ICM-15LS 1.6 Quart Capacity Automatic Ice Cream Maker

If you want to make truly amazing frozen desserts at home, you not only need good recipes -- you also need good equipment to get the job done. This machine is just that. For years I attempted making ice cream, sorbet and other frozen desserts with a model that was mostly plastic and required freezing a disk for at least 24 hours prior. The results were mixed at best and frustrating: often somewhat tasty but textures were nothing like I had hoped (either icy hard or soupy) and certainly nothing like I'd get from a store. I'd make a few batches each summer and quickly lose interest. This machine, which I've only had for about a month, produces results that have not only met my standards for what a frozen dessert should be, but at times have pleasantly surprised me and surpassed my expectations. And when was the last time you saw Fig and Port gelato at the supermarket? I decided to give it another shot this summer when I had seen a sale on a Cuisinart model at Williams Sonoma that was a step up from my original model, but the downside was it required freezing a large canister for 24 hours. Not only was that a problem in that it is a pain to have to freeze it for that long and only be able to make one batch a day, but on any given day I simply do not have space in my freezer to accommodate it. I did some research online and decided to go all out and get a self-refrigerating unit and I am so glad I did. With this unit I can make multiple batches without having to wait (and I have done so) and the results are far superior to all my previous efforts. Granted, when making frozen desserts it is best to make your base and let it refrigerate overnight (except for some sorbets which don't require this), but having this machine eliminates the task of having to make sure your equipment is cold enough. And there is no worry about the machine losing its cooling power, as with the other models. It is easy to use and makes the process fun and has only helped to increase my motivation to continue to experiment. I have wowed guests with gelatos and sorbets from the Ciao Bella "cookbook" such as the fig gelato, a chocolate sorbetto that is exceptionally creamy and rich without the use of cream or other dairy, lemon and mango sorbettos that were a snap and better than store bought, and a blueberry gelato made with fresh wild Maine blueberries that was exceptional. I've learned a little alcohol in some recipes makes a world of difference. The rum raisin gelato I've made twice was spectacular and every bit as luxurious as Haagen Dasz rum raisin ice cream -- but with less fat and no preservatives ... AND I MADE IT! With this machine, I no longer worry about whether the equipment is adequate; I focus on the recipes. I've just picked up "Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream at Home" -- a book that has some wild recipes and, more important, enlightens about the technique and chemistry involved in making frozen desserts at home. I can't wait to try them. So if you're serious about making frozen desserts, spend a little time in learning about doing so (which isn't difficult at all and plenty of fun) and definitely invest in a machine like this one that can produce rewarding results. The only downside is the machine is a little large, but it fits nicely in my pantry and is attractive and very professional-looking.

I'm new to ice cream making. I previously purchased the ice cream attachment for my trusty KitchenAid mixer, but my one attempt with that was a failure that never got past the liquid stage. Based on magazine reviews it looked like the Whynter machine was a fine choice and Amazon had an open box unit for a steal. It's a big, good looking machine with a serious culinary demeanor and not at all out of place in a chef's domain. Not having to use freezer space to chill components is a huge plus. Before using it, I carefully reviewed the manual. It's not very useful and the Whynter website isn't too stellar either. I settled on trying the culinary school recipe for ice cream base found in "On Cooking" by Labensky/Hause, 4th edition. It was fairly easy to prepare the custard base but challenging to wait 24 hours for the mixture to fully chill and mature. After 6 hours the suspense got to me so I poured about a quart of the chilled base into the machine and set it for one hour. The machine is noisy enough that you should plan on processing your ice cream when the sound won't interfere with conversation or TV watching if you are nearby. After 40 minutes, I found the ice cream had reached a nice soft-serve consistency. I carefully scooped most of it into a lidded plastic container for final maturing in the freezer and reserved one bowl for myself. It was delicious and very smooth and rich. The next day, I retrieved the portion I had frozen. The consistency was very, very good. At 0 degrees Fahrenheit it scooped flawlessly and it was perhaps the best vanilla ice cream I've ever had. I'm delighted with the machine. Cleanup wasn't bad, although the parts require hand washing. The recipe made enough for two batches in the machine. I think the volume increased aften churning so about one quart of base is probably all one should process at a time. The quality of the ingredients definitely influenced the finished product. Whole milk, heavy cream, 16 egg yolks, sugar, and a vanilla bean equal superb flavor. It's nice to know your machine isn't going to waste all that goodness by underperforming. It will be fun to try frozen yogurt and other recipes in the Whynter.

