Lello Musso Pola 5030 Dessert Maker Silver, 2 Quart

Everything about the Musso Pola experience is outstanding. Package arrived within 2 days, perfectly packaged. Machine set up is simpler then almost any other appliance -- plug in and use. I had made a recipe for French style coffee cream earlier in the day (used Black Cat beans and espresso) and have to say making the custard was not hard but took some time (first-timers caution had me measuring everything 3 times and stirring non-stop). I had the Pola unpacked and in use within 5 minutes. Because the coffee ice cream base had been in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, the ice cream process in the Pola was under 15 minutes. Having used the Cuisinart machine where you freeze the drum, I was not prepared for the speed. But what I was really not prepared for was the smoothness and freshness of the ice cream. This is not ice cream as we know it in the US, it is truly a gourmet experience. All the reviews, except for maybe 1%, rave about the quality of the ice cream. Having read most and having done quite a bit of online study on ice cream makers and having talked to 3 or 4 chefs, I was familiar with the oft repeated phrase, "absolutely the best ice cream I've ever eaten". Until you've had the Pola ice cream, you simply have not had fantastic ice cream. Outside of the best gelato shops in Italy, there is no comparison. This morning, I was watching an on-line video on how to make ice cream in the wooden tank style maker where you add ice and salt and a motor cranks a stirring mechanism inside a metal canister. All I could think was "what a pain". Shovel ice, shovel salt, mix, shovel ice, shovel salt, mix ......... And no real way to see how the ice cream is progressing. Then I read the "manual" (really one brief page of instructions and then 30 pages of recipes) for the Pola and saw a recipe for maple walnut ice cream. My in-laws are visiting, so I went into the kitchen and in 5 minutes tops I had the batch of the maple walnut base in the Pola and it was churning away. 15-20 minutes later I was scooping perfect ice cream into bowls and getting kudos from my guests. It was the best nut based ice cream I've ever had - no stale or soggy walnuts, just crunch, freshness, and smooth smooth ice cream. Clean up time, including the 6 ice cream bowls, mixing bowl, and machine was under 5 minutes. This machine will change the way you think about desserts. It is easy to see why so many of the previous purchasers have talked about an uptick in the number of guests visiting their homes! Seriously, you can think of an ice cream and be enjoying it within 25 minutes with everyone praising your "cooking" skills. A clear winner!

The Lello Musso Pola Ice Cream Machine is a high-quality two quart capacity electric ice cream machine made in Italy. This is a commercial machine–it can make up to six quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, sherbet, or sorbet per hour. The dimensions of the machine are 12 1/4 inches high, 20 inches wide, and 14 inches deep. The unit weighs 66 pounds. The machine has an all stainless steel construction including the blade in the mixing bowl. There is a clear plastic lid used so you can see the ice cream being made–this lid does not come in contact with the ice cream. Note that the bowl is not removable. This is actually not an issue–to clean up, simply unscrew the steel locking nut and remove the blade. Then add some hot water to the bowl, mop with a sponge, and repeat a few times until clean, then dry with a towel. The operation of the machine is very simple–pour the cream mixture into the bowl with the blade, turn the timer to the desired time, then turn on the Churn and Chill switches. The timer is mechanical and emits a light tick-tick as it counts down the time until you can enjoy your delicious dessert. The blade rotates only when the timer has been set and the Churn switch has been turned on. Turning the Chill switch off 3-4 minutes prior to your ice cream is ready can help in the removal of your dessert. The machine comes with a plastic spatula that will not scratch the machine’s finish. Since operating the machine is so simple, most of the instruction manual actually contains recipes for ice creams, sorbets, sherbets, and frozen yogurts. In addition, there are recipes for sauces you can serve over your frozen desserts as well as frozen drinks recipes–who knew you could make frozen margaritas in your ice cream machine? The length of time it takes to make the desserts depends on the temperature of the cream and the room you are making the ice cream in, but from my experience freezing usually takes 20-30 minutes. In operation the machine is surprisingly quiet though I would be sure to leave room behind the machine so it can vent excess warm air. All in all I am very happy with the Lello Musso Pola Ice Cream Machine. I never dreamed making ice cream was this easy–this high-quality machine is dependable, easy to use, and as far as I can tell will last a very long time. I’ve made weekly batches since owning the machine. The best part is that you can customize the dessert recipes according to your own taste preferences. So if you want the ability to make a lot of delicious ice creams, frozen yogurts, sherbets, gelatos, and sorbets (and frozen drinks!) at home (or to sell in your ice cream shop), this machine is definitely worth the price.

