For a fairly inexpensive ice cream maker, this one works fine for me. There's no rock salt needed, so yay for that. The outer part of the machine doesn't come into contact with the ice cream ingredients so it doesn't really need to be cleaned, and I just throw the inside part in the dishwasher even though the instructions don't agree with me on that. The inner canister needs to spend about a night in the freezer before it can freeze the ice cream, but that's a small thing. I also don't eat the ice cream right after it's done because it's too soft/runny for me- I freeze the newly made ice cream in a Tupperware for another night in the freezer. This is the only ice cream maker I've ever owned and it was a gift, so there are likely other brands/models which work a bit better but are also more expensive. For a budget ice cream maker, this product does fulfill its purpose.

elizaleona

CT, USA

I have made ice cream 3 times, all I get is cold milk with a small amt. Actually freezing. I ordered on line 2 ice cream freezers. The first one was 1 gallon size. It works great. But the 1 1/2 quart size does not freeze. I have followed all the directions .

JoanneE16

North carolina

I bought this ice cream maker and was impressed with our results because of the price I paid. This is one of the cheapest I saw, and I was expecting low end results. There are definate pros and cons to this machine. Its perfect for smaller portions, as it makes a fairly small amount if it's loaded to the max. I like that it's simple, and it's easy to make ice cream with it and it's great to experiment with different flavors and ingredients. My kids absolutely love to make their own creations in this and the ice cream comes out good. I like the texture of the ice cream and we play around using all different ingredients and the ice cream has always come out fairly good. The end results are good but because of having to freeze the container at least 8-10 hours you can't make one batch and make a second right after. That is one con because sometimes the kids feel like making different kinds, which can't be done at once. Another negative is that it is pretty loud when it's running, it doesnt bother us but that might be a deal breaker for some people. I think it's well worth the price if it's for people who aren't looking to use it a lot. I say this because it is somewhat cheaply made and I can't see it lasting forever. It's a cool little machine and it does work and won't break the bank.

lindsey4488

USA

Hamilton Beach 1.5 quart Ice Cream Maker makes Good ice cream!! Doesn't Everyone love to eat ice cream? And doesn't everyone love Home made ice cream even better? Well, our family does! The ice cream is delicious and smooth and thick. Negatives: it Is noisy. If you don't a silent appliance, this is Not for you. I'm willing to listen to some noise for a Long time if I get ice cream out of it. :) Also, this is Not a quick process. You have to freeze the canister the day before you plan to make it. Hey, my suggestion is just to put it right back into the freezer after you clean it, so that you are Always ready whenever that delicious Ice cream urge comes upon you. And, you have to Watch the maker for when it is done. My family had no problem keeping our eyes on the machine to know when it was done, so that was not a problem for us, but if you plan to leave it unattended for awhile, well, I would Not suggest leaving it unattended while running. The ice cream it makes is Delicious, though. Yummy. We are not the most wild and crazy eaters, so we didn't make any funky flavors, but just everything we made was just delicious. Oh, fresh homemade ice cream is Always sounding good to me. Hamilton Beach 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker makes Good ice cream!!

kvalebear

Chattanooga, TN

I just purchased this ice cream maker from best buy last week, and so far I am pretty happy with it! You get what you pay for, and this is a good machine, however I didn't expect it to last for long term! I only used it once so far, and it worked great! As the ice cream got thicker the motor started grunting and making weird noises, and then the stirr stopped going around! But the ice cream was thick and I was happy with the outcome. Bottom line is, this is a god product as far as I can tell, just not the most heavy duty! It is very easy to use, and it looks like a good product! I was also very happy with the price, since I wanted an ice cream maker, but didn't have alot of cash to buy one! It is a great value for the price! I would recommend this product to a friend! Performance Satisfied with performance Durability Good for the price Ease of Use Very easy to use! Ease of Cleaning Very easy to remove the inside container and clean! Capacity I'm Happy with the capacity Design Good design

pswengerd

Undisclosed

This was a huge hit at our house! My kids really enjoyed watching the ice cream being made. The only thing is if you plan on making ice cream, you need to plan ahead of time, since the unit had to be in the freezer for at least 8 hours. I would recommend putting it in there for longer than 8 hours just to be as cold as you possibly can get it so it makes the ice cream faster and takes longer to warm.

smihrig

Marysville, WA

I upgraded my ice cream maker to this about 8 months ago. Since then I have only made ice cream about 3 times. The reason for this is because it is expensive to make your own ice cream and because you have to plan in advance to use this product. When it first came in the mail I thought I could use it right away, but was incorrect. You have to freeze the bowl for the ice cream overnight. This is kind of a pain, as you can either keep it in the freezer all the time and take up space or be prepared to think ahead when making ice cream. There really is no spontaneity with this. But it is quieter than my other machine, and it makes the ice cream fairly quickly. I also love that you don't have to add salt and ice making this easier to clean up! I thought it was a little pricey, but we enjoy the ice cream it makes! Performance have not had any bad ice cream yet! Durability very durable hopefully will last years! Ease of Use simple directions, comes with an ingredient book Ease of Cleaning dishwasher safe! only have to clean a few items! Capacity wish it had a bigger bowl! Design looks like an ice cream maker. not fancy, not pretty.

MeganWullaert

USA

My mom bought this for me as a birthday gift after I ran across a cinnamon ice cream recipe that I needed to try! I couldn't believe how simple it was to make my own ice cream at home...and this way I knew exactly what would be going into it so I don't put any weird crap into my body. It was incredibly easy to use, you just pop the drum into the freezer the night before you want to make ice cream and it makes a batch in like an hour or so. Mmm nice soft ice cream right at my fingertips, with whatever mix-ins I want! Performance As long as you use the right ingredients, this puppy makes great ice cream! Durability Not many pieces, but seems like I don't have to worry about anything breaking Ease of Use SO easy!!! Ease of Cleaning Just a lot of curves and crevices to get into. Capacity Makes the standard amount for the recipes I've found haha. Design Makes sense.

jkindron

USA

My mom started making homemade ice cream again last summer. We hadn't had it since I was a little girl and we used the old fashioned wooden kind with the rock salt and ice and whatnot. That was a tough, involved method, but it made great ice cream. I was really excited, though, when my mom bought me this machine so that I could get back on the ice cream bandwagon. And, the truth is, it makes great ice cream, in small quantities, sometimes. The problem is that, if any element of the process is even slightly off, the ice cream never hardens and you just have milkshakes. That's fine, unless you wanted ice cream. The core of the machine has to be frozen in the freezer overnight, or at least the instructions say that, but apparently my freezer isn't cold enough, because it's hit or miss whether or not I can ever get real ice cream out of this thing.

cleansingavenger

Nashville, TN

Easiest ice cream maker ever, that anyone can use it! Everytime I feel like throwing a ice cream party, everyone helps out, not only is the easiest to use, but it fast. Quick and simple, what more could you ask for? The very first time I picked out an ice cream maker, I'm glad I choose this one. Not only is simple and easy to use but it comes with a amazing recipes that are absoluely delicious. And if you self conscious about your weight, its easy to convert the recipies to frozen yogo. It makes mouth-watering desserts for any occassion! Other benefits include; great quality, low cost, easy to clean--always a win, best durabilitly ever, and is conversable for any recipe that you want to try out. You aren't limited to ice cream flavors or toppings at all, an absolute must buy!

yerbare

Kansas City, MO