I found this model on sale last fall for a steal, so I had to pick it up. We are trying to avoid high fructose corn syrup in our family, and sometimes organic or natural ice cream products are just out of our budget. Not anymore! Following the instructions included, you add whichever dairy product you want, your flavorings, and any sweetener that you might want. From there you add ice and ice cream salt. Turn it on and let it go to town. It is quite noisy, but so worth it for homemade icecream. I make ours with either fresh fruit or with a jar of leftover jam, and the finished product is just so creamy! It doesn't need added colorings, sugars, or anything, just cream and fruit for this family! So much cheaper than buying a half gallon at home. After the paddle stops spinning, I just scoop out the soft ice cream and put it in a recycled ice cream container and then pop it in the freezer to firm up more. I think I may have to make some water ice this week for the kids! Ease of Cleaning It is a bit of a pain to clean, but it is worth the trouble!

MelissaManjoney

USA

I will own another one just like this if mine bites the dust. We use it several times a year and it works perfectly every time. Performance We've never had one bit of trouble from this ice cream maker. It makes creamy perfect ice cream in no time. Durability We accidentally dropped our machine out of the bottom of the box and it dented the cylinder and cracked the bucket but guess what, it still works perfectly even when damaged. Ease of Use No directions required. Fill with your favorite recipe, put pieces together, add ice and salt and plug it up. In roughly, 30 minutes you will be eating ice cold ice cream. Ease of Cleaning All pieces and parts could not be easier to wash. It comes apart and fits nicely in a sink. Warm soapy water and a sink sprayer make quick clean up. Capacity This will make a little or make a lot. I prefer the larger capacity. I fill it to the fill line and there is plenty for everyone. Homemade is the best! Design The metal canister is great to put in the fridge to chill before hand and lessen time for churning. We've taken our maker from TN to OK more than once to enjoy some ice cream while on vacation. It travels well.

tnhomeschooler

Pikeville, TN

Purchased this to replace an older model I had. Wasn't looking for anything fancy and since it's an item that isn't used a lot, also didn't want to spend a lot. The "bowl" is taller than the last one I owned, which seemed to do a better job with mixing the ice cream and also does a better job insuring the ice cream is frozen throughout. From what I've read with other machines, this is a frequent problem. The ice cream maker included a small booklet containing various recipes. I have found that as long as you have a good base, you can pretty much add any ingredients to your mix. This machine has handled more "strange" concoctions than I care to admit! The maker is easy to clean after using. I wouldn't recommend this item to anyone with storage issues, as it does take up a fair amt of space. I have stored mine in my garage with no ill effects to the machine. Definitely a fun item to have around with summer parties.

yolanda97

Columbiaville, MI

While it is not the easiest ice cream maker I've ever owned, it is easy enough and it does the job and does it well. I've never had a bad batch of ice cream (and we make numerous batches over the summer). It comes with recipes that my family and friends have loved. I like that it stops churning when the ice cream is done and I don't have to be attending to it constantly. It can be a little loud (but quite a few are).

vacation4mom1

USA

My kids LOVE this ice cream maker. We use it all the time in the summer especially. It's very easy to use and you don't have to worry about having the container frozen like with some ice cream makers. Some ice & some rock salt and you are good to go. It makes wonderful ice cream and ice milk. Durability I've had mine for quite a while and use it all the time without any hiccups. Ease of Use throw the ingredients in the inside container, add ice and salt around the outside and turn it on till it shuts off. Easy Peasy! Capacity Makes enough for the whole family.

twinsmom00

Brodheadsville, PA

I have had this sweet little Rival Ice Cream maker sitting in my shed for ages. I hold it there as my secret weapon. When ever my children have been especially good or kind, I pull this baby out as a special treat for us all. There is simply makenothing like the taste and experience of home made ice cream .From the salty cold hands you get while mixing, to the first taste tests, just to make sure it's ready, the Rival makes the experience a favorite for the children,and for me. We like to experiment with different recipes from Allrecipes.com and have found we like fresh peach ice cream the best. The machine is, of course quite noisy, so we place it on our back porch while the mixing is commencing. The children will seriously sit and watch the thing turn in circles for about half and hour. Then they will ask 100 times every minute if it is ready yet. They all get spoons and check it every 5 minutes until it is ready to go. I am so glad I can make this simple, inexpensive experience for them.

cardrmark

Mesa, AZ