BREVILLE BRAND SMART SCOOP ICE CREAM MAKER (W/COMPRESSOR)
Since we have adopted the low carb/high fat lifestyle for almost a year now, I have been searching for occasional "goodies" to have. Since we both love ice cream and the Keto brands are horrendously expensive in the stores, I wanted to buy an ice cream maker. Originally, I researched the kind that has a can that you place in the freezer for about 24 hours. The walls of the the can have a gel sandwiched between the walls that keeps everything frozen. HOWEVER, the biggest complaint from customers was that the gel eventually refused to freezer anymore, or if not careful and placed in a dishwasher, the high heat destroys the gel. I looked at the Cuisinart version of this type and it was over $100. PLUS, we have a French door style refrigerator and freezer space is at a premium.
So, I decided to go the route of self-refrigerating appliances. There are two types - those with piezoelectric plates and those with conventional refrigeration compressors. The biggest consumer complaint for the first type is that they take FOREVER to chill properly and sometimes don't freeze the ice cream properly. As for the compressor models, there are a variety from which to choose, some costing almost $1000.
Since we have (and are very happy with) Breville appliances, I looked at their "Smart Scoop" model. Prices vary, but you CAN get one for about $500. I know that this sounds like a great deal of money, but considering many Keto brand or low carb ice creams can set you back around $7/quart, this will pay for itself if you eat lots of ice cream. PLUS, when you buy something in the store, you are at the mercy of the ingredients that they use! Even if you are not practicing Keto, high quality traditional ice cream like Haagen Dazs or Ben & Jerry's can be expensive as well.
I ordered ours from Williams Sonoma (shipped to us during shelter at home pandemic). The first thing that I noticed when lifting the box was the hefty weight - it weighs 32 pounds. However, it has convenient handles built into the sides of the appliance for easy transport. After receiving, it is crucial (and there are warnings all over the box) that the unit be stored on a shelf or table for 24 hours to allow the freon inside to balance out.
Unlike most other brands which require you to make all kinds of calculations, the Breville has manual and automatic features. In addition to a dial where you can change on the display from gelato to hard ice cream, you can change readout from F to C, and change the "finished" alarm or tune.
There are also two nice features - "precool" and "keep cold". The precool button starts the compressor to chill the recepticle container without churning the dasher. This is helpful if your base mixture isn't completely cold. The "keep cold" button will, after the cycle is finished, turn the dasher every few minutes while keeping a well-below-zero temperature.
I have used this machine 4 times so far. My base has always been a Creme Anglaise (egg yolks, heavy cream, and milk). I've made French Vanilla and Pumpkin ice cream so far (see the pumpkin recipe on this website). Using this machine couldn't be easier. I turn on the power, pour my chilled base into the container, set the dial to hard ice cream, and then "start". In about 45-50 minutes, I have finished ice cream.
The unit itself itsn't terribly loud, although there is a quiet hum from the compressor and a low grinding sound from the motor that turns the dasher.
All parts are easily washed by hand (DO NOT put them in the dishwasher) with soapy, very warm water. Though it is heavy, I like that the majority of the the parts are metal and have a solid feel to them. The digital display is very easy to read with large numbers and characters and a nice balance of contrast to the backlit screen. It comes with a recipe book chock full of recipes for sherbert, gelato and ice cream varieties, but really any recipe for ice cream with work with this machine.
As I said, I am a fan of Breville appliances. They have consistently high ratings on "America's Test Kitchen". During this "shelter at home period", the editors of "Bon Appetite" magazine have been recording demonstrations and challenges at home. I noticed that most of them also have Breville appliances.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this machine if you love ice cream and would like to make it at home with all natural ingredients, while saving money in the end over high-end ice cream products.