(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: about 723 ratings (10% 1-star + 3% 2-star).
The most automatic machine here: it senses hardness, chimes for mix-ins and keeps ice cream cold for up to 3 hours. It costs about $600, takes around an hour per quart and makes small batches, and Wirecutter says its results match a much cheaper Whynter.
Top complaints
- Very expensive
Serious Eats calls it quite expensive, Food & Wine names the high price as its main problem, and Wirecutter says it performed like the Whynter ICM-201SB but costs a lot more. Amazon owners are split on value (about 39 positive vs 22 negative).
- Slow, with small batches
Serious Eats measured about an hour per quart, and its results were slightly icier and grainier as a result. Food & Wine notes slower speed and lower capacity than its Whynter pick; Amazon owners say capacity is small for such a large machine.
- Paddle leak point and clunky noises
Liquid can enter a hole in the paddle and drip into the base, which can freeze the bowl in place (Serious Eats). Amazon noise feedback is mixed, with some reporting loud clunking.
What owners love
- Senses when it's done
12 hardness settings; it judges consistency from paddle resistance, shows progress and temperature, and plays a tune for mix-ins and when finished (Serious Eats, Food & Wine).
Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine - Keep Cool mode up to 3 hours
Holds churned ice cream at serving texture for up to 3 hours (Serious Eats, Food & Wine).
Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine - Easy to use and clean
Amazon owners call it easy to use (about 86 vs 13) and easy to clean with removable parts; the paddle and lid are top-rack dishwasher-safe (Serious Eats).
- You're price-sensitive
- You want big or fast batches
- You want the smoothest possible texture
- Hands-off churning with hardness presets
- Holding soft-serve texture for parties
- Beginners who don't want to babysit
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Serious Eats: Splurge-worthy automatic pick (updated 2026-07-21): great for beginners; expensive, slow and slightly icier.
- Food & Wine: Strong contender: impressively adjustable with a great keep-cool mode; high price, slower and smaller than the Whynter it picked.
- Wirecutter (NYT): Performed similarly to the Whynter ICM-201SB; the extra features aren't essential and don't justify the steep price.