Hi there. Adrian here, with a review of the Whynter IC-2L SNO ice cream maker; an automatic ice cream maker that elicits a lot of mixed feelings in many people.
Some people absolutely HATE it (Yes, in capital letters), others drool over it. Why such differing view points? Is it the price? Is it the design? Maybe it’s the noise it makes? Lets see what it consists of then we decide.
FEATURES
The Whynter 2L is an automatic ice cream maker with an internal compressor that helps you chill and prepare desserts without the need for rock and salt or freezing the bowl for up to 24 hours before. This ease of production lets you prepare different desserts in batches back to back.
Using the Whynter is a breeze, as all you have to do it pour the mix into the aluminum container and turn it on; leave for 35minutes to 50 minutes and you have your dessert all ready to enjoy. It easily makes 2 litres of your dessert which is enough to serve up to 6 people at a go with healthy portion sizes. Sorbets, gelato, yoghurt are all easily made with this gizmo.
HOW IT WORKS
The powerful 235 W motor is strong enough to smoothly mix up 2 litres of ice cream, not leaving you with ice crystals or a soupy consistency to your final product. The creamy consistency of the ice cream produced is of the highest quality. The high efficiency compressor generates a cooling effect that processes the ice cream base into delicious ice cream, in the time it takes you to watch a rerun of Seinfield.
TIME TO CLEAN UP
Cleaning up after using the Whynter IC-2L is a bit of a sticky issue. The compressor and motor that are used in the production of good desserts should never come in contact with water. This becomes a problem as the motor that turns the paddle is fixed to the lid of the machine, and the compressor that cools the mix into ice cream is located at the lower rear of the machine.
After making ice cream, you are advised to carefully pull out the bowl that the ice cream is made in and detach the paddle from the top of the machine. The bowl and paddle should be washed by hand, as they are not dish washer safe. All other parts should simply be wiped down with a damp cloth.
RECIPE BOOK + INSTRUCTIONS
There is no recipe book included with this machine. While this may irk people, there are many, many, MANY recipes available on the Internet and in cook books everywhere. Here are 3 places where you can get some recipes for delicious dessert:-
- http://allrecipes.com/recipe/very-chocolate-ice-cream/
- http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/Ice-Cream-and-Gelato-Recipes
- http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/orange-sherbet-recipe/index.html
The included instruction manual is very sparse and far from explanatory. This can be annoying when you are forced to guess how much of the mix to pour in, what level you can fill the bowl up to and what all the darn beeps and chirps that the machine gives off mean. It will take some trial and error, but it can be figured out.
OTHER EXTRA FEATURES
The timer on this baby is quite fiddly. There is no direction button to let you know if you are increasing the minutes or reducing it. Little things like this can really tick you off, because it means you have to start guessing at the time needed to prepare desserts.
The chute for adding extra bits like sprinkles, chocolate chips, candy is small. I mean REALLY SMALL, you even wonder why they bothered to add it. I would advise you to hold off adding any bits till after the ice cream is all done, and you would have to turn off the machine, take the lid off and pour it in.
‘ARE WE THERE YET’ – HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
People, if you are whipping up a whole 2 litres, please allow up to 45 minutes for it to make delicious ice cream. Recipe books can give a time frame, but it is only an estimate. A number of factors may cause the length of production time to differ. The ice cream will be prepared in the end, you just have to allow for a little time to adjust for any possible Don’t panic, people .
DIMENSIONS
The SNO 2L is a large machine with the following dimensions – 15 inches x 11 inches x 13 inches. It weighs 37 pounds, consider the fact that you practically have a mini air conditioner in there, and the weight doesn’t seem so much of an issue.
There is no need to sit with the machine all through. Assemble the parts, turn on the machine, pour the base into the aluminum container. Fit the lid of the maker on, with it’s paddle attachment in place, and lock it in lace. Turn the motor there on, and you are good to go.
DESIGN
This kitchen gadget is made of silver plastic and aluminum. The silver plastic is better to use for the body of the machine as plastic is a much better insulator than steel. This will ensure that the required temperature is reached quicker than if it was an all-stainless steel machine.
Many people say that while producing ice cream , the Whynter is really quiet. Its about as loud as a blender. This is quite different from the loud and often unbearable rattling and clanking that some ice cream makers have.
There are a few gripes about the Whynter IC-2L ice cream maker, ranging from the label falling off on some, to the fact that the timer is not exactly intuitive, to all the parts not being machine washable. While these may irritate you slightly, I don’t think these are deal-breakers.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The kitchen boffins over at Cooks Illustrated crowned the Whynter SNO 2L as the best in its class, and with its combination of good looks, creamy ice cream production, sheer volume; all equaling outstanding value for money, I find it hard to disagree with them. It is available here, for a reasonable price and FREE shipping.
Photo Credit: strawberry ice cream scooped
