When I was small, my mother had a similar hand-shaken butter churn that she used to make soft, spreadable butter for multiple purposes. It was from a different manufacturer, but worked essentially the same way: you put heavy cream in the reservoir, let it warm to approximately room temperature, and then shake it until he fatty solids separate and form a mass. That mass is the butter, which, when fresh from the shaker, is soft, easy to work with, and has a pleasing fluffy texture.Mom’s old butter churn got damaged and discarded somewhere along the way, but I never forgot the taste and texture of fresh-made butter. When I saw this butter maker was available at such a reasonable price, I knew I had to have it. The butter I makes lives up to the memories I have from my childhood. Fresh-made butter spreads more evenly on breads and other surfaces, without tearing the bread, and disappears quickly into whatever you’re spreading it on, leaving behind nothing but the taste.Also, fresh-made butter is airier and more malleable than store-bought butter. This makes it preferable for baking and other cooking that involves mixing. When the butter is fresh from the shaker, it’s solid enough to stand up on its own, but also blends easily. Unlike refrigerated butter, which is rock-hard, or melted butter, which is pure liquid, fresh-made butter has a light, fluffy texture, which it conveys directly into the baked goods, which emerge with a much airier texture than you’re maybe accustomed to.Fresh-made butter does have its limits. It doesn’t keep as long as store-bought butter, for instance; the store-bought stuff can remain fresh for a remarkably long time, because it’s been so thoroughly processed that it has no impurities. Fresh-made butter, even if it’s rinsed and stored well, has a life expectancy of about a week, tops, so be prepared to use it quickly. Also, if you refrigerate it, fresh-made butter will remain airy, but it will turn shockingly hard and difficult to spread.This butter maker comes with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. It may take a few tries to get it right. They also don’t warn you that your cream will turn into whipped cream before it turns into butter; this doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong, just that you must keep shaking. I threw out a lot of perfectly good cream before I realized this. The butter maker itself is simple, has no moving parts, and is easy to clean. Make sure you clean up under the silicone seal, which can trap food particles.Probably not everyone really wants fresh-made butter or can use it. But for ambitious home cooks, this is a slick addition to your kitchen arsenal, and you can tell the difference between fresh-made and store-bought butter when you use it. Your food, especially baked goods, will have a finer texture and a richer, earthier flavor. I look forward to trying fresh butter in more recipes in the future, as everything I’ve tried it so far has been improved by its taste and texture.