Side by Side Comparison of: Cuisinart vs Workman Publishing Company vs Tovolo

We've made two batches so far--peach and coconut--and loved them. Not cheap, but well-made and vastly quieter and more efficient than our 30-year-old monster that called for ice and two boxes of salt. Like most home ice cream makers (I'd imagine), it makes a product that is super soft-serve when just finished (in half an hour or so), and quite hard when thoroughly frozen for days; just leave it out for 5 to 10 minutes to soften up before scooping. Caveat: You'll need a decent amount of freezer space for the freezer canister (and 24 hours' notice to get it fully frozen). Might be wise to buy one of the ice cream caddies for sale on the web; you have to transfer the finished product (a messy business!) to another container to store it. Prepare to lick everything afterward, or let your cat do it if it wasn't chocolate. This size machine makes 1.5 quarts--not enough for a big hungry family, but enough for a few days' servings for a family of 3.

I got Jim an ice cream machine for Valentine's Day - 🍦- he had mentioned several times how he wanted to make homemade ice cream.🍦This is so easy - the ice cream is so delicious!🍦 🍦Jim just got home after a long day - and this 6'5" guy is hungry, hungry, hungry - I had him try the ice cream while I made his favorite Shrimp Pad Thai with Chipotle Peanuts dish - he tried the ice cream - his eyes rolled and he immediately sat on the kitchen counter with a spoon and proceeded to eat half the container.🍦 🍦 🍦I found the recipe in Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts by DK Publishing - I made banana and also strawberry ice cream. He is loving the banana!🍦 🍦 🍦 🍦You guys - home made ice cream is the bomb!You can make ice cream, yogurt, slushies...... I'm eyeing that bottle of wine in the fridgeThis was worth the investment and we are looking forward to experimenting. This machine is very easy to use and clean.

I bought this unit because a friend of mine has one and she made me some amazing lemon goat milk sherbet with it. It was so good I ordered mine the very next day. BEST - THING - EVER! I've made vanilla ice cream twice both times came out delicious. Can't wait to try the sherbet.It does take a little effort as you have to make sure you freeze the bowl ahead of time and then freeze your milk/cream for a little while.If you over fill the bowl it will make a bit of a mess.Overall, I love this product and can't wait to make the sherbet next.

This little gem worked great! It did exactly as the product description said it would do. I stored the bowl in the deep freezer for 24 hours and in the meantime I refrigerated the ice cream ingredients. Once my bowl was frozen (I shook it to make sure I didn't hear any sloshing from the liquid inside the bowl, I put it on the machine base, filled the bowl, turned it on, and within 20 minutes I had soft serve ice cream. I added my chocolate chips by hand and scraped everything into a bowl for the freezer to do the last bit of work for me (freezing it to a hard ice cream consistency). This machine will NOT make your ice cream a hard consistency, so if that is what you are expecting you should look for a larger and more industrial strength machine. If all you want to do is prepare small quantities of ice cream quickly that you can eat soft serve style or freeze for later, this one fits the bill perfectly. It's also small enough to store easily on a top pantry shelf.

