Delivers on what it promises - just make sure you understand what it promises!
In reading the reviews for this product I've noticed that some people may have been expecting something more than what Cuisinart is selling. Having used this unit several times now here are my impressions and thoughts.
- The unit uses a freezer bowl to freeze the product. That means that the bowl MUST be frozen solid and the product MUST be very well chilled otherwise you will not get good results. We have just kept our freezer bowls in the deep freeze when not in use so that we can make ice cream fairly quickly. It's probably best to mix up your soft serve mix at least an hour in advance and put it in the coldest part of your fridge or (as another reviewer suggested) in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to get it as cold as possible without prematurely freezing it.
- The freezer bowl doesn't have a huge capacity. It can make "10-12" servings - if your servings are small. 6-8 is probably more like it. If you want more make certain you purchase an additional bowl and keep it frozen.
- The instructions on time expectations generally say 10-15 minutes and this can be true if you chill the ice cream mixture very thoroughly. Otherwise it will take longer probably more like 15-20 minutes.
- The first serving or so may be fairly soupy - I have found that I can dispense some into a cup and then re-add that into the top of the bowl.
- The "mix-ins" really don't mix in to the soft serve at all they are really topping dispensers. If you're expecting something like a DQ Blizzard it's not the same. Also don't over-fill (or pack in) the mix in bins. I've had good luck with chopped peanuts sprinkles and the mini M&Ms.
The differences between this unit and a more conventional ice cream freezer are mainly that this unit has a freezable bowl vs. a bowl that is placed in a mix of ice and rock salt. That means it is a little more convenient but lacks the capacity of the conventional freezer. Our ice cream freezer makes about twice as much ice cream as the soft serve but it is much louder generally requires more clean up and doesn't dispense the product. On the other side I think a conventional freezer has more versatility if you are making things like frozen custards that set up harder than soft serve. Finally the freezer just isn't really as much "fun" as this one is which has real appeal if you've got kids in the family.
Overall I've really enjoyed this gadget - but I did some research first and made certain I understood what I was buying. This is NOT like the soft serve dispensers in restaurants - but it's very nice for a treat on a summer afternoon.
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