COWSAR 1 Quart Ice Cream Maker Machine with Built-in Compressor, Fully Automatic, No Pre-freezing, 1 Hour Keep-cooling, Easy to Clean

So I have been doing keto or low carb for awhile now and sometimes you really want ice cream... so you find yourself at the store and the super tiny, hardly any, low carb ice cream options are almost 7 bucks... that's too much I tell ya. Now I can make them at home... and I also know every last ingredient that goes into it. I have had a great time making my own ice cream and good news, you don't have to make a low carb version lol. I don't feel like this is difficult or complicated. I can make a batch fairly quickly and clean up doesn't take me long either. Now I want to share some secrets for making a tasty low carb ice cream, so feel free to move on if it's not your thing. I've been purchasing sugar free coffee syrups. The Splenda versions are on the less expensive side and have been the best flavored. English Toffee and Caramel have both been very good and I don't add any other sweetener to the mix... for the most part. I read on a webpage that using sugar in your egg yolks when tempering helps the process so I'll add some low carb sweetener there. I've found the egg yolks help with the freezing process after taking it out of the machine. I've made several versions and sometimes it seems to just make a block of ice, but those were in the beginning.... the yolks help but it can be pretty solid after spending the night in the freezer. It's super soft thought when taking it out of the machine. I've been mixing heavy whipping cream and half and half, and that's pretty much it. I'm an experimental cook, so I have no measurements to give, but I've found I like to make about a pot full and split it into two separate containers and leave in the refrigerator until it's cool/cold. This allows me to make one batch at a time and make another one another day. There is a maximum and minimum line on the inside of the removable container, so you'll know how much to use. Good luck on your ice cream adventures!

Not what I wanted. Had to return it.

The incorrect complaint is that it does not freeze the ice cream solid. That is not how ice cream machines work. If it froze it solid the paddle motor would burn out or the paddle would break off. Ice cream makers produce soft serve ice cream that is made solid after putting into a container. So I transfer the ice cream into containers and put them in my freezer. Though I have given into temptation and eaten it a soft ice cream.I gave it only 4 stars because of the instructions. They were not made for the USA market and all the recipe measure are in grams and liters. No big thing to look up the conversation formulas.Looks lie some tried to translate from the original language and the instruction of the setting are not as written. There is Stir, Freeze and Ice Cream setting on the single knob. The instruction say to set the timer, there is no timer.Through trail and error I found it works this way.The stir setting is if you pour all ingredients into the bowel first. I mix them in a separate bowel.If you at this point turn on the freeze setting the sides will freeze up and the paddle will not turn in Ice Cream mode.Pouring the premixed batter just simply set to Ice Cream, the symbol is an ice cream cone.There is reference to an automatic switch to refrigerate mode when the ice cream is ready. The paddle that spins during the Ice Cream mode shuts off when the batter is ready.If you turn on the freeze mode now the an wait long enough the ice cream will freeze with the paddle frozen solid inside.Take 50 to 60 minutes operation time to make ice cream.

Luckily, it’s fairly simple to operate. Easy to clean. It’s also fairly quiet, and seems to be very sturdy, I wish I could leave it on my counter, as it’s a bit heavy for me to schlep around at my age, but it’s doable. I like not having to put tubs in the freezer, or keep them in there, and to have the ability to make ice cream on demand. Depending upon where you read, this has 1-qt, 0.9-qt, or 0.8-qt capacity and they recommend not filling it past the maximum fill line. There’s a minimum fill line as well. I’d recommend filling it midway between the lines. I went to the maximum fill line with the first half of my buttermilk base and had to add just a bit of half and half as the rest of the base was not quite up to the minimum fill line. It’s easy to do two consecutive batches, or put the unchurned base in the fridge and churning it the next day, and you could vary the second half with mix-ins, different mix-ins, or flavorings. Not a bad thing at all. I was extremely pleased with the smooth and creamy Buttermilk Ice Cream I made. It even surpassed my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. I have wanted a compressor-style ice cream machine for years, but couldn’t justify spending that much money. This Cowsar is reasonably-priced, and I saved more buying it during a flash sale. It’s a good size for me, and the ice cream is superior. I have had ice cream from hand-cranked freezers, electric models that need ice cubes and salt, or have tubs that need to be pre-frozen, and this is the easiest and best ice cream with a lot less cleanup. I highly recommend it. My worst con is that the instructions will leave you confused and make your head spin.Additional Notes: Swap the word “Single” in the instructions for “Only” and it will be clear that “Single Stirring,” and “Single Refrigeration” modes mean that these stir without refrigeration, and refrigerate without stirring. The only mode that stirs and refrigerates is the ice cream mode. It’s a money-saver. I was near an ice cream shop yesterday and wasn’t even tempted. I kind of wished after the fact, that I had checked the prices. I didn’t. I am sure I would have felt faint. I just waited to get home to my homemade coconut ice cream.

This is a great machine!I've been using for two years now and it is dependable and produces consistent results every time. I make a couple of quarts of ice cream every month. I've used different flavours for each batch without issues. This thing is bulletproof as far as I'm concerned. If you like ice cream and care about your own nutrition, buy this ASAP.