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Crafting your own ice cream and sorbet from the ground up carries a magical allure. With a reliable ice cream maker, you can relish the joy of concocting frozen delights within the cozy confines of your home. Following extensive research and rigorous testing, we’ve handpicked the top five contenders in the realm of Best Ice Cream Makers. Each of these machines possesses the prowess to churn out ice cream that’s nothing short of velvety and divine.
Our approach for selection centered on finding equipment that consistently produced the best textures, were user-friendly, were simple to clean, and brought a fun element to the process of producing ice cream. These ice cream machines come highly recommended, so get ready to satisfy your cravings for homemade frozen treats.
Best Ice Cream Makers Comparison Table
| Product | Capacity | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker | 1.5 quarts | Fully automatic, easy-lock lid |
| Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker | 1.5 quarts | Compressor cooling, 60-minute timer |
| Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 XL Ice Cream Maker | 2 quarts | 11 dessert modes, built-in storage |
| Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker | 1.5 quarts | 12 hardness settings, self-refrigerating |
| DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker | 1.6 cups | Quick and easy setup, compact design |
Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.5 quarts |
| Type | Frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbet |
| Mixing Paddle | Double-insulated freezer bowl |
| Timer | Yes |
| Automatic Shutoff | Yes |
| Speed Control | No |
| Included Accessories | Recipe book, transparent lid |
| Dimensions (inches) | 10.8 x 10.8 x 15.8 |
| Weight (pounds) | 9.7 |
When completely frozen, the canister churns up in the quickest amount of time of any of the models that we tested, producing ice cream and other frozen desserts that are silky smooth and creamy. This modest device only features one button, a lid that can be secured in place with a simple snap, and a compact footprint that makes it suitable for confined locations.
This lightweight model offers an unbeatable value in comparison to its purchase price. It does away with the need for salt and ice, as well as an expensive compressor, by employing a canister that is already frozen and lined with a coolant in order to bring the base temperature down.
The Good
- Versatile, can make frozen yogurt, ice cream, and sorbet
- Compact size, doesn’t take up much counter space
- Easy-to-use timer and automatic shutoff feature
- Double-insulated freezer bowl ensures efficient freezing
- Comes with a recipe book for inspiration
The Bad
- No speed control option for customization
Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.5 quarts |
| Type | Ice cream, gelato |
| Mixing Paddle | Removable, self-refrigerating |
| Timer | Yes |
| Automatic Shutoff | Yes |
| Speed Control | Yes |
| Included Accessories | 2 paddles (ice cream and gelato), recipe book, transparent lid |
| Dimensions (inches) | 16.73 x 12 x 9.33 |
| Weight (pounds) | 32.5 |
This compressor model from Cuisinart has the same unobtrusive appearance and straightforward operation as the canister model, but in addition, it has the capacity to freeze its own contents.
Because of this, you may manufacture ice cream without having to do any sort of planning ahead of time, and you won’t have to worry about the quality suffering as a result. This model is also one of the more compact versions of compressors that we examined; as a result, it should be quite simple to store in kitchens with limited space.
The Good
- With 11 features, it can make a variety of frozen treats.
- With a built-in mixing tool, it’s easy to use.
- A timer and an automatic shutdown make things easier.
- The speed control choice lets you change the texture.
- Comes with a lot of storage and serving tools.
- 1.5 quarts is a large amount.
The Bad
- May need more storage room because there are more accessories.
- Some people may find it hard to learn how to use more than one function.
Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 XL Ice Cream Maker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.5 quarts |
| Type | Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, smoothies, milkshakes, frozen yogurt, mousse, whip, popsicles, custard, dips |
| Mixing Paddle | Built-in |
| Timer | Yes |
| Automatic Shutoff | Yes |
| Speed Control | Yes |
| Included Accessories | Recipe book, storage lid, tamper, 4 storage tubs, 6 storage lids |
| Dimensions (inches) | 13.7 x 10.4 x 19.2 |
| Weight (pounds) | 19.5 |
Most ice cream makers freeze the liquid base while mixing in air at the same time. The Ninja Creami, on the other hand, starts with a jar of frozen base and uses a “Creamerizer Paddle” that looks like a blender blade to give it a smooth, velvety texture. Our team of trained chefs and experienced home cooks were skeptical about the unusual method, but the TikTok-famous tool turned out to be the best ice cream maker we’ve ever used.
