Review · Compressor ice cream maker
Springlane EMMA
Ice cream in about 45 minutes with nothing to pre-chill, in a small body. The manufacturer warns: the bowl is 1.5 L, but the usable batch is 1 L.
1,5 L
of tub
1 L
of usable batch
150 W
of compressor
The short answer
The compact one, if you make ice cream for one or two
The same self-cooling compressor as the ELISA in a smaller body. The difference is in the size: Springlane states 1.5 litres of bowl and 1 litre of usable capacity, and that second number is the one to look at. For one or two people it is more than enough; for a family it falls short.
Ideal if you make ice cream for two and do not want a big appliance
Buyer reviews
4,0
out of 5
Our score, after reading the reviews one by one.
How the ice cream turns out
Creamy from the first batch: the compressor is the same type as its big sisters'.
Ease of use
LCD display with a timer, three buttons and little else to learn.
Capacity
One litre of finished ice cream: four or five servings per batch.
Quality and price
One of the cheapest with a real compressor, and one of the most well-worn in the range.
How well it works
Four things you notice
in use, not on the box
How the ice cream comes out
Creamy and with no crystals, with the same self-cooling compressor as the range. As always, the texture comes from the formula.
How long it really takes
Springlane quotes 45 minutes, and 30 if the ice cream is a simple one. The fuller the bowl, the longer it takes.
Day to day
Switch it on and off it goes: nothing has to be pre-chilled the night before. The bowl comes out whole for washing.
Footprint
40.5 × 28 × 24.5 cm and 10.7 kg. It fits on a normal worktop without eating up the space.
The figure almost nobody gives
A litre and a half of bowl, a litre of ice cream
Springlane is one of the few brands that publishes the usable capacity as well as the bowl's. Ice cream rises as it takes in air, so the number that matters for working out how many servings you get is the second one, not the big one on the box.
1,5 L
Bowl capacity
1 L
Declared usable batch
4–5
Servings per batch
From the manufacturer
This is not our estimate
The balance
What it gains
and what you have to accept
The best of it
- Self-cooling compressor: switch it on and off it goes, with nothing to pre-chill
- The manufacturer publishes the real usable capacity, not just the bowl's
- LCD display with a manually adjustable timer
- Removable steel bowl, easy to take out and wash
- One of the most affordable with a real compressor
What you have to accept
- One litre of ice cream per batch: it falls short for a family
- It does not make yoghurt: for that you have to move up to the ELISA
- The recipe booklet doesn't give balanced formulas; the recipe is up to you
Specifications
Specifications of the
Springlane EMMA
150 W
Power
down to −35 °C
Freezing
1,5 L
Bowl capacity
1 L
Usable batch
45 min
Ice cream ready in
No
Makes yoghurt
Removable steel bowl
Bowl
10,7 kg
Weight
Alternatives · Compressor ice cream makers
The Springlane EMMA
against its rivals
These four compete in its bracket. The EMMA costs today —: these reviews tell you what you gain and what you lose with each one.
If you also want yoghurt
Springlane ELISA 2.0
Springlane
Power
220 W
Capacity
2 L
Makes yoghurt
Yes
Price today
—
Two litres instead of one and it does make real yoghurt; in exchange it takes up more room.
If you want to spend less
Springlane ELLI
Springlane
Power
135 W
Capacity
1,2 L
Makes yoghurt
No
Price today
—
It drops from 150 to 135 W and from 1.5 to 1.2 litres of bowl: it is the rung below.
Si quieres dos litros
H. Koenig HF320
H. Koenig
Power
180 W
Capacity
2 L
Makes yoghurt
No
Price today
—
You double the batch and gain 30 W without paying for the yoghurt function.
If you want the biggest
Springlane ERIKA
Springlane
Power
250 W
Capacity
2,5 L
Makes yoghurt
Yes
Price today
—
Two and a half litres, 250 watts and a yoghurt programme: the other end of the range.
The verdict
Would we buy it?
Yes, if you make ice cream for a few
If you make ice cream for one or two people and do not want a big appliance on the worktop, the EMMA is a very sensible buy: the compressor is the same type as its big sisters' and the ice cream comes out just as well. The limit is the usable litre per batch. If you are a family or you like having several flavours at once, move up to the ELISA.
Its own compressor
Usable batch of 1 L
The most compact
Answers to your questions
Frequently asked questions
How much ice cream does it really make?
One litre. The bowl is 1.5 L, but the usable capacity Springlane states is 1 L, because the mix grows as it takes in air and needs room. That is the manufacturer's figure, not an estimate of ours.
Is it worse than the ELISA?
Yes, in power and in size: 150 watts against 180 and one usable litre against two. What does not change is the type of compressor, so the ice cream comes out just as creamy; what changes is how much you can make at once, and that this one does not make yoghurt.
Is it enough for a family?
For one or two people it is more than enough. For a family it falls short: you would have to do two batches in a row and wait between them.
Do you have to pre-freeze anything?
No. It is a compressor machine: switch it on and it chills on its own, with nothing to put in the freezer the night before.
Does it make yoghurt?
No. If you want ice cream and yoghurt in the same machine, the one in its range that does it is the ELISA.
How much does it weigh and how much room does it take?
10.7 kg and 40.5 × 28 × 24.5 cm. It is not one to put away and get out daily: think about where it will live before buying it.
Recipes to break it in
Get new recipes
every week
We send you the recipes and the technical guides as soon as they are published. No spam, just ice cream done properly.