Breville Ice Cream Maker Review
Who doesn't adore ice cream? For those who don't, perhaps it's best to check out my other blog posts, because this one is dedicated to the Breville Ice Cream Maker. I'm sure many of you have thought, "I wish I could make ice cream at home instead of driving to the grocery store." If that's the case, ice cream makers are your best bet, especially considering our specific preferences and various allergies. It's a low work, simple method to create ice cream tailored to your exact specifications but how does the Breville measure up?
Well for this I made two ice cream flavors: a simple yet delicious strawberry and a more complex dark chocolate orange and ginger, to test the limits of this magical machine. I had a blast doing it. All I needed to do was turn it on, set it to precool, and then wait for the beep. Which is where one of my complaints comes in, and that is that it didn't beep or indicate readiness until after I had given up and the blade started. It was only after I added my ice cream that it signaled it was ready, which was a bit frustrating after waiting over 15 minutes for it to cool down. However, it was still quicker than the traditional freezer method. Altogether from precool-add ins-ready took about an hour and thirty minutes, give or take some time figuring out how the machine worked and missed timers.
As you can see from these two photos, I've tested the add-in limits. In one, I incorporated vegan dark chocolate, candied ginger, and both orange zest and juice. In the other, I opted for fresh, juicy diced strawberries, and the results were impressive. Although in the past the only issue I've encountered is timing the add-ins; otherwise, I've never faced problems incorporating them into my ice cream, except when making no-churn varieties.
Mentioning timing add-ins that is another nice thing about this machine, it beeps to tell you exactly when to add your fruit pieces, chocolate chips, or any other edible bits that strike your fancy. Unlike other ice cream makers, you do not have to pre-freeze the bowl or wait between batches, as it has a built-in compressor that allows it to churn and freeze at the same time—no ice, salt, or pre-freezing required. It also has 12 hardness settings, so you can get your ice cream to the perfect consistency for any event you host.
Additionally, it has a “keep cool” feature that will maintain the right temperature for up to 3 hours. While this is great for soft serve and gelatos, it might not be ideal for solid, scoopable ice cream until it has been in the freezer for a bit—though that may be my own user error. I couldn’t fix this issue either of the times I tested it, but otherwise, the entire machine is very user-friendly. There aren’t fifty different buttons to figure out, and there’s no second-guessing if you pressed the wrong one. Everything is clearly labeled, and while you should always read the manual, I would go as far as to say you don’t need it to start it up—that’s how easy it is.
As for cleaning, I encountered a slightly irritating issue. As you can see on the left, the stick that attaches to the churner becomes messy and drips into the machine, reaching areas that are difficult to clean. This resulted in some dried ice cream being left at the bottom. Since the machine stick is segmented, the residue seeps into tiny crevices, preventing a thorough clean. Even after wiping it down to check for any gaps, it was still coated in ice cream.
As for cleaning I did experience a mildly annoying problem as you’ll see to the left the stick that you attach the churner too gets messy and drips down into the machine, some of which are hard to clean places and ended in my leaving a bit of dried ice cream in the bottom.
Now the question arises whether this ice cream maker, with its 400–500-dollar price tag, is superior to other devices on the market. Unfortunately, I cannot find a compelling reason to choose it over the numerous less expensive options, including those that require ice and salt. As someone who has experience with both types, I cannot justify the higher price tag for a few additional features. However, if you have the funds and are fond of the brand, then it might be worth the investment. It's an excellent choice for serious ice cream aficionados who wish to make a statement, but that's about the extent of its appeal.
