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Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker (The Ice Cream Ball)
By: UCO       Average Rating: 4.0     Total Reviews: 149
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Great fun for the whole family!     On: 2008-10-05

I bought the Play and Freeze prior to our family reunion. It was a HIT!! My only 2 complaints are; A)The condensation on the outside of the ball causes it to get dirty, so I only recommend INDOOR play with it. B)Its not easy to get the ice cream out of the canister. (I suggest that the manufacturer discover a tool that works without scraping up the inside.) The kids had a "BALL" and we all enjoyed the product!
Fun!     On: 2008-09-28

Its fun! At first, I buy this for me 2 yr old son but its a little to heavy for him to roll with it all fill up with ice. So I fill half of the ice in the second time and pour melted ice and added more when I have to stir ice cream in the half time. It works well.
BEYOND THE BEST!     On: 2008-09-26

We had a family camp out with our church family with many kids this ball was the absolute hit of the entire camping trip. We have the large one that make enough for about 6 small bowls (two scoops) of ice-cream per each "session". We got to the camp site with all the hills, the kids rolled it up and down the hills while we set up camp. When we were done we had ice-cream! We added in coffee creamers for the variety of ice-creams...all in all we had 6 different kinds of ice-cream that everyone old andyoung enjoyed....PLUS the kids were passed out early from being tired from making ice cream.. The anticpation as to when the ice cream would be done was AMAZING.. We use the very simple recipe: 1 pint 1/2 and 1/2 with 3/4 sugar, then added power coffee creamer..then they were off. Only down fall is remind them to come back to scrap the sides .... but honestly it made sure we keep them close to camp.ENJOY!
Ice Cream Ball     On: 2008-09-07

Great idea, but ice cream quality will never be the same as buying commerical ice cream!
great group activity     On: 2008-09-07

I love this product especially in large group setting so everyone can take a turn rolling it. It takes about 30-45 min. to make ice cream so the more people to help the better. The kids love it!
A mason jar and a marble work better!     On: 2008-09-02

You dont need this questionable product to make ice cream. Just put your pre-chilled ingredients into a clean mason jar, add a clean marble or two and alternate between shaking and rolling the jar around on the floor and putting it into the freezer for a few minutes to keep it cold. Or you can use a gallon plastic ziplock bag and the marbles and squish and squeeze the bag. My kids make ice cream this way all the time. If you are camping just put it into a cooler of ice occasionally to chill it instead of the freezer. It works, its cheap and easy and its much easier to clean than this thing!
lots of fun     On: 2008-08-13

I took this to a family reunion and let the kids roll it around the room. We ate ice cream for days! The older kids enjoyed it. The little ones (ages 3-5) got a little bored because it takes longer than they are willing to deal with. The ice cream tasted great and everyone had a good time with it.
Faulty balls     On: 2008-08-10

I bought the ball last weekend and used it for the first time last night with friends... the seal between the outer container for the ice and the rock salt, and the inner container for the ice cream is faulty. After the 30 + minutes we spent rolling and tossing the ball around we ended up with incredibly salty Grass hopper ice cream. We live in a small town and I cant even return the thing to the store I bought it at... And now, I have a useless 25 lbs bag of rock salt.
Fantastic     On: 2008-07-17

I bought this for my class of special ed kids. They loved rolling the ball around and making ice cream. They also enjoyed eating what they made. I did not expect the ice cream to be as firm as it turned out!
Fun product     On: 2008-07-01

My children have fun with this and they can make small batches of their favorites! They can also clean it. I dont have to do much with it since it is so child friendly.
Ice cream Ball     On: 2008-06-23

This works great when you have lots of kids to help you. Let them toss and roll it around. Takes a bit of time and kids may get fidgety we are currently on our second Ice cream ball we got the larger size after our daughter broke the last one on the tile floor. other reviewer said that they kicked it wow !! good luck with that !!!

Everyone in the campground looks forward to when we have Ice cream night ; )
Great in the classroom     On: 2008-06-19

I have used the ice cream ball with many groups of students over the past 3 years with great success. It is quick and takes fairly common household ingredients to make a batch of ice cream. We have made enough in one time around for 8 students to enjoy a small bowl. It is a great learning tool for math as well as motor skills. I was surprised at some of the reviews I read as people indicated it was too heavy to kick for fear of broken toes and too heavy to toss very far. The directions clearly state this ball is not a toy and is only to be rolled. It is not meant to be kicked or thrown. I have found that when the directions were followed, it works well to create a frozen treat in just about any location, (campground, hotel room, backyard, or classroom) that may be desired. I enjoy this product and plan to get many more years of lessons and use from the one I own.
Not as fun as they say     On: 2008-06-17

This is a great idea in theory. It doesnt take 10mins like the directions say. It takes about 45 mins and you need to keep adding ice and salt. My kids lost interest after about 15 min and I ended up rolling the thing around the house until I gave up and stuck the whole thing in the freezer to finish the job. For as much work as this thing takes you dont get much ice cream as a reward. Id rather pay $5.00 and buy some ice cream.
Fun and easy!     On: 2008-06-17

Ive used it about 5 times. My son (3 years) and myself roll it back and forth on the floor. Its a very fun alternative to shaking plastic bags or an automatic maker :) Its easy to clean and easy to use, very simple. I would suggest using a long soft scrubber to clean the inside, my hand wouldnt fit in with a sponge well. Also, I found tht using fat free half and half makes a good creamy texture and (obviously) no fat like whole cream! I recommend this highly as a fun toy for summer and a great cooling treat after!
Fun Ice Cream Maker - heavy..but fun     On: 2008-06-10

Keep in mind that you are ordering the larger of the two Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker balls.

1. Size: It is quite large and when filled with the ice cream products and ice/salt, it is quite heavy. Not recommended for little children and their fragile fingers. Because its heavy, it gathers some momentum and I can see how someone might get their fingers/toes hurt. But the end product is enough to feed 5 people a good coffee cup full of ice cream.

2. Noise: because the ball is larger, it does make a lot more noise. Just with the ice slushing around in there along with the ball rolling on the floor. We have hardwood floors so over the rug, we placed another blanket and rolled the ball around. Luckily, our walls arent too thing.

3. Ice Cream: I used half n half because I didnt have cream, sugar, vanilla, bananas, strawberries, and chocolate chips. It turned out great! The consistency wasnt like soft serve, but actually more like Breyers ice cream. Light and with a bite to it. PLenty of recipes you can try.

4. Time: It does take longer to make this ice cream. Id suggest 15 min, scrape down the sides, give it a gentle mix, another 15 minutes and then check it. Depending on how hard you roll and how much ice you put in the beginning, you dont even need to refill it with ice and its done in 30 minutes.

5. Removing the ice cream: I didnt get a special spoon like someone did with their order from another company... so I used a wooden spoon. Didnt really work ..only with the ice cream in the center. So I had to carefully scrape the ice cream off the walls with a butter knife. Another option is to empty the ice end, and dunk the ball in warm water just for a few seconds. The ice cream on the wall of the cylinder will melt and it will be easier to scoop.

Again, not perfect ice cream and its not instant...but if thats what youre looking for, why buy an ice cream maker :) Its fun I have to admit, especially since you can get really creative. And we are people in our mid 20s...put on some music and its pretty fun. So, if you get it while its on sale, Id say go for it.

And lastly, if you have kids, Id stick to the smaller one if you want them to help make the ice cream. This ball gets heavy, gathers momentum and can really easily bruise or sprain a little finger.
A little work for great ice cream     On: 2008-05-22

I bought this to use with my kids. (Why is the pink so much cheaper?!?) We had a lot of fun with it and it was easy. We sat on the family room floor and played hot potato by rolling it back and forth. The ice cream tasted great and I used organic cream and unprocessed sugar so we werent eating a lot of unnecessary chemicals. To get the ice cream out easier, empty and rinse out the end with the ice first. I did that and the ice cream just slid out. It then needed a bit of a stir, but it was good to go. Oh, the ice cubes from my freezer slide right in. Basically it does what it says it will.
ice cream ball     On: 2008-05-20

This product is great. It works well and makes great ice cream. It is a lot of fun. The only beef that I have with the product is that the stainless steel container where the ice cream is made is too long, I get my arm all covered in ice cream when I am scraping it down. But other than that it works wonderfully and really only takes 30 mins to have home made ice cream.
We love ice cream!     On: 2008-05-16

With a family of 5 that loves ice cream and three active kids this was a perfect choice for us. This was a gift for my daughters 8th birthday, and she loves the idea of making her own ice cream. The recipes are easy and you can get creative, trying different flavors. For the kids I think the fun of rolling the ice cream ball around is enhanced by the anticipation of the prize in side. Easy to clean. Great gift idea.
do not buy     On: 2008-05-07

i got this for $12 bucks at walmart and i am glad i didnt pay $20 or more from this site. it is impossible to get the ice cream out of the ball. instead of putting the ice cream mix in the cylinder and the ice outside in the ball part, it is reversed, and IMPOSSIBLE to mix or scoop out. i had to use a long skinny iced tea spoon and i scratched the metal cylinder. i didnt even feel like cleaning it afterwards because i knew i would never use it again. i chucked it in the garbage. good luck.
play & freeze     On: 2008-05-04

