The Final Ice Cream Maker Overview has all the pieces you must know to decide on the very best ice cream maker for YOU!
Having printed effectively over 100 ice cream recipes, I get requested a LOT of questions on ice cream makers. So, right here’s my evaluate of the very best and the worst ice cream makers in the marketplace in 2024.
Proper after, “Which machine do YOU suggest?” The preferred query I get is whether or not it’s doable to make ice cream with no machine. The reply is YES. You may make ice cream with no machine. Find the full directions here!
There are such a lot of totally different ice cream makers in the marketplace, it may be laborious to even know the place to start. With the knowledge right here, you’ll find the very best ice cream maker to your wants and begin making your favourite frozen treats at house.
I’ve personally examined all of those machines, basing my decisions for testing on buyer opinions, and selecting the highest-rated machines in every class.
The identical homemade ice cream recipe was used for each batch examined in these machines.
From ice cream compressors to creating ice cream in a bag, I’ve acquired your frozen treats coated as a way to make the very best buy choice to fulfill all your ice cream cravings!
Ice Cream Maker Opinions
- Electrical Ice Cream Makers – frozen bowl, no ice required
- Electrical Ice Cream Makers – add ice and salt
- Hand Crank Ice Cream Makers – add ice and salt
- Delicate Serve Ice Cream Maker, Instantaneous Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream Ball, and Ice Cream In A Bag
- Compressor Ice Cream Makers – freezer compressor unit, no ice or frozen bowl required
Greatest Ice Cream Maker Outcomes
Greatest Ice Cream Maker below $75
If you need an ice cream maker that produces constant, high quality outcomes, and also you don’t thoughts shopping for ice and salt whenever you’re able to make ice cream, the Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker is the machine for you.
It makes 4-quarts of ice cream at a time (superior for a crowd) and the ice cream texture is constant all through your entire batch.
Nonetheless, when you don’t wish to mess with ice and salt, and you’ve got a KitchenAid mixer, the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment is the way in which to go. The ice cream is clean and creamy with none of the inconsistent texture seen with different freezer bowl choices.
In the event you would not have a KitchenAid, and also you need an electrical ice cream maker that doesn’t require ice or salt, the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart is your best choice.
Greatest Compressor Ice Cream Maker
The Cuisinart Compressor Ice Cream Maker is a stable high-end ice cream machine possibility at below $300. In a nutshell, it churns the ice cream sooner in facet by facet testing and is a really shut match to the ice cream from the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker.
In the event you’ve recognized me for lengthy, you possible know that I typically name the Breville “my beloved” and it’s no secret that this has been my favourite kitchen equipment for over 10 years now – and it’s nonetheless going sturdy. The Breville is admittedly an indulgence buy at the next worth. Whereas the Breville’s ice cream is creamier than the Cuisinart’s, it truthfully isn’t THAT a lot creamier.
My suggestion for the common house cook dinner is for the Cuisinart. The one actual con to this machine is that it’s a contact louder than the Breville and it doesn’t have the entire bells and whistles of the opposite.
NEW CONTENDER for 2024: I’ve been testing and utilizing the KUMIO 2.2-Quart Ice Cream Maker with Compressor side-by-side with my Breville for nearly a 12 months now. This one was an incredible discover (unknown model to me) final 12 months and it’s had stable use with zero complaints.
I do dislike the churning paddle, nobody else has one pretty much as good because the Breville, however that’s a small problem for a bigger machine (2.2 quarts) at practically half the worth of the Breville (1.5 quarts). It’s my go-to machine anytime I believe the batch will probably be bigger than common.
That is now my suggestion, each for the bigger dimension and the outcomes I’ve seen to this point. That mentioned, the Cuisinart is the extra well-known model, and so they’re each stable decisions.
Nonetheless, if you wish to splurge and plan to make ice cream greater than as soon as a month, I’m at all times going to like my Breville finest. So, there’s that.
