Best ice machines with compressor for beginners
The best ice machines with compressor in the lower price segment is the goal of the second article in my ice cream machine series. Last week we looked at the best ice machines for home without compressor viewed.
Today will be about ice machines that are self-cooling, and also for Offer beginners a good price-performance ratio. Thanks to the integrated compressor, there is no need to pre-cool the ice container and you can start directly with the ice production.
If you still Background information on ice machines you need, I can give you my articles "Buying an ice cream machine: Yes or no?" and "4 good reasons to make your own ice cream" recommend.
Why am I doing all this? I find the average star ratings with the common comparison portals only unhelpful. Sometimes the ratings hardly differ. How can you objectively decide between 4 machines that all have 4.6 stars? Therefore, I have chosen a different approach.
If you are looking for background on how I did the comparison, I refer you to the previous article and section, How I calculated the ranking have.
To summarize in a nutshell: all the Ice machines with compressor, with At least 100 star ratings on Amazon with an average Star rating of at least 4.0 and a Price up to approx. 250 Euro included. The goal was to identify the best three machines that would give you the best price-performance ratio offer. The basis is an evaluation on a combination of the distribution of star ratings, number of ratings and the price. In my opinion, this gives me a better ranking of the ice machines.
Content
The three best ice machines with compressor for beginners
Without further ado, here are the top three ice cream makers that my evaluation spit out. The complete ranking can be found at the end of the article.
A brief technical comparison
| Springlane Elli | Medion ice cream maker 18387 | Unold Cortina 48806 | |
| Dimensions of the device | 39 x 26 x 21,5 cm | 40.2 x 28.1 x 24.5 cm | 39 x 26 x 23 cm |
| Capacity | 1.2 liters | 1.5 litres | 1.5 litres |
| minimum filling - maximum filling | 2 - 5 servings | 2 - 6 servings | 2 - 6 servings |
| Weight | 9,5 kg | 10,4 kg | 12,1 kg |
| Color | silver, white | silver, black | silver, black |
| Material | Stainless steel | Aluminum | Aluminum, stainless steel ice bin (from 2017) |
| Performance | 135 W | 150 W | 150 W |
| Volume | 65 dB | 58 dB | 44 dB |
| special equipment and accessories | Post-cooling function, LC display, filling opening in lid, ice cream scoop, measuring cup, ice cream spatula | LC display, temperature controller, filling opening in lid, measuring cup, ice spatula | LC display, filling opening in lid, timer, measuring cup, ice cream scoop |
All three Ice machines have a Average rating of 4.5 at Amazon (as of 06/2023). Through my system, I was able to work out a clear ranking, which hopefully helps you further to decide between these ice machines. In the following, I give you a brief presentation of the three winners.
Springlane Elli: winner price-performance ratio
On the first place it has the SPRINGLANE ice cream maker Elli 1.2 L with self-cooling from € 179.99 * managed. It is one of the cheaper ice machines in the lower price segment, and yet is very well rated.
She is an ice cream machine from Stainless steel with white plastic elements and has a compact, beautiful design. The Springlane Elli can in a preparation time of about 45 minutes up to 1.2 liters creamy ice cream. That's enough for about 5 people.
The machine comes with a removable Stainless steel ice bucket, a Lid with Refill openinga stirring part, a Ice cream scoops and a recipe booklet.
Technical details
Elli ice cream maker has a power of 135 watts. The LC display shows Preparation time and temperature an.
It has a Post-cooling functionif the ice cannot be removed immediately. The change to cooling mode starts automatically 10 minutes after the end of the stirring time.
In addition, the engine is equipped with a Automatic switch-off protected if the ice becomes too solid.
Advantages and disadvantages according to customer reviews
Customers praise the Simple operationwho fast preparation time and the great quality of the ice.
Ice bucket, stirring arm and lid are dishwasher safe. The stainless steel ice bin is additionally equipped with a Non-stick coating provided.
Springlane has a Very good customer service and helps with big and small problems.
The design is shapely and the display and switching elements are modern.
An additional Ice bin ( SPRINGLANE stainless steel ice bin for ice machine from € 19.99 * ) can be ordered.
Medion ice cream maker 18387: Inexpensive device with good performance
Just behind the Springlane Elli has it the MEDION ice cream maker with compressor from € 249.90 * made it to the 2nd place. This ice machine is the best ice cream maker with compressor according to Stiftung Warentest from the year 2021.
With a capacity of 1.5 liters and a Aluminum ice bucket, you can buy ice cream for up to 6 people prepare.
Technical details
The Medion 18387 has a Temperature range from -18°C to -35°C and the temperature can be set by means of Rotary switch be set. The Preparation time can be controlled flexibly via an easy-to-operate rotary switch and you can readjust it at any time.
