What are the best brands of ice cream makers?

countertop ice machine image

Cole

I want to buy an ice cream maker that works really well and is easy to use. What are some of the best brands to choose from in the $30 to $50 range?

Answer
Best budget ice-cream maker.Reviews say the countertop Cuisinart ICE-20 consistently delivers 1.5 quarts of creamy ice cream in about 20 minutes. The catch (as with all models under $100) is that you need to pre-freeze its gel-filled canister for 10 hours (depending on your freezer). An opening in the top makes adding ingredients simple, and the Cuisinart ice-cream maker cleans up easily. An automatic shut-off function prevents the motor from overheating. Users say this machine is a bit noisy, but it's quieter than its two-quart sibling, the Cuisinart ICE-30 (*est. $90). Compressor ice-cream makers don't need any pre-freezing, but they cost at least $150 more.

Where can i read about learning to make Ice Cream?

countertop ice machine image

ssalikg

Am interested in starting a small new Ice Cream making venture, where can i learn about the ABC of Ice Cream making and where to buy the Ice Cream making machines?

Answer
Cuisinart makes some good countertop models with and without freezer bowls. The freezer bowls are cheaper (usually about $50 at places like Bed Bath & Beyond or Costco) than the others.
A good book and companion website for ice cream making tips, tricks, and recipes are David Lebovitz's: The Perfect Scoop and http://www.davidlebovitz.com/recipes/

Ideas needed for new improvement on home appliances?

countertop ice machine image

BrewCrew90

I am doing a project where i have to take any home appliance and think of an idea to improve it. For example now they make fridges with TV's in them, etc. or like a dual slot toaster, etc. i really am having trouble coming up with an idea and was wondering if anyone else had some kind of ideas. any help is appreciated.
this is for a big school project, need more ideas!!!
and i need to be able to develop some kind of prototype of this idea

Answer
I already have the fridge with pull out shelves...
LG already puts a video for pics in one of their fridges.
Well how about a self contained and hidden from view countertop blender, hand held mixer, food processer all in one. I dont think anyone makes a unit that hides all the stuff that goes with these appliances...I built a wooden box to store my food processor, pasta machine, stick blender, and ice cream maker (small one) It has a drop down door that I used deco wall paper to add to the decor. It holds at the top the 2 large round food processor blades...they slide into 2 wood slats...and at the back behind the food processor are the other 2 chopping blades. To the left of that is the storage of the other items, all nice and compact. I didn't want to drill a hole in the back for the cords because bugs get in there. I just plug them in as I need them. The processor is a large and heavy Robot Coupe and sits on the door when I use it.
If one good unit with multiple uses could be made....and contained in a hidden compartment...small enough for a small kitchen....compact here is the key...and powerful enough to handle the load of everyday multiple uses....I think someone would have a winner...I think most big manufacturers want their name showing on the countertops....so they won't or don't contain the small appliances in a box of any kind.
Maybe the same thing for the bathroom, hairdryers, curling irons, electric razors, electric toothbrushes....would be nice if all came cordless and only one cord.....That is in one self-contained unit.....and hidden from view...either on the wall, or in a nice box on the counter.

Good LUCK....

How do I keep my Homemade Ice Cream from over freezing?

countertop ice machine image

Q. I just bought an ice cream machine,I have been making it with heavy cream and milk and it turns out like soft serve.
It will be fine for a while,but once it sits in the freezer over night it is insanely hard. How do I keep it from doing this?

Answer
Unfortunately this is not possible.

Have you ever seen the big machines at Dairy Queen that make soft-serve ice cream? They operate very similarly to your countertop ice cream machine: they have a very cold surface which quickly freezes the cream and have scrapers which continually scrape the frozen crystals off the cold surface.

If you want soft-serve ice cream from a home machine, you need to scoop the ice cream directly out of the machine and serve it immediately. Putting the resulting ice cream into the freezer overnight will produce ice cream with a consistency similar to the "premium" varieties available in the store (haagen dazs, ben and jerry's, etc.).

If you have freezer hard ice cream, leaving it on the counter for 15 minutes prior to serving will help. Putting it in the microwave for a short blast also works. Either way, you won't get a true soft-serve consistency, however. That's just the nature of the beast, unfortunately.