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Ice cream maker - which one to buy?

Rickard_Modig_19323

Hey! Longtime listener, first time caller here. Really enjoying this community and as I buy a lot of courses online I think it's an interesting business model and I hope it goes well!

I need to buy an ice cream machine and I was hoping for some advice. I work as a cook and I need a machine to use at home for developing new courses. Therefore it's very important for me to produce ice cream to a very high standard, however I do not need to make large batches. I'd like to stay below $500 and I'm definitely looking for a compressor model.

I've been looking at the Cuisinart ICE-100 which has favorable reviews and seems to match my criteria. The only thing I dislike about it is that the paddles seem to be made out of plastic rather than stainless steel.

At work we use I believe a Lello Musso Pola which is of course a lot more expensive and I'm wondering if I will be able to achieve a comparable result with the Cuisinart.

Basically I want to become good at making ice cream and I wonder if a machine within my budget will help me do that, and if so if the Cuisinart is the best option in that price range. I'd also love to hear if there's anything else I should be aware of before making a purchase.

Thanks in advance

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Comments

merridith

Who doesn't dream of a PacoJet? I have a Breville Smart Scoop - I think it was $400. It is all stainless steel on the outside but the paddle is plastic - my biggest complaint. It works ok for what it is. I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that of all the machines with compressors, it was the best as it has a pre-chill and a keep-cool function and makes a quart at a time.

Rickard_Modig_19323

Thanks for the reply.

With my goal to make ice cream at a professional level, what kind of machines in what sort of price range would you be looking at? I would love to know specifically which brands and models (no need to find links, I'll google). Obviously price is a pain point since I live on a cook's salary but I try to view at as an investment =P

Chris_Young_80640

At below $500, you're going to barely find one with a compressor. I would seriously look at used units to get better value.

But if you're going to buy new, then you want to look at the power requirements for the device as a proxy for how powerful the compressor is, which means faster heat removal and better ice cream. It wasn't easy to find, but the Cuisinart is about 150 watts, which is pretty weak. I don't know if other inexpensive units are any better, but I wouldn't expect greatness from this machine.

jason.r.whitworth

I dream of a pacojet