Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Ice Cream Maker Review

Guess what readers? I have finally got myself an ice cream maker and now I am doing a Cuisinart ICE-21P1 ice cream maker review.

So far I have had this ice cream maker for about two weeks and I have used it several times to make ice cream. I used to make ice cream without an ice cream maker but hubby said he didn’t like the texture and consistency of the ice cream and wanted an ice cream maker to make it.

The Cuisinart ICE-21P1 ice cream maker so far is working pretty well. I just hope this machine will last for a while. Some users said they have had this machine for over 10 years and it is still in good condition.

I know my in-laws have had this model for several years now and they are still using it to make ice cream. The ice cream made from this machine tastes pretty good. It might be better than store-bought ones.

Homemade ice cream might be a lot better than store-bought ones. For some of them, you don’t even know what ingredients they put in the ice cream.

With homemade ones, you will know exactly what you have put in it and know exactly what you are eating. You can also make a lot of adjustments to your liking in terms of sweetness. For me, I can make some sugar-free ones for hubby since he has a condition where he can’t eat regular sugar.

Features

Here are some of the features of the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 machine. What I like the most is it is very easy to use. Do you like me hate having to learn new things about a new gadget? I really don’t like very complicated gadgets.

Easy to Use

I have to say this is a very simple machine to use. There is no programming or any other buttons. There is only one switch button and that is the on/off switch.

It can’t be any easier than this. It has absolutely no learning curve. Even your toddlers might be able to use it if you have prepared all your ice cream mixture.

To operate, just turn on the ON switch button and pour your ice cream mixture into the freezer bowl. Lastly wait for about 15 to 25 minutes and your ice cream is done. Then turn it off with the ON/OFF button.

Double Insulated Bowl

The double-insulated freezer bowl contains cooling water. I notice when I wash it with warm water, the bowl feels a little warm when you touch it. It is kind of like a thermostat.

So that eliminates the need for ice when making your ice cream since the bowl is already frozen in advance by putting it in the freezer.  That is really great when you don’t have ice on hand.

It does require you to put the freezer bowl in the freezer between 16 to 24 hours. You can just leave the freezer bowl in the freezer like your frozen food. Just take out the freezer bowl when you are ready to make your ice cream.

It is recommended to put it all the way in the back of your freezer. That’s the part that is the coldest and you have to put it in an upright position. The freezer bowl must be dried before doing so.

If you don’t like having to keep putting the freezer bowl in the freezer then I recommend you to get the ICE-100 model. It has a built-in compressor that saves you the trouble and time of having to freeze the freezer bowl. Click here to read more about it.

The price is kind of high for the ICE-100 and it looks a lot bigger than the ICE-21P1 model. You can make a lot more batches though since it is always ready to go. I wouldn’t mind owning this model if we eat a lot of ice cream.

Make Different Type of Sweets

You can make all kinds of sweets with this machine. The number one choice of course is ice cream, right? After all, this is an ice cream maker duh. 😂😂

You can not only make ice cream, you can make frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet, and also frozen drinks. All you need is some yummy recipes to make it.

My next recipe will be making chocolate chip mint ice cream. My favorite ice cream is cookies and cream but for some reason, I can’t eat Oreo cookies without having a stomach ache. I guess I will have to make some on my own if I want cookies and cream ice cream.

Cable Cord

There is a place where you can actually push the cord inside to hide it out of the way. This might be nice when you need to move your ice cream maker to a different location. Personally, I think the cable cord is not that long but it is nice to have it.

Motor/Base

The motor seemed to weigh less than the insulated freezer bowl when I lifted it. The base contains rubber feet. This is to prevent the unit from slipping when it is being operated.

Transparent Lid

To me, this is more like a transparent dome lid with an opening spout on the top. 😂😂😂 It is kind of cool that you can see how it’s going with your sweets. I like seeing if it is working or not. Even my son is staring at it when it is spinning for a while.

It is good that it has a lid preventing the sweets from splashing all over the place.

Mixing Paddle

As the title said it is a mixing paddle. Basically, it is used for mixing your mixture inside the freezer bowl. The mixing paddle doesn’t turn but the freezer bowl does. When I first opened it, I put the mixing paddle upside down and the lid couldn’t close it. You can see it in the video. 😂😂😂

How Much Can You Make in the Cuisinart ICE-21P1?

You can use this machine to make up to 1.5 quarts. You should leave about 1/4 inch of free space from the top of the freezer bowl when pouring your mixtures.

If you fill too much it will overflow because ingredients will increase their volume during the freezing process. You will have a lot of mess to clean up if you do that.

