The Modern Ice Cream Machine

Although summer time is almost over, it’s not time to store away your ice cream maker–pumpkin ice cream anyone? Or possibly you don’t own an ice cream machine, if you search around, you may find some good end-of-summer sales and be able to pick one up for really cheap. But how do ice cream machines work?

Electric ice cream makers aka ice cream machines and ice cream freezers basically all work a like-an ice cream mixture is brought to the freezing point and simultaneously, the cream and ice mix is stirred to prevent ice from totally freezing.

When it comes to electric ice cream makers, you choices are limited to three different styles. First you have the traditional ice cream maker. This kind of ice cream freezer uses ice and rock salt to bring the ice cream mix to freezing.

Then there is the canister type. This unit uses a freezable bowl, which you store in your freezer, to get your ice cream mix cold enough. A canister ice cream freezer is generally less messy than the first kind.

Last but no least are the compressor ice cream makers. Wanna get rid of ice and rock salt slurry? Don’t want to plan ahead for freezing your bowl? A compressor ice cream freezer, works like your freezer with a built in freezer unit. And not only that but you can whip up ice cream anytime.

There are a couple of downers though. The first is price. These electric ice cream machines can run into several hundreds or thousands of dollars. You might also find some models don’t have removable bowls which can make cleanup a pain in the you-know-what.

There you have it, the three basic kinds of ice cream makers along with how they work. Like I mentioned before, summer is gone but that doesn’t mean your ice cream machine isn’t as useful. Pumpkins and sweet potatoes are in season and are great in ice cream. You can also use regular vanilla to top pumpkin pie.

Wally Clydesdale’s knowledge in ice cream extend back to childhood. He is currently a writer of Ice Cream Maker Basics.com where he is called up to write about electric ice cream makers