We just used this machine tonight, and we are VERY pleased with it. I read through all the 48 other comments on this page before buying, and was a little daunted by the negatives, but we promised the kids to get the machine, so we took the plunge. Thought we would need a second bowl since we have 7 kids, but found it not so. We used regular sized Keebler Waffle Cones, piled to the top but not beyond, and everyone got one (even Mom and Dad) with a couple of the bigger eaters getting seconds. Here are my observations: 1) The bowl gets plenty cold if your freezer is plenty cold. Folks down below who claim they had cold freezers and their bowls didn't get cold enough ... don't know what to say about 'em. 'Cold' is one of those things that either it is, or it ain't. Enough said. I started dispensing after 15 minutes, because I was afraid the bowl would start warming up, but as I got to the last cones, I noticed the ice cream continued to harden and look more "professional" as it dispensed. Next time I'll wait until 20. After the bowl had been out of the deep freeze for 40 minutes, we rinsed it in HOT water, and the water froze solid to the bowl. That's cold. 2) The mix in thingy worked perfectly. I couldn't believe how neat-o that was. Follow the directions on sizes, and you won't go wrong. 3) I took the advice downstream and avoided the Cuisinart recipes. We just used our family favorite old fashined vanilla, with the raw eggs, flour, salt, sugar, milk, and cream. No problems. I made our usual 6 or so quarts that we put in the full-sized ice cream freezer, so we have left-overs for tomorrow. Final analysis: Cold freezer, follow directions. That simple. Sucker works like a charm. I had kids hugging me and thanking me for buying the machine - it doesn't get much better than that. Read more
I had to wait til 1 am, so my picture is a little dark. But I specifically bought this machine to make dolw whips using the mix sold here on amazon. the machine worked great. I honestly don't care at all about the sprinkles, probably won't ever use that feature. But it was quick to assemble, came fast, froze the bowl for 12 hours and viola I had dole whip at nearly 2 am LOL. it's a definite win! *update 1-15-20* I've used this machine many many times now with different recipes, if you follow the directions it is an amazing machine. Some people complain that it is difficult to clean, this is BS it's like anything else, you take a few parts off wash and done. My Dad LOVES the vanilla recipe from the book, it's creamy, and sweet but not overly sweet. We've done chocolate, vanilla, dole whip powder mix, and I've made a few of my own concoctions like caramel macchiato, strawberry, and once the bases are made I've scooped the ice cream out and made homemade rocky road, and tin roof sundae to name a few. I honestly have never had a problem with my machine. The negative reviews sound to me like people who didn't bother to fully read and understand the capacity, cleaning instructions, or try to follow the directions to make the ice cream as intended. To be honest if you want fast cheap ice cream then yeah go pay a buttload at DQ or somewhere else. But if you want fresh, homemade, with your own ingredients and ice cream that you can freeze and make any variety at home from scratch, this machine is a dream if you follow the directions. My Dad, Niece, Nephew, and several guests will attest to that, they've all enjoyed ice cream from my machine. Still loving my machine after almost a year now. :) Read more
We absolutely love this at-home ice cream machine! Every time we have family over or throw a party, this becomes the highlight—especially for the kids! It’s fun, easy to use, and makes soft serve with great texture that rivals the real thing. The bowl needs to be frozen before use, so we keep it stored in the freezer and ready to go at all times. I also love that it comes with homemade recipe suggestions and a built-in side compartment for toppings—such a fun touch! ⛔️ Heads-up: It’s a bit bulky, so we store it away between uses to save counter space. Only one mix can be preparred Cleaning requires disassembly, but it’s easy to take apart and reassemble. The churning takes some time, so make sure your mix is well-chilled before starting to get the best results. Overall, this is a great homemade ice cream machine and I highly suggest for the price. Read more
I bought the Cuisinart ICE-45 Mix It In Soft Serve machine for the sole purpose of making my own Disney Dole Whips at home. After some research, I found that the Dole Pineapple Soft Serve mix is the exact stuff that Disney uses in the parks. The only problem is that the bag is intended to be mixed all at once and not in small portions. I used 2 1/3 cups of water and 1 1/3 cup of mix to make a quart of Dole Whip which just fits into this machine. Chill mix for 30 minutes before pouring into the soft serve machine. For optimal freezing, I keep the freezer bowl in my deep freeze and leave it there until I'm ready to make some ice cream. Regular freezer/refrigerators don't get as cold as the deep freezes. After 20-25 minutes in the Cuisinart - I have the perfect texture for soft serve ice cream. I made the mistake of turning it off once and the ice cream got so hard that the machine would not restart. I also have tried the Frostline Chocolate and Vanilla soft serve and was very impressed with those mixes (1 cup mix, 1 3/4 cup water). I should try my own home recipe one of these days but the mixes are cheap and very easy. I don't care to use the "mix it in" feature of this machine. It works, but its easier to just sprinkle toppings by hand and some toppings get too hard to eat. Read more
