We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Product Reviews and Buying Guides Appliance Reviews These Are the 5 Best Ice Cream Makers To Help Beat the Summer Heat Now you can make the perfect dessert whenever and however you want. By Allison Wignall Allison Wignall Allison Wignall is a passionate writer with a focus on food, kitchen products, and gift guides. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on June 27, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Our Takeaway How to Pick The Leftovers: Other Ice Cream Makers We Tested Common Questions Why Take Our Word for It? Photo: Allrecipes / William Dickey Every summer, my family pulls out an ancient hand-crank ice cream maker for the 4th of July. While we grill up hamburgers and hot dogs, we also churn dessert. After lunch, we gather around armed with spoons and eat the homemade vanilla ice cream straight out of the frozen drum because we’re too impatient to put it in bowls—it’s that good. But like I said, the ice cream maker is ancient. The label is faded and scratched up, bits of plastic have chipped away, and I worry the crank is going to snap in my hand with each turn. As much as I love the nostalgia of that ol’ manual ice cream maker, I think it’s time for an upgrade. Luckily, the Allrecipes team and one of our Allstars have tested over a dozen electric ice cream makers to find the best one. One of these six machines will make a great gift for my parents (and bring our family tradition into the 21st century). About Our Tests After researching some of the most popular models, we put 13 machines to the test by making two different desserts–vanilla ice cream (with cookie mix-ins) and strawberry sorbet. The desserts’ consistency and taste were then judged directly after churning, after two hours in the fridge, and the next day. With testing completed, the ice cream makers were rated on a number of categories: Design: How heavy is the ice cream maker? How much space does it take up on the counter? Are there features that make it awkward, challenging, or much easier to operate? Ease of Use: How easy and intuitive are the controls? Is it simple to assemble? How easy or difficult is it to add ingredients and remove the finished ice cream?Performance: How long does it take to completely churn each dessert? What is the yield? How well do the cookie mix-ins incorporate into the ice cream? Taste: What is the texture like after churning? How much did the texture change after being stored in the freezer? How did it taste?Ease of Cleaning: How messy is the ice cream maker to use? Is it easy to disassemble and clean? Are any parts dishwasher-safe? Allstar Amy Barnes added her insights to a second round of trials, testing three ice cream makers in her home kitchen. Amy made two desserts–Rocky Road and strawberry ice cream–before ranking the machines on the same criteria. Our Top Picks Our Top Pick: Cuisinart Cool Creations Ice Cream Maker at Amazon $144 Jump to Review Best Value: Nostalgia 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker at Amazon $48 Jump to Review Best Design: Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Ice Cream Maker with Touch Display at Amazon $90 Jump to Review Best Small: SALE DASH My Mug Ice Cream Maker at Amazon $40 $30 Jump to Review Best Splurge: Vevor Automatic Ice Cream Maker with Built-In Compressor at Amazon Jump to Review Our Top Pick Cuisinart Cool Creations Ice Cream Maker PHOTO: Amazon $144 at Amazon $150 at Target $15 at Walmart Why It’s Great: Simple operation; 3 treat presets; sleek design; quiet motor Grain of Salt: Ice cream is on the softer side Allstar Amy Barnes likened her ice cream maker tests to Goldilocks and the Three Bears—one machine was just right. In this case, the “just right” option was Cuisinart’s Cool Creations 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker. It was Amy’s favorite, thanks to the machine’s straightforward controls, sleek design with a reasonably-sized footprint, and incredibly tasty results. There are a grand total of five buttons on the control panel: on/off, ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and a set of arrows to adjust the timer (so if you want to get really technical, I suppose it’s six buttons). “The digital display was easy to navigate, and the presets were great—no need to keep instructions close by,” Amy said. “[It’s] very much set–it–and–forget–it until it's time to scoop out the completed ice cream.” Another big highlight for the Cuisinart model is the quiet motor—in fact, it was the quietest of all ice cream makers tested. After 30 minutes of churning, the ice cream did come out on the softer side—a win for soft-serve enthusiasts—but those who prefer a firmer texture may want to put the ice cream in the freezer for a while to let it firm up. The Details: 2-quart capacity; 3 presets; 13.5 pounds; 9.74 x 8.62 x 13.22 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will Dickey Best Value Nostalgia 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker PHOTO: Amazon $48 at Amazon $20 at