The first pint of ice cream took a long time- your arms get pretty sore. On the second pint, my son dropped it (accidentally) from about 3 feet up. It is now ruined (illustrating how heavy it really is). If I knew who to appeal to, I would try to get a free replacement, and CERTAINLY to suggest adding rubber strips to all the hard edges. This would make it MUCH more durable and keep the damp exterior from slipping through cold and icy fingers.
Great idea, doesn't quite work     On: 2008-04-30

I got this for the kids for Christmas a couple of years ago. We followed the instructions exactly, had lots of fun rolling it around, and wound up with some soupy ice milk. This is one of those products that is a great idea but ultimately, you dont use it much - we used it exactly one time, and no one has ever suggested using it again. If you want some exercise along with your ice cream, go run after your neighborhood ice cream truck.
love the new ice cream ball!!     On: 2008-04-28

Fabulous product. If you enjoy spending time in the outdoors, whatever the passtime...you NEEd this product. So much fun!!!It really works!!!Play-and-Freeze Mega Ice Cream Maker - Quart
Lots of fun for a bunch of kids     On: 2008-04-28

I got this for my daughters birthday as the Bratz ice cream maker she got only made about 2 scoops of ice cream. This makes a whole quart and I had my Girl Scout troop throw it around and there was more than enough for all of them to have an ice cream cone. They loved it. Its a lot easier if you have a group, my girls took turns but they certainly earned their cones. I will do it with my Cub Scout troop when we are camping. This is a great, simple item!
Having fun making ice cream     On: 2008-04-21

We bought this as a special treat for a daycare I work for. Everyone who helps roll the ball gets to share in the ice cream, just like the little red hen making her bread! No one wanted to help but everyone wanted to share in the eating......great lesson and a nice reward too!
Fun, but a few drawbacks     On: 2008-04-15

This is a super idea and a lot of fun but there are a few drawbacks. It takes 15 minutes in 2 intervals to roll the thing, and time seems to pass slowly on that second pass. I did it with 3 children, and all of our attention spans waned. And unless you really keep the momentum going, it doesnt freeze all the way so you have to eat runny ice cream or roll for a bit longer. The ball itself is also very hard so you have to be careful if you are doing this with kids. But all the flavors you can create are a lot of fun, and its a great concept.
What a fun idea!     On: 2008-04-14

I bought three of these for each of my children (ages 3-12) for Easter. Our family had such a good time rolling the balls around on the floor and the time went by very quickly. I read several reviews prior to purchasing and Im so glad I didnt listen to the people who cant seem to make this work. The ice cube maker in our freezer had enough ice (cresent shaped cubes) for all three balls (including the refill after 10 minutes). We used wooden spoons to scrape the sides of the ice cream canister and it worked fine. You do need to be careful that the spoon doesnt slip while scraping the harded ice cream and slosh the still liquid contents out of the ball, but after doing the first one we didnt have any trouble. The ice cream tasted great. We also bought the flavor pack listed along with this product and all the flavors were just like store bought. I definitely recommend this product for anyone who loves ice cream and wants to enjoy a fun time with family and friends. If youre too uptight to have some fun with it, just go buy your ice cream at the store.
Plastic Junk from China     On: 2008-04-09

Dont waste your money on this piece if plastic junk from China! This thing lures you in with its pretty colors and then disappoints with its difficulty of use. It holds only two cups, which isnt worth all the effort to make really bad ice cream. Yes, its only 20 bucks, but it will end up on your yard sale this summer for sure. If you want an ice cream maker, dont be lured in by the pretty colors of this "Made in China" junk ... go get the real thing and make some descent ice cream.
Good     On: 2008-03-27

The product came very swiftly and in mint condition! Also, good packaging as to not destroy item when in delivery process!
Ice cream ball     On: 2008-02-25

The ice cream was great! Now for the down side of it...
The seal on the side the cylinder opened to would leak during use, it took what seemed forever to make the ice cream (thirty minutes for the mega size; if you have dogs that like to chase things that might make it more enjoyable between two people), and it took lots of ice. It would be good for someone to do at home, however, not my idea of a good item to take camping unless youre in a motorhome with an ice maker and space to store it...would be good for kids if you could come up with different ways of moving the ball around besides throwing/tossing it.
fun for date night     On: 2008-02-15

I received the pint-size version for Christmas. I forgot about it until I woke up craving ice cream. Now I cant get enough. The ingredients are simple and theres no hand-cranking as was the case when I was a kid. Just roll it back and forth while having a pleasant conversation. This size is just perfect for two people. Ive read other reviews and must say that ours does not leak. Also, the spiderweb design on the outside is what keeps the surface comfortable to touch. Yes, the lids get tight, which is why the manufacturers included a handy tool to remove them. This rates a four out of five because the sides do get difficult to scrape down and were advised to not use metal objects. I scrape as much as I can with a wooden spoon, then empty all the ice out and let it sit for ten minutes. At that point, the same wooden spoon handily gets the rest. We made mint chocolate chip tonight and were very happy with it. Im already thinking of new recipes.
Great Fun Indoors or Out!     On: 2008-02-11

I bought this as a gift for my family and we enjoyed rolling it around the living room in December. The dog loved chasing it as much as we loved eating the ice cream. It makes enough ice cream for our family of eight to have sundaes.
Lots of fun!     On: 2008-02-05

I bought this for my sisters family-- mostly to keep her two children occupied! and it totally worked. The kids think of it as a game, and the face that you get ice cream in the end makes it lots of fun for them. Great for 5-10 year olds, or any body with tons of energy. and it works!
Fun, but takes a while     On: 2008-01-19

We have had fun making ice cream, but it takes about 30 minutes of rolling the ball around before you are done. After 15 minutes you have to stop, open the ball and scrap the frozen parts from the sides (not as easy as you think!). In the end, the ice cream was good and we had fun!. The best part is you can use ingredients that you typically have on hand.
So Much Fun     On: 2008-01-18

I bought a few of these this Christmas. I gave them to all the kids, including nieces and nephews. They love them. I bought everyone who lives in the same house a different color so they know which one is theirs. (Less fighting that way) They have used them a few times already. They have so much fun making the ice cream and it is really good ice cream. For the parents...one thing to know is it takes A LOT of ice and you can use regular table salt instead of the rock salt, its works just fine. I would recommend this to anyone. Enjoy!
Like the product     On: 2008-01-18

This was a gift for my sister and her family. They enjoyed making the ice cream. My 9 month nephew had fun going after the ball. This is a great item to have.
Quick and Tasty Fun!!     On: 2008-01-14

Some people make the complaints of its too heavy, it takes too long, and it sticks to the sides. I got this for my stepdaughter and we made ice cream twice with it (once with heavy whipping cream and once with half and half). The Heavy Cream worked better and the ice cream tasted so good. We also used the basic vanilla recipe and added crushed oreos. It was the best ice cream Ive ever had!! Its heavy but dont go throwing it around. Roll it on the floor, heck do it on a towel in front of the television, all you have to do is just keep it moving, there is no wrong or right way to do it. Takes too long?!?! Have you ever made homemade ice cream with a crank or electric machine. It takes so much longer and honestly, this version was so much easier to me!! And of course it sticks to the sides - but take your time scraping and know that you might make a mess - who cares that makes it fun!!! Keep a hard plastic spatula on hand and use this to scrap the sides. I think this is a great buy and I will be soon purchasing one for my other kids.
A blast! And a lot easier than we expected!     On: 2008-01-14

Play And Freeze Ice Cream Maker Ball Pink

We got this for our four year old son for Yule. We were slightly concerned about some of the reviews, but figured that it was worth the risk. We were relieved to see that there was no metal exposed in the freezer end of the ball, so the corrosion we worried about from the other reviews wasnt likely to be a problem.

The night that he opened it, we set about making ice cream immediately. We used whole, raw milk, Sucranat raw sugar, and Mexican vanilla in the recommended proportions. We put a scant half cup of table salt and one tray of ice cubes in the other end (we hadnt planned this out carefully and thats what we had...) figuring that it might not be ideal, but it should do something.

Then we took the ball into into the parlour and rolled the ice cream maker around on the rug with our feet for ten minutes. It rapidly became a freewheeling game with much giggling. After 10 minutes, we went into the kitchen and scraped down the sides with a wooden butter knife so that the ice cream would freeze evenly, as suggested. The next 10 minutes went by amazingly fast as we continued our rollicking game.

The ice cream was amazing -- even with the wrong kind of salt and not quite enough ice, it turned into a wonderful soft serve texture and the flavour was just what we were hoping for.

