KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment Reviews

• Great Ice Cream Maker

  
  By A7D8J4OXUC6KE on 2006-02-28
  I bought this after reading a lot of reviews. My choice was based on a number of factors. I have owned a hand-crank, ice-and-salt ice cream maker in the past - it made great ice cream but was messy; I didn't want yet another appliance that I had to find where to store; and I have owned and liked my KitchenAid stand mixer for a number of years.
  
  This is basically a double-walled, sealed mixing bowl, with the space inside the walls filled with some liquid (presumably like the refreezable ice packs). It comes with plastic paddle. The basic steps are:
  1 Freeze the bowl (I keep mine in the freezer)
  2 Make and cool an ice cream custard, or a fruit mix for sorbet
  3 Assemble the frozen bowl and the plastic paddle on the stand mixer
  4 Switch the mixer on lowest speed, add the custard
  5 Let the mixer stir the mix until it freezes (to a "soft serve" consistency)
  6 Transfer the ice cream to a bowl with a lid, and freeze until firm
  
  Here are my comments:
  
  First, take a black marker and obliterate all the nutritional information about the recipes in the instruction book. We know that ice cream is full of fat and sugar -- that's why we like it! We don't need reminding.
  
  * Try a dry run to assemble the bowl and paddle. This is designed to fit many models of KitchenAid mixers, and it's not obvious. You don't want to be figuring this out when you are ready to make your first batch.
  * Freeze the bowl for longer than the suggested 18 hours
  * MAKE HALF QUANTITIES: the two-quart recipes fill the bowl, and I had a couple of overflows as the ice cream expands as it cools.
  * Also, filling the bowl means that the ice cream takes longer to freeze. The first time I tried this, it didn't freeze as the bowl had not been frozen long enough to handle the two quarts.
  * Get a good recipe to use up the egg whites. I make meringue from the New York Times Cook Book. I guess an omelet would be good too.
  * There's mistake in the instruction book. In one place it suggests adding the fruit, nuts etc half way through the freezing process, and in another place it suggests adding these ingredients at the end of the mixing cycle.
  * Use enough mix (custard or fruit puree) to at least fill half of the bowl -- this way the paddle will mix the entire batch.
  * Remember that freezing enhances the sweet taste -- so do not over sweeten the mix before you freeze, otherwise the ice cream or sorbet will be too sweet.
  * If you're making a fruit puree for sorbet, a blender makes a *MUCH* smoother puree than a food processor. I think this makes a difference in the texture of the final sorbet.
  * After preparation, you need to cool the custard or puree in the fridge for a few hours. Use a jug that has a decent pouring lip: this will make it much easier to pour into the freezer bowl than if you just use a regular mixing bowl.
  * There is very little space between the edge of the bowl and the paddle -- this can mean a mess when you fill the bowl. It **really** needs a pouring spout designed to fit
  * Getting the semi-frozen desert out of the bowl can be messy - there is no handle on the bowl and it has smooth, slippery sides.
  * Use a container for the final freezing that has a little air space after you fill with the semi-frozen ice cream -- this allows for additional expansion of the desert, and prevents the need to squash the final product into the bowl.
  * I've used recipes from The New York Times Cookbook and Fine Cooking magazine -- all delicious, better than store bought, and slightly different than the regular recipes for vanilla, cookies and cream, etc.
  * Use the freshest eggs you can find -- not the ones that have been sitting in the fridge door for a month
  
  Update February 2008
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Thanks very much to all the kind comments that folks have left. For those of you who haven't read the comments on this review: it's worthwhile taking a few minutes to do so as some of the commenters have additional suggestions and ideas.
  
  

• Makes great ice cream

  
  By AK0LXFH93KB7T on 2004-09-20
  My friend bought this and told me about it. I have made 4 batches so far and all have tasted great. Granted it does not make the ice cream hard in the half hour but to a soft serve consistency. I usually put it in the freezer for a half hour before serving. I only cool the ingredients for an hour- but I also do not use the recipe that requires cooking. I use 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups half and half and 1 cup whole milk with 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tsp vanilla with a half cup of cocoa. As far as having to freeze the container for 15 hours I just keep it in the freezer so it is always ready so I don't have to plan ahead. Both my friend and I are very pleased. The icecream does not get ice crystals like a previous cheap maker I had.
  
