COWSAR 1.6 Quart Ice Cream Maker Machine

This is my third ice cream maker and I like this best. Pros: for starters, it’s very compact for the volume it makes. Even with the low profile, which allows enough space to remove the bucket if it’s under a cabinet, it’s not taking up too much countertop real estate. A strong point of differentiation from other similarly priced models is that the beater attaches to the lid, not the base of the bucket (similarly to the way a blender does). I love this thoughtful design because I don’t worry about whether a couple drops of ice cream will leak into the motor or electronics or whatever is under there. It also makes it easier to remove the beater and stick the bucket in the freezer to firm up. You don’t realize how that marginal improvement is a big bonus unless you’ve tried to scoop around the beater or repeatedly gotten your hands sticky with melted ice cream while trying to minimize waste and get that bucket in the freezer. With this, you bump the beater against the side a couple times and you don’t need to worry about it getting in the way when you scoop the ice cream out. Cons: Because this design appears unique, I can’t find a replacement beater or bucket. A spare bucket would be a luxury. But given how easy it is to find replacement beaters, I feel like it might be necessary. When I spend $200 on an appliance that does one thing, I want it to last awhile. If I can’t replace the beater, it might limit its useful life. Another concern is that the lid, which houses the motor that turns the beater, appears to be cheaply made. Those tabs that release the piece you can wash seem flimsy. If one breaks its a doorstop. And the final bummer is that the gasket around the top of the metal chamber is pinched and pushed back in a spot on mine. The obvious worry it creates is that moisture will enter and damage the machine. So I’m returning it. But it also creates a concern about the manufacturing standards and quality control. Which is why I might not replace it with the same model.