One hint, though. If you dump the salt and ice out and rinse the freezer end with cold water before you open the ice cream end, the ice cream will serve a lot more easily.

YUM! We highly recommend this -- it takes the drudgery out of home made ice cream and works very well.
The Ice Cream Ball     On: 2008-01-12

I purchased this as a Christmas gift for an 11 year old girl in our community. I got her request from our "Angel Tree". It is true to color and very appealing. I purchased rock salt, vanilla and sugar to go with the gift. She would need the cream and ice when she started to use the ball. I have no idea if it worked well for her as we do not have personal contact with the kids. It would be useful as a game as well as being decorative.
cool product     On: 2008-01-12

My grandaughter had this marked in a magazine I received in the mail. I love the great colors to choose from and her favorite is, of course, pink. I received it quickly and have not talked to her since she has used it. So I cannot say how the Ice Cream Maker worked for her, but Im sure she has had a "ball" with it. It is a very cool product.
Love this thing!     On: 2008-01-11

Santa brought this for Christmas! It was so much fun and the ice cream was delicious. I didnt give it 5 stars because it took a little longer than the recommended time to freeze and the center didnt actually get solid. We drank it like milkshakes and the ice cream that lined the sides was very firm and (did I mention?) really yummy. Worth every penny! Our family of five was able to almost eat all of the contents of the quart size.
Eggnog Ice Cream     On: 2008-01-02

I gave this as a Christmas present. We made Eggnog ice cream in about 30 minutes. A pint was enough for four people. The kids and dad definitely had fun!
All in good time     On: 2007-12-27

It does make delicious soft icecream. While the book suggests that you can substitute ingredents, do be sure to allow yourself closer to an hour if you are not using the recommended ingredients. We used kosher salt in lieu of rock salt and had to repeat the drain and mix procedure a few extra times. It would also be helpful to chop ice down in advance, especially if you have an icemaker where the cubes often freeze together. Quality product and wonderful results.
Ice Cream Disaster     On: 2007-12-23

This product is heavy when in use, so you cant toss it, and it is over an hours work for about a pint of ice cream... This isnt a great gift and can smash fingers... I would think twice before buying this, because my 3 kids hate it.
Horrible     On: 2007-12-22

What could be worse? After following the instructions except the continuation of shaking for an hour (due to the lack of hardening of ice cream and needing to add ice) I ended up with some very tasty semi-frozen ice cream based soup. This product does not make ice cream at all. Not only does it function incorrectly it is bad at what it does incorrectly. If only Amazon had a 0 stars rating
ice cream ball     On: 2007-12-21

the kids will love making their own ice cream by rolling the ball around the room!!
Play and Ice Cream     On: 2007-12-20

Great product. Play with the ball and make ice cream at the same time. Its fun and it works!
It Hurts, It Heals     On: 2007-12-20

I was at a party and everyone started making fun of me then somebody picked one of these up and threw it at me and it hit me right in the gosh darn eye. But I was able to use it to stop the swelling because it was so cold.
Cheaper at Walmart     On: 2007-12-15

I recently purchased this same item a few weeks ago at Walmart for $12.00. It was on clearance though. Make sure you look there first!
ice cream ball     On: 2007-11-30

works, but too hard to scoop ice cream out of ball
1 quart size is too narrow of opening for depth
unless you let melt a bit ???
This ball is great....lotsa fun!     On: 2007-11-23

Last year I gave this as a gift and it was a big hit and my plan is to give a couple more this year....its good for all ages and makes great stuff!
Great fun for the whole family!     On: 2007-11-16

These Mega Ice Cream Maker Balls are the perfect gift for any occasion. I always send a few to my cousins and friends back east for Christmas. Its a great way to get everybody to interact together over the holidays, instead of just eating and watching TV. The ice cream comes out soft and delicious. We also add Chocolate Fudge Fountain Flavoring, 1.7 oz. to please everyones palette.
Simple fun     On: 2007-09-27

If you have ever made ice cream with two coffee cans, this is the product for you. I liked using cans, but they rust quickly from the salt. We made pomagranet sorbet in it and enjoyed it. I love the simplicity of it. It didnt take very long. I recomend scraping the side frequently, as it gets very cold and can freeze to the sides.

If you want an ice cream maker where you put everything in, turn it on and leave, then this is not the ice cream maker for you.
Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker     On: 2007-09-06

I got this so I could make ice cream with my grandkids. First let me say that I used the recipe that it came with and made the chocolate chip one. It turned out fabulous. My grandchildren loved it and one said that she had never had any ice cream this good ever...even store bought. She is 11 years old!

My grand children ranged in age from 11 to 2 1/2. The 2 1/2 was not at all interested in doing it (but did like eating it). The ll, 8 and 6 year olds did like doing it, though the 6 year old stopped for awhile. They made up games as time went on. They would sing songs while doing it. I turned on a cable music channel and would mute it as they played "musical ball" with it. The last thing they did was whoever the ball would be rolled to, would add a word to a sentence. They made up a story as they went.

All this being said, the thing that I did not like the most was that the ice cream really stuck to the sides and made scrapping down almost impossible without carefully using a kitchen table knife (which it says not to). Having some arthritis in my thumbs did not help the matter. It was a bit messy too.

Also be sure to check the top, periodically, to be sure its still tight as it seemed to loosen as the ice cream cooled and started to leak a bit. I used 3 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup milk and it took 45 minutes to make, plus the break in between to scrape down, and add more ice* and salt. It got to be a long time for the kids and ended just about the right time for the older ones as they were tiring of it too.

*Ice...have plenty or buy a bag of ice. I have an electric ice maker and started with a full container of ice and it nearly wiped out all my ice. It took 3 days to get back to a full bucket again (with using ice normally each day).

I was surprised how it fed all the kids (5 & me) and there was still a cereal bowl left over for their parents to try. I am a big ice cream eater, but was satisfied with less...I think its due to being so much richer then store bought, so I didnt want/need as much to satisfy my "ice cream" tooth!
ice cream ball maker     On: 2007-09-02

It works well and quicker than I thought but it is pretty heavy so its not really a toy. We used to make ice cream with used coffee cans and those were easier to kick around and actually have fun with. It ends up feeling slightly like a chore. Also, the ice cream ingredients tend to separate in the container. The heavier ingredients settle to the sides and freeze first. My boyfriend and younger cousin didnt notice the difference but I was trying to make gelato and it was the worst tasting gelato Ive ever had. Also, dont try putting anything big in there like oreo cookies because they disinigrate into mush.
ice cream ball maker     On: 2007-09-01

It works well and quicker than I thought but it is pretty heavy so its not really a toy. We used to make ice cream with used coffee cans and those were easier to kick around and actually have fun with. It ends up feeling slightly like a chore. Also, the ice cream ingredients tend to separate in the container. The heavier ingredients settle to the sides and freeze first. My boyfriend and younger cousin didnt notice the difference but I was trying to make gelato and it was the worst tasting gelato Ive ever had. Also, dont try putting anything big in there like oreo cookies because they disinigrate into mush.
Get the kids away from the computer games.     On: 2007-08-31

I borrowed 3 friends kids ages, 9,11, & 13. They love my house because Im cool with making a mess. The hot summer made me thing of making ice cream, having something to shake should wear them down, right? Well it does keep them very busy with the shaking and rolling, AND the Mad Scientist part of deciding what flavors to make let them be more creative as well. The resulting flavors were all great and the texture was very thick. As soon as one batch was ready they would scrape it out and start the next one since each kid HAD to have their OWN flavor. I used the 1 quart Glad plastic containers for each batch to store in the freezer.
The kids need to be at least age 7 and above if they are going to lift and pass it. The ball doesnt roll easily on our lawn but they put a quilt down on the hard wood floor and rolled it to each other. The nice thing is that unlike the electric home ice cream makers you dont have to store in your freezer.
Maybe a whole class of kindergarten kids could use this by rolling it on the floor.
Get the kids away from the computer games.     On: 2007-08-30

I borrowed 3 friends kids ages, 9,11, & 13. They love my house because Im cool with making a mess. The hot summer made me thing of making ice cream, having something to shake should wear them down, right? Well it does keep them very busy with the shaking and rolling, AND the Mad Scientist part of deciding what flavors to make let them be more creative as well. The resulting flavors were all great and the texture was very thick. As soon as one batch was ready they would scrape it out and start the next one since each kid HAD to have their OWN flavor. I used the 1 quart Glad plastic containers for each batch to store in the freezer.
The kids need to be at least age 7 and above if they are going to lift and pass it. The ball doesnt roll easily on our lawn but they put a quilt down on the hard wood floor and rolled it to each other. The nice thing is that unlike the electric home ice cream makers you dont have to store in your freezer.
Maybe a whole class of kindergarten kids could use this by rolling it on the floor.
solid construction     On: 2007-08-23

This is really fun. I bought it for my girlfriend for her birthday and we have used it twice so far. It takes a while if you use milk (even whole milk - use half&half or cream), but it tells you that in the instructions. The quality is very good and it doesnt look or feel cheap.
So far, so good.     On: 2007-08-23

After making three batches of the best ice cream Ive ever had, I cant find much to be disappointed by.
Don't, it was NO FUN!     On: 2007-08-03

Too heavy, took long time, kids lost interest, had to use pliers to remove seal.
great product     On: 2007-07-23

This is a great product for kids, they really enjoyed the short period of time it took to make ice cream!