Electrical Ice Cream Maker – frozen bowl, no ice required
The Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (the Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart – $80 ) is a highly regarded possibility for making ice cream at house. That is most likely probably the most generally used ice cream maker immediately.
The original Cuisinart machine was the primary ice cream maker I purchased about 8 years in the past (the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart – $69) and I used it endlessly. The mannequin pictured beneath is the upgraded mannequin and makes a bigger batch, however in fact? I don’t prefer it as a lot as my older machine.
In the event you’re in search of a dependable electrical ice cream maker below $75, you don’t personal a KitchenAid mixer already and don’t wish to mess with salt and ice, the unique Cuisinart ICE-21 is your finest guess for cash spent. That mentioned, please learn by way of the entire evaluate as that is my least favourite of all of the machines I examined.
There are a number of downsides to this machine. The bowl should be frozen stable earlier than churning a batch of ice cream. You’re restricted to a single batch of ice cream and might want to refreeze the bowl for 8-12 hours till frozen stable earlier than churning a brand new batch of ice cream.
Regardless of its recognition, this machine produces the least uniform consistency of all of the ice cream makers right here. The freezing just isn’t at all times constant and even, as a result of liquid typically freezes to the edges of the bowl as pictured beneath.
This makes it tough to get all the pieces out of the bowl. And when you do get all the pieces out of the bowl, there will probably be a number of bizarre “buttery” chunks or slivers within the ice cream.
The Cuisinart machine delivers home made ice cream and it’s scrumptious. However, given what number of different choices can be found, this stays my least favourite machine on the record.
The Cuisinart was the primary electrical ice cream maker I purchased years in the past and I used it endlessly the primary summer season I used to be creating recipes for this web site. So, it does work and it makes nice ice cream.
I gave that authentic machine to a pal years in the past, however picked one other one up final week in an effort to do the entire facet by facet comparisons for this text. (And gave the brand new one away as quickly as I used to be performed with the testing.)
Stand Mixer Attachment Ice Cream Maker – frozen bowl, no ice required
You probably have a KitchenAid and don’t wish to add one other equipment to your kitchen, the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment at $69 is a terrific ice cream making possibility for you.
In a lot the identical method that the Cuisinart works, the bowl is frozen earlier than ice cream may be churned. As soon as frozen, it attaches to the stand mixer and is ready to churn 2-quarts of ice cream.
If you have already got a KitchenAid mixer, this can be a much better possibility than the Cuisinart, palms down. I examined the 2 machines facet by facet and I’ll let you know proper now that the Cuisinart can’t contact the creaminess and constant texture of the KitchenAid.
You probably have loads of freezer house, this can be a nice possibility and produces dependable soft-serve outcomes. For scoopable ice cream, simply pop the completed ice cream into an hermetic container within the freezer till agency.
Electrical Ice Cream Maker – simply add ice and salt
The Hamilton Beach Electric Ice Cream Maker at $49 is the least costly ice cream maker on this record and it really works surprisingly effectively. This can be a primary, plug it in and churn electrical ice cream machine.
No controls, no changes, simply pour within the ice cream combine, fill the edges with ice and salt, and plug it in. (Please don’t buy this machine with out studying this whole evaluate!)
The ice cream comes out of this machine as comfortable serve, however nonetheless spoonable. In the event you want firmer ice cream, it may be transferred to an hermetic container and frozen till agency sufficient to scoop.
HOWEVER, the Hamilton Seashore Electrical Ice Cream Maker is loud. As in, loopy unbelievably loud type of loud. I can ignore loads of noise, however this machine really had me placing in earplugs simply to get by way of the churning course of.
I additionally examined the Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker at $54. Aspect by facet with the above Hamilton Seashore mannequin, I didn’t discover any noticeable distinction within the churned ice cream. Each batches of ice cream had been fluffy, creamy, just about excellent batches.
One large perk (and severely, it’s a reputable perk) to the Nostalgia mannequin is the clear lid on the ice cream canister. It is extremely useful to have the ability to see how the ice cream is churning and whether it is nearly performed!