  

• No more ice and rock salt!!

  
  By A25AMS9QUA7Q0F on 2004-10-05
  I loved this product, it is so much easier than messing with the bulky old fashioned ice cream maker. It's important that if you want hard ice cream, you allow it to ripen. The instructions state that you must transfer the ice cream from the freezer bowl to a freezer safe container before you put it in the freezer to ripen. It was so easy to use too!
  
  

• So So Product

  
  By AMEH0YZEI6E3G on 2005-02-11
  This product comes with the essentials to make ice cream, a dasher and a freeze bowl. The bowl is a generous size, 2 quarts, but when attached to the mixer you will notice that it barely extends beyond the width of the arm on the mixer. This, to me, is a major negative because it makes it more difficult than needed to properly add ingredients. Also, with the fact that the dasher rotates (by nature of the mixer), rather than the bowl as in other ice cream machines such as the Cuisinart, it's extremely easy to make a huge mess by the time your done.
  
  You may think that this can be easily overcome by lifting the arm of the mixer to add the ingredients, but this is not feasible. If you do, even for a few moments, the dasher stops doing its job and the ice cream freezes, then your ice cream is done whether you like it or not. The dasher needs to be rotating constantly while slowly adding ingredients for best results.
  
  These issues, along with the hefty price tag, make this a ice cream maker for only those who absolutely do not have the room for a dedicated ice cream maker. The space saving aspect is the main reason I gave into the outrageous price tag, but after using it, I sacrificed the space for a much more enjoyable to use ice cream machine. I'd recommend to those considering purchasing this product also try out a dedicated ice cream machine to see the difference in ease of use.
  
  

• My wife tried to murder me with this!

  
  By AJ0HFDY5BB77Y on 2006-01-03
  I think my wife is trying to murder me with this KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment! She bought this for me for Christmas along with the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Recipe book knowing full well that I would become obsessed with trying all of the recipes. I'm on the third batch (Cherry Garcia, Coffee Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip) and I can already feel my heart slowing down. I can hardly make it to the mailbox without becoming winded. Luckily I realized her dastardly plot before having an ice cream overdose induced myocardial infarction. She almost got away with it as nobody would have suspected her. The paramedics would have just thought I was another fat pig who overdosed on ice cream.
  
  This is so easy to use you may also find yourself overstocked with fresh quarts of the best ice cream you ever tasted. Follow the recipes in Ben and Jerry's book and carefully follow the directions that come with the churn and you'll make great ice cream every time. As the other reviewers have mentioned, it is essential to allow the ice cream to "ripen" before serving. This is not a requirement that is unique to this churn by the way. This is necessary with other churns as well. So be patient, plan ahead, get creative, and enjoy.
  
  
• It DOES Freeze Ice Cream
  By A2ANBQNCPD8LO0 on 2005-02-11
  I've been very impressed at how easy and inexpensive it is to make excellent gourmet ice cream and sorbet using this ice cream freezer. The dasher turns fast enough to make small ice crystals so the ice cream is smooth and creamy. It makes two quarts of ice cream, which is twice the capacity of stand alone ice cream freezers on the market with a similar design (no ice required), and a quart hardly seemed worth the effort. The dasher and the bowl are the only two pieces to wash and cleanup is very fast and easy. The only down side is, with such ready access to ice cream, it'll be difficult not to gain weight.
  
  One of the reviews claims this unit doesn't freeze ice cream, and the reviewer claimed to be a scientist who "did some calculations".
  
  What the reviewer probably failed to calculate is the way the freezing bowl actually works. The bowl is double walled and the interior is filled with a material that changes phase (liquid to solid) as it freezes. A great deal of heat (or cold) can be stored when a material changes phase. The phase change occurs at a temperature below the freezing point of ice cream. If the reviewer was unable to make ice cream, it's because the freezer was too warm for the phase change material inside the freezer bowl to freeze. Without the phase change, you won't be able to make ice cream. Turn down the thermostat in your freezer and precool the ice cream mixture.
  
  Maybe you are a scientist in the sense of "the social sciences"? You're no physicist. The typical homemaker can figure it out. It isn't rocket science.
  