There are so many ice cream recipes out there that can all be used with this.
Cannot remove the seals!     On: 2007-07-21

I am a homeschooling mom who purchased this item this summer to make ice cream with my child. It worked wonderful, but we are completely unable to get the seal holding the saltwater undone from the container.I had two strong men and my contractor, who used torque, try to remove the seal and couldnt get it to budge. We are sitting here with an item we have used once and cant use again.We have contacted the company, who made recommendations,which we tried to no avail and when asked for a replacement, recieved no reply. They have been unresponsive to us since. A bad, bad deal!
My 12 year old likes it!     On: 2007-07-14

My 12 year old son likes it. Dad doesnt. It does take some work to keep rolling this thing around for a half hour, lol. You have to stop midway to scrape the ice cream from the sides and can be messy, and you have to add more ice and rock salt. Its more fun for kids than adults, lol, but a neat novelty! They give you recipes but the vanilla one had us adding way too much vanilla and gave it a waxy feel in our mouths. Adjust your recipe to suit you and youll be fine!
Not so good     On: 2007-07-11

1. Too heavy and hard for the kids to toss around. Like throwing a big rock around

2. Took a lot longer to make than the directions stated.

3. Too much work for the amount and quality of ice cream you get

Buy an electric icecream maker instead!     On: 2007-07-05

It takes several hours for the icecream to freeze inside the ball, and bearing to shake it that long is inpossible. If you want to make icecream, I suggest you buy an electric icecream maker instead!
Our kids love it.     On: 2007-06-28

Our girls (ages 5 and 3) really enjoy planning, making and eating the ice cream they make with this ball. The novelty may wear off after a few more uses, but we have already had $30 worth of fun with it. We liked it so much we purchased a second ball for a gift. My only complaint is that the product packaging is slightly larger than the shipping carton used by Amazon. Rather than using a larger shipping box, the Amazon employee simply crushed the packaging to make it fit in the undersized box. While the ball itself arrived undamaged, the product packaging is in such poor shape that my wife is now embarrassed to give the ball as a gift. Im sure shell change her mind once she sees my attractive duct tape repair job.
Our kids love it.     On: 2007-06-27

Our girls (ages 5 and 3) really enjoy planning, making and eating the ice cream they make with this ball. The novelty may wear off after a few more uses, but we have already had $30 worth of fun with it. We liked it so much we purchased a second ball for a gift. My only complaint is that the product packaging is slightly larger than the shipping carton used by Amazon. Rather than using a larger shipping box, the Amazon employee simply crushed the packaging to make it fit in the undersized box. While the ball itself arrived undamaged, the product packaging is in such poor shape that my wife is now embarrassed to give the ball as a gift. Im sure shell change her mind once she sees my attractive duct tape repair job.
Fantastic Fun!     On: 2007-06-24

This thing is absolutely ingenious! We had so much fun playing with it and the ice cream it made was delicious! I saw it on Good Morning America and the Food Network and they liked it, too. Its a great leap forward from turning a crank handle.
Novel idea     On: 2007-06-23

This item looks like a good idea. It is fun for the kids, but makes a very small amount of ice cream....not worth all the work and wait.
Play & Freeze rocks!     On: 2007-06-21

We used this for Fathers Day and it was a blast. Last year we had the original and dad wanted the new MEGA to get twice the ice cream. It takes about 10 minutes longer than the pint ball but its worth it! The ice cream is great!!!
AWESOME     On: 2007-06-20

We had a blast with the product. In fact we want to get the mega. we kicked it around it kept us entertained. we plan on taking it on our camping trip too.
Great idea if it would work     On: 2007-06-19

Absolute bust. I thought this to be great for a kids party, but it just did not work. The kids gave up after 5 minutes. The ball is to heavy to be kicked, and rolling otherwise was only fun for a few minutes - not enough for ice cream to form. Taken that I can make ice cream using in just 2 plastic bags - this tool is worthless. I did not even bother cleaning it, it went right into the trash
AWESOME     On: 2007-06-19

We had a blast with the product. In fact we want to get the mega. we kicked it around it kept us entertained. we plan on taking it on our camping trip too.
Happy brother- in- law     On: 2007-06-07

It is always hard for me to think of fun gifts every year. I gave this to my brother-in-law who loves ice cream for his birthday. He was very pleased. He said the ice cream is good and he has started playing with the recipe. However, he did say that it does take longer than directions indicate.
Creative way to make ice cream     On: 2007-06-03

I picked this up for my husbands birthday. Though rolling the ball around in the living room makes a terrible racket (the ice hitting plastic is much louder than I expected), the ice cream we made was wonderful and there was plenty for the two of us to share. Because it is so portable, we were able to take it with us in the car to pick up a bag of ice (since we only had a couple of ice trays prepared) to finish making the ice cream. The weight of the ball also makes you feel like your getting a little exercise while making your dessert!

This would be a great gift to pair with the Ben & Jerrys ice cream recipe book.
Creative way to make ice cream     On: 2007-06-02

I picked this up for my husbands birthday. Though rolling the ball around in the living room makes a terrible racket (the ice hitting plastic is much louder than I expected), the ice cream we made was wonderful and there was plenty for the two of us to share. Because it is so portable, we were able to take it with us in the car to pick up a bag of ice (since we only had a couple of ice trays prepared) to finish making the ice cream. The weight of the ball also makes you feel like your getting a little exercise while making your dessert!

This would be a great gift to pair with the Ben & Jerrys ice cream recipe book.
Thanks     On: 2007-05-12

I had been looking in all the stores for the product and no one carried it. I evan tryed purchasing it from a online drug store but they were out and they said they would not be getting anymore in. I was very happy to see that you had one, in the color I wanted, and it was new. Never evan use in the box. Thanks again. I am 100% satified
Fun for camping     On: 2007-04-25

We bought one of these and took it to Yosemite when a group of us went camping and it was a big hit! I just made the simple vanilla ice cream recipe and I broke up a Lindt dark chocolate bar and put the pieces in to make chocolate chip ice cream. Yum!

Make sure you have a long wooden spoon or another long-handled utensil that wont scratch metal to periodically scrape the ice cream off the sides and stir it up as you make it. (We didnt have a good utensil and so we got very wet, cold and sticky hands when stirring.) The first night we made ice cream, we had fresh, very cold ice and it took 30 min to make a quart. The second night, our ice was warming up, wet and melting and it took about 50-60 min to make the ice cream which wore us out a bit. (We had to keep adding ice.) We got a bit tired of shaking that night!
Made great gifts!     On: 2007-04-06

I havent actually used this product myself. I gave both away for Christmas gifts, and the recipients were very pleased. I cant tell you how they worked, but they sure seem fun to me.
Don't toss, kick or throw!     On: 2007-04-04

I was a little surprised at the warning when I first read the instructions, but once you fill the MEGA ball with Ice you really wont want to toss, kick or throw this thing anyway. Its 9lbs when filled. Plus the plastic is hard and I imagine would crack of you drop it on another hard surface, or worse it would crack bones in your foot if it landed on it. Even so it was great fun passing and shaking the ball. We used the Strawberry Rival ice cream mix packet along with a mixture of heavy cream, half and half and milk. YUMMY. Took 30 minutes total to freeze. I would recommend the smaller ball for smaller children to help with, even though that is 7lbs filled - still a bit heavy.
Ice Cream Maker     On: 2007-02-23

I got this for my [..]Grandson for Christmas. It was a hit! We have made lots of ice cream. One time we made some in the car while we were waiting to pick up someone at the airport. It makes good ice cream and is fun and easy to use. Your hands do get a little cold so maybe you should use gloves.
Great stuff!     On: 2007-02-23

I took another reviewers recommendation and bought the bigger model; and most appreciated the heads up! The first batch turned out perfect. Fun to roll around on the carpet building up anticipation!
OK     On: 2007-02-20

I know most of the other reviewers really like this item, but I am a little disappoited in it. Ive only used it once so far and it didnt work well. I followed the directions, but it took forever for the ice cream to set--50 minutes! Plus the "ice cream" it made was more like vanilla flavored shaved ice (I used half & half). It tasted ok, but Ill try again with cream to see if it works better. It actual instructions are clear and it is very easy to clean.
Great entertainment, fun for everyone!     On: 2007-02-19

