This ice cream maker attempts to solve one of the problems of low-cost ice cream makers, which either use a freezable bowl or ice and rock salt: the need to plan ahead. It sounds like a wonderful idea to be able to pop the whole unit it the freezer and magically get out ice cream, but the way that good, smooth ice cream is made is to freeze the mixture _fast_. Having ice or a bowl with frozen gel allows heat to quickly conduct out of the ice cream mixture, discouraging the formation of large ice crystals and creating a smooth result. This unit, however, relies on the cold freezer air to freeze the ice cream over hours. The result is a grainy mess. High-fat mixtures do a little bit better (the formation of ice crystals is limited by all of the milkfat), but forget ice milk, frozen yogurts, or frozen fruit desserts. The result, quite literally, will not be much different than if you just placed a bowl in the freezer.

Originally this was an impulse buy which got me a "what did you buy now" look from my wife (who usually abhors anything that even vaguely resembles a "gadget"). Although she may try to claim otherwise, I think I actually won that debate when she first tasted the ice cream we made.

If you've never had fresh ice cream, it is a treat to behold. WIthout any of the artificial preservatives and sugars that are added to commercial ice cream, you can really taste the full flavor and texture of the fruit. Compared to commercial ice cream, it's lighter, has a much fuller and richer taste, and is much healthier. My only regret is that it's not big enough, so buy two. :-)

For those of you out there that are lactoce intolerant...You HAVE to get this amazing machine!. My basic recipe for this machine is:
1 cup Non-dairy coffee creamer (Coffee Mate liquid - any flavor you like)
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup non-dairy whipped topping
1 pint strawberries, peaches, etc. blended smooth

Just mix it all together, put in ice cream machine and let it go for 5 hours! The creamiest, best lactose free ice cream I have ever eaten!
I have also made butter pecan (Coffee Mate Butter Pecan flavor) with Bakers toffee bits in it (I just increased the amount of Coffee Mate by 1/2 cup to keep it from getting to much like pudding).

I tried the basic recipe that came with the machine and did not have good luck with it; maybe it's because I did not use real milk with the eggs, so I found another recipe that I could used the Cofee Mate non-dairy liquid creamer in.....it's awesome using the recipe I have listed above.

This is the one of the best purchases I have ever made; machine performs as advertised and even better than advertised. Easy to clean, a no-brainer to operate and now I can eat ice cream with everyone else and not have to suffer with my severe lactose interolerance.

I bought this ice cream maker for its convenient size after reading some of the mostly good reviews here on Amazon.com. I've made 2 batches of ice cream so far - the second batch is a lot better than the first one - but it tasted more like sorbet than ice cream.

I am a raw foodist. I of course used the recipe from one of my raw recipe books. I suspect that my failure was due to the lack of dairy products ( milk, eggs, whipping cream, etc.) in the mix?

I also feel that this machine doesn't stir frequently enough. Isn't it true that the more it churns, the more air it gets in the ice cream and the smoother the ice cream becomes?

This is a fantastic little ice cream maker. It's not for a large (or even medium) family, as it will only make about 3 servings of icecream (maybe four with cake). If it ever goes on sale again for $10 or $15, I'll probably pick up a couple more for gifts.

Anyway, for those who have one, or are about to get one, here's a tip to make the ice cream making a bit faster:

Make a 6x batch of 2-egg "base". It'll take a dozen eggs (yolks only), about three cups of sugar, and 2 cups of milk (quantites are from memory - just look in the booklet that comes with the maker and take the "averages"). Cook it to 170 degrees - don't let it get too hot or you'll have sweet milky scrambled eggs. Let it cool a bit, then portion the mixture out into six zip-lock bags. Stuff those in the freezer for up to 3-4 months (they probbaly won't last that long anyway). It won't freeze solid, and will be liquid enough to mix after about 5-10 minutes of sitting on the counter. As a bonus, it's easier to cook the mixture without over-cooking it with the larger recipe.

To make ice cream, grab a bag from the freezer and set it on the counter. Now, grab your 1/2c of whipping cream and whip it up. I use a hand mixer with a baloon whisk attachement and whip up the cream right in the ice cream maker bowl, though it takes a little practice to do so without making a mess. Then, add your flavorings to the bagged mix (use the blender for fruit) and then fold it in with the whipped cream. Assemble the mixer with the ingredients and pop it into the freezer. For simple recipes like vanilla, eggnog, chocolate, and mint - those that just get flavors stirred in - it'll take 10 minutes tops to get the ice cream going, and with very little clean up.

Don't worry about the 3 eggs vs 2 eggs for the mix (the vanilla recipe calls for 3) - it will taste just as good as the original.