  
• Makes great ice cream if used correctly.
  By A18U3H4RG1B7WC on 2005-07-28
  I agree with the earlier positive reviews about the quality of the ice cream maker attachment and the quality of the ice cream it produces. It makes the best ice cream my family has had, is sturdy, quiet, and solidly made. I also like the fact that it doesn't take up additional counter space the way a stand-alone appliance would. If you store the bowl in the back of the freezer, you can put the dasher and drive assembly in a drawer, and avoid additional clutter. In terms of simplicity and ease of use, it is miles ahead of a traditional ice and salt crank freezer.
  
  Having said that, it is necessary to follow the instructions carefully to end up with good results. It's essential that the bowl be completely frozen (the manual recommends at least 15 hours), and the batter be completely chilled (I try to chill it overnight). You should then end up with ice cream the consistency of soft-serve or frozen custard, which is delicious and edible, but, like with any ice cream maker, has to be frozen for a couple of hours to ripen to the consistency of store-bought ice cream. This means that for the best results, you should start preparing the day before you want the ice cream, and actually make it a few hours before you plan to serve it to allow it to ripen. If you're impatient, don't keep everything cold enough, turn the mixer speed up, etc. the result will probably be edible, but it may not be the best ice cream.
  
  As far as adding the batter to the bowl, I have found that the clear Kitchenaid pouring shield works fine on the freezer bowl (I have the 300 watt, 4 1/2 quart mixer) and it helps prevent spills.
  
  One disadvantage that comes from the time it takes the bowl to freeze, is that you can make only one batch a day. So if you have a big group coming, and you need more than 2 quarts or you want more than one flavor, you need to start a couple of days early. The guide also does not come with many ice cream recipes, but I also bought the Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein (ISBN: 0688161499), and it gives you more recipes than it would ever be healthy for one family to make.
  
  Bottom line: great product and highly recommended, but follow the instructions carefully and plan ahead.
  
  
• great addition to the mixer
  By ATF8XSLD2WNT1 on 2005-09-23
  I love being able to make ice cream. I didn't want to invest in an ice cream maker that came with its own freezer and drive motor. I already have a freezer, and I already had a Kitchenaid mixer, i.e. the motor. I experienced a few failures at first. I hacked the design. Now I am very happy. I found that an insulated wrapper like a "tea cosy" for the bowl and a foam top solved my problems. I used reflectrix bubble pack insulation and duct tape to make a removeable "bowl cosy", and from the packing material that the ice cream maker is packed in I carved out a lovely two piece removeable foam top. Now I don't have to worry about bowl temperature, how hot the day is, how cold the mix is, or anything else. All I have to worry about what to do with endless supplies of unbelieveably great ice cream.
  
  
• ALMOST Perfect: Problem solved.
  By A1FW83N9O6RFQT on 2005-07-18
  I like this ice cream maker more than any other I have tried. The dasher is solid, the machine has a lot of power, and the parts fit together well.
  
  The only problem I found was that the ice cream did not set up to be soft serve, which is usually what you expect from an ice cream maker. It is summer, and even with the air conditioning on, our house is still around 80 degrees inside. We are not complaining, because it is 105 degrees outside. I realize that the ice cream was not setting up beccause there was no cover for the top of the ice cream bowl and the chill was going out of the bowl into theair. Although it was refreshing, it was not chilling the ice cream enough.
  
  I found a solution: After putting in the ice cream mix with the machine running, I covered the opening between the bowl and machine with clear plastic wrap. My machine has the bowl that raises and lowers. So, there are no air intake areas in that part of my machine. When I covered the opening with plastic wrap, the ice cream maker held the cold temperature like it is supposed to, and the ice cream became soft-serve.
  
  I e-mailed the KitchenAid people about this, because they really should have included some kind of plastic cover to do this.
  
  Even with this problem, I feel that this is the best ice cream machine I have tried. The parts are well made (so many are flimsy and break easily). The machine has power, and the ice cream machine parts fit together in a substantial way.
  
  If Kitchenaid comes out with a plastic cover for this attachment, I will rate it 6 stars.
  
  
• This is too much fun!
  By A32YVRBEC3W7W7 on 2005-10-19
  I received the mixer and ice cream maker as a Christmas gift last year and I have enjoyed making ice creams and corbets ever since. This attachment is so easy to use and I really like it because I know what is going into desserts...natural ingredients instead of a bunch of chemicals and preservatives.
  
