Cuisinart ICE-100 Video Demo: Ice Cream & Gelato

We're big fans of Gelato, and our favorite Gelato Maker, the Lello Musso 4080, is made especially for creating the perfect Gelato.

But what if you want a 2-in-1 and want to make Ice Cream as well?

A 2-in-1 machine often doesn't do either job very well. That's why specialized machines like the Lello are so popular.

But every rule has exceptions. If you're looking to make Ice Cream and Gelato, the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker is one of the best options out there.

Video Demo of the Cuisinart ICE-100

The Cuisinart ICE-100 comes with two paddles: one for ice cream and one for gelato.

Since the Cuisinart has a built-in compressor, it chills the bowl while it churns.

You don't have to pre-chill your mixing bowl to make the ice cream.

Straight out of the machine, it's soft like soft serve. If you like it firmer, move it to the freezer. Depending on how hard you like your ice cream, that can take up to 2 hours.

Making it easy to make Ice Cream or Gelato

The Cuisinart has a 60-minute countdown timer you can set to match your recipe. When the timer goes off, a Keep Cool feature keeps your batch cold for another 10 minutes, so it won't melt if you're not right there.

The lid also opens so you can add ingredients as you go.

Check out this video review of the Cuisinart ICE-100

Video Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Review - 6 Months Later

Things to watch out for

Some customers find the ICE-100 too loud. It won't bother everyone, but it's worth knowing about.

Others found that ice cream left in the freezer for a day or two gets rock hard. That's true of most homemade ice cream, since it doesn't have the stabilizers store-bought ice cream does. Letting it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping fixes it.

Make sure you have a place to store it: it's about 16 x 12 x 9 inches and weighs around 27 pounds.

If you've got a good spot to store it, then it shouldn't be a problem. There's always got to be room for ice cream, right?

Tips for Your First Few Batches

The ICE-100 is easy to use, but a few habits make your ice cream noticeably better:

Chill the base first. Make your mix a few hours ahead (or the night before) and keep it in the fridge. A cold base churns faster and comes out smoother.
Leave some room. Ice cream expands as it churns, so don't fill the bowl to the brim.
Add mix-ins near the end. Chocolate chips, cookie pieces and nuts go in during the last 5 minutes so they stay chunky.
Use the right paddle. The gelato paddle whips in less air for a denser texture. The ice cream paddle makes it lighter and fluffier.
Store it flat. A shallow container freezes more evenly than a deep one. Press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap onto the surface to keep ice crystals from forming.

And don't skip the soft, fresh-from-the-machine stage. It's perfect for milkshakes or a scoop on a warm brownie.

Looking for flavor ideas? We have a list in our 5 things to know about the ICE-100.

What Customers Love about the ICE-100

There are nearly 3,000 ratings for the Cuisinart ICE-100 with an average 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.

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.
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.

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.