Walmart Why It’s Great: Large capacity; parts are stored inside the bucket; easy to use and cleanGrain of Salt: A little loud; requires a lot of ice and salt If you want a lot of bang for your buck, consider the Nostalgia Ice Cream Maker. This wallet-friendly option makes up to 4 quarts of ice cream at a time, plenty for the whole family or even a party. The red bucket design evokes memories of old fashioned ice cream makers and works much the same way, adding some modern electric convenience to the mix. Place your ingredients in a pre-frozen aluminum canister, set that in the red bucket, then layer in ice and rock salt—Amy noted that you’ll need a lot of both—and click the lid into place. It does require a bit more preparation than other models, but not an unreasonable amount. One downside to this machine is the fairly loud volume. If you want to avoid mechanical whirrs and rattling ice drowning out conversation, maybe don’t have this running during dinner. You could always make the dessert beforehand, or leave it running in the house while grilling burgers in the backyard. If you want to crank up the nostalgia even further, there is a popular wooden bucket model as well. The Details: 4-quart capacity; no presets; 5.15 Pounds; 22 x 17 x 17 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will DIckey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will DIckey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Will DIckey Best Design Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Ice Cream Maker with Touch Display PHOTO: Walmart $90 $85 at Amazon $50 at Walmart View on Beautifulbydrew.com Why It’s Great: Gorgeous design; illuminated display; flip-up lid for add-insGrain of Salt: Smaller capacity; loud Drew Barrymore has a line of lovely appliances aptly named Beautiful. This ice cream maker is no exception, with a sleek and smooth build available in several pastel colors. The illuminated display only lights up when in use, adding to the simple yet highly elegant design. The machine is more than just a pretty face, though. It delivered a delightfully cold and creamy ice cream in just 35 minutes. The countdown timer was a nice touch. You can let the machine run while doing other things and still keep an eye on it. The Beautiful Ice Cream Maker got big marks in the cleaning department. All but one part can go in the dishwasher, though wiping it down with a damp cloth is just as easy. If you’re looking for a housewarming gift or a present for a real ice cream enthusiast, it’s a fantastic option. “It would be perfect for dorms, apartments, or smaller kitchens because of its smaller footprint,” Amy says. The Details: 1.5-quart capacity; 3 presets; 7 pounds; 8.26 x 8.97 x 8.97 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey We Blasted Through Pounds of Blueberries To Find the Best Blenders for Smoothies Best Small DASH My Mug Ice Cream Maker PHOTO: DASH $40 $30 at Amazon $22 $20 at Target $40 at Wayfair Why It’s Great: Intuitive controls; convenient handle; petite size; quiet motorGrain of Salt: Struggled to incorporate mix-ins; ice cream wasn’t perfectly smooth For those who just want an occasional single-serve dessert and don’t want to deal with a big, bulky machine, there’s the Dash My Mug Ice Cream Maker. As the name implies, the appliance takes the shape of a small mug—handle and all—that can make 1 cup of ice cream at a time. Since the capacity is on the smaller side, the My Mug can make ice cream fairly quickly. In tests, it made ice cream in just under a half hour, while the sorbet was even faster, taking only 21 minutes. The controls couldn’t be simpler—it’s literally just a power button. There’s a spout where you can pour the ice cream base into the pre-frozen container, but the spout can double as a convenient chute for any add-ins, such as crumbled cookies or chocolate chips. The resulting dessert was more like a thick and creamy milkshake than traditional ice cream, and there were a few ice crystals in the mix, but it’s still a solid option for when you need a quick sweet treat. The Details: 1-cup capacity; no presets; 4.81 pounds; 7.2 x 5.9 x 6.9 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson Best Splurge Vevor Automatic Ice Cream Maker with Built-In Compressor PHOTO: Vevor View on Amazon $184 at Wayfair View on Vevor.com Why It’s Great: Creates thick, well-formed ice cream; automatic shut-off; time adjustment dial Grain of Salt: Larger footprint; pricey; heavy Many of these makers create fairly soft ice cream, but what about fans of hard-packed parlor-style ice cream? Vevor has you covered. This stainless steel machine creates thick, scoopable ice cream and sorbet in about an hour. In testing, it yielded a rich vanilla scoop that had an extra creamy taste and texture reminiscent of double-churned ice cream. Putting it in the freezer for a few hours firmed it up further, though it was still easy to scoop. Though it took a bit of finagling to find the best time to add mix-ins, the machine incorporated cookie chunks into the ice cream perfectly, without