  I recommend "The Ultimate Ice Cream Book" in addition to this item.
  MANY recipes for sorbets, ice creams, gelatos, etc with almost any fruit or sweet you can imagine.
  
  
• Their best attachment yet!
  By A35CP3ZJPI2J04 on 2005-11-23
  This attachment would make a great Christmas gift for someone that wouldn't be without their Kitchen Aid. I have to admit I was skeptical. How was an attachment going to make great ice cream without all the trouble of the rock salt, ice, a sore arm? Well I was happily surprised. A few tips though, I did turn up my freezer up a little and froze the bowl at the back of the freezr. I refrigerated my batter overnight also. The only problem I encountered was I tried to add chopped cookies too late in the process and my dasher disengaged before I got them mixed in properly. Next time I will add the cookies at about 12 minutes into the process rather than waiting until after 15 minutes to add them. In my opinion, this is their best attachment yet. Well gotta go, on my way to find some fresh vanilla beans!
  
  
• Overall good product
  By A31JPLZRF35757 on 2006-11-15
  Generally i have been pleased with this product- makes a creamy soft-serve consistency ice cream. I have noticed, however, when i try to reduce the fat in a recipe by using regular or low fat milk the custard doesn't freeze as well in the mixer. Even after 15 minutes of churning, it's still more liquid than semisolid. So keep the fat (and your cardiologist) if you want a nice texture. I usually wash mine (has to be hand washed) and then stick it right back in the freezer- make sure it's either completely dry or freeze it upside down...there's a small groove in the bottom of the bowl where water will accumulate and freeze, making it difficult for the churning attachment to work.
  
  
• A Must Have Attachment!
  By A3UIL0D7GQ0CET on 2005-03-12
  I was very excited and couldn't wait to receive the maker, and finally it arrived a couple of days ago. I have already made 2 batches of ice cream.
  
  I think the instructions were pretty clear, however I did have a little trouble fitting the piece that attaches to the top of mixer into place. It is the piece that holds the dasher into the bowl. I have the Epicurean 6 qt model and according to the pictures I was to insert the piece one way, but it only fit the other. Oh Well it seems to work just fine! If you have trouble with yours fitting, you might want to try turning it over also.
  
  It is really very easy to use, and my 1st batch came out great, and I even goofed up the recipe! My second batch I made just plain vanilla and my husband agrees it is the best ice cream ever. I did not use the recipe that was in the book, I used a non bake one that I found on-line.
  
  If you are in a hurry for ice cream then you might be disappointed. It is a slow process, but well worth it. After mixing the ice cream you transfer it to a plastic container to ripen, and that can take several hours to harden to the right consistency. It does not come out of the bowl hard, but very soft, almost perfect if you are wanting a milk shake.
  
  They suggest leaving your bowl in the freezer so it will be ready when you want to make ice cream, and that is what I have been doing. If you have a deep freeze I would suggest putting it in there, along with any ice cream you are waiting to harden. I found that if I kept it in my regular freezer it took a lot longer.
  
  I have been very satisfied with my purchase and I am looking forward to trying many new and delicious recipes in the future.
  
  
  
  
• I scream, u scream, we all scream for ice cream
  By AI54XO5Z755FH on 2005-05-28
  I love the ice cream this gadget makes. The price may be a bit high, but then you have to consider how inferior their competition is. I am really tired of going to a department store (Wal-Mart, of course) and seeing CHEAP UGLY PLASTIC JUNK for sale that is destined to break down in about two or three years (with luck). I like manufacturers that take a little pride in their product and make it graceful and elegant, instead of trying to save a few dollars by replacing metal with plastic.
  
  If another manufacturer could actually compete with Kitchen-Aid in the realm of mixers, then maybe Kitchen-Aid would be forced to lower their prices. I have tried other brands many a time, and my final memories of their products is of them sitting in the garbage can looking up at me.
  
  My only gripe, and it really is a major gripe that makes me wonder about KA, would be, why isn't there a larger bowl for the six quart mixer, instead of this smaller "one size fits all" which is really fitted for the 4 1/2 quart mixer.
  
  I would like the ability to make larger quantities for friends as well as just personal consumption.
  
