This is essentially the ice cream equivalent of an Easy Bake Oven, except not as fun. It is cheaply made, hard to use, and the result isn't even very good. I purchased this to use with my young niece when she was visiting during her summer vacation. I figured it would be a fun activity for us to do together. It wasn't. I really, really did not like that this was so difficult to use. First, you have to have ice and salt and mix that in the basin. Then you mix about 3/4 of a cup of half and half or cream with a flavor packet and add that to the bowl. Then you turn the crank. And turn, and turn. At the end of ten minutes we were both exhausted and ready to throw the stupid thing in the trash and just drive to Dairy Queen. We did finally dispense our ice cream after discovering that this really wasn't a Blizzard maker and did not actually mix the toppings in - you are just supposed to dump them on top. So, for all that work you don't actually get anything resembling a real Blizzard at all. I really cannot recommend this. It is misleadingly named and difficult to use.

capers01

Vernon Rockville, CT

Who doesn't love a taste DQ Blizzard. My friends and I once drove to another state to get one of these (there were none any closer than NJ). So needless to say when I found that I could make these at home I was all about that. I guess my first indication that this wasn't going to work out was the fact I found it in the toy section. Hmm. Anyway, I get mine home, take it out, read the instructions. Wait a minute! This is just a standard ice cream maker! OK. Lets see where this goes. I'll make ice cream. UGH! Takes for EVER to make. Or at least it felt like it. Took like 15 minutes to make the stuff. Then, since there isn't any way to control the consistency, sometimes I would make the ice cream more hard than soft serve which meant I couldn't get the darned ice cream out of the drain looking thing!!! Tried it a few times, then decided it wasn't worth it and I brought it back to the store. Save your money and get a automatic ice cream maker. Probably makes better and softer ice cream than this thing does. Like I said, never trust appliances you find in the toy section of your local store.

monkeyfudojo

Brooklyn, NY

I bought the Spinmaster Dairy Queen Blizzard Maker when it was on clearance for very cheap. I thought I was getting a great deal, but I was wrong. This machine is a piece of junk. It's advertised like it's "great fun for the family" or something, but when I tried to use it with relatives over for a party, it was so disappointing! For one thing, for a machine that's supposed to be for kids, it's ridiculously complicated. Why this thing would be so much more complicated compared to ice cream makers for ADULTS is beyond me. For another, it is so tiring trying to crank that stupid handle just to get... a few melted drops of ice cream. I'm serious - it took so long to try to actually get the ice cream out of the machine, that by the time you had even a teaspoon worth, it would already have melted.

ephemeralgrace

Camarillo, CA

My 6 year old wanted this one for his birthday last Fall. We have used it exactly once. It is just not that exciting. It comes with the "machine", a couple packages of blizzard mix (you will need half & half as well), two TINY dishes, and a couple red plastic DQ looking spoons. It doesn't take batteries which at first glance would appear a good thing until you realize this means the way to make the ice cream is....turning a crank for 10 minutes. Even with two children taking turns, I'm sure any parent out there can guess who will be doing most of the crank turning. I also found this toy complicated to assemble and had to look at the directions several times while attempting to make our blizzards (and I still put the toy together wrong! Add another 10 minutes cranking to it all for "fun"). After all the fun blizzard making business was done, I was a bit astounded by the small amount of blizzard ice cream this toy produced. I think maybe 4 spoonfuls in each of two dishes. I guess the one positive about this toy is that it did come with a couple of buy 1 get 1 free blizzard coupons (by way of a mail in rebate) so it might be worth it to pick this toy up off a clearance shelf somewhere for a VERY low price.

jehdld

Independence, MO