I love my Donvier ice cream maker. It is so easy to use and since it is a hand crank you can get some exercise while you are waiting for your dessert! But seriously, you just put the center container into your freezer twenty four hours ahead of when you want ice cream and then you make up your ice cream mix out of whatever you want and then pour it in and stir the paddles until you have ice cream. This can be exceptionally great if you or any of your family have allergies to anything because you can customize what you put into the ice cream. No eggs wanted? No problem! In the Donvier ice cream maker you can even use soymilk instead of cream for a tasty low fat version of ice cream which tastes as good as the real thing but is way healthier for you. I did find that if I use soymilk in my Donvier that I have to move a bit faster to get the paddle in and stir because when there is less fat it sticks to the sides pretty fast. But I highly recommend the Donvier Ice cream maker!

ducktight

Amherst, MA

I love that this doesn't require any electricity to use. You simply put the insert thing in the freezer a day before you want to use it. Then take it out, pop it in the bucket thing, and dump in the ingredients. I originally assumed I would have to hand crank it for 20 minutes and it would be a big chore. But you only have to turn the crank once or twice every few minutes. I can put it on the dinner table and occasionally reach over and turn it while I'm eating dinner. By the time we are done eating, dessert is ready. For a super healthy treat, try mashed bananas without any other ingredients. Mix, and freeze in small mason jars. Because you are filling them with something already frozen, you don't have to worry about it expanding and cracking the glass jars. You can mix that up with adding chocolate syrup if you aren't feeling so health conscious - but it's really nice anyway to have small portion controlled treats that are easy to grab. You can even pop one in a lunch bag and stick it in the freezer in your work break room.

Jakejake2

Sterling Heights, MI

This was the very first ice cream maker I ever used. My parents bought it for me when I was young and I was thrilled with turning the handle and watching the ice cream form. As I got older the turning lost its thrill and I upgraded to an electric ice cream maker. This was incredibly easy to use and clean. The only issue is the churning itself. Which isn't really a true problem, but you need to be prepared for a bit of elbow grease. You need to be able to turn this handle for a good half hour as the ice cream freezes and it becomes increasingly difficult to turn as you tire. I used the basic recipes from the brochure that came with the ice cream maker and was never disappointed with the result. I never ventured into an ice cream cookbook for a recipe so there was no need to scale down a recipe to fit this sized bowl. If you stick with the recipes provided and don't mind a little (or a lot) of elbow grease you'll love this easy to use ice cream maker!

capers01

Vernon Rockville, CT

This is a perfect ice cream machine: it requires no ice cream salt or electricity, but modestly. Those who review this machine and give it an unfavorable rating are probably not using it right, or probably are not using a good recipe for ice cream. This ice cream maker comes with instructions AND recipes, which, if followed closely, will produce FANTASTIC results. The ice cream this is capable of is on par with some of the best ice cream you will taste. No exaggeration. This model of donvier ice cream maker is the quart sized machine: a good size for those who want to try out a recipe and not have TOO much left over. Whenever our family of 4 makes ice cream with this machine, we end up eating it all in 1 sitting, most of the time. This is a great size to use.

knifeman2

Beverly Hills, CA

My family and I are ice cream lovers. When I was growing up there was always  ice cream in the freezer at home and it was a very frequent dessert in the evening after dinner. I was curious about making my own ice cream. When I saw a Donvier  Cuisipro 1 Quart Ice Cream Maker on sale at a very reasonable price I purchased it for my family as a Christmas gift. It came with a booklet of recipes, and I also found some recipes in cookbooks and online to try. The Donvier is very simple-not a lot of components. Just freeze the inner lining in your freezer for the recommended amount of time-then add the ingredients, put the lid on, and turn the handle, that's it. My first attempt was a no-cook vanilla ice cream-very simple. I was eager to see if the ice cream would "turn out" - and how it would taste. The taste was delicious, so fresh. The texture wasn't as firm as store bought ice cream, it was softer and melted quickly. However the delicious freshness made up for that difference. 