  I have made the following flavors:
  
  coffee (grind your own beans)
  chocolate (Scarfen-berger & Calibaut--the best chocolate that money can buy)
  ginger (candied ginger is ok for this, but be careful about making it too sweet)
  green tea (use MATCHA green tea powder... it should cost no more than $50 per kilogram... beware of scalpers, esp. Japanese)
  pistachio (use unsalted, dry roasted pistachios--Trader Joe's sells the very best)
  mango/pineapple (use the real stuff, raw produce, uncanned, fully ripe)
  
  and the list goes on...
  
  Nothing in the store can compare with what you can make, if you take the trouble. Too many bean-counting fools among the ice cream makers have chiseled away at quality. Which is why you are looking to purchase an ice cream maker.
  
  BTW, this is pretty easy to use if you have any cooking sense. If not, then you should ask yourself why you bothered with homemade ice cream in the first place. Just continue buying ice cream from the grocery store.
  
  
• This could/should have been a 5-star item...may not work on older mixers.
  By A2F5J63I3D4MUX on 2005-07-18
  CAUTION: If you have an old machine, this attachment might not work properly. My stand mixer, a K5, is 20 years old and the power drive adapter for the ice cream maker seemed a little too small and unstable when I put it on, but, not knowing any better, I raised the bowl and dasher and proceeded to process the ice cream mixture according to the directions. At the moment the ice cream stiffened, the entire assembly fell apart, the dasher put a dent in the bottom of the bowl, the plastic part was gouged,(depositing some plastic in the ice cream which I happened to find in my mouth later), and created an instant emergency to shut it off. If I'd been out of the room, it would have been worse. The directions say that when the ice cream reaches the soft-serve stage, the assembly will make a clicking sound--a signal to turn it off. If carefully aligned and snug against the flat part of the power head, this is exactly what should occur, but my older mixer has a less refined casting than the newer models. I tried the offending part on a brand new mixer at the store where I bought, and returned, the ice cream maker and the fit was perfect. So if you buy one of these and have an older machine, beware! I am morally certain that if it had fit my own machine that well, there would have been no mishap. The one batch of ice cream was TRULY wonderful!
  
  
• Amazingly easy to use, and wonderful quality in all ways.
  By ABVULUZ2ILKKO on 2006-10-11
  Tonight I made my first bundle of ice cream using this item.
  
  WONDERFUL!
  
  Using a recipe I mixed my own base with egg, half and half and whipping cream...as well as peanut butter and cocoa. Froze the bowl for a little over 6 hours, and took a chance (they recommend 15 hours minimum). Inside the house it was 70ºF, and the ice cream became soft serve before 10 minutes was up! It began to click, letting me know it was getting close to done, and I added nuts and chocolate chips. Done quickly.
  
  Cleaning is fast, use is easy, everything is brilliant about this piece of equipment. The worst now is waiting for the ice cream to freeze further in the freezer.
  
  
• rouxmckenzie
  By A1SL0FSNRXRM8D on 2005-09-26
  Recipes included are good. The ice cream comes together very fast using the mixer. If you want soft serve ice cream you can make it shortly before serving. However, if you want the ice cream to be harder and have some shape, be sure and plan ahead so you can make it in advance and have time to let it harden. Also, the instructions were easy to follow.
  
  
• great idea, but a few problems
  By A3A65FJ5TKX64Z on 2006-01-01
  My brother gave this to me for Christmas and I thought it was a great idea, but I had a few problems. The instructions say that you have to pour in the ice cream mixture once you start the mixer. This is very hard to do unless you have something with a nice long spout. Also, I used their vanilla recipe, but only used 4 c. of liquid and 6 egg yolks (instead of 5 cups and 8 egg yolks). The bowl was overflowing by 15 minutes and I couldn't add the stawberries the last 2 minutes like they said. Finally, there is no handle on the bowl, and since it is heavy as lead, its very hard to transfer the ice cream into another container to ripen it in the freezer. However, despite all this, it was the best taking ice cream I've ever had.
  
  
• A great addition to your Kitchen-Aid collection ...
  By A2RX4UZNRGM8K8 on 2006-05-16
  I have an Ultra Power tilt-head mixer (nothing fancy) and this is the first attachment I have purchased for it. I have had the attachment about two weeks and made four batches of ice cream/sherbert each of which was fantastic! I think the only thing you need to consider before purchasing is do you have enough room in your freezer to store it. It does need to freeze for 15-18 hours before you use it and this will be difficult if your freezer is always packed. But if you have the room, this is a great way to get even more use out of your stand mixer.
  
