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[taxwonk]

Originally posted by tmdiva
You do NOT want that one if you care about the texture of your ice cream. Ice cream makers that rely on your freezer to chill the cylinder that will then be used to chill the ice cream don't get the temperature low enough fast enough for the mixture to be smooth. If you're not that picky (and/or have a stand-alone freezer set to 0 degrees F), by all means save the money and go for the $50 buck device.

If you do care about texture, don't have a basement freezer, or might want to make multiple batches in succession (I sometimes do*), spend 5 times as much to get this . It's what I would get were I currently in the market. I'm still using the Williams-Sonoma machine I got as a wedding gift 10 years ago--back then there were fewer choices, and it was $400.

I must admit that I also own the big Hamilton Beach salt-and-ice $20 machine. You can't beat it if you're making ice cream for a large crowd, and it's really not that much of a pain to do the salt and ice. Just be sure to make the ice cream the day before so it can cure in your freezer overnight (and make the mix the day before that so it can properly chill before you put it in the freezer--my favorite ice cream recipe requires thickening on the stove).

tm

*One time for a Middle-Eastern-themed book group meeting, I made three ice creams: pistachio, cardamom, and rose. Yummy.

I'll take your word for it. I was just trying to be hepful. When I want ice cream, I go to the store. When it comes to DIY foodstuffs, I'm much more of a savory than a sweet guy.