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Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker vs Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker ranks higher (#3 vs #4 of 8) and scores better on texture, cleaning & noise.
The biggest complaint about the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker is bowl must be frozen for about a day; for the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker it's loud whine, slower than the ice-21. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker | Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in ice cream makers | #3 | #4 |
| Price tier | $ | $$ |
| Type | Freezer bowl | Freezer bowl |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 5% | 5% |
| Overall score | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| Texture | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Speed & batch size | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Ease of use & prep | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Cleaning & noise | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Durability | 4.0 | — |
Price tiers: $ under $100 · $$ $100–300 · $$$ over $300. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
- Bowl must be frozen for about a day
Wirecutter says the bowl needs 16 to 24 hours to freeze fully, or you get half-melted-milkshake results; Serious Eats says at least a day. Food & Wine notes canister machines can't make batches back-to-back because the bowl warms up.
- Loud
Noise is the one negative aspect in Amazon's review summary: about 1,049 of 1,616 noise mentions are negative (this review pool is shared with the ICE-30 listing).
- Small batch, hard-frozen results, some broken parts
Wirecutter warns a full 1.5-quart recipe plus mix-ins can overflow, and a long-term tester wished it made more. Low-star Walmart reviews say a full recipe didn't fit, ice cream froze rock-hard after going into the freezer, a plastic gear broke after a few uses, and the bowl was scratched after one use.
Source: Wirecutter, Walmart reviews (lowest rated)
Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker
- Loud whine, slower than the ICE-21
Serious Eats' unit made a loud, wheezing whine that grew louder as it churned. Wirecutter found it louder and slower than the ICE-21.
Source: Serious Eats, Wirecutter - Icy buildup and less-smooth sorbet
Serious Eats saw icy buildup on the bowl walls that took effort to scrape, and a lid that wouldn't fully lock. Wirecutter found its treats icier than its picks, and Food & Wine's sorbet was less smooth than from machines with sorbet settings.
- Pre-freezing and a real limit below 2 quarts
The bowl must be frozen ahead (6 to 22 hours per Serious Eats' spec box). Food & Wine says to stay below the 1.5-quart line for base plus mix-ins to avoid overflow.
Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
Who should pick which
Pick the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker if
First ice cream maker on a budget
Fast churning (about 20 minutes)
Occasional use with freezer space for the bowl
Skip it if: You want to make ice cream on a whim; You need big or back-to-back batches; Noise bothers you
Pick the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker if
Bigger batches without paying for a compressor
Simple on/off operation
Small kitchens
Skip it if: Noise bothers you; You want the smoothest sorbet; You can't plan a day ahead
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