Pros: Put quite simply - this thing works. You freeze the bowl (for a day or so), mix some ingredients, pour them in, turn it on, and wah-lah - ice cream, sorbet, gelato, etc.

Cons: The recipes that this comes with involve lots of heavy cream. Consider buying a sorbet or gelato book to get some lighter recipes.

Overall Review: I think the people who have problems with this (and any other model) are not taking the time to properly freeze the bowl and keep ingredients cool. Some recipes I've read call for mixing ingredients over heat. If you pour those into the freezer bowl, of course you aren't going to get thick ice cream. And I can't stress enough - freeze the bowl for a day or more. After you use it and clean it, stick it back in your freezer that way it's always ready. My wife and I have made about 4-6 batches and everyone has been great.