The Industrial Revolution Play & Freeze 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker is a blast to use and the ice cream is delicious! My kids love the occasional ice cream treat and of course so do I. We thought it would be nice to have our own ice cream maker. Well once I saw the prices I wondered how good of an idea that really was. Then I came across the Industrial Revolution play & freeze and decided to give it a try. I figured the kids could play and make a treat at the same time. They loved the idea. I have no complaints. I've read about leakage problems but I didn't encounter any. I followed the directions and didn't have any problems at all and the end result was delicious ice cream. I highly recommend this product! It saves money when it comes to buying pints of premium ice cream and it's fun to roll around or shake to get your ice cream. Performance Performs perfectly for me. Durability Seems extremely durable. It is made to roll and shake around, so it has to be durable. Ease of Use Very easy to use. It's much easier than ice cream makers I've used in the past. Ease of Cleaning Overall it's easy to clean. It's a little hard to really get in there. But it comes perfectly clean, so I have no problem. Capacity I think the capacity is nice. I wouldn't expect to make a gallon of ice cream at a time and I don't get to with this product. It makes the perfect amount for me. Design I like the look of this product and think the design is perfect for what it's made to do.

dgsgirl

Canton, OH

After seeing the Industrial Revolution Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker on television, I decided to buy it for my children. The Play & Freeze is super easy to use and the kids have great time making ice cream with it. You can use any ingredients that you want along with ice and rock salt to make a great tasting summertime treat. This ice cream maker is a great item to take along for picnics or cookouts at the park. While the ice cream doesn't really freeze hard, it still makes a great tasting treat. I have found that cleaning the Play & Freeze does take some effort but isn't anything too bad. Since buying the first Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker, I have since purchased two more. I would recommend this product to anyone, especially if you have children. This has been a great item for my family that we will continue to use. You can find these ice cream makers at most department stores.

ghobbs1

USA

I didn't expect much out of the Industrial Revolution Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker when I recieved one as a gift. I had never seen or heard of this product but found it to be a very interesting product. My kids couldn't wait to try it out so I reluctantly gave in and we decided to try it out. I added ice and rock salt to one end and the ice cream mixture to the other. We then took turns rolling the ball to one another, this was especially fun for my toddlers. After rolling and shaking for 10 minutes I scraped the sides as instructed which prevents the ice cream from being soupy. We threw the ball back and forth making sure to move the mixture inside as much as possible and after another 5 minutes the beauty happens. I opened the opening of the ball and presto we had made ice cream in less than 20 minutes! The kids loved the ice cream and it was gone fast. This ball doesn't make a lot, just enough for a sweet craving snack. I didn't have any expectations for this product going into it but after trying it out I'm pleased with the outcome. Only problem I see with this product is the opening needs to be slightly bigger, it's hard to scrap the sides with how small it is now. Plus I wish it came with a special spatula or scrapper designed for this product because I had a hard time figuring out what to use and what would fit the narrow opening. Overall this is a fun way to spend time making a quick treat with the family!

AprilTolley

USA

The Industrial Revolution Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker is a great idea in theory. But the product is very low quality and a hassle to use. A few summers ago I was working at a camp and we purchased a few of these hoping they would be a fun activity for the kids. We made the mistake of not trying them out beforehand. We ended up with some upset children with no ice cream. Basically with this ice cream maker you put the salt and ice in the outside section then your liquid in the center part. You put the lid on and toss it around for a while and it makes ice cream. One of the balls would leak around the lid area, which just got the kids all sticky. If they drop the ball on the ground, which is likely to happen, it cracks! You would think they would make this more durable since it is aimed at children. When the ice cream was finally done the lids were frozen onto the ball. After a lot of struggle we finally got the lid off and found some runny chunky mess. The kids were really disappointed. I really wish this ice cream maker would have worked because it is a neat idea. This is a major flop though.

evlmidget

Undisclosed

This is a wonderful ice cream maker that the whole family can enjoy! It is very inexpensive and I save a lot of money with it because buying ice cream in the store is expensive. This machine will pay for itself over time if it is used on a regular basis. I am always impressed with the results each time I use the industrial revolution play and freeze ice cream maker. This machine makes the freshest home made ice cream that I have ever tasted, and it only takes about thirty minutes to prepare. My toddler likes to "help" me makes ice cream and he can help me with simple steps. The ice cream maker looks very attractive, and comes in a variety of colors. The machine will definitely brighten up the kitchen! I have not had the seal leak like other reviewers have. This machine is easy to clean, although some of the salt may get stuck. I highly recommend this. It will provide fun for the whole family! Performance Makes great ice cream each time Durability Very sturdy Ease of Use A little time consuming but worth it Capacity Perfect capacity

