How long since you've eaten ice cream made in a hand-cranked bucket outside?

I have memories of the best ice cream. When is the last time that you enjoyed that delicious treat? Did you have a favorite flavor? ---BBB

Old-Fashioned Ice-Cream Makers
Traditional bucket-type ice cream makers

Old-fashioned, bucket-style ice cream makers consist of a metal canister nestled inside a larger wooden bucket. In order to create the cold temperatures needed to turn ingredients into ice cream, these machines make use of ice and rock salt, which is placed between the inner and outer canisters. The ice and salt cool the metal canister, which in turn cools down the ingredients as they're stirred. These bucket-type ice cream makers come in both manual (hand crank) and motor-operated styles. The hand-crank types can be fun to use, but they're also more labor-intensive. Both types should be used near a drain or outdoors -- that's because as the ice melts, it can create a messy runoff.

Compared to countertop ice cream makers, old-fashioned bucket-style machines make a larger amount of ice cream -- between 4 and 6 quarts in about 20 to 30 minutes. Like all ice cream makers, they use ingredients such as milk, sugar, salt, heavy cream and flavorings. However, the finished product must be frozen for a few hours to firm up to store-bought consistency.

For 150 years, White Mountain manufactured old-fashioned, bucket-style ice cream makers with steel freezer cans and dashers (stirring paddles). Rival bought the White Mountain brand a few years ago, and now manufactures all units with that name. Rival makes both a 4-quart and a 6-quart electric old-fashioned ice cream maker. The electric models work the same as the hand-crank models, but simply have a motor that operates the paddle in lieu of manually turning the hand crank. Rival's White Mountain 6-Quart F69206-Xinfo (*Est. $200) is a better buy than the Rival White Mountain 4-Quart F69204-Xinfo (*Est. $180), because it costs only marginally more than the smaller 4-quart model but makes 50 percent more ice cream. Otherwise, both the 4- and 6-quart models are identical in design.

Slate.com reviewer Stephen Metcalf tests the 4-quart version of the White Mountain ice cream maker in his review, noting that while the process was pretty labor intensive -- requiring the frequent addition of ice and rock salt in order to keep the canister cold enough -- the end result produced by the Rival is creamier than the ice cream created by less expensive, gel-canister ice cream makers. No other ice cream maker compares to the Rival White Mountain 6-Quart F69206-X in terms of capacity, either. (Most gel-canister models can make only 1 or 2 quarts at a time.) We found many owners posting reviews to Amazon.com (where nearly 150 owners contribute to an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5) who concur with that comparison. Owners also note that the recipes included with this ice cream maker are easy to follow, and the machine is easy to use. One reviewer notes, "The hardest thing about it is deciding what kind to make next."

The San Francisco Chronicle, however, reports that noise is the trade-off for this machine's "especially strong motor." Consumers posting to Amazon.com agree that the Rival White Mountain F69206-X is noisy, but most owners rave about the ability to produce such large quantities of ice cream at one time. Many owners report making enough to serve at a family gathering of 10 to 20 people, and most say the flavor and creamy consistency of the ice cream simply can't be beat. The few complaints center around malfunctioning motors, but there are an equal number of reviewers noting the heavy-duty, solid construction of this bucket-style ice cream maker.

Rival's hand-cranked version, the 4-Quart Rival White Mountain F64304-Xinfo (*Est. $140), receives mixed reviews. In fact, we found numerous users on Amazon.com (where it has an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5, based on just under 20 reviews) complaining about its crank and cast-iron gears rubbing against each other during use, leaving sharp metal shavings in the ice cream. Some users also say that its "cheap" hand crank is prone to breaking. Durability issues aside, one owner posting to Amazon.com says the 4-Quart Rival White Mountain F64304-X is "good old-fashioned ice cream making fun."

Additionally, some owners posting to Amazon.com complain that although the White Mountain's wooden bucket looks great, the salt can eventually erode the metal bands holding the bucket together. We also read some sporadic reports of leaky canisters, which allowed salt to creep into the ice cream, tainting its flavor. Upon investigating, we found Rival offers replacement 6-quart canisters (*Est. $20), but not replacement buckets.