Lello 4070 Gelato Junior Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just received and tried out the Gelato (reportedly manufactured by Simac...but the company name on the machine is Lello..don't know why a different name). Results were great! The machine is rather large and heavy, due to the self-contained compressor, but that means you don't have to plan ahead or take up freezer room to prefreeze the bucket. Makes enough ice cream for about four people, although if you need more you can start another batch right away by moving the first batch to another container (or your mouth )and refilling the bucket.
The machine runs quietly and freezes well (albeit I would add 10 minutes to times listed in the included receipt booklet). A timer is included to signal when the "set time" has ellapsed. The timer does not stop the churner or turn off the machine. However, according to the manual the machine will shut off before mechanical damage is done, if the ingredients become too frozen and the churner stops.
For a few dollars more than models requiring prefrozen buckets, you can buy this model and reap the benefits of higher priced models. You may get a larger capacity bucket on some higher priced models, but for home use this machine will put you in the ice-cream maker "big league" with no apparent short comings.

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With a minimum freezing temperature of -4 degrees F, the Simac Gelato Junior takes only about 30 minutes to satisfy your craving for a frozen confection. Plus, the built-in compressor freezer operates continuously, so you can turn out multiple flavors of ice cream while your guests finish their dinner. A 60-minute electronic timer frees you up for other activities, and an automatic safety mechanism sounds a warning beep if the integrated spatula blade gets stuck. A removable 1-quart bowl, transparent lid, and slim ingredient window all simplify operation, and the unit is also useful for crafting frozen drinks and chilled soups. Though not lightweight at 31 pounds, the Gelato Junior is fairly sleek for its class, measuring 11 by 14 by 12-1/4 inches. Simac includes a booklet of tasty ice cream, sorbet, and dessert sauce recipes, as well as an ice cream scoop.