The Creami Deluxe made sorbet and ice cream that were both firm and smooth, with no ice crystals or un-spun base building up in the sides of the container. Both were perfect and ready to eat as soon as they came out of the machine. After being re-frozen for two hours, the ice cream had the same texture as before, and the sorbet was still pretty good, though it was a bit thicker than we’d like and had a few ice crystals on top.
The Good
- With a self-cooling generator, there’s no need to freeze it first.
- You can make both ice cream and gelato with it.
- The mixing paddle is removable so it’s easy to clean.
- A timer and an automatic shutdown make things easier.
- Texture can be changed by using the speed control option.
The Bad
- Large and heavy, it takes up a lot of counter room and is more expensive than some other models.
- Because of the blower, it may make more noise.
Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.5 quarts |
| Type | Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, sorbet, granita, slushies, frozen drinks |
| Mixing Paddle | Removable, self-refrigerating |
| Timer | Yes |
| Automatic Shutoff | Yes |
| Speed Control | Yes |
| Included Accessories | 1 paddle, 1 cleaning brush, recipe book, transparent lid, 1 spatula |
| Dimensions (inches) | 16.2 x 10.5 x 10.2 |
| Weight (pounds) | 30.9 |
For its high price, the Smart Scoop has many of features for dedicated ice cream makers. Its compressor chills the bowl while it churns. After making the ice cream, it will stay at the correct scooping temperature for three hours. Like earlier versions, you can pre-freeze the bowl or let the machine cool it while you make your ice cream or sorbet base.
Since the machine can only generate approximately a quart at a time and takes nearly an hour to freeze, you don’t have to refreeze the bowl between batches. Smart Scoop settings are precise. Whether you want a hard vanilla for a root beer float or a soft sorbet to quenelle over a pie, there are 12 hardness options. Internal thermometers measure the mixture, and the compressor adjusts to maintain the appropriate temperature.
The Good
- With a self-cooling generator, there’s no need to freeze it first.
- Versatile, with many uses for different frozen treats
- The mixing paddle is removable so it’s easy to clean.
- A timer and an automatic shutdown make things easier.
- The speed control choice lets you change the texture.
The Bad
- Compared to some other types, it’s pretty heavy.
- The price may be higher than that of simple ice cream makers.
DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.6 cups |
| Type | Ice cream |
| Mixing Paddle | Removable |
| Timer | No |
| Automatic Shutoff | No |
| Speed Control | No |
| Included Accessories | Recipe book |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.3 x 4.1 x 8.4 |
| Weight (pounds) | 2.03 |
This pint-sized ice cream maker is perfect for making small amounts of ice cream or frozen yogurt quickly and easily. It’s easy to put the cooling bowl, cooling cup, and plastic paddle together, and then to put the motor on top. This maker says it can make 1.6 cups of ice cream in 30 minutes or less. After 30 minutes, it made soft, smooth ice cream that could be eaten with a spoon. Due to the smaller amount, the ice cream set up well in the freezer after an hour.
It weighs less than 1 pound and is small, which makes it a good choice for first flats, small kitchens, college dorm rooms, and trips in a camper or RV. The machine can also be used by hand, and it comes with a mixing spoon in case you want to stir the liquid by hand to make ice cream. The modern style comes in three colors: pink, aqua, and white. It’s also a great gift because the price is easy on the pocket. We also like that it comes with a limited protection that lasts for one year.
The Good
- The design is small and portable, making it great for small homes or traveling.
- Because it freezes quickly, ice cream can be made almost right away.
- The mixing paddle is removable so it’s easy to clean.
- Affordable price point
- Comes with a book of recipes to give you ideas.
The Bad
- The small size of 1.6 cups may not be enough for bigger amounts.
Questions and Answers
Yes, ice cream makers can be used to make other frozen treats besides ice cream. You can make sorbets, frozen yogurts, gelato, sherbets, and even some kinds of frozen drinks. With an ice cream maker, you can try out different recipes and make ice cream for people with different diets.
How to clean an ice cream maker varies on which model you have. Most of the time, you can wash the mixing paddle, mixing bowl, and lid with warm clean water. It’s important to look at the cleaning directions from the manufacturer. Some parts may be safe to put in the machine, while others may need to be washed by hand.
Even though you can store the ice cream in the same bowl, it is best to put it in a different container with a lid that keeps air out. This keeps the ice cream from going bad in the freezer and keeps its quality. There are also special tubs for ice cream that help keep it fresh for a longer time.