Whynter ICM-200LS
Two litres of stainless steel with 180 watts of compressor: the largest we cover without moving into gelateria-machine prices. Note: it runs on 110 volts and 60 hertz, so it is no use in Europe.
Two litres of steel and the biggest compressor
It is the home machine that produces the most ice cream per batch in the whole comparison without changing price bracket. Steel body and bowl, a screen, a timer with an audible alert and extended cooling at the end. Tech Gear Lab named it ice cream maker of the year.
Our score, after reading the reviews one by one.
The 180 watts show: two litres come down in temperature without the compressor drowning, and that is exactly where cheap large machines fail.
A screen, a timer with a beep and automatic shutdown if the mix seizes.
2.1 quarts, about two litres: six or seven servings.
Two litres with enough power behind them, and over three thousand reviews.
Four things you notice
in use, not on the box
How the ice cream comes out
Good, and above all just as good with a full bowl as a half one, which is the rare part at this size.
Extended cooling
It keeps cooling once the churning stops. With two litres inside that matters even more: serving it all takes longer.
Footprint
42.5 × 28.6 × 26 centimetres and eleven kilos. It is wide and sits flat: it wants half a metre of worktop.
The plug
110/120 volts and 60 hertz. In Europe it won't work even with a transformer, because the compressor depends on the frequency.
Why 180 watts for two litres
What decides whether a large machine works isn't the bowl, it's the watts per litre of mix. With 100 watts and two litres the compressor is stretched, the batch drags on and the ice cream comes out icy. Here there are 90 watts per litre, the same ratio as on the good one-litre machines. That is why the result holds when you fill it.
Capacity, about two litres
Compressor power
How loud it gets, at most
Weight
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
Whynter ICM-200LS specifications
The Whynter ICM-200LS against its rivals
Whynter ICM-128WS
The small one in the range: less bowl, less space and less money.
Whynter ICM-220
Almost the same bowl, and it incubates yoghurt as well.
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino
Less bowl, but three quarts an hour without stopping.
Iceman by Chefman Trio
A pint per tub and ready in half an hour.
Would we buy it? Yes, it is the best large buy in the United States
Two litres with 180 watts behind them is the combination that yields the most good ice cream per batch without rising to professional prices, and three thousand reviews back up that it lasts. It wants half a metre of worktop and weighs eleven kilos, so it doesn't go away in a cupboard. For a European socket, the equivalent in bowl size is the Caso IceCreamer.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work in Europe?
No. It runs on 110/120 volts and 60 hertz, and the compressor depends on the frequency: a transformer isn't enough.
Do you have to pre-freeze anything?
No. It has a built-in compressor and starts cooling on its own.
Aren't two litres too much?
For a couple, yes. They make sense if you make ice cream for several people or want two flavours in one session.
Can it handle back-to-back batches?
Yes. With no bowl to freeze, you empty it, wash it and start again.
How much room does it take?
42.5 centimetres long and eleven kilos: half a metre of worktop and a permanent spot.
Which would we buy instead?
In Europe, the Caso IceCreamer. In the United States, the ICM-220 if you also want yoghurt.
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