These electrical machines are 4-quart ice cream makers, so you may make loads of ice cream at one time. The draw back to that is that the machines don’t at all times work as effectively for smaller batches. You’ll wish to plan on no less than doubling most traditional (1.5-quart) home made ice cream recipes for finest outcomes.
I like to recommend the Nostalgia Ice Cream Maker over the Hamilton Seashore for the ear safety alone and for that clear lid. However when you don’t thoughts the noise and might presumably churn your ice cream close to an outlet on the again porch?
The marginally cheaper one does work each bit in addition to the costlier possibility. (Though, Sean was inserting bets on how shortly the screeching grinding motor on a budget one will final. It actually does sound unreal.)
Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker
That is the old school type ice cream maker that many people bear in mind from childhood. I can bear in mind “serving to” my grandpa churn my grandma’s Six Threes Ice Cream of their storage whereas visiting them in the summertime.
There’s a huge distinction within the hand crank ice cream makers in the marketplace and to be blunt right here, you get what you pay for. In the event you luck into an quaint hand-crank machine at a yard sale or goodwill, BUY IT if it’s low cost. Significantly. You simply would possibly get fortunate and discover a gem.
Once I first began making ice cream at house, I attempted a pair totally different hand-crank machines (thanks to eBay and the native Goodwill the place I used to be capable of finding them for a steal – ha, now I do know why) and let me simply let you know now that they leaked water and ice all over the place and so they had been rusted as may be. They had been a multitude to make use of and clear up was a ache, however they churned ice cream, so I assumed it was cool.
I attempted to seek out two hand-crank machines to check facet by facet for this objective, however sadly, the opinions of most hand-crank machines in the marketplace now are actually horrible. I couldn’t see spending the cash simply to verify what so many reviewers have already mentioned concerning the different hand-crank machines.
That mentioned, I’ve wished a real workhorse of a hand crank ice cream maker for years and this summer season, I purchased one. The hand crank Immergood Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker at $406 is a DREAM of an ice cream maker.
This hand-crank machine churns 4 occasions as a lot ice cream in much less time than the electrical ice cream makers! 6 quarts of soft-serve ice cream in exactly 20 minutes?! Sure, PLEASE!
Significantly, if there’s a heaven for ice cream makers, this ice cream maker has earned a spot there. I’ve little doubt that that is one thing my boys will probably be utilizing with their households sometime. The standard is unbelievable.
I debated this buy for a very long time (years, really) earlier than shopping for this ice cream maker and I’ve no regrets. This machine is out there in 4-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart choices and we have now already put it to nice use with household visiting this summer season.
I LOVE that we are able to make ice cream for a crowd so simply and so shortly! And it’s simply plain enjoyable to make use of the hand crank to churn your ice cream. That is additionally a terrific possibility for tenting and out of doors actions when electrical energy isn’t accessible.
And in yet one more nod to the unbelievable high quality right here, the bucket is so thick and effectively insulated that it required not fairly ten kilos of ice to fill this big bucket across the ice cream canister. The ice barely melted whereas we had been churning too!
(As compared, the electrical machines that we examined with ice required a 7-lb bag of ice every for his or her batches and it was half water in about 20 minutes for the skinny plastic bucket on the Hamilton Seashore machine.)
My youngest son churned a batch with a pal final week and it was frozen to comfortable serve in about 20 minutes. My oldest son and his uncle churned a batch in about the identical time this weekend.
That is the EASIEST hand crank ice cream churn we’ve ever used and I really like that it produced a lot implausible home made ice cream. The quantity of energy required isn’t actually an element, although the children did develop tired of churning each couple of minutes and traded off.
Now we have the 8-quart Immergood Stainless Metal Ice Cream Maker and it’ll churn a quadruple batch of home made ice cream in about 20 minutes. The ensuing ice cream is soft-serve home made consistency and may be transferred to an hermetic container and positioned within the freezer for scoopable firmness.
