We use ours 3 or 4 times a week in the summer. Our Krups ice cream maker might be the most valuable thing in our house in my kids' eyes.
We tried the plastic bag method and didn't like how it came out.

Not for us. If I need to make ice cream, I do the ziploc bag method. So much easier and you don't have to freeze the tub. I had an ice cream maker for years (it was a birthday gift) and didn't use it. I gave it away. Then had kids and now will make it occasionally in summer, but just do the bag. We normally go to Cold Stone Creamery instead, but I can make it when needed and don't need to clutter up the house and/or basement with another appliance I rarely use.

I would love to use one to make ice cream.
I made ice cream several times without any of the ice cream makers. Wanted to get one but just didn't know if I want to keep adding so much calories on a daily basis. I don't usually eat ice cream but I can see why people love it but I have some self control with consuming ice cream. I must say I like seeing the results of what I made.
I just use a hand electric mixer and beat the ingredients for about 15 min. Freeze it, and take it out and beat it again in about whatever hours. Repeat several times. Start in the morning and when we return from lunch, I take it out of the freezer and beat it again. And when we return from dinner, I would beat it again. The more I beat it, the creamier it gets.

Ingredients are usually almond milk, less than 1/2 cup of sugar, 2-3 eggs, and heavy cream (or half/half or light cream). Then, beat it repeatedly throughout the day. Later add whatever fruits I have around.

Results= tastes like Breyers ice cream. Yum. I enjoy making them. It looks like ICE-cream but when you set it out to melt for a 3-4 minutes, it becomes creamier. Delicious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding the bowl, it can freeze overnight, so if you're moderately good at advanced planning, you don't have to keep it in the freezer. Obviously this eliminates impulse ice cream making, though.

Even so, it needs to be a certain low temperature, &my rental place's refrigerator does not get that cold. As a result, it's never cold enough to make the ice cream actually hard and always comes out kind of mushy/goopy the 3/4 times we tried .

The seal on the freezer door is worn out. Ask the landlord to replace it. This affects both the temperature in the freezer and the temperature in the fridge.

^^I meant the freezer of the refrigerator. And also meant to add that the ice cream maker has been on the top shelf of our kitchen for two years.

Anonymous wrote:Regarding the bowl, it can freeze overnight, so if you're moderately good at advanced planning, you don't have to keep it in the freezer. Obviously this eliminates impulse ice cream making, though.

Even so, it needs to be a certain low temperature, &my rental place's refrigerator does not get that cold. As a result, it's never cold enough to make the ice cream actually hard and always comes out kind of mushy/goopy the 3/4 times we tried .

we use it every summer when we pick fruit and then in the winter make ice cream. good activity with the kids...

We use ours a few times a summer. Would use it more if there was space for the bowl in the freezer. I
make a blueberry buttermilk sherbet that is low fat and low sugar.

Depends what you're getting. I didn't want to make a big investment so I bought one off a FB yard sale group for $20. Way too much of a hassle, with the ice and salt needed. I might get one for my kitchenaid, then I don't have to worry about those other things.

Regarding the bowl, it can freeze overnight, so if you're moderately good at advanced planning, you don't have to keep it in the freezer. Obviously this eliminates impulse ice cream making, though.

We have the attachment for the kitxhenaid mixer. I use it about 6x/summer. The bowl does take up a lot of room in the freezer. For us it's worth it.

I use my Vitamix to make ice cream, sorbets, milkshakes and smoothies.

I love it! Just made some now- DH's favorite - jack Daniels chocolate - a frank stitt recipe. So good.

I make ice cream all the time. Really easy, IMO. And it's DH's favorite dessert. We have a small freezer, also, but we make it work.

and to answer your first question, it only comes out during summer, and goes to the basement rest of year. so it is a seasonal item in our house.