Cuisinart ICE100E
Cuisinart's professional model: its own compressor, a litre and a half and dos palas, one that works air in for the ice cream and another that barely works any in for the gelato. Ready in 40 minutes and with nothing to pre-chill.
The only one with a paddle designed for gelato
Almost every ice cream maker comes with one paddle, and the same paddle has to do everything. This one comes with two: the ice cream paddle works in more air and leaves a light texture; the gelato paddle works in less and leaves it dense. That is the difference between an ice cream and a real gelato, and here you do not have to patch it from the formula.
Our score, after reading the reviews one by one.
Fine and with no crystals. With the gelato paddle it comes out denser and with less air, which is exactly what you want.
Touch panel with a display and a countdown timer.
1.5 litres per batch: five or six servings.
The two paddles and Cuisinart's three-year guarantee.
Four things you notice
in use, not on the box
How the ice cream comes out
Creamy and fine. With the gelato paddle the air drops and the spoonful comes out more compact and glossier.
How long it really takes
Cuisinart quotes 40 minutes per batch. When it finishes it keeps the cold for another 10 minutes.
Day to day
There is no need to pre-chill the bowl: switch it on and off it goes. Changing the paddle means taking one off and putting the other on, nothing more.
Footprint
47 centimetres deep and almost 11 kilos: it asks for a permanent spot on the worktop, it is not one to put away and get out again.
Un helado y un gelato no se baten igual
The air that goes in during churning decides the texture. Lots of air and the ice cream comes out light and fluffy; little air and it comes out dense, which is how a gelato should be. With a single paddle you have to compensate for that from the formula. Here you just change the paddle.
Una para helado y otra para gelato
Bowl capacity
Lo que tarda una tanda
De garantía Cuisinart
What it wins and what you have to accept
- Its own compressor: no need to pre-freeze the bowl the night before
- The cheapest in the compressor range
- LCD screen with timer
- Removable steel bowl
- The one that takes least worktop space
- 135 W and 1.2 litres: the lowest rung of its brand
- It falls short as soon as you want more quantity or more flavours
- It does not make yoghurt
- The recipe booklet doesn't give balanced formulas; the recipe is up to you
Cuisinart ICE100E specifications
The Cuisinart ICE100E against its rivals
Springlane EMMA
The same litre-and-a-half bowl, with a single paddle.
Springlane ELISA 2.0
Half a litre more, more power and a yoghurt programme.
Severin EZ 7405
Two litres, a steel body and yoghurt, for considerably less.
H. Koenig HF320
Two litres and 180 watts without paying anything more.
Would we buy it? Yes, if you are serious about gelato
It is expensive for its litre and a half, and for that money there are two-litre machines with yoghurt from other brands. What you buy here is the second paddle and the build: if you make gelato often and density matters to you, it shows in every batch. If you are going to make ordinary ice cream, there are cheaper options that do the same.
Frequently asked questions
¿Para qué sirven las dos palas?
The ice cream one works in more air and leaves a light texture; the gelato one works in less and leaves it dense. You swap it by hand in a moment.
Do you have to pre-freeze anything?
No. It has its own compressor and starts cooling as soon as you switch it on.
¿1,5 litros para cuánta gente dan?
Five or six servings per batch. And since there is no pre-chilling, you can run one batch after another.
¿Qué es el keep cool?
When the timer ends it keeps the cold going for up to 10 minutes, so it does not melt if you are not there.
¿Cuánta garantía tiene?
Tres años, según la propia Cuisinart.
Which would we buy instead?
The Severin EZ 7405 if you want two litres and yoghurt for less, or the Springlane EMMA if the same bowl with a single paddle is enough for you.
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