DASH DMIC200GBAQ04 Ice Cream Machine: Full Review

The Dash DM200 Ice Cream Maker is a compact appliance designed to make homemade ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and more right at home. This countertop ice cream machine features a sleek, modern stainless steel design that will look great in any kitchen. It's easy to use - simply add your ingredients into the freezer bowl, turn on the machine, and in 20-40 minutes you'll have up to 1.5 quarts of frozen dessert ready to enjoy.

The Dash ice cream maker includes an integrated motor and compressor so no pre-freezing of the bowl is required. It has a built-in timer so you don't have to guess when your frozen treat will be ready. The appliance is designed for quiet operation and has rubber feet to minimize vibration. It comes with a recipe book featuring over 30 recipes to get you started making delicious frozen desserts and mix-ins.

Design

The Dash Gelato and Ice Cream Maker has a sleek, modern design that looks great on any countertop. It has a cylindrical shape and comes in either aqua blue or red, adding a pop of color to your kitchen.

While it's larger than some ice cream machines, the Dash is still pretty compact. It measures about 10 inches tall by 8 inches wide. It's lightweight too, weighing in at just under 7 pounds. This makes it easy to store away in a cabinet when not in use.

The ice cream maker drum itself is see-through so you can observe the freezing process as it happens. The double-insulated freezing bowl helps keep the mixture cold. The lid, spout and included spoon are all BPA-free.

Overall, the eye-catching design and range of fun colors help this ice cream maker stand out. Its relatively small size and lightweight build still allow it to fit conveniently in most kitchens.

The Musso musso-mini-4080 is another great option for ice cream enthusiasts. This high-quality machine is known for its durable stainless steel build and efficient operation. Despite its sturdy design, it remains relatively compact, making it suitable for home use. The Musso musso-mini-4080 can create gelato, sorbet, and ice cream quickly, ensuring you get consistently smooth results every time. It's a perfect addition for those looking to enjoy professional-quality frozen desserts from the comfort of their own kitchen.

Ice Cream Making Process

The Dash Ice Cream Maker works a bit differently than traditional ice cream machines. Rather than requiring salt and ice, the Dash relies on a built-in compressor to freeze a metal bowl that holds the ingredients.

To make ice cream, first you pre-freeze the bowl for at least 24 hours. Once frozen, add your ingredients to the bowl and put the paddle attachment inside. Lock the bowl into the machine, then turn it on.

The compressor will turn on, circulating cold air around the bowl while the paddle churns and aerates the ingredients. It takes around 30 minutes for a batch of ice cream or sorbet to reach the proper creamy, frozen texture. The machine will beep when the cycle is complete.

This freezing bowl method allows the Dash to churn out ice cream in a reasonable timeframe without needing ice and rock salt. The built-in compressor eliminates the hassle of prepping an ice bath while ensuring consistent freezing. Just keep the bowl in the freezer and you're ready to make fresh ice cream whenever you want!

If you're interested in a more traditional approach, consider the NOSTALGIA Nostalgia. This ice cream maker maintains the classic technique of using ice and salt to freeze the mixture as it churns. You can learn more about the NOSTALGIA Nostalgia by visiting NOSTALGIA Nostalgia. It's a perfect choice for those who love the old-fashioned method and enjoy the process as much as the ice cream itself.

Ease of Use

The DASH Ice Cream Maker is designed to be very user-friendly. Setup is quick and straightforward - simply freeze the bowl overnight, add your ingredients, turn on the machine and you'll have homemade ice cream in minutes.

The machine is easy to operate with just an on/off switch and timer dial. Making ice cream is as simple as adding your ingredients to the frozen bowl, locking the lid, setting a timer, and turning it on. There's no complicated programming or extra steps involved.

Cleaning up after use is also hassle-free. The bowls, dasher and lids are all dishwasher safe. The bowls have a non-stick coating which prevents ingredients from sticking and reduces the need for scrubbing. After each use, the machine can be wiped down easily.

Overall, the DASH Ice Cream Maker scores high marks in user-friendliness and ease of use with its simple operation, minimal setup and easy cleanup. Both beginners and experienced users will find it intuitive to make delicious homemade ice cream with this machine.

Noise Level

The DASH Ice Cream Machine is designed to operate quietly, which is a major advantage over many other ice cream makers. The motor and freezing mechanism produce minimal noise even when churning a batch of ice cream. This allows you to run the machine without disturbing others in your household.

Some reviewers note the DASH makes less noise than their previous ice cream machines. The noise level is comparable to a quiet blender when running. While not completely silent, the low volume allows you to hold a conversation in the same room. You won't have to raise your voice or pause discussion when making ice cream.