I started a small batch gourmet ice cream/gelato business last spring. My first business purchase was the Lello Musso 1.15 qt machine. It is a a true workhorse that has given me consistent results. I could get roughly one and a quarter quart of consistently frozen soft serve n 15-17 minutes, but my business has expanded and making one quart at a time is too laborious and expensiive. Because I had such great results with the smaller machine my assumption was that the 2 quart machine would be equally as good. Boy was I wrong! Please note, I am a professional frozen dessert maker specializing in Philadelphia style ice cream, gelatos and sorbets. I know the science behind ice cream making and have made hundreds of batches in the Musso. So when I tell you that the Musso Pola is not remotely as good a machine as the Lello Musso, I am telling you from professional experience. Let me save you some heartache and frustration: Do not buy this machine if you are looking to use it in a small business or restaurant! First, the Pola is supposed to churn 2 quarts of ice cream in roughly 20 minutes. It does not! It has consistently failed. Second, the compressor and motor make agonizing sounds and the dasher is incredibly slow. It barely whips any air into the ice cream base. The ice cream is hardly frozen more like a soupy cream (see photo). Third, the compressor over-freezes the bowl, causing most of the ice cream base to cling to the bottom and sides prohibiting the dasher to thoroughly mix the base, so there is no consistency to be had. I have now reverted back to using the Lello Musso 1 quart machine because I get consistent results though my efforts are doubled. I am frustrated with Amazon because they will not let me return the machine, and I can’t get anyone on the phone at the company who makes the machines. I am now stuck with a $1300 machine that doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do in less time. So I’m here warning you all, do not invest in this machine especially if you’re purchasing it for a business! I will say I find it interesting that the Lello Musso is now retailing for $1000 while the Musso Pola has gone down in price here on Amazon. Very curious indeed. 🙄😳

A little background from me, I'm an engineer that is currently looking to open up an ice cream parlor, so I know a lot about ice cream and equipment. I bought the Lello Musso Pola 5030 as a testing ice cream machine that is used specifically for testing small batches under 2 quarts. I have an Emery Thompson CB-350 ($10,000) and a Breville smart scoop Ice cream machine ($399). The CB-350 is a full on commercial ice cream machine I use for making large quantities. I would use that machine to make test batches but it is too large. If I tried to put 1 quart or 2 quarts of ice cream to churn in there, the machine would freeze up and start making grinding noises because it freezes too fast. So I went out to find an ice cream machine for testing purposes that is near the quality of my emery thompson without spending over $1,500. I needed an ice cream machine that was capable of freezing ice cream under 15-20 min and was of commercial quality grade. Let me tell you guys, you will not find a commercial grade ice cream machine that would freeze 2 quarts of ice cream in under 20 minutes that is priced under $1,500 other than the Lello Musso Pola 5030. This machine is more than what I expected. If you're a serious home cook or looking to make ice cream to sell and do not want to spend more than $1,300, then this is the machine to get. I have the Breville Smart Scoop machine and it works great for people who want to make ice cream for fun and dont really care how the texture of the ice cream is. However, the Breville takes at least 30 minutes to just freeze 1 quart of ice cream, if not, most of the time 35 minutes. The Breville can only hold 1.5 quarts, so if you did 1.5 quarts of ice cream, it'd take upwards of 40 minutes. And an extra 20-25 minutes does not mean only wasted time waiting for the ice cream to finish churning. It means your ice cream will be very icy and the texture will be completely off. 20 - 25 minute difference in freezing time for ice cream is a huge difference in the quality of your ice cream. The reason why ice cream at restaurants and ice cream shops are so creamy is because of how fast you freeze your ice cream. The faster you freeze it, the smaller the ice crystals will be. The longer it takes to freeze, the larger the ice cream crystals will be. I was able to freeze my ice cream in 10 - 15 minutes with 1 quart of ice cream. I let the machine run the compressor for 10-15 minutes to get it as cold as possible, and then i turn on the blades to churn and dump in the ice cream. I know a lot of people complain that the bowl is not removable, but you guys should really stop complaining about that. No commercial ice cream maker has a removable bowl whatsoever. If you want an ice cream machine that has a removable bowl, then you're not serious about making great ice cream. Removable bowls mean that there is a gap between the outside surface of the bowl and the freezing unit. Therefore the bowl will take longer to get cold and freeze because there is a thing layer of air acting as insulation. So that is why there is not a removable bowl. The bowl is directly built in the machine to freeze the bowl faster, therefore that is why the ice cream can freeze under 20 minutes. In conclusion, if you're looking for a commercial quality ice cream machine that is under $1,500, then this is the machine you're looking for. All other brands start at $4,000 like taylor and emery thompson, and those are roughly the same size (2-3 quarts). Any ice cream machine priced around $500 means that the quality of the ice cream will not be the same as restaurants or ice cream shops. Getting this machine will allow you to make ice cream that has the same texture as ice cream stores.

