After years of using lesser ice cream makers, I finally bought the real deal. Over this past weekend I made chocolate ice cream per my father's request. He was skeptical that we'd need 8 quarts, but with fifteen family members I was tired of running out before everyone had their fill. All 8 quarts disappeared. Fast. This ice cream maker is like buying a new Mercedes when you're accustomed to driving a 25-year-old Nissan. The dasher and tub is substantial. The bucket kept the ice cream frozen for four hours until dinner was finished. The motor was so silent I kept checking to see if it had stopped (during the 25 minutes it took to complete its task). The ice cream was, as my five-year-old stated, "the best I've ever had." Using my old recipe, the texture was much better than what we're used to having. Clean-up was an absolute breeze. The price is premium, but you get value for money. I wish we'd bought this twenty years ago. This coming weekend I think I'll try mint chocolate chip!