ReviewsByEm

Simi Valley, CA

I live in a rural area where quality ice cream in a variety flavors is not available.  I am not only able to make ice cream in flavors I know and love, but also create new and daring flavors with things I have in the cupboard.    Only requirement is having room in the freezer for the cylinder.  Though it seems like it takes a bit of room, but other frozen items may be stored in the cylinder while it is freezing.    User has the flexibility of making ice cream or frozen yogurt.  No electricity required.  thus space is not an issue.  Clean up is a breeze.  Just wash with soap and water.  Parts are quite durable.  I have even dropped the cylinder on the tile floor.  Dented cylinder, but no damage noticeable for use.  All cosmetic.   Overall, I would recommend this product to anyone.  Quick, easy and limited mess.  No ice  / salt mixtrue needed.  Kids can still have the fun of cranking (just a short time needed) and licking the paddle.  

frostieb

Baltimore, MD

I love our Donvier ice cream maker. Years ago, we made ice cream with an electric freezer, and years before that with a hand crank freezer. These ice creams makers took quite a long time to prepare ice cream and required a lot of ice and salt. I think that the Donvier ice cream maker is the best idea yet! This is a quick and easy way to make delicious homemade ice cream. I keep the canister in the freezer at all times, so that it is ready for a batch of ice cream whenever our family decides to have ice cream for dessert. I also think this ice cream taste better that the homemade ice cream that is made with melting salts. The only drawback about this product is that it does make make a very big batch of ice cream, however, homemade ice cream is always better fresh and leftovers are often quite disappointing because the ice cream gets frozen too hard. If you don't mind having small portions to serve, than this is a great product for you.

skay73

Lititz, PA

I'm a shameless ice cream junkie, so I have used and abused this ice cream maker ever since I was in high school! The Donvier is so durable and versatile. Ice cream makers are indispensable for anyone serious about ice cream since the tastes is unrivaled, so here's what I love most about the Donvier (compared to other makers I've used): 1) It's silent! 2) Doesn't have to be plugged in--gives you freedom to move it around (and also means you don't have a motor/electronics to worry about burning out) 3) Only requires a stir every couple minutes (you don't have to constantly crank this thing) 4)It's fast. My pint-size Donvier is ready in 15-20 minutes; the quart size is ready in about 20-25 minutes (depends how cold your mixture is to start with). 5) Easy to clean: throw plastic parts in the dishwasher, and just run water over the metal cylinder, wipe it out and throw it back in the freezer. 6) Always ready: I keep mine in the freezer so I can make ice cream on a whim--never have to worry about ice, salt, and the accompanying mess. The Cuisinart is also an excellent maker (I've used it side-by-side with the Donvier), but I prefer the Donvier b/c it's cheaper, silent and doesn't require electricity.

katieliljenquist

Idaho Falls, ID

While our boys grew up, we had electric ice cream makers. My husband mentioned last year that he would love to have an "old-fashioned" ice cream maker. He was tired of making ice cream the easy way. I began my search for the best "old-fashioned" ice cream maker. I quicky found the Donvier 1-quart ice cream maker. We keep the inside tub in our freezer. Whenever the urge for homemade ice cream hits, the tub is already cold and ready to go. The ice cream maker came wtih a small booklet of recipes. We use those as a base and expand the recipes from there! The ice cream maker is easy to use. We simply fill the tub with the ingredients and begin to turn the crank! We are able to add things like chocolate chips to make "chip and mint" ice cream. The ice cream freezes very quickly as we turn the crank. It is smooth and rich tasting. My husband has fallen in love with this machine. We have homemade ice cream at least once a week now!

DeniseEtzler

Saint Marys, PA

I found this ice cream maker tucked away on a shelf in an old hardware store.  I'm so glad I bought it.  I have made delicious ice creams from the recipe booklet as well as numerous recipes I've found on the internet.  You don't need any ice or rock salt for this ice cream maker nor do you plug it in.   It is so easy to do that I can make dessert while I'm cooking supper.  All you have to do is freeze the canister overnight to get it good and cold, put your frozen canister in the outer bucket, add your ice cream mixture, and turn the little crank every few minutes. Voila! You have ice cream in about 30 minutes or so.   During the summer I keep my Donvier canister in the freezer for spur of the moment ice cream cravings.  It is attractive, light, and easy to store, and comes with detailed instructions.  It is a small freezer (1 quart) so it's good for couples and small families.  It is so easy to use, even a child could do it.

atlatl

Hamilton, TX