Whynter ICM-220
Two quarts, a removable steel bowl and something almost none of them have: a real yoghurt incubator, not a programme for churning ready-made yoghurt. It runs on 110 volts, US only.
The one that ferments the yoghurt before freezing it
Most machines that advertise «frozen yoghurt» churn shop-bought yoghurt. This one makes it from milk: it holds the mix at fermentation temperature for as many hours as it takes and then freezes it in the same bowl. Food & Wine named it best compressor-style machine.
Our score, after reading the reviews one by one.
The same compressor as the ICM-200LS with slightly less bowl, so it has power to spare.
A panel with a timer and automatic shutdown. You set the yoghurt cycle and forget it.
2 quarts, nearly two litres: six servings.
The yoghurt incubator. In this comparison only the Severin EZ 7407 and the Caso IceCreamer do the same.
Four things you notice
in use, not on the box
How the ice cream comes out
Good. Nearly two litres with the brand's big compressor: it doesn't struggle even with a full bowl.
How the yoghurt turns out
Like any homemade yoghurt: milk, culture and hours at temperature. The advantage is that it is then frozen without changing container.
The two finishes
The ICM-220CGY is champagne gold and the ICM-220SSY is stainless. It is the same machine: the colour changes and little else.
The plug
Churning is not the same as fermenting
When a machine advertises «frozen yoghurt» it almost always means it churns yoghurt that was already made. Fermenting is something else: bringing milk to about 42 degrees and holding it there for six to eight hours so the culture can work. That needs a thermostat that can heat gently and hold, not just cool. Which is why almost none of them have it.
Capacity, nearly two litres
Yoghurt incubator
Removable bowl
Weight
What it wins and what you have to accept
- Yoghurt maker: it ferments and then chills in the same bowl
- A bowl of almost two litres
- The bowl is stainless steel and comes out
- You set the yoghurt cycle and forget about it
- Extended cooling at the end of the batch
- Made for the United States: 110/120 V and 60 Hz
- A transformer changes the voltage, not the frequency
- An eleven-kilo machine on the worktop
- Yoghurt takes six to eight hours
Whynter ICM-220 specifications
The Whynter ICM-220 against its rivals
Whynter ICM-200LS
The same compressor and slightly more bowl, without the incubator.
Whynter ICM-128WS
The small one: less bowl, less space and less money.
Caso IceCreamer
Two litres and fermented yoghurt, on 230 volts.
Iceman by Chefman Trio
A pint per tub and ready in half an hour.
Would we buy it? Yes, if homemade yoghurt is part of the plan
It is the only Whynter that ferments yoghurt, and that function done well is hard to find. With almost two litres and the brand’s big compressor, it does everything. It weighs eleven kilos and runs on 110 volts: if your mains is 230, look at the Severin EZ 7407 or the Caso IceCreamer.
Frequently asked questions
What power supply does the Whynter ICM-220 need?
Does it make real yoghurt or frozen yoghurt?
Real yoghurt: it ferments the milk and then freezes it in the same bowl, without changing container.
What is the difference between the CGY and the SSY?
The finish: gold on the CGY, stainless on the SSY. Inside they are the same machine.
Do you have to pre-freeze anything?
No. It has a built-in compressor and starts cooling on its own.
How long does the yoghurt take?
As long as any homemade yoghurt: six to eight hours at fermentation temperature. No machine shortens that.
What would we buy instead of the Whynter ICM-220?
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