Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I waited 6 months to write this review. I was on the fence about getting a good ice cream maker for my wife, who wanted one for Christmas. She was also getting a new Kitchenaid mixer so this seemed like the logical product. The negative reviews really worried me though, including blue liquid dripping and sloppy ice cream. I can say that we've put it to the test. We've tried making ice cream nearly every weekend since we got this. As long as instructions were followed, it went perfectly. Keep in mind that if you add warm ingredients to cold ice cream it will send heat into the ice cream and making it begin to melt. Everything going into the mixture needs to be frozen or cooled for a few hours in the fridge. I also hand clean it only after it's completely defrosted (I can hear the liquid inside sloshing around). Obviously putting hot water to clean into a partially cold mixer will cause fractures to happen in the seal (expanding and contracting). So I simply let it thaw out, and don't put it back in the freezer until it's totally dry. Although we've had a pan under it in the freezer (in case of blue liquid leaks) we've never had any issues with this. Nothing. It is incredibly easy making ice cream with this, you just have to be smart about follow directions. Make sure ingredients are cold (example, if making cookies and creme, oreos have to go in the freezer beforehand) and you watch how long it's been going with a timer (too long and the machine makes the ice cream start to melt, sending heat radiating from the mixer), so just don't go longer than a half hour. Lastly take care of it when cleaning, don't add hot soapy water into a cold mixer, and you should have no issues with leaking.