To be honest one of my best purchases here. Love it and going to buy 2 more as gifts for my sister and friend!First I consider my self and wifey are ice-cream lover and addict sometimes!We did some flavors until now and we will try moreSome comments before you buy it:Noisy? yes, but not to level that bothers me.Small for big family? maybe! for two of us we make one bowl every week (depend on feel and desire). you can buy second bowl ( I have it but never use it)Easy to use? yes, using it easy. The tricky part is what you put in it! ( more explain will come)Useful tips we did and worked for us:1- If you love ice-cream heavy, hard, and texture smooth (like I do), You need to use heavy cream with your regular milk. If you are ok with light soft serve, milk with half and half will do the trick.2- Do not over load the bowl with a lot of addetive ingredients. Its going to be difficult to freeze and unit as one texture. like adding a lot of chocolate ships or a lot of shredded coconut, that is no no.3- 20 -25 min is proper time, Slightly less than is ok if you put less total ice-cream mix. I don't recommend going more than 30min! why? because the frozen bowl will not stay cold all time and your ice-cream will probably melt down after long time keeping it in machine.4- Make sure your bowl is totally frozen before you start, shake it to make sure! I usually store it in freezer until I use it again, wash it an back again to freezer.5- Avoid filling the bowl to the top, ice-cream grow bigger when set and will over flow and will make a miss and hard to clean.6- *** I noticed that I can increase the hardness of my ice-cream by manually spreading the ice-cream mix to touch all inside surfaces of the bowl while still on by using rubber spatula. I do that in the last 2-3min before I turn off the machine. The ice-cream when start to freeze tend to stop moving or just touch one area inside the bowl and by spreading it you make it set faster.7- I put in fridge for at least 2 hours before I use it! my wife like it soft and eat it immediately! :(8- Did I say this? put your ice-cream mix in fridge or freezer for 30-60 min. before you start! the colder your mix the faster and easy to set and freeze inside the bowl9- Price of ingredients to make a nice ice-cream? will I say fair to ok. As I mentioned, I use heavy-cream for hard serve ice-cream and I buy 1 quart around $6 (and I use it 2 times or two bowls, 2 cups each). you also add the price of regular milk and other flavors and ingredients as preferred.I hope I didn't miss things. I waited sometimes to review this and try to be helpful! all above mentioned for the ice-cream and still enjoying my ice-cream making for now. I will move to frozen yogurt and I will add more tips to my review. Thanksmy wife helped me with this and added some pictures!our ice-cream getting better as you see from pictures lol

Since purchasing this item, I have made about 6 batches of ice cream in it. The recipes that come with it are really easy with just a few simple ingredients. The average churn time is about 20 minutes for a batch of soft-serve ice cream. The only "con" I have it that you have to remove the finished product immediately after the churning stops or about a half-inch of the ice cream freezes to the inner wall of the tub and cannot be removed until the tub thaws out, and that could be hours.

Works fine pretty easy to use and clean up the only thing is when it is mixing the ice cream a lot gets left on the edges but it depends on the ice cream mixture. Otherwise works fast and great no problems.

I've had this ice cream maker for about 6 years. It still works and makes fantastic ice cream. The recipe in the owners manual for vanilla ice cream is HEAVEN. there are a few things about this ice cream maker which I think could be improved, and maybe on newer models they are, but these are what reduces this review by one star.First the bowl is not dishwasher safe. I will tell you I did put it in the dishwasher once. The dish soap made a reaction to the aluminum on the inside of the bowl. If you do this, wiping it down with hydrogen peroxide seem to help, and I've washed it by hand ever since. I feel like in this day and age, there is no reason to not make kitchen tools dishwasher safe. The paddle and cover can be washed in the dishwasher which brings me to reason 2.The cover on the machine is cheap. Mine has a big crack up the side. I can not recall how it happened, I never dropped it or anything, but it's just too thin so treat it very gingerly. That being said, it still works perfectly, it's just a little more awkward now.Those are really the only two drawbacks about this particular machine I have noticed. Now you have to freeze the bowl for about 24 hours in advance, but that's just the type of ice cream maker this is. There are other refrigerated systems that do not require that, but they are in a much higher price range. I have a deep freezer so I"m really never short on the freezer space, but if you only have a micro-fridge, this might be a deal breaker for you.The recipes tend to be too much volume for this ice cream maker. I always have about 1/2 cup of ice cream overflowing from the top. It gets kind of messy. If you can, make the recipes in two separate batches or try to do it on a day when your humidity is nonexistent. The higher the humidity the more it overflows.Overall I"m completely satisfied with this purchase. If this did ever break down, I would probably buy this one again. It's a solid ice cream maker and the few drawbacks are not a big enough deal that it would sway me from buying this all over again if I had to do it over.

Nice ice cream maker. I have made a few different kinds. I love being able to make any flavor i desire, including those you can't get in store. I just wish it made the ice cream a little harder. It says it will be soft when first made, but it's really to soft to even eat without freezing for a few hours. It is almost like a milkshake when it is done. I don't know if one using rock salt would make a harder ice cream but I will stick with this as i do enjoy the ease of just freezing the bowl and pouring the ice cream mix in the bowel without having to mess with salt or anything. I put the bowl in my stand up freezer at night when i am doing dishes and it is completely frozen by morning.