  By the way, the Use & Care Guide that came with the attachment was missing four inside pages. Of course these were the pages that explained how to use the attachment! A call to Kitchen-Aid customer service was professionally and courteously handled and I had a new manual within three days. Kitchen-Aid also has a robust customer forum on their web site that is well moderated and populated by a passionate user group! I posted a notice regarding the incomplete guide and one of the moderators had a PDF file in my inbox the next day! Great product, great customer service ... it just does not get any better.
  
  
• Excellent , silky ice cream!
  By ACJ8YIJ8T9QPM on 2004-12-05
  We just got this ice cream maker and, while the "dasher" was a bit tricky to attach, we're VERY glad we purchased this. There are two reasons why we like it.
  
  First, the ice cream was EXCELLENT: truly "silky", much like the texture of gelato that you buy in Italy. No ice crystals and FAR superior to any purchased premium ice creams and custards we've ever tried.
  
  Second, since this attaches to a Kitchen Aid mixer, there is no bulky electronic housing or motor to store. Basically put the beater & dasher into bowl and "store"it in the freezer. Then, you're ready to go, whenever you want. What could be more convenient?
  
  
• I'll Never Buy Ice Cream Again!
  By A16TVOY1X9RZG5 on 2006-02-23
  I ordered this along with the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Cookbook. My only complaint is that I have gained ten pounds since they arrived. I don't even want to know what my cholesterol is, but we're all happy with this product.
  
  The attachment makes ice cream making a breeze, and the flavor is far superior to any store-bought ice cream on the market.
  
  
• Super fast!
  By A1504R7VCER18A on 2005-08-23
  If you like homemade ice cream, this attachment is GREAT!! It is so fast and eliminates the need for ice or salt. And, you can control the fat, calories, etc. Just keep it in your freezer all the time and you can make ice cream on the spot! The only drawback is that it makes only 2 quarts -- make sure you read the directions and only use 46 oz of batter (and not 2 quarts) as it will expand when it freezes!
  
  
• Ice Cream Maker
  By A2QFTIOKVJ2XS4 on 2006-02-12
  My mixer was bought in 1975, so I was concerned that this attachment wouldn't work for me. I called customer service and was assured it would be fine.
  
  I received it a few days ago, and today, I made my first batch of banana ice cream. The ice cream is ripening in the freezer for dinner tonight. It was so easy to use and the soft serve originally made was excellent. I know that it will be wonderful later today.
  
  I am storing the bowl, etc. in the freezer so it's always ready.
  
  If you have an older machine and you would like this, go for it. You won't be disappointed.
  
  
• My first and favorite attachment
  By A3LDQM3GCURG92 on 2005-01-13
  Well actually I got it when I got the food grinder, but this is the one I used first. This is my first ice cream maker and I love it. I've made two batches so far and it has performed well. My sherbet was ready after a few hours in the freezer. My ice cream was best after it froze overnight.
  
  I wish you could make two batches back to back, but according to KA customer service it's not advised becuase the second batch may suffer. The directions are unclear as to when to add ingredients like nuts. There are two sets of directions in the instruction booklet and each gives a different time. I just throw mine in during the last two minutes of mixing.
  
  The best thing is that it is an attachment so it doesn't take up any additional counter space. You have to freeze the bowl at 15 hours in advance, so impulse ice cream making is not an option unless you store the bowl in the freezer. I do this during the summer and it is very convenient.
  
  Get this, the Williams-Sonoma Ice Cream Book and the Ben & Jerry's book and you're set. If I could do back-to-back batches, I'd give this five stars.
  
  
• so easy to use
  By A3RG7EK5592AV5 on 2004-12-10
  This ice cream maker is so easy to use. The key is to a. make sure what you are making into ice cream is cold and b. keep the ice cream maker in the freezer at least 24 hours. I leave mine in the freezer all the time so that when I want to make ice cream, it's ready to go.
  
