Customer Reviews

Panasonic BH-941P Ice Cream Maker

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

OK, I got one of these a while back because it was cheap and...well, that's about the only reason. I figured it might be good for some fun with my daughter, but I also figured it would probably quickly land on the same shelf that holds that ice cream maker with that you have to pre-freeze before using (Donvier), and the traditional ice cream maker that requires rock salt and all that nonsense. I don't use the former because I never plan far enough ahead to clear space in the freezer and freeze the thing down, and I never use the latter because it's just too much of a hassle.

OK, so the question is: Is this one any better?

And the answer is: Resoundingly YES! This ice cream maker does not require any advanced planning. All you do is drop the ingredients in the (room temperature is fine) bowl, snap it together, and put it in your freezer. That's it. A few hours later: Ice cream. And it's GOOD ice cream that's ready to eat! One of the problems with the Donvier-type makers (pre-freeze the bowl type) is that they aren't cold enough to make real ice cream. They make ice pudding. To get that pudding to freeze to the right consistency, you have to put the pudding back in the freezer after you've made it and let it harden for a few hours. With this Panasonic ice cream maker, when the job is done, it's DONE. The ice cream is ready to eat.

OK, as for the brass tacks:

Pros: Easy to use; don't have to plan ahead; requires no user intervention--just set and forget and come back to ready-to-eat ice cream; The physical dimensions of the ice cream maker are small, so you should be able to find room in your freezer for it (a major consideration!); The ice cream it makes is really good (well, depending on what you put into it, of course!)

Cons: Uses two lithium CR123A batteries to power ice cream maker. You should get 20 or more cycles out of a fresh set of batteries, but you will need to eventually buy more batteries (a set is included with the ice cream maker). Expect to pay between $1.50 and $5.00 each ($3 - $10 a set) for the replacement batteries (shop around on the net and eBay and you should be able to find batteries at the lower end of this price range). Assuming you get the batteries at a good price, that works out to about $3 per 20 uses or $0.15 per use; The small size, although a plus because it makes it easier to find space in your freezer, also means you won't be making huge amounts of ice cream. It will make about 1.5 pints, which is enough to dainty desert portions for a family or small dinner party, not enough for a big party of any type, but surely enough to push Dr. Atkins to roll over in his grave if you eat it all yourself :-)

At the current blow out price, I'd say this is a no brainer.

This ice cream maker is low priced, cordless, and space saving. It takes up much less counter space than the other ice cream makers I looked at. For me this was a plus. My family doesn't want to get fat making tons of ice cream, so we didn't need a big machine. Being cordless allows you to place the machine directly in the freezer, so there is no need to pre-freeze any parts overnight like the other ice cream makers I saw. I decided to give this one a try.

After making the purchase, I made the vanilla ice cream recipe that comes with the machine. I prepared the ice cream ingredients, put it in the machine, closed the machine, pressed ONE BUTTON, and placed it in the freezer. It was very simple to use. After a few hours we had ice cream.

How was the ice cream? My family agreed - this was the BEST VANILLA ICE CREAM we ever had. It was so incredibly smooth. I was not expecting this ice cream maker to produce such fabulous ice cream. Better than any ice cream at the mall, from the local store, etc. There is just no comparison.

The quality of this machine is excellent. It looks well built. Nothing feels cheap in this machine. It's small, it's low priced. I was expecting much less.

Don't be fooled by the fact that this machine runs on batteries. These are EXTRA STRONG 3 volt CR123A Lithium Batteries (not your normal battery). These batteries supply far more power than you need. If you use this ice cream maker all the time, consider getting rechargeable RCR123A Lithium Batteries which will save you a lot of money on batteries.

NOTE: if you decide to buy one of the other corded plug-in models, they almost all require the inconvenience of having to pre-freeze their mixing bowls overnight, which means you have to plan to make ice cream a day in advance. This ice cream maker doesn't suffer from this common annoyance.

*First Impressions - Quantity*
When I first got this ice cream machine I thought to myself, "Wow, this thing is tiny, it isn't gonna make anything." However, the single batch (you can double or triple the batches) is more than enough for 2-3 servings, provided that you believe that 2 scoops is one serving. If you are going by a normal ice cream scoop each batch will make 4-5 scoops. Not humungo scoops, but nice sized ones. Multiply the batches and multiply the scoops. A triple batch will amount to a bit over the size of a pint of ice cream (think a Ben and Jerry's pint.)

