Aldi Ice Cream Maker (Review)
I bought this recently in Aldi for €24.99 and while I was researching it, I found very little information to help me make the decision, so I write this in the hope that it will answer some of your questions.
The machine is a passive ice cream maker which means that you have to freeze the bowl for 24 hours beforehand and your recipes must be completely chilled also, otherwise the machine will be less effective.
Pictured below is the unboxed machine, the user guide comes with four recipes (none of which I have tried) and full operating instructions. The machine isn't too big, so your cupboard space won't be completely taken up.
The motor is 12 watts, which is more powerful than some branded makers (at twice the price) I compared it with and it will make up to 1liter of ice cream, which is a generous family size.
The freezer bowl needs 15cm height clearance (which fits with ease into my built-in freezer shelf). I now keep it permanently in my chest freezer, ready at a moments notice.
A word of advice, DO NOT lift the freezer bowl out with your bare hands as you will get freezer burn (I found this out the hard way!). Lastly it comes with a 3 year parts and labour warranty once you return the warranty card and a ROI helpline number.
I have found the machine very easy to use and if you want to start making your own ice cream, sorbets or frozen yogurt that this is a good starter machine.
Almost one year on....
I wanted to update you one my ice cream making endeavours, firstly I still have my trusty machine, it has never gave me a minutes trouble. I use it about once or twice a month at least and the only criticism I would have is, the opening to pour in your ice cream mix in is very small, to compensate I pour the ice cream mix directly into the freezer bowl and quickly put on the lid. It's working for me, put you decide if that is a deal breaker for you. The recipe I use the most is David Lebovitz Vanilla Frozen Yogurt which is a real keeper and comes out perfect every time. I still keep the bowl in the freezer so that if there is a blink of sun I can make ice cream in record time. I don't regret buying this machine and because it is so easy I find I use it more often. Believe me it is not collecting dust at the back of my cupboard!!
*This is not a sponsored review
Just bought the Aldi ice cream maker in this weeks Sunday deal.
ReplyDeletei was a bit skeptical, having read that other brands are very noisy and timing is crucial.
Have just made my first batch and its excellent!
So glad you like it, I have to say I was a bit skeptical too at first. How were Aldi selling it at such good value and other branded ice-cream machines were twice the price, I assumed it was poor quality. Well I'm happy to be proven wrong on that front. Best of luck with your maching, I hope it serves you well :)
DeleteLisa, don't have instruction book. Once I put my mix into the machine do I turn it on and for how long? And what then? Thanks for your very helpful blog
ReplyDeleteHiya Kate, Leave the ice cream in the machine until it begins to make a clicking sound (15-20 minutes), that means that the paddle is beginning to stick on the now thick ice cream mix, the machine's work is done. Transfer to a freezer proof bowl and freeze completely for 1-3 hours. Enjoy and thank you :)
DeleteHi Lisa thanks for the info. I bought it and put it on the shelf for a while and when I got it down to use it it did not have an instruction book in it. And I've read on various other sites that you need to freeze the bowl for 24 hours before you use it which I didn't know until I got on here trying to find a manual. So your information was very good thank you. Is it true that you need to put the bowl in the freezer? Thanks so much Debbie
ReplyDeleteHiya Debbie, yes you need freeze the bowl. This is a passive ice cream maker so the frozen bowl does the work. When the paddle starts to click the machine's work is done. Scoop the soft ice cream into a freezer proof bowl and freeze until solid. I hope you plenty if use from your machine.
ReplyDeleteHi have brought an ice cream maker and I just realised that it had no paddle or instruction manual or lid.Where could I get them please thank you
ReplyDeleteHiya Dawn, I don't sell the ice-cream makers Aldi do, perhaps you should contact them.
DeleteFor those without instructions,my manual says:
ReplyDelete1. Freeze the bowl at least 8-12 hours prior, straight up and better if a freezer bag
2. Prepare the mix and leave in freezer 4 hours
3. Pour the mix into bowl but leave at least 4cm from the top edge
4. Let it run for 15-30 min
5. Switch to "0" and transfer mixture to a suitable container if you want to put it back in the freezer for a firmer texture, or eat straight away.
6. If you add pieces of fruit / nuts / whatever, do it at the end of the cycle so they don't go mushy or soggy
Thanks for the vanilla recipe!
Thank you for those instructions and you're welcome.
DeleteThanks so much That's very helpful. Any chance you can share the recipes from the manual? I'm just curious what they recommend for this particular ice cream maker :)
DeleteIzabela, I cannot find my instructions booklet but I have a frozen yogurt recipe (link in the post above) and I have a beautiful soft serve rice vanilla recipe below :)
Deletehttp://goodfoodshared.blogspot.ie/2012/10/spooky-ice-cream-ghosts-in-chocolate.html
Lisa!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for sharing your experience!! I found this page while looking for an instruction manual for my Aldi ice cream maker! Happy to have read you! :)
I'm planning to make the Orange Sorbet recipe that is in my booklet of recipes (I didn't receive an instructions manual thou....) so if is any use for readers, here it is:
Ingredients:
75 g sugar
120 mL water
6 oranges, peeled and quartered
15 mL lemon juice
1/2 egg white
Prep time: 50 minutes
1. Heat the sugar and water slowly in a saucepan and stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to a boil and boil the sugar syrup for 3 minutes, then wait for the syrup to cool down.
3. Chill the mix in the fridge at around 5 degrees.
4. Puree the orange, then strain through a sieve.
5. Add sugar syrup, lemon juice and egg white into the orange puree.
6. Add the orange puree to the mixture and stir them in until the mixture is thickened to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Churn mix in the machine.
Suggestion: Refrigerate the mixture to fully chill.
Serves: 4.
Thank you Alejandra! That is so kind of you. I might just make the sorbet today, another kind person listed the instructions they received with their machine so we could all use our machine after our instructions went missing :) Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI too don't have the manual or recipe booklet. Any chance someone could provide the other recipes? Most recipes I find are for a larger machine.
ReplyDeleteWhat ingredients do I need to make the ice cream please
ReplyDeleteHi, this is just a review of the machine itself, there is a link in the post for frozen yogurt by David Lebovitz or just search ice cream in the search box above for ice cream for recipes. Thank you.
Delete