**update** I have used this machine for over 3 months now and have made more batches of ice cream than I can count. It continues to perform flawlessly. I love, love this machine. I have not bought store ice cream since I got the machine and likely will never buy it again. This is a great buy and I recommend it fully! I purchased this ice cream maker after becoming frustrated with the whole freezer bowl process. I did a little research and it was quickly evident that I could not (would not) pay hundreds of dollars for a machine that I would use weekly at most. I stumbled upon this Whynter machine and for the price (Amazon also had a coupon for it) thought it was a fair compromise. I just got the machine, but have had time to test it. I made three consequtive batches of ice cream...coffee, coconut, and strawberry frozen yogurt. Two of the mixes were chilled while one was room temperature. The machine churned out beautiful firmly set ice cream in less than an hour for each. The cooled mixes took about 40 minutes and the room temp mix took about 50 minutes. They were all awesome! This machine is very simple to use. It has only 3 buttons...power, start/stop, and timer. You simply fill the pull out bowl with your mix, insert the dasher, twist on the lid, push power, set timer (default is 60 min; consecutive presses lower the timer by 10 min increments), and press start. The machine will beep for several seconds when the time ends, or, if your ice cream becomes so thick that the dasher cannot turn, the machine will stop mixing. There is also a 'stay cool' function that lasts for an hour following the timer. The machine is no louder than any other ice cream maker and I did not find it bothersome. Some have complained about the capacity, but 1.5 qts seems to be a good amount...that's 8 .5C servings, and given the richness of homemade ice cream and its reduced shelf life, this seems a reasonable amount. In addition, since it is so easy to make ice cream with your Whynter machine, you will want to experiment with a variety of flavors. The stainless steel color works well with modern kitchens. It's about 27 lbs and takes up the same amount of space as a 2lb breadmaker. I cannot speak to longevity but will update this post in a few months. I love this ice cream maker and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.

I've always wanted to make my own ice cream at home, but didn't know whether it would be a regular thing or just a novelty that would wear off, so I started off with a cheap model that required rock salt and ice. It made decent enough ice cream, but was a pain to use, because it required always having 2 bags of ice handy and rock salt, which isn't always easy to find, depending on time of year. Then I decided to give another type of machine a try, the kind with a double chamber that needs to be frozen. It was a little easier to use, because it didn't require a lot of cleanup or having ice and rock salt handy, but still required prep time, as the bucket needed to be pre-frozen, and the ice cream didn't come out as creamy, because the temperature wasn't cold enough. The frozen liquid within the chamber would start melting before the ice cream was done. At that point, I knew that ice cream making would be a regular activity in my house, and I decided to upgrade to the real thing (without spending a fortune of course). I have not regretted my decision. This machine is super easy to use, and ready in an instant. I was worried that the capacity might be a little too low, but it's actually just right. There's really no need to make bigger batches at a time, unless you're planning to serve ice cream to a large group of people. Even then, you can make batch after batch without any wait time in between. The ice cream comes out super creamy and the consistency of hard ice cream, without the need for further freezing. For any Nutella lovers out there, one of my all time favorites is Nutella ice cream, It is also the easiest ice cream you will ever make, only two ingredients: equal parts Nutella and evaporated milk. Mix well and toss in he ice cream maker. It is to die for! And even better when served in a home made waffle cone.

First unit did not even work. The Paddle would not turn. I returned this unit and bought another from a local retailer that was on super sale thinking the first one was a dud......and it worked for ONE batch of ice cream. The next day I went to make another and the paddle churned for about 10 minutes. The ice cream was still liquid...so nothing was stopping the paddle. Took everything out, let it sit for an hour and tried again with nothing in the bucket....but NOPE would not churn. Funny thing is on BOTH of the machines the compressor worked great..and got the bowl down to -8 Degrees and maintained ...so that was awesome...just the darn paddle would not turn. These are pricey appliances ...I called the manufacturer and they are willing to work with me since its under warranty....they said they send out parts to get it 'working' again...which means Ill have to be my own appliance tech..LOL. We will see. As usual the AMAZON return process is a dream...and is wonderful. The PRODUCT has got quality issues. UPDATE 02-03-2017 OK well I thought I would update my review of this unit. I did work with Whynter over a month or two to get a working unit. They did send parts that did not fix the issue...so they did pay for shipping back to the factory for repairs. It came back within 2 weeks and yes the bowl did turn and it DID get very cold. I was able to make ice cream...(and it WAS delicious). However it made a horrible rattling noise in which case I opened another case and they requested I record the noise and send the unit back AGAIN for repairs. To be fair prepaid shipping was provided again...so it did not cost me anything. Each time a "refurbished" unit came within 2 weeks. FINALLY I got a working unit that was QUIET, turning paddle, and it got COLD (-10 degrees on the readout). Now I could get to work perfecting my recipes. It DOES make fantastic ice cream (if you get your mixture just right and don't overfill your mixer). Purchase the paper pint sized freezer cups and it makes a perfect combination to have a few pints of superb ice cream on hand. Upgrading my review to 4 stars...minus one for all the hassles...but man homemade ice cream is the BOMB!

