Rival 8550-X

Pros: Makes smooth creamy ice cream relatively quickly

Cons: Need to make a simple modification for best results.

The Bottom Line: Make the necessary modifications and you will be very happy with this machine.

Review: We got one of these as a wedding gift about 4 years ago and after what I thought was operator error the plastic gear mechanism that turns the tub as well as the metal hub which keeps the dasher from turning got stripped out. Went out and got a new ...

Pros: Makes ice cream making fun.It is easy enough for anyone to use

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: Go ahead purchase this machine and you will bring the family closer

Review: Remember when you were a kid and the whole family would go on outings or just gather in the back yard and cookout.After the cooking and eating was done then it was time to make the homemade ice cream.I just recently purchased the rival 5qt electric ice...

Pros: Great ice cream. Fast and easy

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: Low price, easy to use, manageable noise, ice cream in 30 minutes or less. A definite buy for a family of four or less.

Review: I've read the other reviews and am surprised by the negative responses. My family has only used the Rival 8550-x three or four times now, but it has performed well. The first two times we made ice cream via homemade recipes. The last time we bought ...

Pros: Looks can be deceiving

Cons: Metal Filings in your Ice cream (Class Action Lawsuit)maybe?

Review: I purchased this product for a family/friends outing and everyone was looking forward to having ice cream. After 30min.opened to check the progress and found the Aluminum shaft had ground off the edges and Aluminum filings were all in the ice cream. ...

Pros: Look nice

Cons: Failed first use

Review: Poorly engineered paddle shaft to motor connection stripped on first use. The aluminum shaft rounded off as it does not connect well, the results being a stuck paddle in hard ice cream around the outside edges and completely liquid in the center of the ...

Pros: Looks good

Cons: Hard to use

Review: Other reviewers are right about the difficulty of getting the shaft to motor connection correct. They are also correct about the outer wooden bucket not draining the water. The metal canister is flimsy, as are the brackets which broke the first time we ...