Topic: Ice Cream Maker

[alkanet]

I want to get one for a present.
Any recommendations?
I was thinking of the Lakeland one.

I'm a bit vague about what they actually do

Cheers

[Melbourne12]

There are three types, and over the years we've tried them all.

Frozen Bowl

The most popular uses a double-walled bowl, filled with freezer block liquid between the two walls.  You freeze this rather bulky bowl in your freezer for at least 24 hours (preferably longer).  While it's freezing, you make the ice-cream custard and chill it as much as you can.  Finally you put the frozen bowl into the machine, add the very cold custard, insert the paddles, and let the machine churn the custard until it freezes.

Which? lists the Andrew James 1.45L model as their "Best Buy".  It's available from only £20.

The advantages of this type of machine are: It's cheap.  The machine itself isn't too bulky.

The disadvantages are:  You have to wait at least 24 hours between batches for the bowl to refreeze.  The bowl takes up a LOT of freezer space.  If you do anything adventurous like adding alcohol (rum'n'raisin, perhaps?) the ice-cream will freeze only to soft-scoop texture, and will need to be transferred rapidly to the freezer to finish setting.  It's all a bit messy.

Self-Contained Freezer

We finally splashed out on a self-contained machine.  These have their own miniature freezer , which you plug in just a few minutes before adding the custard.  We have a Gaggia Gelatiera which I highly recommend.  There are similar and equally good models by Cuisinart, Magimix, and Sage.  Lakeland stock the Cuisinart and Sage models.

Advantages: Easy and quick to set up.  Easy to clean.  Rapid turnround - just wash the bowl and you're ready for a new flavour.  No issues with slow-to-freeze mixtures.  No need to chill the custard down so hard before starting (tho' the colder the better).

Disadvantages:  Heavy, bulky, and expensive.  Rather noisy in operation (you have the freezer compressor as well as the motor for churning)

In-freezer Churn

These are becoming a bit of a rarity, but they work really well.  The cold custard is poured into what looks like a savarin mould.  The motor and paddles are then put on top, and the whole assembly goes in the freezer.  The electrical cord goes out through the door (held by the rubber freezer seal) and is plugged in.  The paddles stir the custard until it freezes, when they automatically retract.  Here's a link to a battery operated one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-BH-941P-Ice-Cream-Maker/dp/B000BDGUT6/ref=sr_1_57?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1410801915&sr=1-57&keywords=ice+cream+maker

Advantages: No issues with hard-to-freeze mixtures.  Fast turn-round times.  Small machine takes up little cupboard space.  Inexpensive.

Disadvantages: Takes up freezer space while it's working, although less bulky than the frozen bowl systems.  Tends to produce rather more granular and less smooth icecream, since the freezing process is slower.

[alkanet]

thanks for that

it'll be the first one, with the bowl and the freezing mixture

[peanuts]

I've had a Philips Delizia for ages, and use it regularly.  Don't know whether it is still available now, but you could always look on ebay.  It's brilliant.  I keep the bowl in the freezer all the time.  i don't think of it as taking lots of space at all, as I make sure  the bowl is packed with bags of frozen stuff anyway.  It's always ready to use, and I've never wanted to make more than one batch in 24 hours anyway.  Go for it!