There are three types of ice-cream makers on the market today: manual (or hand-cranked), electric cold accumulating and electric self-cooling. The main difference that separates them is how they go about cooling the ice cream to the appropriate temperature.
Old-fashioned manual or hand-cranked ice cream makers consist of an inner bowl which contains the ice cream ingredients, an outer bowl that contains a rock salt / ice mixture for cooling, and a paddle mechanism which is rotated by hand. The manual ice cream maker requires the most time and patience out of the three. In addition to the extra mess from the leftover rock / salt mixture, you have to manually crank the paddle mechanism every ten minutes for about two hours. A parental benefit from having a hand-cranked ice cream maker on a camping trip or rainy day is it keeps the kids occupied for two hours!
The more modern electric cold-accumulating ice cream makers utilize a double-walled bowl or canister that contains liquid refrigerant sealed between its walls. To operate these ice cream makers you pre-freeze the canister in your freezer before making your ice cream. However, once the canister reaches the proper temperature all you need to do is place the ice cream mixture in the canister, attach the electric paddle component and your ice cream is ready in about 30 minutes. The advantages of these machines are the price, the convenience of not having to manually paddle your ice cream, and the short amount of time it takes to make your ice cream. The main disadvantages often cited are the small canister capacity (one quart or two quarts), the fact that the canister needs to sit in the freezer for 6 to 24 hours prior to use, and the inability to make multiple batches of ice cream without purchasing an additional canister.
The third type of ice cream maker is the electric self-cooling machine which, as the name suggests, cools the ice cream by itself. The unit comes with its own small compressor that works exactly the same way as your freezer. The self contained canister is cooled automatically thus eliminating the need to pre-freeze or use a rock / ice mixture to cool your ice cream. These machines are by far the most convenient as they minimize time and effort while maximizing quality. However all this comes at a price. Machines in this category start at $250 and can go up to as much as $1200.
Before you start looking at the different types of ice cream makers on the market it is important to understand exactly what you expect to get out of the ice cream making experience. If the primary objective is to provide a fun and imaginative project for your kids, then the manual style models are perfect. In addition to the ‘fun factor’, these hand-crank models also produce the largest quantity of ice cream which is great for large families or big get-togethers. For those who are interested in challenging their culinary abilities by creating the perfect ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt with the finest ingredients, higher end pre-frozen canister and self-cooling models are the better choice.
When selecting your ice cream maker it’s important to understand how much space these machines require. The manual models are typically the largest, but also produce the most ice cream per batch (6 quarts and up). Storing these units along with the additional bags of rock salt can be a factor if you have limited kitchen storage space. For the smaller pre-frozen canister models you will need to have sufficient space in your freezer to freeze the bowl for up to 24 hours. Typically these ice cream makers take up the least amount of counter-top and closet space. The self-cooling ice cream machines will most likely live on your counter along with your other appliances due to the increased weight from the added compressor unit. Once you’ve narrowed your search down be sure to read the ice cream maker’s specifications list to see if its physical dimensions are sized right for your kitchen.
Probably the second most important feature of an ice cream maker (the first being the type of cooling system) is the size of the canister. The canister size for most electronic models are somewhere between 1-2 quarts. Keep in mind that while the canister size may be 1.5 quarts, the machine needs room in the canister for paddles and adding air into the ice cream mixture. This often results in the final volume of ice cream being less than the actual canister size. If you have a large family or are planning on serving your homemade ice cream at large parties you should look at larger volume electric machines or manual machines.
There are two additional features that one should take note of before purchasing an ice cream maker. The first feature is ease of cleaning. Electronic ice cream makers are a breeze to clean, simply wash out the canister and place the paddles and lid in the dishwasher and you’re done. Keep an eye out for different designs and how they dismantle for cleaning. Some models can get complicated and therefore harder to clean. Secondly, many experts and users have cited the presence of cheap plastic parts especially with the paddling mechanism as an area of concern. This is where all the activity takes place and consequently where things tend to snap or break. Look for quality hard plastic and sturdy paddle attachments when you purchase any type of ice cream maker.
c j.
New York, NY