We got this as a family gift for Christmas. We love the red color, and its great to have out at most holidays. The kids were so excited to roll it around, and hear the ice inside. They didnt believe it at first that it was really making ice cream. The anticipation drove them crazy. But it was fun for everyone. I fully recommend this product. We are a family of 4 with the mega ball. At first I wasnt sure if it would be enough, but we even had leftovers. And I love the fact that it comes with recipes for different flavors. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
It does work     On: 2007-02-11

I got this ice cream ball as a gift. It has been a great success. Fun to use, really works.
Just okay.     On: 2007-02-07

This ice cream maker was just okay. Personally, I dont think it was worth the money. I bought it for my 11 year-old for Christmas. He was playing on the computer, while my husband, my 17-year old, and I made/played with the ice cream. When it was time to open and stir it, the mixture splattered everywhere. (My husband ended up mopping my floor, so at least I got that out of the deal.) The ice cream wasnt the best, but it did only have 3 ingreditents. I could not see taking this camping like some of the other reviewers have said, because the outside would get very dirty. We have a dog, and the outside of mine had some (not a lot) of dog hair on it, and it was hard not to get it in the ice cream when the ball was opened. I would say this is best put in your "hurricane survival kit" or saved for a snow day from school. I would guess we would use it maybe once or twice a year, but thats about it. We also have an electric ice cream maker, which makes very tastey ice cream and makes wonderful Christmas gifts for neighbors, friends, and teachers.
Super fun     On: 2007-01-30

My grandkids used the ball for the first time to make ice cream for their grandfathers birthday party. It worked great and was lots of fun. Highly recommended!
Really fun     On: 2007-01-29

I bought this for my boyfriend for Christmas, and we have been making ice cream ever since! Its great for him and his roommates and when they have friends visiting. The ball works very well and its really easy to use and clean. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys ice cream or having fun.
Ice cream is good.     On: 2007-01-18

I was really impressed with how well this item works. I would suggest it for anyone who wants to make a little bit of homemade ice cream. It works fast. It tastes good.
Ice Cream is a ball of fun     On: 2007-01-18

We purchased this ice cream ball for two different families and also got one for ourselves. The design is creative and works. You pour the ice cream mixture in one end and lock it, then ice and rock salt in the other end and lock it. The kids then pass it around until the ice cream freezes. Note: With the Mega size you need to stop the rolling twice during freezing to scrape the sides. This causes some of the ice cream mixture to leak out and cleaning the outside is difficult. Also, because of the amount of ice cream being frozen, it takes about 40 minutes. Our 4 and 7 yr olds lost interest at the end but loved the ice cream. The manufacturer includes a tool to lock the two ends but nothing is included to scrape the ice cream down. They suggest a wooden spoon but that did not work too well for us. Also, they state to use cream or half/half, we used whole milk and it worked fine.
Fun for all ages     On: 2007-01-18

I bought one of these for friends that have children, and one for a friend who is married without children. They all seemed to love it!
I wish it was bigger :)     On: 2007-01-17

Worked great for the kids. The only problem we had was that is wasnt enough. All three of my kids fought over the ice cream. Of course we made more but it just wasnt fast enough. My advice is to buy big soft cookies so they can make ice cream sandwiches and then they wont fight over wanting a BIG bowl full. Enjoy. We really do like it.
Works great!     On: 2007-01-16

This is great for all ages. We had so much fun making ice cream and it tasted so good! The quart size does get heavy so if buying for younger ones I would go with the pint size, but all in all it is an awesome product. The kids had such a good time rolling this around. I would purchase this again, in fact I will be buying some more for birthday gifts.
Ice Cream Ball     On: 2007-01-16

We purchased the Mega ball and have made ice cream twice in 2 weeks. The kids think its great. It takes a good half hour or more, but worth it. Make sure you have a really good stiff plastic spatula for scraping the sides of the container, it can be hard to get off. Really easy to clean.
nice icecream maker     On: 2007-01-12

This is a nice little icecream maker. Simple, efficient. Just one thing. The recipe that comes with this is lame. Its worth it to look into a better recipe. At the very least use real cream.
Fun and Yummy for all ages     On: 2007-01-12

My teenage kids made the best ice cream and they enjoyed the process. I enjoyed watching them as they rolled it back and forth, telling jokes and playing word games. Also, it was a good deal for me because they did all the "work" and I got to share the ice cream! I was afraid that the ball would leak or be messy, but it really wasnt a problem. The Play & Freeze Ice Cream Ball is fun and produces delicious ice cream. Great gift choice.
Super Fun     On: 2007-01-11

I would give it a 5-Star, but it definitely takes work.... Adding more ice, stirring the contents, adding more salt. Shake -a-shake-a-shake. I bought it for my little girls 4th birthday party. IT WAS GREAT!!!!! All the little children sat at safe distances from eachother and cooperatively played the game of roll the ice-cream balll... They loved the idea of making it themselves. When they lost attention with it I gave it to the group of adults left in the room and I beleive it worked even better for them. They were laughing and giggling in childish play.

I love it, but if you want to use it more often with only a couple people then I would have to recommend the smaller version. Less time involved and less adding and stirring necessary.
harveyems9     On: 2007-01-11

I purchased this for my neice who is currently a sophmore in college. She thought it was great and so did everyone else that saw it. They thought it was amazing that it would actually work and it really does.
Fun for the Adults too!     On: 2007-01-11

We bought this for my nephew and we loved it. It really made great tasting ice cream and it was fun to use. My only complaint is that there was a tiny big of leakage at the seal when you shake the ball. It really was minimal, but it means you shouldnt roll it on the carpet without putting something down first. Great for the kids to play with at family gatherings!
an original little gift idea     On: 2007-01-11

this is a perfect gift for those on the go who love ice cream. i can see it used frequently while on a camping trip sitting around the fire at night or during a backyard barbque. its easy to pack and requires only a few ingredients. a great ice breaker for a group of people getting to know each other.
Super Fun     On: 2007-01-10

I would give it a 5-Star, but it definitely takes work.... Adding more ice, stirring the contents, adding more salt. Shake -a-shake-a-shake. I bought it for my little girls 4th birthday party. IT WAS GREAT!!!!! All the little children sat at safe distances from eachother and cooperatively played the game of roll the ice-cream balll... They loved the idea of making it themselves. When they lost attention with it I gave it to the group of adults left in the room and I beleive it worked even better for them. They were laughing and giggling in childish play.

I love it, but if you want to use it more often with only a couple people then I would have to recommend the smaller version. Less time involved and less adding and stirring necessary.
Interesting idea, but poor results     On: 2007-01-10

I liked the idea of this product:add the ingredients, roll it around, check, roll some more and voila...soft serve ice cream. After following the directions, including the draining, scraping down the mixture, and adding more ice and salt, and rolling some more, the ice cream was still very soupy. So, we rolled some more BUT the results were not what we wanted. The ice cream that was on the outside of the cylinder froze into a firm consistency, but it was very difficult/awkward to scrape it into the center of the cylinder where the soupy stuff was. At the end, I was scraping the good stuff off of the cylinder with my fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well... I returned the product.
Paly & Freeze Ice Cream Ball     On: 2007-01-09

A gift that is well liked by a family that camps. They also like to make their own special ice cream using the fruits that are in season. A great gift.
Interesting idea, but poor results     On: 2007-01-09

I liked the idea of this product:add the ingredients, roll it around, check, roll some more and voila...soft serve ice cream. After following the directions, including the draining, scraping down the mixture, and adding more ice and salt, and rolling some more, the ice cream was still very soupy. So, we rolled some more BUT the results were not what we wanted. The ice cream that was on the outside of the cylinder froze into a firm consistency, but it was very difficult/awkward to scrape it into the center of the cylinder where the soupy stuff was. At the end, I was scraping the good stuff off of the cylinder with my fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well... I returned the product.
Great Gift!     On: 2007-01-09

Both my neice and nephew asked for ice cream makers. Rather than purchasing a small plastic toy one I thought this was great idea. Their family tailgates and camps a lot, so it was a great choice!
Fun to make Fun to eat     On: 2007-01-08

This works as well as stated. The finished product was yummy. We used this in a calcium lesson wiht 4-Hers and it went very well. A very good purchase.
ICE CREAM     On: 2007-01-06

Everybody loves this!!! Now my brother wants one!! The kids, the grownups, and even the neighbors all have a ball (literally) making AND eating the ice cream. This is so cool!!!
Ball o' ice cream     On: 2007-01-05

Very cool product!! Keeps kids busy while making their own snack!! If they werent so expensive for what you get I would have gotten the larger one.
Ice Cold Lumpy Cream     On: 2007-01-01

We used "the ball" tonight. We used the best ingredients and followed the directions. Total of 40 minutes of rolling, two loads of ice and a midway stir. The result? Ice cold lumpy cream. We had fun, but not sure we will do it again.