This machine is a marvel at making ice cream. It's a relatively simple design constructed out of quality materials and does fantastic job at making very creamy ice cream (esp. if you prechill for 20 minutes or so). The problem is that once you have a problem with your unit, you are in a nebula of pain. If you're lucky you can pay a fortune for the part and replace it yourself (like a switch). But if something more extensive needs repair, the repair network is almost non existent and expensive if you can get the help. I'm on my second set of switches. These electomechanical switches are expensive, unreliable and prone to breakage easily, often halting an evening of spontaneous ice cream making in the worst possible way. It would hurt more if this was a business reliant on these machines.

This would have been a 5 star review, if not for a couple of bothersome problems. First, I bought this machine based on the review of a lady who had researched and used the same model, and gave an excellent, detailed review to the model. She even covered the point of her obtaining excellent customer service by Lello's U.S. representative when she had a problem. I cannot find her review now, but it was excellent; however some problems have developed, I guess since her purchase date. I purchased my machine in January 2013. My machine arrived from Amazon in apparent good condition, until I looked at the mixing paddle. It was scarred, its welds looked as if someone with no experience had welded the paddle arms on the center tube-hub, it had holes in the botched welds which go through to the inside of the center hub and there is a non-sealed seam where the plastic washer meets the metal inside the hub. It is, in fact, so nicked and poorly done, that I thought it was a returned piece that was re-used for my machine. The holes in the welds have proven to be hard to clean, as has the un-sealed plastic-to-metal seam inside the hub. Also, *contrary* to the description in Amazon's write up, the paddle is NOT stainless steel -- unless it is stainless steel, covered by some sort of coating, which would be useless over stainless, but even the coating looks like it has been used and marred and no stainless shows through the nicks. Incidentally, the Amazon description states: "Stainless-steel housing and blade provide durability with a classic finish All stainless steel construction including blade" That simply appears to be incorrect. When I tried to get the U.S. distributor to replace the paddle, he said all of the paddles formerly were stainless and pristine, but now the machines were coming in with the paddles in the condition that I described. He didn't seem fazed when I explained that the hard-to-clean, bad welds might present a sanitary problem. I asked that he exchange a paddle in new and good condition with me, but he did not agree to anything and I have never heard from him, despite my call and a previous (unanswered) letter I wrote asking for an exchange and describing the problem. So, the woman's review I mentioned, if it shows up again, should add these problems to the write up. The paddles look very poorly-amateur-made, with holes in the welds, nicks and scrapes in the blades and in the unrecognizable coating and no help at all from the U.S. representative. Otherwise, the machine itself seems fine, with an exception for a noise which sounds like a cog slipping once in awhile. It is nice looking, makes up to (just) 2 quarts of excellent ice cream in 10 to 15 minutes and can make several batches with only a small number of minutes between batches. It is not as noisy as some other machines I have heard. It is big, strong looking and sounding, easy to use (if you follow simple instructions) and large and heavy (70+ pounds). There is no clean-up problem unless a person is so lazy that he/she simply does not want to wash out and dry the built-in bowl, which takes all of around 6 to 10 minutes to do. I must, however, re-warn potential buyers about the paddle, which MUST be carefully cleaned and dried or you will have a sanitary problem. I have forgotten what the warranty is, but since the U.S. representative seems not to care about customer problems, I guess the length of the warranty does not mean much anyway. I have made around 25+ batches of ice cream by now, which have been creamy, not full of air and very pleasing. Incidentally, get from Amazon the David Lebovitz book, "The Perfect Scoop", for the best collection of ice cream, gelato, sherbet and related recipes that you can possibly find.