Delicate Serve Ice Cream Maker
The Cuisinart Soft Serve 1.5QT Ice Cream Maker at $124 is the one semi-reliable (per buyer opinions) comfortable serve machine in the marketplace and I selected to not check this one. So far as I’m involved, there are WAY too many components that may must be washed and handled each time you wish to make ice cream.
To be completely trustworthy, the entire machine seems far too gimmicky. Even for check functions, I couldn’t convey myself to spend cash on this one. I’d a lot slightly simply churn ice cream to soft-serve consistency in a typical machine after which sprinkle on or stir in no matter toppings we like.
If I’d discovered a non-commercial priced comfortable serve machine with stable opinions, I fortunately would’ve examined it (whats up – ice cream lover right here) however after doing in depth analysis, I’m satisfied that there isn’t a soft-serve machine in the marketplace (for below a thousand {dollars}) that’s well worth the funding.
Significantly, if you need comfortable serve, purchase any of the machines right here and revel in. Based on a lot of the opinions, I discovered on-line, the lovable dispenser possible is not going to even work.
Ice Cream Ball
I’ve tried this technique prior to now and it was an epic fail, so I merely couldn’t convey myself to purchase one other Ice Cream Ball at $54 simply to check it. Sure, it freezes a bit, however it took a stable half-hour of rolling the ball backwards and forwards or shaking it and the tip end result was mainly slush.
That is extra a children’ toy than an ice cream maker so far as I’m involved.
Instantaneous Ice Cream Maker
Have you ever heard of this one? The Chef’n Sweet Spot Instant Ice Cream Maker at $39 was a shock discover whereas I used to be researching this text. With even a slim chance of creating rolled ice cream at house, how may I resist? (Plus, it was half off on sale when I discovered it.)
Because it seems, it doesn’t actually kind ice cream rolls as you would possibly hope (and in truth, I didn’t count on it to) this was a enjoyable little possibility for making a fast ice cream deal with. It does really work. It freezes a tiny ½ cup serving at a time and we managed to get about 3 servings made earlier than it was too heat to work.
You retain the tray within the freezer and simply pour a serving price of ice cream combine within the tray whenever you’re able to make ice cream. The ice cream begins to freeze instantly and inside about two minutes, you’ll be able to scrape it up in frozen bits for a enjoyable “prompt” bowl of ice cream.
This can be a enjoyable method for teenagers to simply add in their very own toppings and “chop” them into the ice cream too.
In fact, when you’re actually making greater than the tiniest little bit of ice cream? or want ice cream for greater than a few children? This isn’t very sensible in any respect as an ice cream maker.
Whenever you’re performed, simply rinse the nonetheless chilly tray in heat water, dry it, and re-freeze for subsequent time. Whereas it’s a neat trick to have the ability to make ice cream this manner, it’s actually extra toy than device.
Nonetheless, when you luck into discovering it on sale, it’s neat to have within the freezer. However for the usual full listed worth? This one is a stable nope from me.
Ice Cream In A Bag
Do you know you may make ice cream with simply a few zip-close freezer luggage? Sure, it’s doable. Is it the identical? In my expertise, probably not, however after a while within the freezer it does agency up a bit. No complaints right here although. I really like ice cream in just about any kind in any respect, even slushy.
It’s type of enjoyable for a crowd of children although and we’ve performed this (or tried this) prior to now whereas tenting. Wish to attempt it your self?
How To Make Ice Cream In A Bag
- Pour ½ cup of any ice cream recipe combination right into a quart-size freezer-safe zip-close bag. Seal tightly, eradicating as a lot air as doable.
- Put a scoop of ice, 3 tablespoons ice cream rock salt, and the bag containing the milk-cream combination right into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag; seal tightly.
- Rock the bag backwards and forwards – there’s no have to shake the bag laborious – till the combination thickens into soft-serve ice cream, about 10 minutes.
Two issues to notice about this “recipe” – it actually solely works effectively with the listed ½ cup of ice cream combine, and that does make a reasonably small portion.
