There is one thing that I love more than anything in the world, and that is ice cream! My father used to refuse to buy ice cream when I was little, because I would come home from school and just polish off the whole box in one go. Lucky for me, my father no longer controls what I eat; so, I have root beer floats every day (editor's note: this is not quite true)!.
Because of the Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Maker Ice 100, I have learned there is one thing that is better than ice cream, homemade ice cream! This ice cream maker comes with all the bells and whistles, plus with its stainless steel metal finish it looks great on your counter. The Ice 100 comes with a built in compressor so that you do not need to use ice or pre-freeze anything before using the machine. Like all ice cream makers, the ice cream will have the consistency of soft serve right out of the maker, but it will properly harden once placed in the freezer.
The Ice 100 is very easy to use: mix your ingredients, pour into the maker, set the timer and wait for the magic. In around 40 minutes you will be happily enjoying your frozen treat. Just like the Nemox Gelato Chef 2200 we reviewed, the Ice 100 will shut off and just cool the ice cream/gelato when the mix is at the proper consistency, which is nice because you do not have to keep checking on the maker. One thing to note- the mixing motor is a little on the loud side, I did not find it very bothersome and it is certainly easy to ignore, but you may wish to place the maker in another room while you wait. The Ice 100 is also rather large (32 pounds), it has a beautiful exterior, which is ideal if you have to leave it out, but my kitchen is very small forcing me to hid it in a closet. Despite the large size of the Ice 100, you will only be able to make a quart and a half at a time. You can, however, make quart after quart to your hearts delight without the maker needing a break.
I know I have spoken more about ice cream than gelato, but should note that the Ice 100 makes equally amazing gelato. The maker comes with two types of mixing paddles, one that aerates the mix more for ice cream and the other for a more solid gelato, a nice change from the Nemox which only offered a single set. These paddles are pretty complicated looking and not the easiest thing to clean though, but it does give you an excuse to eat more of your treat! The Cuisinart model offers better looks and we found it easier to use and setup, but a bit harder to clean. For multiple batches in a row, it's a better unit, but takes a bit longer in our tests to make a complete batch.
The Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Maker Ice 100 is an investment, but in line with competitors, at $299, and do not expect making your ice cream to be cheaper than buying it. Purchasing your own ingredients, especially if you want to use the high-quality cream and milk, will cost you a pretty penny. The maker comes with a book of recipes, but I strongly encourage you to look online and in other books for a more varied collection of interesting options. Invest in the Ice 100 if you are looking to step up your ice cream/gelato experience and if you really want to get creative.