The device and also the ice bin are made of Aluminum manufactured.
The Scope of delivery of the machine includes the lid, the stirring tool, a measuring cup and a spatula.
Advantages and disadvantages according to customer reviews
The customer reviews of the Medion ice cream maker are very positive and the ice is called very creamy and tasty described.
If the ice is very solid, it may happen that the Motor gets stuck, since it is unfortunately no automatic switch-off there.
The Design and the Rotary switch in 10 minute steps are kept rather simple. The design with black plastic and aluminum is a matter of taste and is reminiscent of the Unold Cortina.
Unold Cortina 48806: durable appliance with solid workmanship
In 3rd place comes the UNOLD Ice cream maker Cortina from € 244.99 * .
It can be up to 1.5 litres Make ice cream and is thus sufficient for full filling for about 6 people. The machine has a stainless steel design and consists of Aluminum.
The Scope of delivery of the machine includes a measuring cup, ice cream scoop and instructions.
Technical details
The Unold ice cream maker Cortina has a cooling capacity of 150 watts. She has a great Stainless steel ice bucket (since the 2017 production year).
The Freezing range reaches -35°C and is thus in the normal range for ice machines with compressor.
It has a LC display, which displays the temperature of the ingredients and the passage of time. In addition there is a digital timerwhich you can set between 10 - 60 minutes.
The machine also has a Opening in the lid for adding ingredients during operation.
Advantages and disadvantages according to customer reviews
Customers praise the Ice cream taste as well as the Quality and solid workmanship of the device. The Unold Cortina is very durable and performs well even after years.
The engine has unfortunately No safety shutdownwhen the ice becomes more solid.
The Ice from stirring arm to remove is called arduous described. However, the Spatula to remove the ice mass from the ice container very helpful. When finished, it is recommended to first remove the stirring arm to scrape the ice from it first, as long as it is not yet too solid.
As Spare parts you can use the Ice bin ( easyPART Compatible/replacement for UNOLD 4880610 from € 35.90 * ) and the Stirring arm ( Unold 4880644 mixer for 48806 Cortina from € 10.98 * ) reorder separately.
At Design As with the Medion machine, opinions differ on the design. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they like the combination of black plastic with vents and aluminum or not.
Summary and comparison
From the technical details are all three ice machines comparable. All provide flavorful Excellent ice cream.
The Springlane Elli with 1.2 liters has a somewhat Lower capacitybut is lighter and both the device and the ice bucket are made from Stainless steel manufactured. Stirring arm, lid and ice bin are dishwasher safe in contrast to the container of Medion 18387. Overall, the Springlane Elli appears thoughtful with its post-cooling function and automatic shut-off than the other two ice machines. The design beats that of the others by far in my eyes. Therefore, it is rightly the price-performance winner in this comparison for ice machines with compressor up to 250 euros.
In terms of design, the Medion 18387 and Unold Cortina 48806 very. The Control units the Unold Cortina are, however, still somewhat modern while the Medion gets by with a rotary knob and a very simple display for the temperature. Both ice machines are wider than they are deep and the ventilation slots at the back have to be Sufficient space to the wall have. Of course, you can also place the ice machines differently, but then the switching elements are not at the front of the device. If you don't mind the simpler design of the Medion ice cream maker, you should rather buy this machine due to the price advantage.
My personal opinion
To get started in ice cream making at home, you have with all three ice machines a good catch made. The choice ultimately depends on your personal preferences and budget.
However have Ice cream machines with compressor in the lower price segment a few common Disadvantages:
- Between Stirring arm and ice bucket is a relatively large distance. This means that the cooling power is not transferred as directly as it could be. A more or less thick layer of ice must always form in the container before the stirring arm can scrape off the ice crystals that form. It is better if the stirring arm scrapes very closely along the wall of the ice container.
- The Motor for the stirring arm usually has a Lower performance and stalls when ice is solid. Often lacks automatic shutdown and leads to the fact that the life of the engine decreases. In addition, due to the slower speed, the air impact into the ice and the creaminess is lower.
- Mostly likewise the Cooling capacity not as high as in more expensive ice cream machines, so that the ice cream is still relatively soft at the end, if necessary.
If you are already pretty sure that you will be Regular ice cream you are going to do, you should go straight to the more expensive devices orientation. The third part of my evaluation will follow shortly. In the meantime, you can read my articles on the Musso Mini and Cube 750 view. These are both professional devices for home use that can be recommended without restrictions. Only the price of both is no fun at all. However, the quality and performance of both devices are beyond reproach.
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