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This Breville is a workhorse! I bought Jenis Splendid Ice Cream at Home book after I realized that the traditional egg based recipes weren't cutting it for my taste(I strongly urge others to do the same if ice cream is your thing).
This machine replaces my hardly used Kitchen Aid ice cream maker (the kind you freeze the bowl prior). We just didn't get along too well. I also like to make a few batches at a time which is prohibited by a bowl that needs a recharge after every use.
I was surprised how quiet this machine is in use. The controls are well thought out and it is built to Breville industrial-style standards. I found the included spatula useless and instead opted for a silicone spatula for removing finished product from blades and bowl.
Advice to those buying this machine Shave off 30 minutes of churn time by first chilling the hot cream in a covered smaller metal bowl placed in an ice+water filled larger bowl for 30 minutes. This greatly reduces wear/tear on the compressor and other components. You can chill in the fridge for a couple of hours instead.
I am extremely impressed with this ice cream maker.
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I am a Breville fanatic and love this machine. Its sleek and elegant styling with abundant features is a true technical marvel. Why then is this machine soooo close to perfection yet only incorporates a 1.5 Quart capacity and not 2 Quarts. I realize this machine's closest competition by Cuisinart Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker is also a 1.5 Quart but this single detail ruined the experience for me....well...that and the mixing blade with its twist and turns that make getting the ice cream off that much harder.For comparision, I have owned a Cuisinart 2 Quart freezer-bowl type machine before Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker and recently purchased a new one to test along side the Breville Smart Scoop. After 30 days of testing, playing, eatting (and probably gaining 5 pounds), I found myself having to make a very tough decision...keep the Breville Smart Scoop OR Cuisinart ICE-30BC.
In the end, the Cuisinart ICE-30BC with 2 Quart capacity, simplistic design of the mixing blade, and ease of holding the canister while scooping ice cream into a bowl won. The Breville Smart Scoop 1.5 Quart canister is just too small (and too cold to hold) for me. In addition the Breville has a column in the middle of the canister that allows the motor to spin the blade. The Cuisinart has a perfectly unobstructed canister making cleaning and dispensing a lot easier. Another frustration of the 1.5 Quart capacity is when the machine has churned a lot of air into the mixture and it expands beyond the top of the canister... which has happened even using Breville's recipes with amounts specific to using the 1.5 Quart canister. While this can also happen with the Cuisinart, having a larger capacity canister helps reduce this. Of course, you will want to pour less mix into the Breville to eliminate this problem.
Granted, I would select the Breville any day if I were going to make batch after batch of frozen treats since the Breville actually maintains its temperature unlike the Cuisinart canister that slowly thaws and needs to be refreezed between uses.
I would be curious, however, to try the Cusinart ICE-100's specially designed gelato blade that incorporates less air compared to the single blade included with the Breville Smart Scoop.
Best Deals for Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
First I have to say that I paid over $400 when I got this at Williams Sonoma so the prices, as of this review, on Amazon are stellar (or maybe it has just gone down since it's introduction a year ago).I have reviewed several ice cream makers, always looking for the holy grail to find one of ease in making, but the golden nugget of taste. Nothing beats this. Nothing.
For many reasons.
First, even if you cook your ice cream base for a custard, this has a pre cooling stage to cool it down for you (don't use it otherwise if it's not warm or your ice cream will freeze too fast on the sides only and stop before it is supposed to.)
More importantly, this is the only one I have found that whips up ice cream just like commercial ice cream so that it does not become a brick once you put it in the freezer and want to eat some the next day. The air being whipped in is what makes grocery store ice cream so light and fluffy. Hard to get in most home ice cream makers. This does it.
But, better, you get the homemade taste with no effort. All you do is push a button--you don't need to pre-freeze a bowl or add ice or anything. You just push a button. It becomes the freezer and the stirrer and everything in between. You can even choose a setting for gelato, frozen yogurt, and how hard or soft you want your ice cream!
Even better, you don't have to be there when it's done. If you are having a dinner party and want to serve cobbler with homemade ice cream, just pour in your ingredients and get it going--no need to worry about when it finishes as it will keep it frozen and cold until you are ready for it!
Some tips: I stir in my mix-ins like oreos or chocolate after it is done so they don't get crushed in the whipping.
Don't use artificial vanilla. It has alcohol in it. While you can use alcohol FLAVORS, using real alcohol will prevent your ice cream from freezing properly.
Whisk your ice cream first if it contains eggs then pour in. You may wind up with frozen egg yolks otherwise.
My favorite ice cream book is Ben n Jerry's.
The more cream you use, the faster it will melt at room temp, but the creamier it will taste on your tongue (using whole cream rather than milk).
Honest reviews on Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
I can't say anything about reliability yet.PRO:
It works, the controls are easy, it isn't overly noisy.
CON:
It is heavy and bulky lifting it out of a lower cupboard isn't something you do casually, some grab handles would have been nice.
Not a huge capacity. At 1.5 quart (1 liter) maximum, you're making two tubs of ben and jerrys, maximum.
The bucket is neither dishwasher safe, nor do they recommend you put it in the freezer, or use anything metal to scoop from it. So you need a chilled container ready to transfer the desert after it is done. Although it does have a keep cool option if you know it'll all be eaten. 1.5 quart is what you start with but by the time you're done transferring, you've lost a bit more.
I think they could have been a bit more generous with the recipe booklet, but no matter there is always the internets.
This is the first ice cream / sorbet / gelato maker I've used. The rotary dial selects at what consistency the churning will tend to stop, it offers Off, On, Pause (for mix-ins), and keep-cool. That's basically it.
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I have had many brands of ice cream makers ( Cuisinart, Kitchen Aid freezer bowl attachment and WhynterSno). This one is by far the best. It is so easy to use, easy to clean and makes the smoothest, creamiest ice cream ever! I think Breville has created the perfect machine!
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