Read My Review & Why I Rate the Delonghi GM6000 as the Best Gelato Maker

   
Delonghi Gelato GM6000 Review

My first encounter with gelato was in Rome, Italy. My Uncle Salvatore and I were taking a walk around the block and he bought me a cup of Italian ice cream, called gelato.

When I returned home, I thought gelato was only available in Italy. However today, I now know anyone can make the best gelato when using the right gelato maker.

Over recent years, various companies have come out with various gelato machines trying to imitate the true flavor of Italian ice cream.

My research on the topic led me to a new product created by the Italian company, Delonghi. It is the DeLonghi GM6000 Gelato Maker and far surpasses existing gelato makers on the market.

What to Look for When Buying a Gelato Maker?

Buying a gelato maker may seem fairly straight forward, but there are actually quite a bit of things to keep in mind. They are:

 

  • Gelato vs. ice cream
  • The amount of air as an ingredient
  • The use of a refrigerating compressor
  • Dishwasher safe parts
  • The stainless steel bowl
  • The overall size


Remember, gelato makers are different than ice cream makers. Understanding what to look for will help you choose the best gelato machine for creating the next best thing to eating fresh gelato in Italy.

Gelato vs. Ice cream

Gelato in Italian means, "ice cream", so gelato is simply Italian ice cream. This doesn't mean it tastes the same as American ice cream however. They are similar, but think of them more like cousins.

One area where gelato is different is the fact that it does not mix in air during the blending process - unlike it's American counterpart which can include up to 50% air.

By incorporating less air, the ice cream texture is denser and creamier. More air brings about the more American airier and lighter consistency.

And because of this "air" factor, this is why an gelato maker is different than an ice cream maker. In order to prevent as much air as possible from getting into the ice cream, the machine must have an air tight lid. The GM6000 Gelato Maker has exactly that (in fact it won't even run if the lid is opened). I'll explain more about that later on below.

If you want the real gelato consistency, you need an actual gelato maker. Yes, ice cream makers can say they can create gelato - but remember... gelato is different and therefore so must be the machine.

 

 

Air Tight Lid - Why is it Important?

As mentioned above, the amount of air blended into the ice cream mixture is a critical difference between real gelato and American ice cream.

This gelato maker by DeLonghi uses a transparent hermetic closure lid which creates an air tight seal thus keeping air out during the mixing process.

The machine is designed so that it cannot operate without this lid locked in place. Not only does this prevent additional air from blending into the mixture, thus changing the consistency, but it also keeps the temperature of the ingredients consistent during the blending process. Since gelato must be made at freezing temperatures, allowing it to be exposed to warmer air would alter the outcome.

Refrigerating Compressor

This is an important feature for any gelato maker, and in fact some ice cream machines are beginning to catch on as well. Having a machine with an internal refrigerating compressor allows the user to avoid pre-freezing any bowls in their freezer to achieve a certain temperature.

Often times, this pre-freezing step will require the user to pre-freeze a bowl for a minimum of 8 hours prior to making a batch of ice cream.

Since the GM6000 has its own refrigerating compressor, the machine can operate at below freezing temperatures, allowing the user to create batch after batch of gelato, without the need of pre-freezing any bowl.

Is it Dishwasher Safe?

This is something to look for as it adds quite a bit of convenience to the clean up process. In regards to this gelato maker, the bowl, blades and lid are all dishwasher safe. However, Delonghi does advise to use only the top rack for cleaning.

Stainless Steel Bowl

This gelato maker uses a stainless steel bowl, and for a reason too. Since the bowl and ingredients in the bowl must be brought down to freezing temperatures, stainless steel is a good material to use in order to ensure that the contents are kept at the colder temperatures during the entire mixing process.

The machine comes with plastic mixing blades. The blades are made of plastic to prevent the bowl from being scratched during the mixing process.

Size and Design

Size is an important factor when purchasing any kitchen appliance. You want to make sure that the machine fits nicely on the countertop and within easy reach.

The DeLonghi Gelato Maker measures 12 1/2 inches wide, 16 3/4 inches deep and only 9.44 inches tall. This will fit under almost any kitchen cabinet. In addition to the size, the machine is made of stainless steel and has a sleek modern design. Delonghi did an excellent job in their design of this machine, making it a convenient and aesthetically appealing appliance suitable for any kitchen.

Another benefit to the design, is that the mixing bowl is located in the front of the machine which provides easy access for adding ingredients, looking through the transparent lid, or for removing the mixing bowl for serving. Each batch produces 1.2 to 1.5 liters of gelato.

How Much Does a Gelato Maker Cost?

At the of this writing the Delonghi GM6000 Gelato Maker was available on their corporate site for $299.95, which is more than you need to pay. The best price I've seen online is at Amazon, who consistently sells this item for less and comes with FREE shipping.

What's in the Box?

1. Removable stainless steel bowl
2. Plastic mixing blades
3. Transparent lid
4. Delonghi recipe book with 50 recipes: Very useful for getting started. Amazon offers additional gelato recipe books for those who want to experiment with various flavors.
5. Instruction manual

What About the Warranty?

The DeLonghi warranty is for 1 year from the date of purchase on your receipt.

What are Others Saying?

This gelato machine has received a positive 4 stars out of 5 on average from Amazon reviewers.
To give an idea of some feedback...

"Works very well."
"A Keeper"
"Worth the Money!"
"Outstanding Gelato Maker"
"I'm very happy with this."

Are there any Complaints?

Although the majority of comments are positive reviews, there are just a handful of complaints online. One of the reviewers complained about the use of the plastic blades/paddles, noting that it would get stuck. This however can occur when the gelato is too hard, as mentioned in the manual.

The GM6000 manual gives helpful troubleshooting tips, and also offers a customer service phone number to answer any questions.

Where to Buy the GM6000 Gelato Maker?

You can find the best competitive prices at Amazon, which as of this moment, offers free shipping on this product. Click Here to see it on Amazon.

Want to Read More Reviews?

You can find more reviews and details from users at Amazon. Click here to read more.

Enjoy Your Gelato!

Sincerely,

 
 

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