Bellsmom, Ice cream freezers are a pretty mature technology, and Cuisinart isn't likely to turn belly up during your warranty period, so why not? :) I like that the 100 has the different paddles, though I don't know how big a difference it makes. I donated counter space that wasn't all that useful anyway to mine, but I wish it did a magic appear/disappear act. :) Yours should be fine in the pantry if you have a solid counter and a plug. It's sure to vibrate a lot and needs some clear space for the circulation of warm air (i.e., not right up against your foodstuffs because they want cool pantry, and a freezer will warm it up). Those are the biggest problems with putting it in the pantry. Do you have a laundry room where you could put it? Maybe keep a cloth over it when not in use to keep away lint, etc. Or even a protected porch? The lack of water shouldn't be a big issue because of the removable bowl. You can take all the main parts to the sink for cleaning (maybe keep a little dishpan with the machine to dump them in, and just bring a sponge or rag and a small bowl (or the dishpan) of water to the machine for wiping it down. Kids love making frozen treats, and it's also a great way to teach them about what's in what they're eating. Be really honest with yourself, however. Do you really want to be carrying the ingredients back and forth? And the clean-up? Would you rather have it on the kitchen counter? Would giving up freezer space be no issue because you'd be using the space you usually fill with bought ice cream for the bowl of a non-freezer model? Will you use it more if it's just ready to go? Will you use it less if you have to unearth the bowl from a pile of stuff in the freezer? I know the arias are beautiful, but imagine yourself doing the conducting. Read through the instructions online and imagine yourself doing the work. See which model you'd really rather have to fit into your real life and way of doing things, and your particular cooking setup. You're already well informed. That's the next good step to making a choice.

So, Histokitch . . . what size fridge do you have that works for you? I could have written your post. I have the DH who commutes 1.5 hours each way, 4 kids to feed, top row all milk, tons and tons of fresh veggies and fruits that kill me on space and even meat for 3 days and I am out of room. I HATE my refridgerator. Nothing fits, I can't find anything, food rots because I can't see it pushed to the back (also hampered by the placement in the kitchen where neither door (sxs) can open fully so I can't see inside. I hate saying to DH -- this was really good when I first made it . . . of course now several hours later and microwaved it kind of s#$ks. So, I live for the day of a warmng drawer and the right size and format refrigerator . . . just need to figure out what size that might be.

Bumblebeez, your first sentence is kind of an interesting comment to make in a Money Saving Tips Forum! LOL I'll address some of your questions. As far as the cleaning ability, of course it depends on the formula but people who have used it reports it works as well as name brands (with the possible exception of enzyme detergents), and why wouldn't it? It's made from the same types of ingredients. I'm not claiming it's identical but washing soda and soap are in virtually every detergent. Same goes for the smell unless you expect it to have a chemical smell and you can put additives in there for that if you like. Personally I wash clothes to remove stench rather than put stench into them. Oh and is it good for the washer, well, depends on how you define "good" for the washer, but it's laundry detergent so if you're suggesting that it would damage the washer, you can be assured it will not. I should add that there's a lot of chemistry involved in laundry and the combination of detergent formula, machine, cycle, type of soiling, amount of soiling and even water makes a big difference in laundry results. And btw, few have quit using the homemade once they started using it. There's been a couple who decided it was more convenient to buy but usually when they get it for the right price. Or they keep a special formula for certain things. As far as cost, some of the recipes I looked at before weren't cost-effective for me so I didn't make it. I do have a recipe now that is essentially washing soda, borax, soap and baking soda which would compare quite favorably. "But then how would I get those big boxes of detergent home from the store?" Not everyone in this country has a car but somehow they get the laundry detergent home. Possibly by walking, taking a bus, a cab, or have it delivered... or maybe make their own? ;) I will agree with you that I enjoy having a vehicle. I don't drive new vehicles often and it's not a status symbol for me. Often I've thought it would be nice to not have one and when you think about the costs it could be very cost-effective for many people to get rid of their cars. But it's a choice that people make. Some like to make their own detergent and they do it for a variety of reasons. Some do it because it does save them money. Some do it and don't save much but do it to have it without the additives they don't like. Some do it as a hobby or as a "self-sufficiency" type thing. Some people will butcher a whole animal themselves, freeze it, etc, and some would think that they should just buy it at the store prepackaged. That would not be cost-effective for me, but for some it is. "It's one thing to choose to save money by not having a car and air conditioning but seriously, what is more important?" There's no one answer to that question. That's the purpose of the thread I believe. There's a lot of people who simply cannot afford a/c and a car (or a car with a/c! LOL) To many of them, food, clothing and shelter are more important. I'm not going to challenge the "veracity" comment, since I think perhaps you just misused the word. I see no reason why people would lie about it. I don't think you were trying to say that though. Mind if I ask what types of things you try to save money on?

I'd totally get the Viking and I don't think it's shallow to want a pretty fridge! Everyone who is remodeling their kitchen wants it to look nice, what's wrong with that? I have no evidence, but I bet those few cf are in the curvy front. I hate curvy front fridges for some reason. I don't really understand how people use so much refrigerator space anyway. We have a 30" fridge and it's full on Sunday after our grocery/Costco run, but empty by the end of the week cause we only buy what we can eat in a week. Save for a few bottles of salad dressing and condiments we have around, but how many of those do you need at a time?