  
• Wonderful product!
  By A3HFI9Z49QH57 on 2005-05-12
  Just made our first batch of ice cream, the french vanilla recipe from the manual, and it is amazing! If you follow the instructions carefully, this product makes wonderful ice cream. It's a little on the soft side when done, but after some time in the freezer it's perfect. I highly recommend this product (and I've never been moved to write a review, this is my first).
  
  
• Easy Instructions, Easy to Use, Great Recipes, MMmmmmm
  By A2SBN6C361PA3U on 2006-08-10
  I bought this as opposed to a cheaper stand-alone ice cream maker because I wanted less appliances cluttering my kitchen, and use more of what I have, plus I am upgrading from a hand-crank version, so anything is better, but I have to say this Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment was a great investment, we have enjoyed home made ice cream, our way and buy less B&J now that we can make our own, just takes forethought, no spontaneous ice cream enjoyment, takes about 20 minutes to make, 8 hrs to cool, another 10 minutes to freeze, and another 2 hours in the freezer to ripen. Then, it's Mmmmm good! It feels good to make things from scratch, especially ice cream! Enjoy. I highly recommend the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment.
  
  
• Great ice cream maker!
  By A2MO8QZTNYYB98 on 2007-07-22
  After lots of research I decided to buy this attachment for my Kitchen Aid, instead of a stand alone ice cream maker. I couldn't be happier!
  
  It's terrific. I've made four batches, over the last month or so. The first was a Vanilla using the Ben and Jerry cookbook. Everyone loved this one and I used pasteurized eggs, as recommended by some reviewers of that book, instead of the raw eggs they called for.
  
  Next we made Blackberry frozen yogurt. We have a lot of blackberry bushes and we adapted it from a strawberry recipe in 'The Idiots guide to homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt' and it was great.
  
  Third up was Alton Brown's vanilla from the Food Network. The consistency was a little icy but the flavor was great as it called for using a fresh vanilla bean.
  
  Our favorite so far was the Chocolate from David Lebovitz's 'The Perfect Scoop' I've never made custard before and it was a bit complicated but it was THE BEST chocolate ice cream we've ever had.
  
  Two notes:
  First off I use more milk and less cream in every recipe I try. We usually buy "light' ice cream so I like to make our homemade versions lighter too. I use a mixture of regular milk with a little half and half.
  
  Secondly, when the ice cream is ready it's a very soft consistency, and really should go in the freezer for a few hours or it melts in minutes.
  
  I tend to make it on a Sunday morning (and make the mix on Sat if it needs to chill) and then we have fresh ice cream with our Sunday dinner - yum!
  
  
• Fabulous, easy to make ice cream!!!
  By A2A0HV2Y2PXHAR on 2005-07-09
  This attachment makes wonderful ice cream. The process is a little long, but by using your Kitchen Aid mixer for first mixing the ingredients and then for the freezing process it becomes nicely integrated. We have made a number of batches and the learning curve is short and easily mastered.
  
  The most useful accessory I have found is the Pampered Chef two quart-mixing bowl. It is a mixing bowl/measuring cup that is equipped with a pouring spout and a tight fitting plastic cover. My wife bought it at a Pampered Chef party several years ago and we finally found a use for it. It is perfect for storing and then pouring into the freezer bowl when you are ready to make the ice cream. (No, we do not host Pampered Chef parties, you will have to find your own).
  
  The other thing I would suggest is Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book available right here on Amazon.com. The recipes are wonderful and as imaginative as their store ice creams. Ben's chocolate is not to be believed until you taste it. Their vanilla is exceptional, though not quite as good as the one in the book that comes with your attachment. Go buy this attachment, so long as your waistline doesn't start growing you will never regret it.
  
  
• Easy to use and makes great ice cream
  By A3EPHBMU07LZ50 on 2005-07-17
  I've used the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment approximately 10 times and overall I love this attachment. It is one of the best add-ons purchased for use with my K5A mixer. Most ice cream makers are noisy and make about a quart to 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream. I've owned two Cuisinart ice cream makers and an attachment for my Oster center. The KitchenAid Ice Cream maker attachment outshines them all based on quality of ice cream made, ease of use, and most of all how quiet the mixer performs the operation.
  
  This morning I made a batch of strawberry sorbet and I snuck a taste before freezing the mixture for tonight's dessert. All I can say is WOW!
  
  

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