But, that is to be expected for any self-freezing ice cream maker

That is slower than some makers that are not self-freezing, but if you are making multi-batches at once, it's way faster than waiting several hours to re-freeze the bowl.

Does it make better ice cream than the non-self-freezing models

Even though it's self-freezing, it helps if you put the aluminum bowl in the freezer before using it.

So far, my favorite gelato flavors have been Sicilian Crema (tastes like creme brûlée), lemon, pistachio, vanilla, cherry, and peaches