Maxi-Matic 1.5 Pint Mr. Freeze Ice Cream Maker Review
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This small ice cream maker is perfect for a single person or a couple. It makes up to 3 cups of your favorite frozen treat without the fuss of ice and rock salt and without having to pre-freeze the mixing bowl. This Mr. Freeze ice cream maker lets you choose hard or soft serve ice cream with just the push of a button. Read this review if you are still trying to decide what ice cream maker to buy.
Capacity
The maximum capacity of the mixing bowl is 3 cups, however it is probably more realistic to expect your finished ice cream will be about 2 cups. There is a maximum fill line inside the bowl at the 1 1/3 cup level. As the machine churns and freezes the mixture, the volume will increase, but in my experience it doesn’t expand all the way up to the top rim of the bowl.
Features and Functionality
How does it work?
This unit is unique. It uses an environmentally friendly thermoelectric cooling system. The base contains the motor that operates the freezer. The aluminum bowl is permanently affixed to the base. The paddle is attached to the lid.
When your unit arrives, place it on a flat, stable surface for 5 hours prior to its first use. (You can use this time to prepare your ice cream mixture and put it in the fridge so that it will be good and cold)
You must use this machine indoors. Keep it in a well ventilated area away from any heat source.
Once your prepared mixture is well chilled, pour it into the bowl. Then all you need to do is select hard or soft-serve and push the start button. A timer will beep when your dessert is ready.
Quality of finished product
Quality is partly a result of the recipe you use. But the machine also plays a role. My first batch of vanilla ice cream was VERY smooth and creamy.
Can I make sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato, soft ice cream?
YES. You can make ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, sorbet. The process is the same regardless of the type of dessert you are making.
How quickly will ice cream be ready to eat?
If your mixture is well chilled, you will probably have soft-serve ready in about 35 minutes or hard ice cream in 45 minutes. If the temperature in the room is quite warm it may take longer.
A few handy features you will appreciate
- Transparent lid allows you to easily check on the progress.
- Choose soft-serve or hard ice cream with the touch of a button.
- This is an ice cream maker with freezer built in, so you do not have to fuss with ice and rock salt, nor do you have to devote freezer space to one or more empty bowls.
- Timer that beeps fifteen times when dessert is ready.
Ease of Use
How easy is it to use?
This is a very simple ice cream maker. Just remember that it must be placed on a flat, solid surface during use and storage and that you need to keep it away from any heat source. Other than that, pour your chilled, prepared recipe into the bowl, select hard or soft-serve, and press the start button.
I’m not necessarily recommending this process, but will share this story to give you an idea of how easy it is to use this little machine. I had some cream that I wanted to use up before it got too old. I didn’t want to take the time to look up a recipe, get out all the bowls and measuring equipment, etc. So, I just poured the cream into the bowl of the ice cream maker. (It looked like it was about one cup.) I then poured in a little vanilla and some pure, organic maple syrup. I didn’t measure, but I’m guessing it was maybe 1 tsp of vanilla and a little more than 1 T. of syrup.
My mixture was not yet up to the maximum fill line, so I poured in some full fat coconut milk to bring it up to that line. Then I put the lid on and hit the “hard” button. About 55 minutes later I had some great ice cream. (The coconut milk was room temperature, so it took longer than if all the ingredients had been chilled.) It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Clear instructions?
The instruction manual that comes with this unit includes step-by-instructions for assembling and using the machine. There are very few steps involved.
Easy to clean?
The bowl is not removable. But you basically rinse it out. Don’t submerge the entire machine in water. Just hold the bowl section under running water. Point the compressor vents away from the water, rinse with the running water, sponge it a bit, rinse it some more, and wipe dry. Since the machine is very light weight, it is not difficult to hold it over the sink to rinse out the bowl.
How easy is it to transfer finished product to freezer-safe storage containers?
The seamless bowl makes it very easy to scoop the ice cream out and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Use the silicon spatula that is provided to avoid scratching the bowl surface. Even though the mixing bowl does not lift out of the base, it is easy to hold the machine with one arm and scoop the ice cream out with the other. The machine is very light.
