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Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker vs Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker ranks higher (#1 vs #3 of 8) and scores better on texture, speed & batch size, durability. Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker wins on ease of use & prep, cleaning & noise.
The biggest complaint about the Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker is hard to clean built-in bowl; for the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker it's bowl must be frozen for about a day. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker | Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in ice cream makers | #1 | #3 |
| Price tier | $$$ | $ |
| Type | Compressor | Freezer bowl |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 6% | 5% |
| Overall score | 4.0 | 3.8 |
| Texture | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Speed & batch size | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Ease of use & prep | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Cleaning & noise | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| Durability | 4.5 | 4.0 |
Price tiers: $ under $100 · $$ $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
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker
- Hard to clean built-in bowl
The bowl isn't removable, so you sponge it out repeatedly (Serious Eats, Wirecutter). Serious Eats also found oil on the paddle shaft. About 42 of 144 Amazon cleaning mentions are negative.
- Expensive, with a short warranty
About $800 with a one-year warranty that Wirecutter calls wimpy; repairs mean buying parts and fixing it yourself or finding a repairperson. Amazon owners disagree on whether it's worth it.
- Very heavy and bulky; some motor noise
About 40 pounds and 12 x 18 x 12 inches (Wirecutter, Serious Eats). Some Amazon owners report rattling or grinding motor sounds.
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)
Who should pick which
Pick the Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker if
Serious hobbyists who want the best texture
Gelato-style, dense ice cream
Leaving a machine out on the counter
Skip it if: You'll store it in a cabinet (about 40 lb); You want a removable, easy-wash bowl; You make ice cream only occasionally
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
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