The Bottom Line
The Rival® Gel Canister Electric 1.5 Qt Ice Cream Maker is a great ice cream maker for a couple or small family. It requires freezing two components for at least 24 hours and ensuring that your recipe ingredients are cold, but it does make delicious soft ice cream. Recipes are included and of those, Easy Vanilla, Old Fashioned Vanilla and Cinnamon Walnut Ice Cream recipes all tested just delicious, as did making frozen yogurt and my own recipes.
Pros
- Easy to operate, assemble and clean
- No rock salt or ice required
- Compact nesting for freezing
- Makes good soft ice cream
- Viewing area is terrific
Cons
- Requires slightly longer than 30 minutes for some recipes
Description
- Fast freezing Gel canister requires pre-freezing of ring and bowl for at least 24 hours
- 1.5 quart capacity - just right for a couple or small family
- Very nice 360 degree viewing area
- Freezer bowl and ring nest together for compact freezer storage
- Makes ice cream in approximately 30 minutes or more to achieve your desired consistency
- Auger style mixing paddle mixes and aerates to produce a creamy consistency
- Very easy to assemble, operate and clean
- No rock salt or ice required
- Quick and easy ice cream mixes are available from Rival Products
- MSRP: $49.99
See Profile for more details of this Rival Ice Cream Maker
Guide Review - Rival Gel Canister Electric 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker GC9155
Assembly of this Gel Canister Model GC9155 was very easy. Ensure your recipe ingredients are cold and ready before taking out the freezer-stored bowl and ring. There is a built-in scoop that works well and is handy for adding chocolate morsels or other ingredients to the batch while it is mixing.
Production time does vary and took slightly longer than 30 minutes for some recipes. The ice cream remains soft and does not get hard in the unit. You may want to freeze it awhile before serving unless you prefer soft serve which is very good. Requiring freezing to harden is quite standard with this type of maker, as is pre-freezing the bowl and ring for at least 24 hours.
The performance of the mixing paddle is very good and the viewing area is a great feature. It requires no rock salt or ice and the components nest nicely for freezing - these are a real plus.
The unit seems very durable, is super easy to clean and operation is quite simple. Even making yogurt was extremely easy - pouring store-bought yogurt into the unit to produce delicious soft creamy frozen yogurt.
Overall, this Gel Canister unit is a good ice cream maker, reasonably priced, convenient and user friendly. Keep the bowl and ring stored in the freezer all the time, and the unit will be ready when you are. The capacity is great for a couple but for a large family, I'd recommend investing in a 4 Qt model as everyone would be looking for more yummy homemade ice cream.
Production time does vary and took slightly longer than 30 minutes for some recipes. The ice cream remains soft and does not get hard in the unit. You may want to freeze it awhile before serving unless you prefer soft serve which is very good. Requiring freezing to harden is quite standard with this type of maker, as is pre-freezing the bowl and ring for at least 24 hours.
The performance of the mixing paddle is very good and the viewing area is a great feature. It requires no rock salt or ice and the components nest nicely for freezing - these are a real plus.
The unit seems very durable, is super easy to clean and operation is quite simple. Even making yogurt was extremely easy - pouring store-bought yogurt into the unit to produce delicious soft creamy frozen yogurt.
Overall, this Gel Canister unit is a good ice cream maker, reasonably priced, convenient and user friendly. Keep the bowl and ring stored in the freezer all the time, and the unit will be ready when you are. The capacity is great for a couple but for a large family, I'd recommend investing in a 4 Qt model as everyone would be looking for more yummy homemade ice cream.