This came VERY securely packaged and requires no set up beyond plugging it in. It's very easy to use - possibly too easy, if you want to limit the amount of ice cream you make and eat. My only minor complaint is that the mixing blade is a pain to scrape the ice cream out of. It isn't hard to wash clean, just hard to extract all the ice cream for eating rather than washing down the sink. This does have a fairly large footprint for an appliance that (probably) isn't used every day, but I have more space on pantry shelves for this ice cream maker than in my freezer for the frozen-bowl type. Especially now that my freezer is packed with 6 different types of ice cream. I haven't done extensive experimentation yet, but I've tentatively found that I prefer starting with a mix close to room temperature, rather than fully refrigerated, so that it churns a little longer and gets creamier and lighter - the fridge-cold mixtures seemed like they froze too quickly and came out a little denser than I prefer. I also started using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl every few minutes, which might also have helped. I can't say this should be on everyone's list of necessary kitchen appliances, but if you love ice cream and can afford an expensive new kitchen item, it's a fun addition. I love to bake and was baking much more than usual while working from home during the pandemic, but just don't want to turn on the oven when it is 90 degrees out, so an ice cream machine is a good way to amuse myself in the kitchen and enjoy tasty treats during the summer heat.

I did weeks of research before I bought this machine and I could not be happier! PROS- #1. It looks good and stylish! #2. Its very quite!!! Makes a soft humming noise. Its quieter than my 45 decimal dish washer by far! #3. Super easy to clean. By hand takes less than 1 minute. #4. Its fast!! about 40 minutes for a hot batch (where i heat the milk to melt the sugar) 25 if its all cold! AND in that time limit it comes out fairly hard and ready to eat! no need to freeze it before you can eat it! My recipe is 21/2 cups of milk 11/2 cups half & half 1 cup sugar 2 tea vanilla extract. Take all the ingredients except the sugar and 1 cup of the milk and put it in the ice cream maker. Start the machine. Now put the 1 cup of milk and the cup of sugar in a small pot and heat it until the sugar is dissolved. Now add this to the rest of the milk in the machine. (starting the machine while you melt the sugar gets its contents very cold and helps the warm milk to cool off quickly!) This will take right at 45 minutes but if you melt the sugar earlier and have it cole it will only take 30.

I started looking for an ice cream when Breyers "ice cream" started containing too much who knows what so they aren't allowed to call it ice cream any more, but a "dairy dessert". I've had the kind where you have to freeze the container for 24 hours prior to making, and so you have to either have enough room in your freezer to always have it in the freezer, or plan 24 hours ahead. And we have the ice/salt makers which often make a mess, and are super loud, and take a long time. This maker is a set-it-and-forget-it sort of product. And so we make homemade ice cream far more than we ever did before. It comes with some recipes, and we've also tried some recipes from allrecipes.com, with success every time. Maple sorbet (maple syrup and water) is excellent! The manufacturing tolerances on the ice cream bowl are not good, and the original bowl didn't have the plastic mold done quite right, and though it didn't leak, it looked like it would break pretty easily. I emailed the manufacturer a picture of the bowl, and they mailed a new one at no charge. We have brought it to some friends' houses, and depending on how the house is laid out, we sometimes put the maker in another room, but in our own house, it works fine just running in the kitchen. It's fun to watch the thermometer drop the ice cream down to -22 degrees! We sometimes have to scrape the edges after a half hour or so - particularly when the recipe contains chocoloate chips. We've generally found that all recipes take 50-60 minutes to make, which is longer than the manufacturer says it should take. If we run it shorter, the ice cream melts very quickly, but running it an hour makes the ice cream melt at a more normal rate (I assume the "regular" ice cream manufacturers use guar gum or something to make it not melt as quickly).

We bought this machine two months ago. It is very simple to use and install and process. It makes icecream in 20-30 minutes depending on the quantity. The icecream made is good to fill 4 medium bowls. The first time we used it, it was not loud, with time it felt like it is getting louder. But it doesn't bother us, as we make it run and get out of the kitchen. We made Icecream station with all toppings and cones. We make healthy recipes with no sugar substituting it with dates or maple syrup. The kids love it.

Tengo 2 años con ella y funciona perfectamente. Tengo negocio de nieves en la colonia y he vendido más de 300 litros. Sí es ruidosa y no es muy cómodo sacar el producto terminado pero te acostumbras a eso. La recomiendo si tu producción es baja.

Estoy satisfecha con el funcionamiento de la máquina, me ha gustado bastante. Hasta ahora he hecho helados veganos y cuando no son muy cremosos hay que cuidar que no se congele de más para que no se force el motor, es cuestión de regular el tiempo de preparación y listo.

We very much enjoy the Whynter ice cream maker. It works extremely well and quickly. It makes amazing custard ice cream, American ice cream, gelato, and sorbet. The motor promptly shuts down when it is freezing too hard. Into our 2nd month and still going strong.

Absolutely love this machine. I've had many of those freezer bowl ones in the past and hated them. So happy I finally invested in a real ice cream machine. It cleans out so nice and easy and the churner actually scrapes the sides and you get nice creamy frozen treats.