The quiet operation makes the DASH Ice Cream Maker ideal for use in apartments, dorms, and other shared living spaces. You can run it any time of day without worrying about bothering roommates or neighbors. It won't drown out the TV or music you may have playing nearby either.

Overall, the quiet motor is a major plus for this compact ice cream machine. You get great results without excessive noise disrupting your environment. Making frozen treats can be a relaxing, enjoyable process thanks to the low noise production.

Recipe Capacity

The DASH Gelato Maker can make up to 1.5 quarts of gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, or ice cream per batch. This is a decent capacity for a home ice cream maker in this price range.

The 1.5 quart capacity allows you to make enough ice cream to serve 4-6 people at a time. So it's great for making ice cream for family meals or small gatherings with friends. You can double or triple recipes to make larger quantities if needed.

Some reviewers mentioned the capacity was larger than expected and allowed them to experiment with bigger batches. Others felt the capacity was a bit small if you're looking to churn out quarts at a time.

Overall, the 1.5 quart capacity strikes a nice balance - it's big enough for most purposes, without being overkill for the average home user. Making ice cream is meant to be a fun activity, not an all day chore. With the DASH, you can make a nice quantity in a single batch, then freeze the leftovers for next time.

Recipe Book

The DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker comes with a recipe book that includes 31 delicious ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt recipes. The recipes cover a wide variety of flavors from classics like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry to more unique options like lemon basil, honey cinnamon, and blood orange sorbet.

The recipes are easy to follow with clear ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions. They include tips on customizing flavors and textures by adding extra ingredients like cookies, candy, fruit, or nut mixes. The recipes yield one pint of ice cream, making it easy to whip up a customized treat with this compact appliance.

The recipe book provides a great starting point for experimenting with your own flavor combinations. Once you get the hang of the basic ice cream making method, you can start substituting ingredients to put your own spin on the recipes. The DASH appliance makes it simple to churn out pint after pint of homemade frozen desserts.

Affordable Price

The Dash Gelato and Sorbet Maker has an affordable price point considering its features and performance. At around $100 on Amazon, it delivers good value for money for an automatic ice cream machine.

Compared to many premium ice cream machines that can cost $200-300 or more, the Dash model is a budget-friendly option. The quality and results don't seem to suffer much despite the lower price tag.

For an automatic appliance that can churn out delicious frozen desserts at home without any fuss, $100 is reasonable. There are manual ice cream makers that are cheaper but require more effort. The extra cost is worth it for the convenience and consistency the Dash machine offers.

Overall, this automatic ice cream maker hits a sweet spot of quality and affordability. It's inexpensive enough for most households to purchase without breaking the bank. Yet it still produces creamy and consistent ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and more. For an appliance you'll get years of tasty use from, $100 is a fair price.

Pros

Compact Design That Doesn't Take Up Much Space

The Dash Ice Cream Maker has a compact and lightweight design that doesn't require a lot of storage space on your kitchen counter or in your cabinets. It measures only 6.3 x 8.7 x 11.4 inches so it can easily fit on most countertops without taking up too much room.

Quickly Makes Frozen Treats

This ice cream machine can churn out delicious soft serve ice cream, yogurt, sorbet and more in under 30 minutes. The self-cooling compressor freezes the mixture for you so there's no need to pre-freeze a bowl. You can make frozen treats whenever you want.

User-Friendly and Easy to Operate

The Dash is very simple to use with an easy one-button control. Just pour your ingredients in, turn it on and it does all the freezing and churning for you. There's no complicated setup or messy pre-freezing required. It's ideal for beginners and kids can also help make their own frozen treats.

Quiet Operation

This ice cream maker operates at around 60 decibels, which is quieter than a normal conversation. You can make frozen desserts without disrupting other activities or conversations going on in your home.

Includes Recipe Book

A recipe book with 31 recipes comes included with the ice cream machine, providing you with many delicious ideas and flavors to try making. Recipes include classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry as well as more innovative flavors like Thai tea, horchata and margarita.

Cons

• Smaller capacity than many other ice cream makers. The bowl holds 1.5 quarts, which is enough for about 1 quart finished ice cream. This may be limiting for large families or frequent ice cream makers.

• Long freeze times. It takes 6-22 hours to pre-freeze the bowl before you can make ice cream, depending on your freezer temperature. This can make spontaneity and experimentation difficult.

• Limited recipe book. It only comes with 50 recipes, whereas some competitors include 100+ recipes. More recipe variety would be nice.

• Messy dispensing. There is no special spout or opening to neatly dispense the ice cream when finished. You have to scoop it out, which can get messy.

• Noise level. The motor and churning process generate noise comparable to a food processor, which may be disruptive in some environments.