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Whynter IC-2L SNO 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Whynter Sno is a fully contained 2 liter ice cream machine. It will both churn and freeze a mix to create:
- Frozen Custard
- Ice Cream
- Ice Milk
- Gelato
- Sorbets
- and even icy beverages (think Margaritas and the like.)
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The Pros
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It Works!
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(Yes, this is a big deal. How would you like it if you plunked down $200 only to find your ice cream mix comes out soup or filled with chunky ice cubes?) This machine definitely gets the job done; It makes ice cream.
It is surprisingly quiet.
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While you wouldn't want to use it in a library, this machine is actually pretty quiet. Most of us who don't have any experience with an Ice Cream Machine can only relate to the beasts they have at the local Ice-Creameries (You know the ones: Buy One, Get One Free on certain days...) These industrial behemoths are LOUD. This machine (not being an industrial behemoth) is not loud. It **IS** louder than my refrigerator (barely,) but not quite as loud as my washing machine. It's NO WHERE NEAR AS LOUD as a Blender, Food Processor, or Stick Blender (if those are your only gauges of relevance.)
You can make your own concoctions.
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Some local ice-creameries will make you a custom blend of ice cream. For example, if you want chocolate chips in some strawberry ice cream, they'll do that. (Probably not nationwide chains, but the local shop might.) But ask them to make anything crazier than that, and you're probably out of luck. Rosewater ice cream? Sorry. Green Tea ice cream? You're probably out of luck.
With this machine, you can make whatever flavors your heart desires, and that's pretty cool. (Just don't save me any Alligator Sherbet, ok?)
Ease of Use / Capacity.
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This thing is EASY to use. For example, to make a simple vanilla ice cream, take 2 cups of half-and-half and POUR IT DIRECTLY INTO THE MACHINE'S MIXING BUCKET. DO LIKEWISE WITH 1/2 CUP OF SUGAR. Add a tablespoon of vanilla, and run the machine. About 45 minutes later, you'll have medium soft serve ice cream. NOTE that I do not say "Bring this mixture to a boil," nor do I say "Mix it," nor anything like that. In fact, when I tried this mix, I could even hear the churn running over the grains of sugar in the churning bowl. But, 45 minutes later, nothing but super-fine ice cream.
The other plus side is this machine's capacity. It's nice to be able to make a larger quantity of a mix if the mix is a bit more complicated (ie: a custard, which may require the incorporation of eggs, and possible cooking of the eggs.) This way, you can make a larger batch of mix, followed by a larger batch of ice cream.========
The Cons
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It's NOT dishwasher safe!
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While I won't say "Cleanup is hard," (there are really only 2 things to clean: the bowl and the beater,) you still can't just toss them into the top rack of your dishwasher to get the job done. You'll also need to wipe off the top plastic cover with a sponge, dishrag, etc... because it's permanently attached to the motor (which doesn't lend itself to easy cleaning.) The same thing holds true if your mix overflows the bowl and gets into the machine itself. (Don't worry, it's easy to clean, but again, you can't put the whole machine into your dishwasher [it's electrical, y'know,] so you'll have to clean it with a sponge or dishrag...) In other words, it would have been nicer if the freezing bowl (into which the mixing bowl sits,) the mixing bowl, the churn, and the plastic cover all been removable and dishwasher safe. They're not, but, to Whynter's credit, they are pretty easy to clean.
The label came off
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Petty? Yes. But it's an indicator as to the design of the machine. The label is a stiff label affixed to the rounded "tub" area of the machine. Had the machine been designed with a flat areat onto which the logo could be affixed, the label would still be there. (Mind you, this is "straight out of the box."
Little or No Documentation
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The documentation isn't bad (for what there is of it, but there aren't any recipes that come along with it. Also, there's no indicator as to the Maximum Fill Level of the Churn bucket. Overfill it, and you've got an ice cream that won't set properly, or have enough air mixed into it; or worse: ice cream base spilling into the freezing chamber. NOTE: You **CAN** go onto the website and download some recipes, but it would have been GREAT if they would have spent the extra $.38 and printed out some copies of at least a simple vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry mix recipe and thrown it into the box.
"Add-Ins" chute too small
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Do you like "Add-Ins" (ie: gelatin-based fruit-flavored candy animals and the like) in your ice cream? Well, you'll need to stop the machine, open the top, add the Add-Ins, then restart the churn (which, ideally, you'd wait 6 minutes for, since the compressor doesn't like to start and stop without a 6 minute breather.) The current model has a chute large enough for sprinkles and MAYBE very small cookie crumbs, but not chocolate chips. Again, not the worst thing in the world, but... hey! You know.
It can be slow
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This machine COULD conceivably turn out a batch of ice cream in 30 minutes, but that's only if the mix is nearly frozen to begin with (

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With the WHYNTER SNO frozen dessert ice cream maker, you can make a spread of delectable desserts in about 20-40 minutes. With this versatile wonder you can not only make premium ice cream but refreshing sorbets, Italian gelato, sherbets, fresh frozen yogurts and other treats. Our professional quality ice-cream maker offers premium features not found in budget ice cream makers. A built-in compressor freezer allows for continuous use without the inconvenience of having to pre-freeze the mixing bowl. You will never have to use any freezer space before being able to make your favorite frozen dessert. This unit includes an electronic timer, ice cream scoop, and we'll even send you some secret recipes.

