If you would like to have a home-made treat of ice cream, you may need to have a portable ice cream making machine for your home kitchen. Before buying the ice cream making machine of your choice, there are factors you need to consider.
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They include but not limited to:
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They include but not limited to:
1. Capacity of the machine.
- This depends with the volumes of ice cream you intend to make with the machine. If you have a larger family, you may need to consider a larger machine that will produce sufficient batches for everyone.
- When considering the capacity of a machine, you should not forget the space in your kitchen/ production area. Do not buy a bulky machine that will end up consuming all the space leaving you with nowhere to place other items.
2. Your budget
- Ice cream makers can be as cheap as $30 and as expensive as several hundred dollars (or even thousands of dollars for industrial installations). You should define the purpose for getting the ice cream maker so that you can select the most appropriate machine within your budget.
- While doing that, remember that the cheaper machines will add you more work. Again, the quality of the end product may not be what you would desire, especially if your ice cream making expertise is wanting.
- If you are a control freak and you would like to have a complete control over the quality of the end product, choose a manual ice cream making machine. They are synonymously called ice and slat ice cream makers because you have to literally use salt and ice in the ice cream making process. They are affordable and evoke the nostalgia of doing things the old-fashioned way.
- The mechanized options have a compressor that eliminates the need for the ice bucket. They are fast and reliable if you do not have time and patience of controlling the ice cream making process. They tend to me expensive because they are self-contained. You have minimal control over the process.
3. Operational speed / power of the machine
- Make sure that the machine can churn out the batch in reasonable time. You do not want to buy a machine purely based on its cost and end up spending the whole day trying to make a single batch of ice cream.
- If time is a real estate on your side, you may need to consider an ice cream making machine with a compressor. Otherwise, you can consider the other options that usually require lead time for sufficient freezing of the ice bucket/bowl.
- Additionally, consider the ability of this machine to vent the heat produced during the ice cream making process. It should be able to cool down the compressor in record time and allow the machine to run without frequent breaks.
- Powerful machines tend to be noisy. If you manage to get a powerful machine that has low noise, be prepared to compensate in terms of cost.
4. Quality of the product
- You are buying an ice cream making machine to help you control the quality of the end product. Make sure that the machine you are buying can produce consistent quality of ice cream. It should also be able to mix the ingredients into a smooth textured product.
5. Usability / user friendliness
- The machine you are buying should be easy to understand and use. The buttons should be properly labelled if it is a digital machine. It should also have a digital screen for easy selection of functions.
- Some models have presets for various degrees of ice cream hardness. These make work easier when making an ice cream because all you have to do is to select a certain preset and you are on your way to making your favorite treat.
- Other models have an alert system (bell) that will let you know that the batch is ready. It should have simple parts that will not break down.
- The parts should be easy to reach, and the machine should be easy to clean. You do not want to compromise the hygiene of the ice cream you are making.
6. Aesthetics / Appearance
- In terms of functionality, the look of the machine plays a very insignificant role. However, the looks are the first thing that always draws a customer to a machine at the store.
- Chose a machine that will accessorize your kitchen. You don't want your kitchen to look like it was put together by an 11-year-old. Be careful not trade the looks for functionality.