That’s a very good point that I should probably have mentioned in this review. I used a plain sweet cream mix to test the three machines and so didn’t encounter the patches of darker/lighter ice cream problem during testing. I have encountered it in the past and can see why this may be annoying, especially if you’re making ice cream to sell. What has made you go with the Gourmia? I haven’t tried any of their machines but the Gourmia GSI-400 does look an awful lot like the Whynter ICM-200LS, which makes me suspect that they are made in the same factory and sold under different brands.
All the best,
Ruben
I haven’t purchased the Gourmia, but have been looking at it should I need to replace my Lello 4070 Gelato Junior, which I’ve had for at least 10 years. The Gourmia is much less expensive, and as much as I love ice cream, ice cream makers with refrigeration are a “luxury item” so I can’t afford to splurge on a very expensive model when the time comes to replace the Lello. The issue of the ice cream freezing on the sides of the canister being darker is the main issue I have with the Lello, and although I don’t sell ice cream, I do take pride in the ice cream I make and serve to family and friends, so I don’t like that it makes it APPEAR the base wasn’t properly blended to begin with. That’s why I hope you are able to eventually review the Gourmia. I’ve asked on Amazon.com about the gap between the dasher blades and sides of the bowl, but no one has given me specifics. I believe I also wrote Gourmia at one point to inquire, and again they did not reply with the specific information I asked for. (I was pretty clear in both instances to explain WHY I wanted the information and the issues the distance between the dasher blades and bowl cause me with the Lello). So, this is very important information and thus far, you are the ONLY person to address it in a review of any ice cream makers, and I thank you!
Hi again!
Have you had a look at the Cuisinart ICE-30? It has a large opening in the lid, which allows you to use your thumb to push the dasher firmly against the side of the bowl. It’s the only machine that I’ve tried that allows you to do this. It does put more strain on the motor but I’ve had mine for about 6 years now and it’s still going strong after considerable use. It also makes excellent ice cream that is comparable, if not better in some instances, than that made using compressor machines. I’d recommend picking up a used one on ebay and giving it a try.
Which Gourmia model do you have your eye on? The freezer bowl on the GSI400 looks EXACTLY the same as the Whynter ICM-200LS so I’d recommend having a quick look through section 5.1.1. THE DASHER of my review of the ICM-200LS.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
Ruben
Thank you so much for this detailed review! I have been using my Cuisinart 2QT with the lid off and holding the dasher in place so that it makes proper contact with the bowl (doing that through the lid with my thumb was too awkward for me), but I can’t keep that up with the nerve problems I have in my hands and I’ve grown tired of waiting for the bowl to freeze (takes up to three days in my freezer).
I ordered the Total Chef (Koolatron) ice cream maker from Costco, which looks a lot like the Breville, and I was so disappointed to discover that the scraper part of the dasher makes NO contact with the sides while in operation, so I’m going to return it and I’ve ordered the Cuisinart ICE-100. The Total Chef cooled really quickly and it’s $100 less than the Cuisinart, so it’s a shame that the dasher fitting is so poorly designed.
Correction: The bowl and dasher and lid of the Total Chef looks identical to that of the Whynter ICM-15LS Ice Cream Maker.
Hi Judy!
I wouldn’t worry too much about the scraper blades not contacting the side of the bowl; none of the domestic machines I’ve tried have dashers that do this. I’ve made great ice cream in my Cuisinart ICE-30 without pushing the dasher against the bowl wall. The high fat content in homemade ice cream recipes compensates for the slower freezing rate (ice build up on the bowl wall contributes to decreasing the freezing rate). I haven’t hear of the Total Chef ice cream machine before; a quick googling brought up an interesting looking machine!
Let me know if you need a hand choosing a machine.
All the best,
Ruben