*Batteries*
Next thing that appears to bother people is the batteries. I think that overall they work pretty well at 0 degrees with a lot of pull on them. No, they don't last forever, but it'll make you quite a few batches of ice cream! The instructions are correct in the amount of batches you will get from each set of batteries. Don't go to the supermarket or specialty store for batteries, go to the Batteries Plus or an Interstate Batteries and you'll get much cheaper ones, about 10 bucks for a pair. Or go online and you can get 'em a LOT cheaper.

*Recipes*
Next, the recipes. Again, follow the instructions. Make a few batches (single batches) of vanilla and get the process down RIGHT before you move onto other things or you'll get frustrated and upset that it isn't turning out the way you want it. It took me 2 batches before I got the consistancy of ice cream I wanted and when I whipped the cream I made it so it had STIFF peaks. Also, make sure you cool down your liquids before you add in the whipped cream. Don't add too much flavoring or it will end up tasting odd (I'm one of those that LOVE vanilla, but I should have kept to the recipe.)

*General Opinions*
It's not the fastest machine, but it makes "real" ice cream. Same consistancy, same melty on tongue, same feel. Easy to clean up and easy to make... kids could do this with no problem. However, if you are looking for tubs of ice cream or something that will give you a product in an hour, then look elsewhere. Total cost of products (not including vanilla) that will produce about 9 batches of ice cream = 7 bucks. Cost of batteries that will be dead after those 9 batches = 10-12 bucks. So, you're paying around 15-20 bucks per 9 batches of ice cream which is about 3-4 pints. Up to you if you like it homemade or whatnot.

It's a cheap and easy device that I have had fun with for a few weeks and will shortly be regulated in the back of a cupboard next to my bread machine.

On sale for $9.99, I thought this would be a fun little appliance, easily capable
of making ice cream for 2 adults. Well after making a couple of batches, I can
say that the ice cream produced is delicious! The problem is that it can be quite
laborious and time-consuming to make your pint of ice cream. Some things to
be aware of:

You can't just pour in the ingredients, push the button, and
2 hours later you've got ice cream. Instead, you have to
carefully heat the eggs, sugar and flavoring, without cooking
the eggs. Then you have to cool this mixture in a bowl
with icewater bath. Then you have to add heavy cream and
whip up the ingredients with a mixer.

NOW you can place the whole unit in the freezer and push the
yellow button to start the freezing process. Depending on how much
ingredients you use, it can take 2-4 hours to make the ice cream.

The manual says that your freezer temperature should be between
0 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Some freezers don't go down that
low, mine only went down to 3 degrees.

The final result is great, but it may be easier to just buy a
pint of Ben & Jerry's instead...

I rarely write reviews but this little machine is so worth it. I love homemade ice cream and so does my son. While Ben and Jerry's is awsome, nothing else satisfies when you really want homemade ice cream. It does take about 3 hours to make but it is worth the wait. It has the right texture and everything just like you went to all the trouble of the old fashioned maker. We also prefer texture of homemade right after it is made not after it has been refrozen, so this is perfect--No leftovers so you get fresh every time. I have used the type that you freeze the container and then turn the handle but it is not even close to as good as this little machine makes. Just make the ice cream and put it in the freezer before making dinner and then by the time you are ready for dessert, it is finished. I have yet to find one person who hasn't liked it!

Ever notice that however much dessert you make, you tend to eat it?

This sweet honey of an ice cream maker lets you make just enough to satisfy that sweet craving, without expanding your waistline- and the results taste so good you'll find you'll be satisfied with eating less than you would if it were storebought.

Making the ice cream yourself allows you to control what goes in it - so you can really go for premium ingredients - and this machine makes it all so easy to do. For example, I'm a big fan of dark chocolate, so I used a bar of Dagoba 59% cocoa dark chocolate as the chocolate ingredient in my ice cream tonight - it was amazing. Think of Godiva chocolate ice cream you can buy in the store, kicked up another notch. It really was THAT good.

