Pros: It's got an on/off button. That's it. Pretty easy. I read all of the reviews (also those on other sites) before I bought it. 1. People said "its loud but not louder than my washer/dishwasher. TRUE. 2. People said "its runny" and "you're not freezing it long enough if its runny". TRUE. The first time I made ice cream I had had the bowl in my regular freezer/fridge in the house. It was a bit runnier than your avg commercially made stuff. The second time I made it, I had had the bowl in my big 32sqft dedicated freezer and the consistency was EXACTLY that of commercial ice cream. Lesson: the colder you can keep the bowl, the better the consistency. 3. People said "the recipes in the book were no good" FALSE. Use good ingredients, follow the recipe exactly, keep everything as cold as possible and you will LOVE this machine. I adore the simple construction, the look of it on my counter, its ease of use, and the price combined with the reviews cannot be beat.

Cons: I wish they offered a combination with an extra bowl when I purchased it because you have to let the bowl thaw before you can wash & reuse it. Even that really isn't a con, just a spoiled gripe!

Overall Review: If you're reading this review, you're like me and you want to trust in the advice of actual owners and users of this product, so trust this: if you want an automatic 2qt ice cream maker, buy this. I've never made ice cream with a machine before and even I felt like a pro! PLUS - the price savings will make any sport shopper proud!