AndyYurechko

Undisclosed

This is a perfect way to occupy kids while doing something productive. They had fun rolling the ball around to each other back and forth and making a game of it. The amount of time it took did take longer then their attention spans last. To keep it going, we made a rule that they each had to roll for a certain amount of time or they wouldn't get the ice cream. Overall, this is more a novelty item then an effective way to make ice cream. Performance While it was fun rolling around the ball, it was a lot of work for what you ended up with. We followed the directions exactly step by step but never ended up with a fully frozen product. It was more of a frozen mush then traditional ice cream would be. I was hoping for a better final product considering the amount of work involved. Durability This ball got whipped around and bumped into things the entire time it was in use. It was also dropped and none of the rough handling damaged it in any way. Very durable. Ease of Use It is extremely easy to use since all you have to do is roll it around. The instructions are clear in how to get it set up in order to make the mix for the ice cream and how much easier can it get then rolling a ball around for a while in terms of actually making the product. Ease of Cleaning Since it has removable parts, it is very easy to get clean. Capacity With the amount of rolling that is required, I wish it made more ice cream. Design Overall it has a fun look, color and shape. I just wish there was a larger capacity.

Jenjlg

USA

I actually purchased this to use on Memorial Day. I figured it would be a fun activity for the kids and would allow them to run around and have something fun to eat at the end. I wasn't particularly impressed with this at first. It required ice and rock salt and that meant an extra stop to get some rock salt at the last minute. It would be significantly better if this had a freezer insert like regular ice cream makers. In any case, I loaded up the ice and salt, added my ice cream mixture (I used the chocolate recipe provided), locked it up and gave it to the kids to play with for about fifteen or twenty minutes. After they were done throwing it back and forth, kicking it (gently), etc. we opened up to discover yummy, soft serve consistency ice cream which everyone devoured in a matter of minutes. Overall, this is a good idea and fun for special occasions but not for everyday ice cream making. Kids love it but it requires quite a bit of prep for adults and it's really just not that great.

capers01

Vernon Rockville, CT

A while back I started making homemade ice cream using one bowl for the ice cream mix placed inside another larger bowl filled with ice and salt. Beating and placing it in my freezer for a number of times resulted in a good ice cream, but the method got old. Too much time and too many steps for me to do often. I saw this Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker on the internet and had to try it! The name describes it perfectly...you literally fill it with your ice cream mix, then your ice and salt, close it and have fun playing with it! Roll it around, lightly toss and catch it spinning it in the air, or do a Harlem Globetrotter trick by trying to spin it on your finger... whatever method you choose, have fun with it! I play "roll the ball" all around my kitchen and then because I am having so much fun, before I know it my ice cream is ready!! I've read other reviews referring to the seal leaking. I have not had any problems with this. Maybe I got lucky...I don't know, but am pleased with the quality and functionality of my Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker. I've had it now for about 3 months and couldn't be any happier with this fun and different style of ice cream making! Performance I have found that the ice cream quality made with this Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker has little or no bearing on the maker, it's more the recipe that I use that determines the creaminess of the end result. Durability Have had mine for a few months and have used it almost a dozen times (we love ice cream!). Have had no problems with it. Ease of Use Easy as can be...fill it, seal it, play with it, freeze it, done! Ease of Cleaning Because the openings are wide enough to get a scrubber into it, the clean up is very easy. Capacity I have the larger Play and Freeze, it makes just about 1 quart, the perfect amount for the two of us to have a ice cream for a couple of nights! Design Clever and it works!

rvgypsyjj

USA

I have had one of these fun gadgets for 6 years now, and like it very much. I can mix up a batch of ice cream and then freeze it and get back to it later. The fun part is that this gadget is fun for children because it creates good results easily, and the color and shape of the ice cream maker makes it delightful. Performance Easy, consistent results. Durability Sturdy design has held up for 6 years. Ease of Use I just follow and embellish a simple recipe, and then it freezes up for me. Ease of Cleaning Not quite that easy, but if I get right to it, I do better than if I let ingredients stay in there too long. Capacity Just right for my husband and me. Design This is the part I like best. Mine is a bright reddish orange and transparent, and the spherical shape appeals to me a lot. When it's not in use, which isn't often, it decorates my counter top. Its main appeal, however, is its innovative design that has the inner freezing element and he outer shell that's pretty to look at and transparent enough to see how the ice cream is forming up.

MoiraWhitlock

USA

I decided to purchase the Industrial Revolution Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker because I wanted the fresh ice cream taste, without the cost. This is a great "toy" for my kids to pass around and it helps to burn off some of their energy. Yes, eating the ice cream after gives them a little bit of energy but they do expend a lot throwing it around. I love that it offers my kids a hands on approach to making ice cream, and they always ask to make it! My kids have also dropped it quite a few times, and it is still working great!

Gabreally22

USA