Non-Aluminum Ice Cream Maker

August 1, 2007, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Linda

Anyone know of an ice cream / sorbet maker that does not use an aluminum (or plastic) dish for making the ice cream? I have not been able to find one made of stainless steel. 

Any opinions as to whether it's ok to make the ice cream in aluminum (about 20 minutes) and then transfer it to something else afterwards? Maybe the fact that it is COLD, not hot, isn't so bad for leaching toxic materials into food. 

Debra's Answer

The one I use is aluminum and I'm not concerned about it because I use it infrequently. Aluminum leaches more when acidic foods are cooked in it, and longer cooking times (worst, for example, would be slow-cooked spaghetti sauce).

Here's one with a stainless steel bowl, but not cheap ($600.00!): Musso Stainless Steel Lussino Ice Cream Maker.

I seem to recall many years ago I had an ice cream maker that also had a stainless steel bowl.

I think you need to look for a unit that has a built-in bowl and a freezer in the unit. These seem to have stainless steel bowls.

The less expensive type where you pre-freeze a removable bowl in the freezer seem to be made of aluminum or plastic. Perhaps there is a reason for using aluminum that helps with the freezing, so there may not be one of this type that has a stainless steel bowl.