Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker

Make your own homemade frozen treats

Ice cream makers allow anyone to make ice cream at home. The resulting ice cream is fresher and contains fewer preservatives and additives than mass-produced, store-bought ice cream. Users can also make sorbet and non-dairy or vegan frozen desserts with an ice cream maker.

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is a mid-range ice cream maker from Cuisinart that promises to make ice cream and frozen desserts in as little as 20 minutes. Its ease of use makes it an appealing choice for anyone wishing to make their own ice cream at home.

Testing the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker 

The BestReviews Testing Lab reviews product claims through real-world use. For this article, the Testing Lab evaluated the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker on performance and speed while making a variety of ice cream and non-dairy frozen dessert recipes. The Testing Lab also rated the ICE30BC on convenience, ease of use and ease of cleaning.

What is the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker?

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is a frozen bowl ice cream maker designed for household use. Frozen bowl ice cream makers don’t use a compressor or require ice to freeze the liquid ice cream base. Instead, they use a user-frozen insulated bowl. The ICE30BC has a rounded square body with a brushed chrome finish and a clear plastic cover that allows the user to observe the ice cream-making process. It has a single control knob and is fully automatic. It makes 2 quarts (1.85 liters) of ice cream or frozen treats in 20-25 minutes.

To compare the Cuisinart ICE30BC to the competition, consult our buying guide on the best ice cream makers.

Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker price and where to buy

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker has an MSRP of $99.95 with occasional discounts to the $90 range. It's available at Amazon, Kohl’s and Wayfair. 

How to use the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker

Using the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is straightforward once certain preparatory steps are taken. Most importantly, the freezer bowl needs to be frozen for 16-24 hours at 0 degrees before use to ensure proper performance. The ice cream base mix should be premixed and pre-chilled in the refrigerator as well.

Place the freezer bowl into the base. Pour in the prepared mix, then place in the paddle and the clear plastic lid. Turn the machine on. Add-ins such as fruit, nuts, cookies and extra flavors can be added via the convenient feed spout without having to interrupt the freezing and churning process, which takes from 20 to 25 minutes. More fragile ingredients, such as brownie bits or fresh berries, may be added towards the end of the process and allowed to mix for around 5 minutes more.

The freezer bowl should be cleaned and placed back in the freezer to be ready for next time.

Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker benefits

Speed

Not counting the time to freeze the bowl and prepare the base mix, the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker makes ice cream fast. A batch can be done in the 20 minutes promised by the brand, although 5-10 minutes longer may be needed for certain recipes.

Ease of use

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is easy to use. Compared to old-fashioned ice cream makers that involve ice, salt and manual churning or truly manual methods of ice cream-making that involve repeated time-consuming freezing and churning, the ICE30BC’s strong and automatic motor takes the effort and complication out of the process.

Convenient size

Like other frozen bowl machines, the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker can fit on most any kitchen counter. Compressor ice cream makers, which have their own built-in refrigeration units, are typically much larger and heavier, and old-fashioned manual and semi-manual ice cream churns are bulky and require extra room for all their ingredients and implements.

Ease of cleaning

The freezer bowl of the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker can be washed by hand between uses and placed back in the freezer. The paddle and cover can be washed in the dishwasher.

Cost

At less than $100, the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is affordable. Its price and performance make it one of the more worthwhile machines among small kitchen appliances.

Custom, healthy and vegan recipes

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker allows the user to create ice creams and sorbets with their own desired recipes and ingredients without added preservatives or additives. Vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free users can use the ICE30BC to create non-dairy frozen treats to suit their dietary needs and requirements, although the texture may be softer than dairy-based recipes.

Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker drawbacks

Bowl freeze requirement

The greatest drawback to the Cuisinart ICE30BC is the requirement that the freezer bowl be frozen at 0 degrees for 24 hours before use. This bowl takes up space in a standard home refrigerator’s freezer compartment. This requirement also prevents the ICE30BC from making multiple batches at once.  

Texture

For those who desire a firm, hard-packed consistency to their ice cream, the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker’s product may be disappointing at first, having a softer consistency comparable to soft serve or gelato. Non-dairy ingredients can have even softer textures. To get a store-bought or ice cream parlor-like consistency, the batch needs to be frozen for an additional period of time. 

Batch size

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker makes 2 quarts (1.89 liters) of ice cream at a time. While this is slightly larger than the 1.5-quart packages commonly sold in supermarkets, it may not be enough for a party or gathering, and the freeze time requirement means a second batch can’t be made immediately after the first.

Noise

The ​​Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is not silent during operation. Its motor and paddle create noise similar to a stand or hand mixer, but less than the noise of a powerful blender or food processor.

Cord

While the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker has a power cord that stores away in the base when not in use, it isn't particularly long, which can be inconvenient for use without an available countertop-height electrical outlet.

Should you get the Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker?

The Cuisinart ICE30BC Ice Cream Maker is an excellent kitchen appliance for anyone who wishes to make their own ice cream with control over ingredients and texture. It’s affordable, convenient and simple to use, and does what it promises — it makes ice cream quickly with a minimum of effort.