Review · Compressor ice cream maker
Klarstein Dolce Bacio Smart
The only one on the list with WiFi: it is operated from your phone and lets you choose between nine firmness levels for the ice cream.
2 L
of bowl
180 W
of compressor
WiFi
with its own app
The short answer
The one you run from your phone
Inside it is a two-litre, 180-watt ice cream maker, like the Severin or the H. Koenig. What it adds is connectivity: it connects to your home WiFi and is controlled with the Klarstein app, and it lets you choose between nine firmness levels for the ice cream. It costs considerably more than a 2 L one without an app, and you pay that difference for convenience, not for better ice cream.
Ideal if you like controlling it from your phone
Buyer reviews
4,3
out of 5
Our score, after reading the reviews one by one.
How the ice cream turns out
The same 180 W and two litres as the Severin or the HF320.
Ease of use
Touch panel, phone app and nine firmness levels to choose from.
Capacity
Two litres per batch, in 40 minutes.
Quality and price
Considerably more than an equivalent 2 L one: what you are paying for is the app.
How well it works
Four things you notice
in use, not on the box
How the ice cream comes out
Creamy, with the same 180 W and two litres as the others in its bracket.
How long it really takes
Klarstein quotes 40 minutes per batch. The fuller the bowl, the longer it takes.
Day to day
Touch panel on top and an app on your phone, with nine firmness levels to choose from.
What's included
2 L bowl, paddle, measuring cup and the app's recipe book.
Controlled from your phone
Lo que aporta y las demás no
It is the only one on the list that connects to your home WiFi. From the app you pick the programme, see how long is left and adjust the firmness of the ice cream across nine levels. The second is what really helps: stopping the churning at the point you like is a gelato maker's decision, and here you have it on a scale. The phone side is convenient, but the ice cream comes out the same pressing the buttons on top.
WiFi
The only one on the list
9 niveles
Of ice cream hardness
Touch
Panel with LCD screen
Yes
Add ingredients while running
The balance
What it gains
and what you have to accept
The best of it
- The only one on the whole list with WiFi and an app
- Nine adjustable firmness levels for the ice cream
- Two litres and 180 W, the commonest and most proven combination
- Touch panel and an opening for adding ingredients while it churns
- Holds the cold when it finishes
What you have to accept
- It costs considerably more than a 2 L one without an app
- What Klarstein calls yoghurt is yoghurt ice cream: it does not ferment milk
- It depends on an app: if Klarstein drops it, you are left with the buttons
Specifications
Specifications of the
Klarstein Dolce Bacio Smart
180 W
Power
2 L
Capacity
40 min
Ice cream ready in
WiFi with app
Conectividad
9 niveles
Ice cream hardness
Yes
Holds the cold
Frozen yoghurt only
Makes yoghurt
12 kg
Weight
Alternatives · Compressor ice cream makers
The Klarstein Dolce Bacio Smart
against its rivals
Four others with compressors compete in its bracket. The Dolce Bacio costs today —: these reviews tell you what you gain and what you lose with each one.
If you prefer the ice cream
Springlane ELISA 2.0
Springlane
Power
220 W
Capacity
2 L
Makes yoghurt
Yes
Price today
—
More compressor and real yoghurt, for considerably less. No app, but better ice cream.
If you want to spend less
Severin EZ 7405
Severin
Power
180 W
Capacity
2 L
Makes yoghurt
Yes
Price today
—
The same inside and with real yoghurt, for considerably less. Without connectivity.
If you want a bigger bowl
Klarstein Vanilla Sky Family
Klarstein
Power
250 W
Capacity
2,5 L
Makes yoghurt
No
Price today
—
Half a litre more and 70 watts more, from the same brand and without an app.
The same one without the app
Klarstein Vanilla Sky
Klarstein
Power
180 W
Capacity
2 L
Makes yoghurt
No
Price today
—
The same compressor and the same bowl without connectivity, and cheaper.
The verdict
Would we buy it? Only if the app gives you something
Inside it is an ordinary two-litre ice cream maker: the same 180 watts as the Severin EZ 7405, which is considerably cheaper. What you pay extra for is the WiFi and the nine firmness levels. If you enjoy tinkering from your phone and watching the batch without getting up, it makes sense; if what you want is the best ice cream for that money, the ELISA 2.0 is a better bet and leaves you euros to spare.
WiFi and app
2 L bowl
9 hardness levels
Answers to your questions
Frequently asked questions
What is WiFi for on an ice cream maker?
For starting and watching the batch from your phone and changing the programme without going over. The ice cream comes out the same as pressing the buttons on the panel: it does not improve the texture, it improves the convenience.
What are the nine hardness levels?
A scale for deciding how much longer it churns before stopping. It is the most useful thing on the machine: stopping at the right point is a gelato maker's decision, and here you have it graduated.
Does it really make yoghurt?
No. Amazon talks about “frozen yoghurt”: it churns ready-made yoghurt, it does not ferment it. Fermenting needs a heating element that keeps the milk warm for hours, and this one has none documented. If you want real yoghurt, the ELISA or the Severin EZ 7405.
Do you have to pre-freeze anything?
No. It has a compressor: it chills on its own from the moment you switch it on.
Is it worth it against one without an app?
Only if you are going to use the app. Inside it is the same as the Severin EZ 7405, which is considerably cheaper.
And if Klarstein stops maintaining the app?
You would still have an ordinary ice cream maker: the touch panel on top does everything the app does, including the nine levels.
Recipes to break it in
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