The other great thing about this machine's size is that it fits SO very easily into the freezer and in your cupboard. I have a tiny apartment, and my freezer is probably 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a standard freezer - and it was absolutely no problem to fit it in.

So- would it be cheaper to buy ice cream from the store? Perhaps; it depends upon what you buy. But homemade ice cream, where you KNOW what goes into it, and you can make it as gourmet or premium as you like, tastes SOOOO much better.

It's really an amazing little machine; a very convenient size for the freezer, cupboard, and ice cream output. You'll really love this.

I just received my Panasonic ice cream maker a little over a week ago, and I *love* it! So far I've made ice milk and non-fat frozen yogurt in it. It turns out so perfect! To be honest, I didn't know what to expect when I purchased it. I chose this one because it seemed so simple--no rock salt, no canister to pre-freeze. Just pop it in the freezer for about 3 hours and you have perfect ice cream! And I didn't expect the consistancy to be so great--it was so very creamy! Better than anything you could ever buy at the store. It also cleans up very easily. It's so small and compact, I could easily fit it into my tiny freezer. The only set back, of course, are the CR123A batteries used to power it (about $9 for two at Wal-Mart), which I can deal with, considering how great this little machine performs. (I'm still shopping around where I can find these cheaper). You can't go wrong with this ice-cream maker!

I got this as a gift and I think it is fabulous. It is small, quick and makes wonderful ice cream.

I am sure I will have to replace the batteries some day but so what? I have an ice cream maker that is wonderful and I can control what I put in my ice cream. I sometimes wonder what people honestly expect from products. Sheesh.

Here is a quick recipe that is super easy: 1 can sweetened condensed milk, two tablespoons vanilla, 2 cups milk, 2 cups cream. Stir together, put half in the new freezer you just received (it holds 3 cups and this makes 6 ~ yeah!) Save the other half in the fridge to use in the next few days. It is also a great recipe with four cups milk and no cream. Tell me that isn't healthier for you than Bryers and their guar gum.

This is a fantastic little ice cream maker. It's not for a large (or even medium) family, as it will only make about 3 servings of icecream (maybe four with cake). If it ever goes on sale again for $10 or $15, I'll probably pick up a couple more for gifts.

Anyway, for those who have one, or are about to get one, here's a tip to make the ice cream making a bit faster:

Make a 6x batch of 2-egg "base". It'll take a dozen eggs (yolks only), about three cups of sugar, and 2 cups of milk (quantites are from memory - just look in the booklet that comes with the maker and take the "averages"). Cook it to 170 degrees - don't let it get too hot or you'll have sweet milky scrambled eggs. Let it cool a bit, then portion the mixture out into six zip-lock bags. Stuff those in the freezer for up to 3-4 months (they probbaly won't last that long anyway). It won't freeze solid, and will be liquid enough to mix after about 5-10 minutes of sitting on the counter. As a bonus, it's easier to cook the mixture without over-cooking it with the larger recipe.

To make ice cream, grab a bag from the freezer and set it on the counter. Now, grab your 1/2c of whipping cream and whip it up. I use a hand mixer with a baloon whisk attachement and whip up the cream right in the ice cream maker bowl, though it takes a little practice to do so without making a mess. Then, add your flavorings to the bagged mix (use the blender for fruit) and then fold it in with the whipped cream. Assemble the mixer with the ingredients and pop it into the freezer. For simple recipes like vanilla, eggnog, chocolate, and mint - those that just get flavors stirred in - it'll take 10 minutes tops to get the ice cream going, and with very little clean up.

Don't worry about the 3 eggs vs 2 eggs for the mix (the vanilla recipe calls for 3) - it will taste just as good as the original.

The price and enthusiastic reviews of this ice cream maker led me to purchase it. I was amazed to read about how difficult expensive, "better" ice cream makers seem to be to use, with their precooling of the core and the ingredients. Why anyone would want all that fuss escapes me. With this maker, I pull it out of the cabinet, pour hot ingredients into it and pop it the freezer. I've only tried the recipes from the book, and the plain old vanilla is rich and creamy and scrumptious -- I was shocked to find that my first batch of ice cream out of this thing was so perfect and flavorful, right up there with premium ice creams like Ben and Jerry's. I recommend avoiding the egg-free recipe; the result is icy and not particularly tasty.