I bought this because I could not find decent ginger ice cream. I found lots of complaints about ALL of the machines that use this technology, and, after making a few dozen batches I think I can review it and address some of those complaints.The machine, it works. It makes ice cream, not cold goo, but like any machine, you have to use it right and put in the right materials. It also helps to have realistic and complete instruction, which seems to be lacking.1. The freezing cylinder has to be really actually frozen. Jacking your freezer to 11 helps. Putting it where the freezy air blows right on it helps too. Flexible cold packs (already froze) seem to help when you roll them up and stick them inside, too, but that could be my wishful thinking, as I haven't yet timed it.2. The mix needs to be cold. No, colder. Colder than that. Really, I mean it. Refrigeration is not enough. I stick mine in the freezer and check every half hour or so until it just begins to get gritty looking. Having a fast thermometer helps, too. I usually churn at about 26 degrees or below. Vanilla (and ginger) need churning to start at higher temperatures or it ends up crunchy, at least for me, but chocolate can get to 19 degrees before I see any appreciable crystal growth and so chocolate comes out almost perfectly tempered. YMMV.3. The clear plastic cover doesn't do much, thermally, so cover it with a fluffy towel or some other insulating thing. Make sure you don't cover the base up as well, or you might overheat. This allows the cylinder to stay colder longer and give up more of its cold to the ice cream (I know that's thermoblasphemy, but this isn't a physics text), getting the final result colder and closer to actual ice cream. Makes less noise that way, too.4. Cover the blowhole. I use a custard cup. Keeps cold in and stray dragon poop out.5. Don't be afraid to stick a spatula in to help it out from time to time, but in general when the ice cream stops moving you've gone as far as the machine can take you. Check frequently after the first twenty minutes or so, especially if you use a thermometer - as soon as the decline stalls, you've run out of cold.6. The bowl you chilled the mix in, keep it in the freezer. When the machine is finished put the paddle, laden with ice cream and impossible to scrape clean without a tongue (design flaw or cunning plan?) in the cold bowl, scrape the rest into the bowl, clean off the paddle and then take your cold bowl of still slightly soft but not runny ice cream and divide it up or devour it or smear it on the windows or whatever it is you do with it. I try not to judge. But a bit of freezer time will get you a firmer product.Extra freezer inserts could be cheaper. I hope you are listening, Mr. Cuisinart.

I have relied on my Rival ice cream maker for many years, churning out many, many batches of good ice cream...but after so many years, i got tired of the rock salt and ice ordeal so i went for this model. GLAD I DID! I've made half a dozen batches so far and i'm pleased to say this works better than the salt/ice machine. A few comments:First, it's easier to do, and doesnt take any guessing on how much ice to salt than the traditional ice/salt machine. THer'es no messy clean up of salt and/or ice off the counter/floor, either.Second, it's quicker than advertised. While eveything says 20-25 minutes, i have yet to have a batch take longer than 15 minutes.Third, I did not have to turn my freezer down to the lowest setting either (i was concerned about wasting energy just for this!). I have it on a "5" out of "9" settings, and it's fine. I stuck the canister in the back, on the bottom shelf--which I assume is the coldest place. Just make sure the recipe you use is VERY cold before you throw it into the machine. (i often put it in the freezer for 30 min before i make ice cream). ANother tip: put the exterior clear casing into the freezer for a while before making the ice cream--it just helps insulate the canister all the more when it's turning.)Fourth, it's the quietest ice cream machine i've heard. No, you cant hear a pin drop in the other room, but i use it in the kitchen and can comfortably watch TV in my adjacent family room without having to adjust the volume at all. I can hear the machine churing, but it doesnt get in the way of hearing the TV.Fifth, so why 4 stars instead of 5? Her'es the only downside of the frozen canister v. salt/ice machines. Scooping the finished ice cream out of the heavy and awkward-to-handle canister and into a container for freezing, is challenging. The canister, understandably, is VERY cold. It seems off balance as you try to do this, too. And if you wait more than a moment, the ice cream quickly starts to freeze hard to the canister, so a rubber spatula (never use metal or you'll scratch the canister!), cant scrape the hardened ice cream off the sides very easily.Overall, GREAT ice cream maker. THe quality of the ice cream is good, with a nice, smooth texture.

