The benefit of using a churning-type ice cream maker is that it prevents ice crystals from forming while the ingredients freeze. You get a smooth product. There are three levels of ice cream maker:
-cheapest - you use ice cubes and rock salt to create the coldness, available in hand-crank and electric.
-moderately priced - the freezing chamber is pre-chilled in your freezer so you don't have to add ice. Also available in hand-crank and electric.
-quite pricey (hundreds!) - Self chilling because there is a built in compressor to freeze the ice-cream chamber.
If you don't use an ice cream maker, you can pre-freeze the mixture in your freezer to a slushy consistency. Then, you take out the slush and mix it with an electric mixer or blender to break up the ice crystals, then freeze the mixture all the way. You might not like how chunky the ice crystals are, or you might not mind the ice crystals at all - depending on your recipe, your equipment, and your personal preference.
I like the ice-cream maker "experience" with my moderately priced unit, but then again, I'm entertaining grandchildren with the process. I suggest you try a few freezer/blender batches before you decide to try an ice cream maker.
