This 4 Qt. Manual Ice Cream Maker in Brown is a nice looking appliance, however it is quite difficult to use and takes a long time to make a batch of ice cream. The instructions are not very clear and make it difficult to figure out how to use the machine. The ice cream takes a long time to churn and it requires a lot of effort to turn the crank. I would not recommend this product to someone looking for an easy way to make ice cream
Our family used to hand-churn ice cream when I was a kid many years ago. It was a part of summer family get togethers and of course I remember taking a turn at the handle. This ice cream maker reminds me of the one we used back then, only not quite as good. This unit looks great and could be a display/decoration, but it's functionality is lacking. The main complaint is the crank assembly attaches to the top of the bucket with a simple slot on both ends. The theory is that the pressure applied during the churning will keep the handle assembly pressed back into the slots. It doesn't work well and it takes effort to keep the whole thing in place. It is hard enough to crank let alone using another hand to hold onto the assembly. The old ones had a locking piece that held it in place and this could be much better if it had one too. Until this is redesigned, I would opt for the motorized version.
The is a great unit at family get togethers. Having 6 cousins running around from ages 1-6, this is perfect when dessert time comes around. Each child gets a chance to turn the handle while making the ice cream. It takes about 35min or so for the cream to be ready. The unit itself is built in the USA and is solid. All the parts are well constructed and easy to clean. The key to making great ice cream is to use rock salt with the ice to get the unit very cold. It comes with a book of many recipes, all of which are quite easy to make. Overall this is a great unit, a great conversation piece and a great way to keep the children busy.
This ice cream maker is really nice quality. Below are it's features:
*Motor – enhanced 12,000 RPM motor provides
the churning torque needed for making creamy
homemade ice cream and has the power to restart
after stopping to add fruit, berries, chocolate or
candy to a thickened ice cream mixture.
*Bucket – crafted of select pine from New England
and bound with strong galvanized hoops and
electroplated fittings to ensure lasting stability.
*Canister – The tall canister design allows the
ice cream to come in close contact with the ice
and rock salt making it freeze faster.
*Dasher – The Beechwood blades are
self-adjusting to ensure uniform scraping
of the ice cream mixture on the canisters
interior sidewall.
*Heavy-duty Hand Crank – No cords or batteries needed.
They have a number you can call if you want to turn this manual maker into an electrical version but what's the fun in that? :) They also share a handful of tasty ice cream recipes which is always a good thing. Anyway, I think you will really enjoy this maker!
The order process was fine. The product is not meeting my expectations. It is impossible for one person to crank the ice cream maker as the top/crank is poorly designed and requires a second person to hold it in place while another person cranks. Pretty disappointed in the design.
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Verified Purchase
1 found this review helpful
Jul 10, 2019
White Mountain 4 quart hand crank ice cream maker
Mine had a major quality issue with the gears. Tried to make one batch of ice cream and the gears that turn the mixer started grinding and slipping while the ice cream was still very soft. From the very start the crank handle would lock up and needed to be rotated backwards to unlock the gears approximately every 3 turns of the crank. Needless to say not a smooth process. Then when the gears started to strip it was over. We returned the White Mountain and bought an Amish made, much more expensive hand crank freezer. It works awesome!!
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Jun 4, 2019
This reminds me of the "old-time" ice cream makers from...
This reminds me of the "old-time" ice cream makers from when I was a child.
The handle is grinding the top of the Can , Will return for another . Been out of town for a few weeks
by
Verified Purchase
May 22, 2018
The White Mountain is, of course, a classic piece of...
The White Mountain is, of course, a classic piece of work. The package arrived a day earlier than expected. Thanks!
by
Verified Purchase
Feb 8, 2017
Fun to make, but get the auto motor
We are overall happy with this 4 quart manual ice cream maker. It was fun to make our own ice cream, but I suggest to spend the money and get the automatic motor that churns it. It takes about 30 minutes to churn the ice cream until it is ready. Also, when hand churning it, the cross bar that actually holds the crank does not stay in place or lock. So, when you are churning it, the entire tops keeps moving. You have to hold it in place with one hand, and churn with the other, making it a very difficult process, my wife could not even do it. Although this makes it very tiresome and difficult, we still loved the end result in making our own ice cream at home and knowing every ingredient. Plus, the kids helped and really enjoyed it.
This manual ice cream maker was fun to work with, gives your arm a work out and at the end you have yummy home made ice cream. The emblem on the front of the barrel gives it that nostalgic look. The wood that the barrel is made out of is heavy and sealed real well because you don't want any leaks. The directions could of been better with mounting the bar handle crank on top of the barrel. It should of showed a picture of showing how to place it in the holders on top of the barrel and it should of had better explanation on how to install it. You need two hands, one for holding the bar in place so it does not come out of the holders which should of some kind of locking device to hold the bar securely in place and you need your other hand to crank it. The ice cream came out real yummy good and there is nothing like home made ice cream.