Hi. I liked the ice cream,but when we were finished making the ice cream it turned out thin and I liked thin but it wasnt the way we wanted it to be. So that is just what we wanted to tell you.
Great fun for the family and tastes good!     On: 2006-12-07

We got a couple of these for a Birthday Party and made some great ice cream the first time. It provides some great entertainment while you make a tasty treat. Use cream or half n half for some gourmet ice cream! Im going to get the new MEGA for a gift this year for a couple of friends.
Works, but ouch & are we done yet?     On: 2006-12-06

A family member bought the large size for a summer get-together. It worked and the ice cream was great, but there are drawbacks. We found we wanted gloves to protect ourselves from the cold of the ball and from the hard edges of its outer structure. The kids (ages 7 & younger) quickly gave up & the adults were left to suffer through it. I suppose pre-teen boys might enjoy it despite the drawbacks.

Pros: Makes homemade ice cream
Keeps the kids busy for a while

Cons: Pain & cold
Kids give up before its done

Alternative: Cuisinart automatic. Benefit: Let the machine do the work.
Rockin' and Rollin' Ice Cream Ball     On: 2006-11-28

We purchased this ball for our family get-together and our 8 grandchildren rolled it on the floor. We made vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream and mint chocolate. The vanilla was the best, because there was a recipe--we made the others up, but they were good. Im buying a quart-sized ball for a Christmas present. The kids loved making their own and they LOVED the ice cream.
shake it, gently kick it back & forth...lite 20 min workout for icecream=good trade     On: 2006-11-12

I love it! Its a bit too heavy to toss/roll (unadvised, but did carefully) on the grass with my mini poodle, but a larger dog could nose it around. I had no trouble with ice fitting like other reviewers, but my icemaker makes crescent shaped cubes. Can get a bit messy after scraping down, but not an issue if you dont overfill & make sure lid is on tight. If the designer had made the body heavyduty rubber this would be 5 stars.
Good fun for kids - and good ice cream!     On: 2006-10-24

My daughters, nieces, and nephews, ages 2-12, all LOVED this! They had a blast rolling it around. The directions/recipes clearly state that the ice cream will be like soft serve, so dont be expecting a miraculous ice-creamery ice cream in 20 minutes! But it was good - we made the vanilla -and the entertainment itself was worth it! Put on some fudge sauce and sprinkle on some M&Ms - and the kids feel like they have earned it after running around and getting all sweaty to make it!
Im getting more as Christmas presents - it is great!
Good fun for kids - and good ice cream!     On: 2006-10-23

My daughters, nieces, and nephews, ages 2-12, all LOVED this! They had a blast rolling it around. The directions/recipes clearly state that the ice cream will be like soft serve, so dont be expecting a miraculous ice-creamery ice cream in 20 minutes! But it was good - we made the vanilla -and the entertainment itself was worth it! Put on some fudge sauce and sprinkle on some M&Ms - and the kids feel like they have earned it after running around and getting all sweaty to make it!
Im getting more as Christmas presents - it is great!
The nasty ice cream ball     On: 2006-09-06

I purchased one of these, a blue one, and I decided I would try it out before letting my grandchildren use it.

What a mistake. I put all the ingredients in and packed the other side with salt. I began turning the ball and rolling it on the floor. MIstake. The side with the salt proceeded to leak all over my floor and on me. Try a salt water bath sometime by not jumping into the ocean.

I checked and rechecked the little cover for the salt compartment that does click into place. I tightened it as much as I could without breaking the lid. It still leaked. I ran it into the kitchen sink and dumped the salt and water out. Then I checked the ice cream and it was partially frozen. So I scooped it out and tasted it. Soft-serve of course. That was after a big tussle getting the cover off and using the handy dandy "screw driver" that was included with the kit.

Going on, the ice cream was not too bad. I had used a vanilla recipe with crushed Oreo cookies. So I put the bowl in the freezer to get it hard. I threw the ball away. No more of that.

Later I took the ice cream out of the freezer and it was frozen solid. I managed to scrape off a spoonful and tasted it. Yuck. Now that might have been the recipe, but I blame it all on the ball.

Dont waste your money on this junk.
The nasty ice cream ball     On: 2006-09-05

I purchased one of these, a blue one, and I decided I would try it out before letting my grandchildren use it.

What a mistake. I put all the ingredients in and packed the other side with salt. I began turning the ball and rolling it on the floor. MIstake. The side with the salt proceeded to leak all over my floor and on me. Try a salt water bath sometime by not jumping into the ocean.

I checked and rechecked the little cover for the salt compartment that does click into place. I tightened it as much as I could without breaking the lid. It still leaked. I ran it into the kitchen sink and dumped the salt and water out. Then I checked the ice cream and it was partially frozen. So I scooped it out and tasted it. Soft-serve of course. That was after a big tussle getting the cover off and using the handy dandy "screw driver" that was included with the kit.

Going on, the ice cream was not too bad. I had used a vanilla recipe with crushed Oreo cookies. So I put the bowl in the freezer to get it hard. I threw the ball away. No more of that.

Later I took the ice cream out of the freezer and it was frozen solid. I managed to scrape off a spoonful and tasted it. Yuck. Now that might have been the recipe, but I blame it all on the ball.

Dont waste your money on this junk.
Play & Freeze Ice Cream Ball a Big Hit!     On: 2006-08-10

Thank you Onlinecomponents! I received my first Ice Cream Ball only two days after I ordered it on Amazon. I took it camping with my family as a suprise about a week later. My two little boys were memorized with the ball, and after about 20 minutes of playing around in the grass, we all shared some of the best homemade ice cream I have ever tasted! My family enjoyed it so much that I came back to ordered the new MEGA ball and cant wait to try it. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who loves fun and ice cream -what a treat!
Play & Freeze Ice Cream Ball a Big Hit!     On: 2006-08-09

Thank you Onlinecomponents! I received my first Ice Cream Ball only two days after I ordered it on Amazon. I took it camping with my family as a suprise about a week later. My two little boys were memorized with the ball, and after about 20 minutes of playing around in the grass, we all shared some of the best homemade ice cream I have ever tasted! My family enjoyed it so much that I came back to ordered the new MEGA ball and cant wait to try it. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who loves fun and ice cream -what a treat!
A coffee can will do the same thing.     On: 2006-08-08

Save your money. We made ice cream in Girl Scouts by filling a coffee can with ice and rock salt and putting a smaller can inside that with the ice cream ingredients. That wont cost you anything or if it does, at least you get coffee. You can use any two air tight containers and put on in the other.
A great unique product that works!     On: 2006-08-05

We bought this ice cream ball to use camping. It came in the mail today so we made our first batch of ice cream! What a kick! The only negative is that I wish it made more....I hear they have a larger one....the mega that we may look into. Our five year old stayed interested the whole time, so I didnt get to shake and roll it the whole time, and after 15-20 minutes the ice cream tasted like delicous soft serve! One tip... make sure you scrape down the sides within the first 10 minutes to get the best consistency. I definately think this was worth the $$$. You get your work out making your ice cream... so it is a little bit guilt free!
a letdown     On: 2006-07-26

I admit Im a big fan of ice cream. Not only because I like running to the ice cream man with money in my hand, but also using ice cream to make myself a HUGE cup of a delicious chocolate milkshake for desert. Yummy! This ice cream maker doesnt quite make the ice cream as tasty as the stuff you buy in grocery stores. This ice cream is VERY sweet and will immediately fill you up after youve eaten just a little bit of it. Then again, maybe my tongue cant appreciate sweets as much as most people. If you dont consider yourself someone who can handle a lot of sweet food, beware.

Love it!!     On: 2006-07-25

Santa brought two of these to our four children, and all the cousins gathered around to make ice cream together. It was successful, fun, and last we heard the Easter bunny was tasked with delivering ice cream balls to those Santa did not!
Seems overpriced     On: 2006-07-18

Sure, its fun to make ice cream this way once in a while as a novelty, but Ive been making ice cream in a similar fashion just using a pair of emptied out coffee cans (nest the little one inside the big one, with the salt and ice packed between them) for years. I guess what youre getting for your $30 is something thats cuter than a coffee container. Personally, Id pass on the cuteness and pocket the $30.
Fun for kids and grownups both!     On: 2006-07-17

I brought a Play and Freeze to a party and it was a big hit with everyone. The older girls, ages 5 and 3, in particular enjoyed rolling the ball back and forth across a rug in the kitchen. Grownups took turns shaking the ball and throwing it back and forth. The bigger kids seemed pleased to be strong enough to shake it and be involved in the process.

We made vanilla ice cream, following the recipe that came in the box, and after 20 minutes or so of rolling and tossing the result was great, tasty and creamy. We were all excited.

A pint of ice cream was enough for five adults and several children, as we had it along with other desserts that the families had brought.