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DeLonghi GM6000 Gelato Maker with Self-Refrigerating Compressor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Being a manager of a kitchen retail store gives me a little edge because I can see a few of these machines in person. Our store carries the Cuisinart Ice Cream maker that has the prefreeze bowl, we also carry the Cuisinart self refrigerated unit, and the Delonghi gelato machine. We use the Cuisinart prefreeze models for our demo's we do
on Saturday's at the store. It works, but it's not the most impressive ice cream you've ever had.
I wanted something better. I looked at both of the other units I listed above. The Cuisinart unit didn't feel well made to me. I took out the bowl, etc and the arm that goes across the top of the machine to the bowl feels like it will be only a matter of time before that gets broke. I decided to try the Delonghi model.
I have used it several times now. I love it!! The first recipe I made was butter pecan ice cream. It was excellent and the machine had it ready in 30 minutes. It can take an extra ten minutes if you add alcohol to your recipe (and this recipe used Jack Daniels). The next recipe was chocolate hazelnut gelato. OMG...Yummy!
Everything we've made has been great. The machine is very simple to use and it works great. I'm very happy with my decision and hope this helps you if you're debating between machines. I would recommend this machine.
I've read that many people didn't like the Cuisinart unit because it's very loud when you use it.
This machine is not very loud. I would say that it's quieter than a blender running. I can still watch tv with it running without upping the volume. It's pretty easy to clean too. There is one area that can get crumbs when you add nuts, etc. I just wipe around in there with a moist q-tip and that's about the only "problem" I can find with this unit. I also purchased The Perfect Scoop book by David Lebovitz. Excellent recipes. Haven't found a dud yet and it also has great resources in the back of the book in regards to ordering ingredients, etc.
Hope this helps with your decision :)

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Impress dinner guests with delicious, authentic gelato--like the kind found in an Italian gelato shop--thanks to this easy-to-use countertop appliance. The unit's mixing paddle effectively blends ingredients, from top to bottom, for smooth, delicious results, while its built-in self-refrigerating compressor brings ingredients to temperatures below freezing, which frozen-bowl ice-cream makers can't do. Its built-in compressor makes it possible to mix up multiple batches, one after the other, without having to wait to re-freeze the ice-cream bowl--a nice detail when making multiple batches during a family reunion or backyard barbecue. Furthermore, it uses an energy-efficient, eco-friendly refrigerant (non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive) that doesn't deplete the ozone layer like other refrigerants. The gelato maker also provides a transparent lid for keeping an eye on the mixing process, a removable stainless-steel bowl for easy serving and cleanup, and a recipe booklet with great-tasting ideas for getting started. When finished wowing friends and family, the bowl, lid, and paddle clean up easily by hand or in the dishwasher. The gelato maker measures 12-4/5 by 15-4/5 by 9-3/5 inches.

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Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this after much debate about whether or not I needed a two quart ice cream maker or just go with the original Cuisinart $49.95 one. I am so glad i bought this one. It is so great. Easy to use, makes alot of ice cream,so sleek looking.
I have a tiny kicthen and everytime I turn around I am buying something that will clutter my counterspace, but I have to say this I don't mind. It is square, not to bulky and the cord fits nicely up inside the machine. It doesn't dangle or anything. It's right next to my KitchenAid.
I have made two recipes out of the manual that comes with the machine. I usually don't like "manual recipes" however, these are fantastic. The Mango Gelato was a huge hit with family and friends. One girl who doesn't like ice cream, liked it. The simple ice creams that dont require making a custard, you just mix all the ingredients together and freeze, I was thinking it would be terrible. It wasn't, so you can make ice cream in 30minutes from start to finish with those recipes.
I do keep the bowl in the freezer like others suggested with the smaller ice cream maker. It has been very useful to have it already frozen when I am ready to make ice cream.
As far as noise, it is not as quiet as I thought, but don't let that scare you. It's not like turning on a blender and leaving it running for 25 minutes. It's not an annoying noise. Not like the old ice cream makers with the ice and stuff. It is fun to watch it churn too. So the noise just fades to the background.
It's very interactive and a great thing to do with kids and company.
I really can't say enough good. One of the best appliance investments I have mad yet.

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Housed in brushed stainless steel with an embossed logo, this fully automatic small appliance makes frozen yogurt, sorbet, and homemade ice cream in as little as 25 minutes. The frozen-dessert maker features a heavy-duty motor and a double-insulated freezer bowl that holds up to 2 quarts of frozen dessert at a time. Simply add ingredients, turn the machine on, and frozen drinks and desserts are ready in minutes. Its large ingredient spout allows for easily adding favorite mix-ins, and an instruction book and recipes come included. A fun addition to any birthday party or backyard barbecue, the frozen-dessert maker measures approximately 8-1/4 by 8 by 11-1/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty. From the Manufacturer
The Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2 Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker The Cuisinart Pure Indulgence

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