Cuisinart ICE30BCU 2-Quart Deluxe Ice Cream Maker - Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Machine for Homemade Desserts | Easy to Use, 25-Minute Prep, 5-Year Warranty | Perfect for Parties, Family Gatherings & Summer Treats (Silver)

Positives:- Small and square footprint- The motor "unit" is entirely removable and the cable directly attached to it- Due to the small size, the motor is strong enough to keep stirring until you have proper ice cream- Tight tolerances, meaning good scraping from the sides preventing crystals- works perfectly fine operating directly in a chest freezer with the cable leading outside the freezer- relatively quiet compared to compressor machines- due to the small size it's great for learning, you don't end up making liters of bad ice cream- Simple controls, no display no nothing, just an on off switchNegatives:- Takes relatively long- Not big enough for a family or party unless you prepare ahead of timeI will say that I never tried using it the intended way, I always just use it in the freezer directly. Because it's very compact, it doesn't take much space in there, and having a square footprint, it's also easy to make space for it. In the past I had a compressor machine that could make 1.5l, but I actually prefer this one. The large volume of the larger machines means you need a really strong motor, which machines for the home market usually don't have. That results in crystals forming on the sides, and the machine stopping before you have proper ice cream - that does not happen with this machine.I would love if Cuisinart made a version of this without the cooling element bowl and rather have a bowl with a sort of heatsink - that way, the method of just putting the entire machine in the freezer would work even better, and take less space. Also, the cable could be made longer and thinner to increase the efficiency of running it out the freezer.And finally some tips for people new to making ice cream, look into glycerine, gelatine alternatives and stabilizers. Proper ice cream is not stored at the -18 degrees we have in our freezers, therefore adding in these ingredients(which might sound chemical, but are plant based) gets you scoopable ice cream at common freezer temperatures. Don't trust recipes for home made ice cream that don't include any glycerine, and you will have much more success. It'll take some experimentation to get right though.