Homemade Ice Cream Has Never Been So Easy
The Cuisinart ICE-100 is one of the most popular ice cream makers on Amazon, and for good reason. It's simple, it's fast, and you don't have to plan a day ahead to use it.
Here are five things you should know before you buy one.
1. The ICE-100 Makes more than Just Ice Cream
The ICE-100 comes with two paddles: one for ice cream and the other for gelato.
If you haven't tried gelato yet, this is an easy way to start.
Gelato is an Italian treat that packs more flavor than ice cream. It's usually made with more milk and less cream, and the gelato paddle whips in less air, so it comes out denser and silkier. It's no extra work for you, and it's amazing!
Many ice cream makers come with just one paddle. The Cuisinart gives you the best of both worlds.
2. The Ice-cream Maker Has a Built-in Commercial Quality Compressor
That means there's no bowl to freeze the night before!
The compressor works like a built-in mini freezer. It chills the bowl while the paddle turns, so your mix freezes as it churns.
It's like having your own ice cream shop.
3. The ICE-100 Fits Easily on your Countertop
It measures about 16 x 12 x 9 inches and weighs around 27 pounds. That's a lot lighter than the Lello machines we review, which start at 38 pounds.
At 9 inches tall, it fits under most kitchen cabinets, and it's light enough to lift out of the pantry when you want it.
4. Your Ice-cream is Ready in 40-60 Minutes
Depending on the consistency and type of ice cream, you can have a wonderful treat in under an hour.
Imagine pouring in your mix, letting it go, and then coming back to a yummy treat. Yum!
5. Large 1.5 quart Ice-cream Bowl Capacity
The ICE-100 makes enough ice cream for the whole family in one batch.
A standard serving of ice cream is 1/2 cup, so a full batch is about 12 servings. That might not mean 12 people though...I like to serve myself a little extra. :)
And even with that capacity, the ICE-100 is compact, so it's easy to store and doesn't hog your counter.
Watch the Cuisinart ICE-100 Make Ice Cream
What Amazon Customers Say About the ICE-100
There are nearly 3,000 Amazon customer ratings for the Cuisinart ICE-100 with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars!
Here's a sampling of what others are saying:
"This unit makes wonderful ice cream!! Absolutely smooth and creamy."
Customer on Amazon
"The final product coming out of this machine resembles soft-serve ice cream. This is normal for an ice cream maker. if it were much thicker, you'd have to dig the mixing paddle out of the bowl. I've seen several reviews on various machines from people thinking ice cream makers will do more than they're designed to."
Customer on Amazon
"I'd like to note this machine is LOUD.. the compressor is whisper quiet, the motor for the paddle is not. It sounds like a rather loud electric can opener. This bothers people, but it does not bother me."
Customer on Amazon
"So far, we have made mint chocolate chip ice cream (with FRESH mint) and vanilla coconut ice cream. The ice cream is soft and creamy when the whole process is complete, however, if you prefer to have it solid and more frozen, you need to put it in the freezer for several hours, after you take it out of the machine, to let it harden. Either way, our outcomes were delicious."
Customer on Amazon
What to Make with the ICE-100
Vanilla and chocolate are great, but they're just the start. Since there's no bowl to freeze ahead of time, the ICE-100 is easy to pull out on a whim. Here are some ideas:
- Weeknight dessert. Mix a simple base in the afternoon and chill it in the fridge. Start the machine when you sit down to dinner, and dessert is ready when you are.
- Fruit sorbet. Blend ripe strawberries, mango or peaches with a little sugar and lemon juice. It's dairy-free, which is handy when you have guests who skip dairy.
- Frozen yogurt. Whisk Greek yogurt with sugar and vanilla. There's no cooking at all, and it comes out tangy and light.
- Coconut milk ice cream. Full-fat coconut milk makes a creamy dairy-free base. One of the Amazon reviewers above made a vanilla coconut batch they loved.
- Gelato with the gelato paddle. Try a milk-heavy base like pistachio or hazelnut. Or make stracciatella: a plain sweet-milk gelato with melted chocolate drizzled in near the end, where it hardens into thin shards.
- A two-flavor party. Since the compressor does the freezing, you can move the first batch to the freezer, rinse the bowl and start a second flavor.
For tips on getting smooth, creamy results every time, see our ICE-100 video demo and tips.
Comparing the ICE-100 to Other Ice Cream Makers
The Cuisinart ICE-100 is the perfect entry-level ice cream and gelato maker.
It's hard to beat for the price and convenience.
If you want more speed and an all-stainless-steel build, the Italian-made Lello Musso Lussino 4080 is our top pick. Its bigger sibling, the Lello Musso 5030, holds more but is hard to find these days.