The process was a big part of the fun. The kids were so engaged in the idea of making ice cream, and they came up with games as they rolled the ball to each other. So this was a group activity as well as a taste treat. Id recommend it highly to families and friends.
Works well! Loads of fun with our kids.     On: 2006-07-16

We were a bit skeptical when our two kids asked for an Ice Cream Ball....who ever heard of an ice Cream Ball except a Fried Ice Cream Ball in those mexican places. We got it, followed the directions and voila! it makes a pint of tasty stuff. We prefer using cream with the recipe as it comes out tasting more like the gourmet stuff. Ill consider this for a gift item around the holidays. I think its great!
But, really:     On: 2006-07-14

OK, so it makes a pint of mixed review ice cream and its allegedly fun to use, but really, $35 ?????. I dont think so.
Does what its supposed to... and fun.     On: 2006-07-13

Rube Goldberg device (as stated in a snarky review below)? Give me a break. Heads up, food snobs: This isnt a Kitchen Aid. In case the pictures didnt clue you in.

It makes a quart of ice cream. Good for portion control and satisfying cravings. And rolling the ball around with the wife made for a good little workout. Sort of like a medicine ball, but with this one you eat back the calories youve burned.

And its fun to chase the dogs through the house with is ball of rolling noise!

Not for a family of 40. Not for the National Ice Cream Eating Contest.

Tip: Like with anything, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.

It says roll the ball for 10 minutes, stop and scrape the sides. It is pretty amazing how thick the sides became on our first try (and considering that it was over 100 degrees outside testament to the cooling feature).

Scraping the sides keeps the ice cream from being overly "soupy" as complained about below. During the remaining 5-10 (we only went 5 as we were hungry) minutes of rolling.

Then PRESTO! Good soft-serve quality ice cream. Not Ben and Jerrys. Not Italian Gelato. Good soft ice cream that was made in 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of work out.

Dont use anything bigger than mini chips as they tend to suffer from centripetal forces and dont evenly spread through the ice cream.

Are there better ice cream makers? Yes. Is this one fun and worth the money/effort? Certainly. Maybe there is a Rube Goldberg quality to it. But that gives it the charm.
Play & Freeze Rocks!!!     On: 2006-07-11

We made some great ice cream with this ball...we had to buy another for when we have more people over. The challenge is that our kids keep wanting to use it over and over again. You cant compare it to other ice cream makers in that it is all about how you make the ice cream. In about 20 minutes of fun, our kids can do the work and we get to share in the tasty results.
neat idea, just doesn't work well     On: 2006-07-04

I got this for Christmas, and finally got around to using it this summer. Its a great idea (one of the 2 stars), and on the box it looks very easy to just kick or toss around and make ice cream! However, it is HEAVY once it is loaded with ice, salt, and cream ingredients. If you tried to kick it, youd break a toe. Its quite a workout to toss around, which can be a good thing, so theres the other star.
However, after a half hour of hard work, we ended up with some soupy sweet cream in the middle of the container (softer than a milkshake) and some rock-hard ice sort-of-cream around the edges. It was difficult to get the hard parts off the edges of the container, and even though anything with that much fat and sugar has to taste good, the texture left a lot to be desired.
No stars for the actual ice cream part of this ice cream maker. Get a nerf ball instead if you want something to throw around, and buy some "slow churned" ice cream thats healthier and tastes much better.
Ice Cream Maker     On: 2006-06-29

It is extremely fun! It is so easy to use

and the ice cream tastes delicious!

Great for younger children, too.
Ice cream ball anything but fun     On: 2006-06-29

Bought one for Mothers Day. Used it once. Disaster. Messy. Takes too long. Kids lose interest quickly. Difficult to remove ice cream from container. And, worst of all, it was near impossible to remove the cap from one end of the thing in order to clean it. One of the most disappointing products I have ever purchased.
Hey, this is fun and makes great ice cream too!     On: 2006-06-28

Well, I saw a demonstration of the Play and Freeze and just had to buy one. I was a little concerned, thinking it would find its way into my ever-so-tiny pantry and never get used. Boy was I wrong. When my friend and her daughter visit, the first thing the daughter asks is if we can make some ice cream. It is very easy to make up the basic ice cream, and at that point, you are only limited by your imagination as to what flavor you make. Our favorite so far has been made with shredded coconut! Yum. After putting the cream in the cylinder, it is simply a matter of filling the ball with ice and rock salt, then let the fun begin. We have mostly rolled the ball back and forth, so as not to accidentally drop it. We have played games while rolling the ball back and forth and just had a great time interacting. After one check at about 10 minutes, you scrape the cylinder and add more ice, then just a few more minutes and you have the best ice cream ever. I love this product for not only the ice cream, but for the old-fashioned human interaction outlet it provides, without electronics!
One Terrific Frozen Blue Ball!!!     On: 2006-06-27

I never thought Id enjoy a frozen blue ball, but this ice cream maker really surprised me. The Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker freezes up nice and creamy in about 15 minutes (almost as fast as the Hopperoo!) and is easy to use (unlike my recalcitrant icecreamloving baboon of a bride). Finally, a big blue ball thats fun for my stingy wife and for Ol Hops!!! Highly recommended! HHD>.
Too much fun!!     On: 2006-06-10

I bought this for my kids age 3 and 5 and we have had so much fun with it. We took it to a park and played with it and then enjoyed the ice cream. The kids loved the ice cream in fact my 5 year old, who loves vanilla ice cream, said it was the best ever! I like that it encourages fun, team work (it is a little heavy for the smaller kids), and exercise while having a special treat. Highly recommended!
Beautiful ball, hard work, little reward     On: 2006-06-07

I bought this ice cream maker for my mom for Mothers Day. She loves ice cream and frozen yogurt, mainly yogurt. Her favorite froyo place moved too far away from her and I thought that maybe shed like to make her own at home. She loves the concept. But the work doesnt seem worth the reward. I could see where it would be useful if we were out camping or somewhere without electricity, though the ice supply most likely wouldnt be plentiful enough. It may be worthwhile if there were more than two people "tossing" the ball around--incidentally, comically pretending theyre filming an exercise video--to make a paltry amount of the icy treat.
You wonder why you didn't think of it first...     On: 2006-05-26

i dont usually get excited about products...but the play and freeze really puts even more fun into ice cream, and i thought that would be hard.

thirty-five minutes of fun, rolling, light tossing, and shaking the ball produces amazingly heavenly ice cream. me and a couple of friends made insanely good strawberry ice cream in a field in Marysville as we picked the strawberries and rolled the ball along with us.

half the people who saw it wanted to know what it was, but everyone who sampled the devilishly simple concoction of sugar, fresh Washington strawberries, cream, and a dash of mint extract wanted to know where to get one. in short, a fun device that makes ice cream that bests anything my stupid hand-crank machine could ever make. even on a half-milk half-cream mix, it produces lovely, hard but just airy enough ice cream. im taking it to Georgia in August when i go on vacation. i cant wait to throw it around a peach orchard!
We luv'd this thing     On: 2006-05-22

We took this to our company picnic and followed the directions that came with it....shazam!!! it was like having a gourmet dessert in 15 minutes from scratch! Well be using it at our next picnic.....I just may get another so we have enough for the whole family. (We like alot of ice cream)
Have a Ball!! (and make ice cream)     On: 2006-05-18

I received the Ice Cream Ball (in Green) for Mothers Day after I mentioned it would be fun to have when I saw it on the Food Network. Even though it does not make a large amount of ice cream, it makes enough to satisfy ones cravings without going to all the trouble of a normal ice cream maker. You put ice and rock salt in one end and the ice cream mix in the other. I made vanilla the first time. Then my family and I went outside and rolled the ball, tossed it short distances to one another (it is much too heavy with all the ice to throw far,) and generally shook the heck out of it. I did have to drain the melted ice once and refill with more ice and rock salt. After 20-25 minutes I opened the ice cream container and ice cream had been made. It was a little soupy in the middle, but I had to scrape the sides to get the solid portion out. If I would have "played" with the ball a little more all of the mix would have been solid. This method of making home-made ice cream definately would not work for a large number of people or a b-day party. But it works to satisfy a craving for 1-3 people. I guess you could say that you burned enough calories making the ice cream, that you should not feel guilty eating it!!
Ice Cream Ball review     On: 2005-12-10

I liked the ice cream ball. It makes delicious vanilla ice cream with little work. Myself and my children shook and rolled it for about 8 minutes and them we just let it sit for a while to stay cold in the refrigerator. I then took it out, shook it some more, stirred it with a small wooden spoon and served it up (this worked for us). It was very good with half and half, but would probably be more creamy with cream. There are two things I would change about it: the company should include some kind of scooping device that will easily scrape the frozen ice cream off the sides without ruining the barrel, also I would make the opening for the ice a little bigger to accommodate regular size ice cubes. Crushed ice works the best, but you may have to buy it. Overall, we enjoyed this item and it was pretty easy to use and clean up. It makes 1 pint of ice cream which was well enough for three children or a couple adults. If it had a scooper and a wider opening for the ice I would have given it a 5 stars.
We loved this over Thanksgiving!     On: 2005-12-04

I got one of these for Thanksgiving and we tried it with the family. It makes great vanilla ice cream and then we moved on to more exotic recipes. Try almond ice cream by adding some almond extract and a quarter cup of chopped almonds. It also makes a great boysenberry ice cream (just add boysenberry syrup). I am buying a second one because we have a big family and want to feed a bunch. It works great and I intend to give it as a gift for xmas!
Experienced user tells his tale....     On: 2005-11-12

Ok....Im now on my second Ice Cream Ball but its not the balls fault....you see we were making ice cream at the summit of Monadnock (NH), tossing the ball back and forth as we enjoyed the weather and scenery and looking forward to our reward for making it to the top. Jake had a momentary lapse of concentration and my toss went right by him and over the side. We watched it roll down the side of the cliff out of of grasp... I didnt care that we lost our favorite ice cream maker....I JUST WANTED MY PINT OF ICE CREAM!!! Its a good thing we had a few granila bars left to give us strength to make it back down. I ordered another blue beauty as soon as I got home.