If you want to make more batches of ice cream or a replacement you can buy another freezer bowl. You will have to freeze two freezer bowls at once for more batches of ice cream. Click here to get another freezer bowl.

When you are buying an additional bowl make sure the model number is ICE-RFB for the Cuisinart ICE-21P1. Others might not be compatible with this model.

Note: Don’t use metal utensils to scoop out the ice cream. You should always use plastic or wooden utensils to do that. That is to prevent it from causing scratches and damage to the freezer bowl. All the parts are NOT dishwasher safe. It requires hand washing them.

Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Ice Cream Maker Video

You might want to watch this video to see it in action. You can see the final result of my first batch of low-carb ice cream I have made with this ice cream machine.

The ice cream is very soft but that is due to the sweetener that I used in the ice cream. I have tried with regular sugar and it is a lot better. Besides, the ice cream will harden more if you put it in the freezer for some time. It is super delicious. Hubby loves this homemade ice cream and wants more. 🤣

Where To Buy Cuisinart ICE-21P1?

There are a lot of retailers selling this model like Walmart, Cuisinart, BestBuy, and Amazon. I got mine from Amazon. I don’t know if you can get this model from the local stores. It is much more easy to order it online and let them ship it to your home.

You can actually get this ice cream maker in either white, pink, or red colors. I was going to get the pink color one but I saw the white color one has it at a better price when I was making my purchase.

What’s In The Box?

These are the following that are supposed to be included in the box. When you open yours make sure you have the following items.

• Mixing Paddle
• Base or Motor
• Freezer Bowl
• Transparent Lid
• Instruction Manual

Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Ice Cream Maker Review

So far my hubby and I love this Cuisinart ICE-21P1 ice cream maker. We are giving this a 4.7 rating with 5 being the highest. I deducted .3 off for the reasons below from the Cons section.

In terms of price for this Cuisinart ICE-21P1 ice cream machine is reasonable. I was lucky enough to pay less than $10 off the listing price for this machine and it got shipped to me fast. Yeah, the sooner I get to eat homemade ice cream. 😝😝😝

✅ Pros:

• It is super easy to use.
• Save money by not buying it at the stores.
• You can make all kinds of flavors of sweets including your versions.
• It takes 15 to 25 minutes to finish a batch of ice cream.
• No need to use ice when making ice cream or other sweets.
• Included several recipes in the instruction booklet.

❌ Cons:

• The cable cord is pretty short. Wish it was a little bit longer.
• Don’t like having to put the freezer bowl in the freezer for a very long period of time like 16 to 24 hours before it can be used. It also takes up freezer space.
• The motor might be a little loud but not any louder than a blender. I will get used to the sound when I am making ice cream with it. Besides, it takes under 30 minutes for a batch of ice cream.
• Parts are not dishwasher safe. This doesn’t bother me since I mostly hand wash my kitchen items. They might last longer if you hand wash them.

Bottom Line

✅ Bottom Line: This is an awesome ice cream machine. If you want to make some delicious homemade ice cream then you should go with the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 model. Click here to read more reviews or read more about this ice cream maker.

Dimensions, Manual & Warranty

According to the Cuisinart website, this unit weighs around 11.2 pounds with dimensions of 9.5″L x 9″W x 11.25″H. You can find the manual by clicking here if you lost your hard copy.

The manual is written in 33 pages with both English and Spanish languages. The booklet also includes several recipes for ice cream (13), yogurt (4), sorbet (4), and a few other sweets. This unit has a limited 3-year warranty.

Is the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Worth it?

To us, the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 ice cream maker is well worth the money, especially in the long run for not buying ice cream at the local stores.

I can also make sugar-free ones for my hubby since he can’t eat regular sugars and he is craving ice creams and sweets. I know what it feels like when craving sweets and you can’t have any because of your health conditions.

We can also make our own flavors that can’t be bought at the stores. To be honest I didn’t even know you could make your own ice cream at first, not until my mother-in-law owned one and I started making my own ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Then hubby said I like it better when it is being made with an ice cream maker. Since he had a taste of the ones his mom made at her house.

So that’s how an ice cream machine comes into our house. 😂😂😂 We enjoyed the ice cream we made and we also enjoyed making it. It is a lot more fun making it with your kids.

Where Can I Buy Replacement Parts For Cuisinart ICE-21P1?

You can buy all replacement parts except the motor for the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 from Cuisinart.com.

You will have to do a search with the model number from their website to find it. You can get the lid by clicking here and for the mixing paddle click here. As for the freezer bowl click here.

What Do You Think Of This Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Ice Cream Maker?

Will you be getting one or if you already own this model what do you think of it? Care to share your comments below?