I have enjoyed this machine so far. In the future I will halve the recipe, because what is left freezes so rock hard, you cannot get it out (even after 45 minutes of setting it out). I have turned my freezer down below manufacturers setting and it does not help. Also, I am losing a lot of product frozen hard to the side of the freezer bowl.

Works well but if you don't plan ahead and freeze the large bowl then you can't make it. Bowl takes up a lot of room in the freezer.

The product had great reviews but I found it does not work well. The ice cream gets to the right consistency instantly on some parts but others stay liquid, which makes it impossible to have a good overall consistency.

Works Ok. Does not have the 1.5 Quart capacity. It overflows easily and makes a mess

I prefer the old electric freezer that you put ice in. This works okay, but it does need to be REALLY cold to freeze the ice cream, so it needs to stay in the freezer always to be ready. This size makes enough for maybe 4 people. I'd seen comments that you might could make a second batch but it wasn't cold enough for that. Nothing wrong but not for me.

Arrived on time. Well made. Fits just right with the Tovolo ice cream tub. Only thing I don't care for is the opening where you pour the ice cream mix in. Otherwise works great. Maybe I just need more practice. Still a good buy.

My family enjoyed two months of weekly ice cream-making bliss. Yum! Last month, the machine started acting funny and did not turn properly. Perhaps I was doing something wrong? I reread the instructions and made sure I was assembling the machine properly and adding the ingredients at the right time. Yes, I was doing everything according to instructions; it really is the machine base as I suspected. When the gear in the middle rotates, it does so with difficulty and seems to make pauses in the rotation. A very frozen tub base with cream inside waiting to be churned does little when the base won't properly spin. I end up with a lot of frozen cream stuck to the inside of the tub and lots of cold liquid. So sad.

It is not very powerful and does not make ice cream as good as my old one; was a bit disappointed.

Motor started getting "choppy" after the first batch. Bowl did not mix or spin properly.

The fact that it was $100 more simply because it is pink bugs me. The plastic piece that goes inside the freezing tub does not fit well and therefore does not scrape the ice cream off the sides, which leaves at least a third of the recipe frozen solid to the inside. You're honestly better off just freezing a metal bowl and mixing it around for a few minutes.

The gear broke after two uses. I give it 2 stars because the ice cream was delicious the first time.

I was looking forward to get this thing and i was extremely excited when it finally arrived. But as soon as i tried to make an ice-cream, motor died!! FIRST time i used it. I am very disappointed. It's a waste of my money

Go to use it for the 2nd time and it is making these horrible knocking noises and hitting against the plastic casing.

Made 2 batches worked ok kinda loud then the gears seemed like they stripped or something costs $10.00 service charge under warranty and u have to ship it so just threw it out.

This thing is stupid. It literally does nothing. You have to do everything. The only thing this thing does is partially freeze the ice cream. Then you have to put the ice cream in the freezer afterwards because it comes out of the machine liquidy. It takes 2 days to make 6 cups of ice cream. Don't buy this piece of junk.

Ice cream maker stopped working after 5 uses in 7 months. Very disappointed! So tired of of inferior products!

In the last Couple of years I have purchased three of these machines and at least two replacement bowls. The gel in the bowls that freezes does not last. Very frustrating and has become very expensive. Makes great ice cream, but after my latest experience with a product failure at a small dinner gathering-- I am so done. In addition, I purchased two machines for family members as gifts and never received any feedback. I called them both and asked about their experiences. One machine lasted through only two sessions and the other through the hottest part of last summer. Come on Cuisinart--I feel ripped off and foolish.

terrible failed again 2nd replacement the bottom gears go out of round and it slips