Bottom line....in the past 6 months Ive used this thing:
1) Hiking,
2) Camping
3) Boating (yes the thing floats!) - if you have a net you can tow it behind the boat to make ice cream.
4) Bowling in the back yard
5) Playing hot potato with my little bro and sis
6) RV camping
Anywhere you have ice, you can have great ice cream.
Peace!
Dad loves it!     On: 2005-11-12

Great way to spend time with the kids....especially if ice cream is what you like. We found the directions easy to follow and the results great! We invented a recipe that you may not want to share with the kids....Kahlua and creme....Use about 1/4 cup Kahlua instead of the same amount of half n half and you end up with a savory fare! This ball is going to make my holiday shopping a bit easier as we know what to get for those who are tough to buy for.

Also try the strawberry recipe that comes with it....
I'm not unreasonable, but this sucks.     On: 2005-11-06

Im not unreasonable, but Im apparently the only one who thought this ice cream ball was crummy. I bought it for my three young children and I to make ice cream, and found it to be a pain. First, the capacity is only 2 cups, which is not a lot. Second, ice cubes from a standard ice cube tray are too large to fit into the opening for the ice and salt. You either have to have a crushed ice ice maker, purchase comercial ice or spend 15 minutes crushing the ice with a meat tenderizer mallet, like I did. I hoped that 5 ice trays of ice would be enough ice, but you need at least twice that much to keep the ball filled for the time required.

The instructions for the ball say that after ten minutes of mixing, to stir the ice cream. Sounds easy, but after you pry the lid off (with a special wrench they include with the ball so the ice cream mix can splatter everywhere) you have less than a 3 inch diameter to stir ice cream which is liquid on the inside core and frozen solid on the metal wall of the chamber six or seven inches deep. But wait, dont use anything metal to chip the rock hard stuff into the liqid stuff! I tried a silicon spatulta, a wooden spoon, and eventually took the silicone head off the first spatula and scraped the sides with the wooden handle wedge. (My neighbor and I both tried making ice cream and stiring every 5 minutes instead, didnt help to hard ice cream mixing very much.)

Of course, you get ice cream dripping down the sides, but the ball has little raised decorative ledges that catch the drips and funnel them into tight angled crevices that you need to use a mashed up paper towel corner, or a sharp knife tip with a dishcloth stretched over it to get out so you dont end up rolling sticky ice cream batter into what ever surface you are playing with the ball on. There are mini chocolate chips stuck in some of those grooves I havent been able to get out after multiple washings, as well.

If you get this far, the end result is not very creamy or very smooth. We tried rolling, shaking, tossing, in many different combos and still couldnt get smooth textured ice cream. The recipes enclosed that I tried tasted cheap and not like any ice cream Id pay for twice. I tried my own recipes, but the inability to mix adequately through the small opening into the deep canister made for hard crystal type lumps.

Overall, it may be a fun novelty for children, but it is a pain in the rump to use. You can do the same thing for a lot less with the same 2 cup capacity with a gallon and quart ziplock bag and just squishing it. I wish we had put the thirty bucks towards a hand crank or electric freezer, instead.
Great Family Fun!     On: 2005-09-06

I got this to take camping with my kids and grandkids. This makes for great family fun with a sweet reward at the end! We had everyone involved, from an almost one year old on up! The three year old loved it. It seems that it will really hold up, and we look forward to using it for many camping trips to come!
Great Family Fun!     On: 2005-09-05

I got this to take camping with my kids and grandkids. This makes for great family fun with a sweet reward at the end! We had everyone involved, from an almost one year old on up! The three year old loved it. It seems that it will really hold up, and we look forward to using it for many camping trips to come!
My girls had a lot of fun!!!     On: 2005-08-10

I own a blue Play & Freeze Ice Cream Ball but when I saw this one, I had to get it for my 2 girls. Makes great ice cream just like the blue one! Its the prettiest color out there...We use it right in the back yard at home.
Fun & easy to use!     On: 2005-07-16

Fun & easy to use, so everyone participated. So easy that we experimented & used it all 4 days of the 4th weekend, never tiring of making or eating the ice cream. Best product!!!!
Amazing! Tasty Ice Cream in a Ball!     On: 2005-07-16

We took this to our company picnic and followed the directions that came with it....shazam!!! it was like having a gourmet dessert in 15 minutes from scratch! Well be using it at our next picnic.....I just may get another so we have enough for the whole family. (We like alot of ice cream)
Birthday Party Blast !!!     On: 2005-07-15

We LOVE this product! I had seen it advertised earlier this year in a toy catalog, but was convinced to buy it for my daughters 9th birthday after seeing it favorably reviewed by Consumer Reports. My two daughters thoroughly enjoyed making this batch of birthday ice cream (and probably offset most of the calories it contained in the process :>). The ice cream tasted great, and prep and cleanup were both easy-breezy. I will be giving this item as a birthday present to many others. Thank you again for this fun food innovation-keep them coming!
I luv this thing!!!! (Don't drop it on your foot)     On: 2005-07-09

We got this for the kids and have now bought a second that we can use for the "adult activities". It makes a mean Strawberry Dacquiri with the fresh strawberries now in season. It also helps build muscles when you are playing with the ball as it weighs about 5 lbs when filled! We have a ball when we use it.
Fun in the sun     On: 2005-07-07

Great game with a treat at the end. Found the best method was to pass the ball back and forth under the picnic table. And just enough ice cream for two.
Had fun in the pool on the 4th!!!     On: 2005-07-05

This thing is pretty neat. I dont think they intend it to be used this way but we made 2 batches of great ice cream in our pool today. We played a bit of water polo while making dessert. It seems to work fine regardless of the hot weather and most importantly.....IT FLOATS!!!
Rip Roaring FUN!!!     On: 2005-06-26

We bought two of these and used them at our backyard barbeque....made just the right amount of strawberry ice cream for the 7 of us! Use a hard plastic or wooden spoon to scrape the hard ice cream off the can when you mix after 10 minutes. This results in the best consistency of ice cream after another 7 minutes of fun with the ball.
Loved it!!! Tasty treat!!!     On: 2005-06-21

We took this camping and followed the directions that came with it....PRESTO!!! it was like having gourmet ice cream in the wild! Well be using it at our next barbeque.....I just may get another so we have enough for the whole family. (We like alot of ice cream)
We had a "Ball" This this Ice Cream Maker     On: 2005-06-20

We had a lot of fun with this product.

Sturdy, Fun, I have recommended it to my friends.
Fun, Simple and Tasty     On: 2005-06-20

This is fun. I made it with the kids outside so the ice melted fast, so we added another 8 min. round after the 2nd 10 min round and it worked out great! The kids loved the plain vanilla. I have also tried butterscotch pudding and it is sooo good! Since we cannot use a metal spoon, I would like to hear ideas on how to get the ice cream out of the container. I am using a plastic knife but would love to hear better ideas.
Had fun with the kids     On: 2005-06-05

We just got our Play & Freeze and tried it out with our grandkids who are staying with us for the weekend. We helped them get the right ingredients but once we got it going, they had a ball! Great way to keep them occupied while the adults do their thing....
COOL!!!!!! Better than Store Bought Ice Cream     On: 2005-06-04

I was a little skeptical of whether the Play & Freeze would work but Im now a believer! One recommendation is to use Light Cream instead of Half n Half for richer tasting ice cream.
Family fun - with delicious results     On: 2005-04-26

This item was great fun even just in the living room. Works just like advertised -- pack it with ingredients, roll it around for 20 minutes or so and youve got ice cream. Great for rainy days with the kids -- it gets them away from the video games for a while. Itll be great outdoors this summer too!

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