After having read many reviews and examined several alternative machines, I swallowed hard (because of the cost) and bought the Lello Musso Pola 5030 Desert Maker. It is the perfect choice for the home or possibly even a small restaurant. My friends, including some who are very picky about gelato because of having spent time in Italy, all rave about the end results. Its operates quietly, quickly, and makes top quality gelato... as long as you select good recipes and use good ingredients. Several recommendations for the Lello complained about cleaning the one-piece unit. I find that silly unless you have to make batch after batch all day long. I make a batch, remove all I can from the bowl, move the dasher to get everything possible off of and out from under it, and take out the dasher. I then let the bowl return to room temperature before cleaning... that is much easier than trying to clean out the ice cream residue while the unit is still very cold. I use a wet sponge, cleaning the sponge in the adjacent sink (or I would use a pan of warm water if the unit were not adjacent to the sink), and then wipe it down with a clean kitchen towel. I would also comment that many ice cream recipes based on cooked custard (and they are the best) call for chilling the mixture for eight hours or overnight before placing the mixture in the ice cream maker. Such advice may apply to those makers that use separate bowls that have to be pre-chilled in a freezer or other less powerful machines, but it is irrelevant with the Lello Musso Pola. I do chill a cooked mixture over an ice bath to bring it down to room temperature; beginning at room temperature, the Lello will produce perfect results in less than twenty minutes. I concur with several others in recommending two books: Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer and The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. Kopfer's book is excellent in helping understand the science and techniques of making ice cream, and Lebovitz's book has the best, most interesting recipes that I have found. Kopfer's recipes are less interesting, and I find myself continually substituting more cream for milk with his. If I had to choose only one, it would be Lebovitz. Overall, I find that the Lello operates flawlessly, and it is well worth the money. It exceeded my very high expectations.

Got the machine last week. The first time I used it I made two batches and then last night made 6. The machine freezes very fast, twenty minutes seems typical. Some small batches with the bowl pre-chilled around 10. Made a batch of frozen daiquiri, which took a bit longer. I am very happy with the time to freeze. Also the ice cream and sorbets are very smooth. With recipies as simple as blended fruit and a little syrup (Raw Agave) the ice crystals are very fine and the texture smoother than many other sorbets I have made. The machine has enough torque to freeze these very solid, which greatly helps with keeping them spoonable after storing overnight in the freezer. As for the cleaning some people have complained that the unit is tough to clean because the bowl is not removable. I have not had any problems and can clean it in a couple of minutes. It is easiest if you let it warm up for five or ten minutes before hand but a wet kitchen towel (warm) or some papertowels wipe it clean in two or three passes. The integrated bowl has no seams or crevices so it wipes out easily. As an engineer this really seems like a superior design even if it is not something that can be thrown into the dishwasher. The only trick to cleaning is to use a larger towel that doesn't need rinsed as often as a sponge, which was a bit tedious. I have had no problem turning it around for a second batch in less than five minutes. The only problem I had was the first unit I received would not cool. I suspect it was shipping related and Amazon returns had a new unit on my doorstep within 48 hours and offered to reimburse for the return shipping on the defective unit. While somewhat annoying as I was excited about trying the new unit out, I was very pleased with the hassle free experience dealing with Amazon customer service / returns. In summary the machine is expensive, but if you want or need a fast, high-end machine that produces excellent ice cream and sorbets then don't hesitate. This machine is solid. Everyone who has come over to help try it out is amazed by the speed, low level of noise and the quality of the end result.