Donvier 837409W 1-Quart Ice Cream Maker
by Donvier
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List Price: Our Price: $44.99 You Save: $15.01 (25%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $36.99 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Donvier 837409W 1-Quart Ice Cream Maker
Customer Review: fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
this is great no ice or salt no mess and works fast. We love this thing
Customer Review: Attention Unhappy Customers!
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered my Donvier a couple of weeks ago, in spite of some negative reviews, because I've used this type of ice cream maker before and I like the hand cranking, no-salt method. It's also small and easy to store. Since I received my Donvier I have experienced every problem listed by a negative reviewer for this product, and I have found the single solution to all of them.
When I got the Donvier I made some ice cream right away and it came out perfect--yay! Then I thought, hmm, better with a little less sugar. So I tried it again. Disaster! The mixture got all slushy, with too-large ice crystals, and it never really froze. This sounded suspiciously like one of the negative reviews I'd read, but since the first batch was great, I tried again. WORSE! Not even any ice crystals this time. The Donvier I now possessed could not freeze an ice cube. I started thinking "defective product," and was considering sending it back. But then I remembered reading recently that self-defrosting freezers often change temperatures in order to keep frost from building up, and I wondered if it wasn't a temperature issue.
As an experiment, I lowered my freezer temperature setting by 2 notches, and then refroze the Donvier. When I went to make ice cream with the same mix that would not freeze at all before, suddenly it was freezing way too fast! The handle became stuck, and the lid kept popping off! Too cold, Goldylocks!
So I set the freezer to the middle setting. Now my Donvier performs just like all those ones with the five star reviews. Ahhhh.
Lesson for the consumer: If you are going to use a Donvier, be prepared to manage your freezer temperature. You can get an inexpensive freezer thermometer, or experiment like I did.
Lesson for Donvier (and the reason I knocked a star off of your wonderful product): This needs to be in the documentation. It's not enough to tell people that they should have their freezer at below zero, because everyone assumes theirs is already. You need to put a paragraph in your little book that talks about the ideal temperature--not too cold, not too warm--and how to find it. Good docs make a five star product.
Customer Review: The Don
Summary: 4 Stars
It's important to note that ice cream makers aren't really convenience products. It takes a little bit of time, patience, and kitchen handiness to produce homemade frozen desserts. Not that it's difficult, but if you're only looking for convenience, you are better off just buying ice cream at your local mega-mart. If you are not the type of person who gains personal satisfaction from preparing food by hand, then I wouldn't recommend one of these appliances.
The Donvier is a frozen bowl model, much like those of Cuisinart and Krups. The fact that you turn the dasher by hand isn't a big deal. In fact, I like that I have control over how much I aerate my mix. As much as the directions tell you how often and how long to turn, I really think those are general guidelines. You need to develop a feel for this.
I've never had a problem with my base not freezing enough. On the contrary, I have had some problems with it freezing quickly to the sides of the bowl before I have a chance to turn the paddle. I believe electric ice cream models ask you to turn on the machine before pouring in the base for this very reason. When I chill my base overnight, I have to leave it on the counter a bit before using it. I also try not to futz around with the handle and cover after pouring the base into the bowl.
As a final note: you can buy a backup bowl at Donvier's website.
Customer Review: Love this freezer!
Summary: 4 Stars
I love this freezer. I wish I had a bigger one, but for just my husband and myself it is great. You could actually serve 4 people very easily. I used one of the recipes in the book, and added a fresh ripe banana and it was great. The first time I put it in the freezer, I laid it on it's side and it wouldn't freeze the ice cream. I sat it upright after that in the freezer and have had no more problems. Clean up is a breeze, and it freezes every bit as well as my electric freezer. It is so easy. When I wash it, I just store it right back in the freezer and it is always ready to go for the next batch. It takes about 30 minutes to make a batch and I just stir it once or twice every three or four minutes. Nothing to it!Customer Review: quick, easy, ice cream
Summary: 4 Stars
The product works great. I ended up buying one for my brother and uncle as well. There are a few secrets to its use.
1. It needs to be in the freezer longer than it says, I put mine in the freezer in May and don't take it out until October.
2. Don't use any of the recipes that come with it.
3. The cooler the ingredients the quicker it freezes up.
4. Basically I googled ice cream recipes and wen with the easiest.
Here's an easy way. Frozen fruit, vanilla yogurt (yogurt makes things freeze up quick for some reason), sugar, milk (evaporated, condensed or regular), put it in a blender then add to machine.