Please be aware, when you add extra of the ice cream combine to the bag in an effort to have a bigger serving of ice cream, it could not freeze. This technique just isn’t simply adjusted, because it’s all concerning the science of creating it freeze.
Compressor Ice Cream Makers
Till a few years in the past, the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker was the dreamiest ice cream maker I’ve ever used.
I’ve been recognized to name this equipment “my beloved” and it nonetheless holds true that if I may solely have one of many two, I’d do away with my KitchenAid mixer in an effort to have this machine in my house perpetually. Sure, it’s that tremendous.
Any such ice cream maker makes use of the identical compressor know-how used for fridges and freezers for quick cooling. They don’t want any pre-frozen elements or components.
The Breville machine not solely has a self-refrigerating compressor that brings the elements to a below-freezing temperature, however it additionally has a keep-cool setting that lasts as much as an hour. Along with this, there are 12 hardness settings (with pre-sets for sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato, and ice cream).
The machine mechanically senses the hardness of the combination primarily based in your choice and retains it prepared till it’s time to serve.
As one of many pricier ice cream makers in the marketplace, this can be a machine for people who find themselves critical about making ice cream. (Notice the 70+ ice cream recipes on this web site for proof of the place I fall in that class.)
In the event you’re in search of the final word in ice cream making choices at house, that is the machine you need in your wishlist.
The Cuisinart Compressor Ice Cream Maker at $261 remains to be extremely well-liked and it solidly competes with the Breville. And the KUMIO 2.2-Quart Ice Cream Maker with Compressor is one other stable selection at $229 ($279 with a $50 coupon).
Variations between these machines and the Breville? The Cuisinart and the Kumio don’t have a pre-cool function, so when you have hotter ice cream (i.e. cooked ice cream) you’ll want to relax it within the fridge earlier than churning.
The Cuisinart has a ten-minute preserve cool function whereas the Breville will preserve your ice cream cool for over an hour. The Kumio has a 30 minute preserve cool function.
(I’ve by no means used that function deliberately – simply as soon as after I forgot I used to be making ice cream and it saved the batch.) Neither of these options alone can be a dealbreaker for me.
Which Compressor Fashion Ice Cream Maker Is Greatest?
The Cuisinart and the Kumio machines are stable. So far as I’m involved, Cuisinart redeems their ice cream making cred with this machine. It churns ice cream sooner and is a really shut match to the creaminess of the Breville.
Whereas the ice cream made within the Breville IS a teeny bit creamier, I’m not satisfied it’s price the additional value for many functions.
My suggestion for the house cook dinner is for the Cuisinart or the Kumio. (I’ll depart that selection as much as you, as one has extra identify recognition and the opposite has a bigger quantity.) If you wish to splurge and plan to make ice cream greater than as soon as a month, I’m at all times going to like my Breville finest.
How To Make Ice Cream
First time making ice cream? I like to recommend beginning with the best and easiest homemade ice cream recipe. It’s endlessly adaptable and it lends itself properly to just about any mix-in choices.
Attempt including in chopped up blondies or brownies, chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal cookies (sure, add the raisins – the oatmeal raisin ice cream mixture is sooooo good!), chocolate sauce or caramel sauce swirls.
These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice cream. They’re excellent for gifting (who doesn’t love home made ice cream?) storage, re-using, and so forth. I write the flavors on the lids with a sharpie and it washes off with dish cleaning soap.
I’ve extra ice cream scoops than I can preserve monitor of at this level and I undoubtedly play favorites. This ice cream scoop does the very best job ever of chopping by way of agency ice cream and nonetheless delivers a reasonably scoop. It will get bonus factors for being one of many least costly scoops I personal as effectively.
The preferred query I get is whether or not it’s doable to make ice cream with no machine. The reply is YES. You may make ice cream with no machine. Find the full directions here!
{initially printed 7/24/19 – up to date yearly to replicate present pricing and supply further evaluate data for these machines, final up to date 5/10/24}
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