Cuisinart's Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker is almost small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It's quieter, smaller, and cheaper than the Ninja Creami, making it the perfect gift for all foodies — I hope my family are reading this.
There are a lot of misconceptions about ice cream makers, namely that they're slow and bulky. Whilst plenty of the best-sellers out there are either one or the other, there are some brands bringing innovation to the market. And Cuisinart's offering is my favourite yet. So, if you've been struggling with gift ideas for friends or couples, the struggle is over.
Cuisinart's latest ice cream maker release is small enough to fit in a stocking or drawer and quick enough that I made ice cream for my family in twenty minutes. If you're stuck finding presents for the foodie in your life, I think you'll be interested to know a little bit more about this.
Specifications
What is the ice cream maker?
The first I heard about Cuisinart's Solo Scoops Ice Cream Maker is that it's the new Ninja Creami. Now, that's a big claim to make in and of itself, but Cuisinart also promises that it will be cheaper (£39.99), smaller (20 x 20 x 17cm), and quieter (60 db) too. That's music to my ears, so I was eager to find out whether this is a genuinely good or another bit of Christmas story telling.
Who would the Solo Scoops suit?
If you haven't thought about investing in an ice cream maker or you're wondering whether to buy one for someone else, here's why I love mine. First, I get to make new, different recipes. I've made sticky toffee ice cream, marmalade ice cream, and crystallised ginger ice cream. We have lots of ice cream recipes, if you're in need of some inspiration.
Second, you can make healthier swaps. Not only do you cut out the shop-bought emulsifiers, it's easy to make your own frozen yoghurt, cut down the sugar, or invest in low-fat alternatives. These can be hard to find in shops, but, made freshly, they're delicious. Third, this ice cream maker specifically is a good gift thanks to the size.
And finally, most other models take up a lot of counter space and a lot of space in your freezer (if you have a freezer bowl). This is smaller than any toasters, kettles, and other countertop accessories, so you're not even loading your foodie friend with a big appliance.
What is it like to use?
If you and the foodies in your life are tempted by the prospect of this, I've got the inside scoop. I was lucky enough to test this in my home (where I normally use my Ninja Creami), so I could put all the claims into practice.
The first thing you'll need to know is how this works. The Cuisinart Solo Scoops comes with a mini frozen bowl that you stick in the freezer 18 hours before use (I'd keep it in the freezer constantly if you have the space, so that you don't have to plan ahead). Then, when you want to make a portion of ice cream, you pull the frozen bowl out, stick it in the machine, put the churner in place, the lid on, and pour in your mixture with the churner turning.
That final part is an integral step, because if you pour the mixture in and then try to start churning, there's a high chance that the mix will freeze and your churner won't be able to work.
There are lots of recipes online that will show you how to make homemade ice cream, gelato, fro-yo, and sorbet in the Cuisinart. Whilst I plan on happily making my way through these throughout the holiday season, I wanted to do a few simple tests: I made spiced Christmas ice cream; vegan ice cream; and lemon sorbet.
Obviously, these can't be done back-to-back, because the freezer bowl will slowly defrost as its out and working, so you have a 25 minute window to create your treat for the evening.
The spiced Christmas ice cream worked a treat. I whisked up the cream and sugar, and then, after about 20 minutes of churning, when the mixture started looking a little thicker, I added in my raisins. At 25-minutes, the ice cream was ready to scoop out and eat.
It was well-churned: each mouthful was smooth and silky without any ice shards. I couldn't get all of my ice cream out of the bowl (some had frozen to the sides), but I could get a good four scoops out, which is great.
My vegan ice cream used non-dairy substitutes to great success. I enjoyed the same, smooth texture, but just needed an extra ten minutes of churning, which is relatively standard for most ice cream makers.
The sorbet is much of the same story, except that I overfilled on my first test and ended up with a slushy. That's my fault though. I was getting greedy and hankering after more than eight scoops when it's really better to stick to eight maximum if you want quick, effective results.
Should you buy it?
So, is this quieter than the Ninja Creami? Yes. Although, that's not hard to do, because it's a very loud ice cream maker. This still logged 60 dbA on my checker, which is about as loud as a conversation. Is this smaller and cheaper than the Ninja Creami? Yes and yes. Will it be my go-to gift for all my foodie friends? Yes and yes and yes and yes.
