Assessed various summer-friendly ice cream makers, revealing the top pick at an affordable £45, currently on sale
In the quest for the perfect ice cream, one individual embarked on a journey to test six ice cream makers, with five of them costing no more than £60 and one priced at a hefty £449. Let's delve into the results of this tasty trial.
Top-Rated and Budget-Friendly Ice Cream Makers
Cuisinart Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker (£29.99)
Rated 4.5/5 stars, the Cuisinart Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker is a compact, budget-friendly option that's easy to use and requires minimal setup. This little powerhouse churns out thick, creamy ice cream in about 25 minutes, making it a fuss-free choice for casual users. However, it's relatively noisy and has a small 475ml capacity, with paddles that don't quite reach the bowl edges, making it less versatile than larger models.
ProCook Ice Cream Maker 1.5L (£49)
With a score of 92/100, the ProCook Ice Cream Maker 1.5L is another wonderful buy at an affordable price. This machine boasts an easy locking bowl, stable operation with minimal vibrations, and produces smooth, creamy ice cream in just over an hour. It evenly mixes add-ins like chocolate chips, but only has two settings and doesn't automatically stop when ice cream thickens, which can lead to some dirt traps.
The Cream of the Crop
Among the tested ice cream makers, the Lakeland Digital Ice-Cream Maker (£44.99, down from £49.99) and the Magimix Gelato Expert Ice-Cream Maker (£448.79) stood out. The former produced a deliciously creamy scoop with a lovely silky sheen and no synthetic taste, while the latter produced a top-class dessert with a beautifully smooth texture and nectar-like taste.
The Magimix Le Glacier Ice-Cream Maker (£60, Argos) also impressed with its perfect mix of light and creamy texture, achieving an authentic ice-cream texture in just 20 minutes.
Recipes and Taste Tests
The article includes a strawberry ice cream recipe, requiring fresh strawberries, sugar, cream, milk, vanilla essence, and lemon juice. The mixture should be left in the fridge for at least an hour before churning in the ice-cream maker.
The ice-cream maker test results were based on a blind taste test involving the testers' family. The family was unanimous in their findings, reporting that they have found a machine that magically transforms a bowl of liquid into heaven-sent ice cream.
Other ice-cream makers tested include the Giles & Posner Sorbet and Ice-Cream Maker (£22.99 on Amazon) and the Magimix Le Glacier Ice-Cream Maker (£60, Argos).
In conclusion, for users seeking the best value under £60, the Cuisinart Solo Scoops and the ProCook 1.5L ice cream makers stand out as top-rated, budget-friendly, and tested options, each with distinct advantages in size and capacity suitable for home use.