How noisy is it?
There is a hum, but it is not at all noisy. I can stand right next to the machine and still easily hear the TV across the room. One of the most frequently heard complaints about the units that require ice and rock salt or those using the freezer bowl method is that they are very noisy. That is not a problem with this unit.
Adding mix ins
One draw-back with this machine is that you cannot add mix ins during the churning process. You have to stop the machine and remove the lid with attached paddle in order to add items such as chips, nuts, or bits of fruit.
Accessories
What comes with this ice cream maker?
Instruction manual: step-by-instructions for assembling, handling, and using this machine.
Transparent lid: You can easily see the progress of the churning process.
Silicon spatula: This spatula should be used to scoop the finished frozen treats from the bowl.
measuring spoons: The set of measuring spoons includes a ½ Tablespoon! I didn’t know they existed. You will probably use it with this machine. Since the capacity is small, you will often cut a recipe by half. Measuring out half of a tablespoon can be a bit annoying.
ice cream scoop: for dishing up all your frozen desserts.
recipes: the instruction manual includes 14 ice cream recipes and 8 sorbet recipes.
ac adapter
What additional accessories would be helpful but do not come with this machine?
Containers for storing your desserts in the freezer: You’ll want to transfer the finished dessert to a freezer-safe container right away. Click here for some options for lidded containers.
Additional recipe books: The recipes included will get you off to a good start, but you will probably very soon want to expand your repertoire. Check out these books for some delicious options.
Condiment trays: Sometimes it is fun to set out a variety of toppings to dress up your luscious creations. Try one of these condiment trays to display your selection.
Dimensions and construction
wattage = 90
weight= 5.62 pounds
dimensions = 10.43 high X 7.28 long X 9.37 wide inches
materials = the paddle is BPA-free plastic; the bowl is seamless aluminum.
Cord with AC adapter = 30 inches from the machine to the AC adapter; 40 inches from the adapter to the wall plug. The adapter is 6” long.
Warranty and support
Warranty?
This unit has a 1 year limited warranty on parts and labor. Keep your receipts in a secure place.
Where is it made?
This ice cream maker is made by Maxi-Matic. The Maxi-Matic company is headquartered in California and has been in operation 33 years. They make many small kitchen appliances under the brand name “Elite”. Their manufacturing plant where this machine is made is located in China.
How good is company support?
Excellent, in my experience. I called the customer support number and immediately got through to a company rep. She cheerfully answered all my questions. If she didn’t have an answer at her fingertips, she researched it and quickly got back to me.
Call (800) 365-6133 on weekdays between 8:30 and 5:00 PST. Use extension 120,
Pros
soft serve ice cream maker
short cord safety feature
no need for ice and rock salt
no need to pre-freeze the mixing bowl
no need to devote a lot of freezer space to ice or freezer bowls
Cons
aluminum bowl not anodized
adding mix-ins not convenient
use indoors only
Consumer Ratings
A few customers complained that the capacity is too small. It appears they did not read the product description thoroughly. 1.5 pints is 3 cups. That is 2 to 4 servings – depending on serving size. If you love experimenting with recipes this is a great size. You can do a lot of testing without using up a lot of ingredients. If you are looking for a larger capacity, you might like the Cuisinart ICE -100. It also is a self-freezing machine, but it does cost more.
I would prefer a stainless steel bowl, but I realize that would result in a much higher price.
I believe the advantages outweigh the drawbacks for this unit. After researching a large number of ice cream makers and writing reviews on a few of them, I chose this machine for my personal use.
Maxi-matic 1.5 pint Mr. Freeze Ice Cream Maker Price
I found this machine to be the lowest price for self-freezing units. This would be a good choice for an individual or a couple who lack the freezer space for keeping a lot of ice on hand or who don’t have space for keeping freezer bowls frozen and at the ready.
Sources
Information for this article was gleaned from the following sources:
Direct contact with Maxi matic company rep.
Commercial web sites: amazon, newegg, Elite, Best buy, Walmart
User’s manual