fully crushing the pieces and making the ice cream go gray. The 35-minute mark seems to be the sweet spot. It’s a very quiet machine, which is really nice, but also a little surprising since it has a built-in cooling compressor. The compressor brings the ingredients to temperature all on its own, no need to pre-freeze metal canisters or add a bunch of ice and rock salt—just pour and go. The button and dial controls proved refreshingly straightforward. The biggest bummer here is the weight. This appliance weighs a whopping 25 pounds. If you plan on making ice cream frequently you could definitely leave it out on your counter (seriously, who wants to lug a 25-pound machine out of storage all the time?). It’s fairly low profile and the stainless steel finish will fit with most kitchen decor, but it does take up a fair chunk of space. The Details: 2-quart capacity; 3 presets; 25 pounds; 16.73 x 11.22 x 10.31 inches PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / Nick Simpson PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey PHOTO: Allrecipes / William Dickey We Scooped, Leveled, Packed, and Poured to Find the Best Measuring Cups Our Takeaway For ice cream lovers who want a dependable machine that can make several desserts, we recommend the Cuisinart Cool Creations Ice Cream Maker. The 2-quart capacity is a great option for family get-togethers or fun summer parties. If you’re looking for something smaller, consider the DASH My Mug Ice Cream Maker. How to Pick the Right Ice Cream Maker Capacity Perhaps the first question you have to ask yourself is: How much ice cream do I want? Some can make as much as 6 quarts, others are teeny-tiny and make just 1 cup at a time. Most machines, however, are in the 1.5- to 2-quart range. If you live alone and just want an occasional treat, maybe stick to a smaller machine. On the other hand, if you’re trying to feed a family and don’t want to run a machine again and again and again, opt for a larger size. Controls Happily, most ice cream makers have fairly straightforward controls, but there are models with more functions or settings than others. Some will have a single power button that just makes ice cream—a good choice for those who don’t need a lot of fancy bells and whistles. Other machines have designated buttons for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, or frozen yogurt. A few even have adjustable temperature and time controls. Size Ice cream makers vary in size and shape, which means it’s doubly important to know the dimensions. Some larger machines are heavy and a bit bulky, making them tricky to store in the pantry or cabinets. Of course, you can always store them on the countertops, but if you’re short on space there, too, a smaller or slimmer machine might be best. Don’t be fooled by the capacity alone, some large machines can produce only a little bit of ice cream—though the opposite is true, too. Variety We touched on common presets earlier, but it’s worth revisiting. Are you looking for a simple ice cream maker that gets the job done? Great! There are single-button models that focus on creating ice cream only. However, if you want a bit more variety, you may want to seek out a machine that can create milkshakes, gelato, sorbet, smoothies, frozen yogurt, or other chilly desserts. The Leftovers: Other Ice Cream Makers We Tested Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker: We really want to recommend the Ninja Creami. We've enjoyed using it both times we've tested it. Once the base is frozen, it is super quick to churn it into ice cream, sorbet, and the like. Additionally, even after popping the ice cream back into the freezer, it stays creamy and easy to scoop. But we can't get past the reports of smoking parts, overheating blades, and blades detaching during the spinning process. Due to those quality control issues, we no longer recommend the Ninja Creami. Common Questions How do you use an ice cream maker? Though directions will vary from machine to machine, the basics are typically similar. Many ice cream makers will require you to freeze a metal canister overnight. After that, it’s just a matter of mixing up your ice cream base, pouring it in, and selecting your preferred settings—or just turning the machine on if it’s a one-button model. Older styles may require you to add ice and salt to chill the canister the ice cream is in. Ok, ice makes sense, but why add salt? It’s not going into the ice cream, after all. Salt lowers the freezing point of water—this means your ice cream won’t freeze too fast, resulting in annoying ice crystals instead of a smooth, creamy treat. While common table salt will technically suffice, rock salt is often recommended for homemade ice cream because it’s more effective at lowering the freezing point. (And before you ask: yes, rock salt is the same kind used to de-ice roads in winter, so don’t eat it.) How long does it take to make homemade ice cream? It depends on the ice cream maker. Most models hover in the hour-long range, though some promise fully churned ice cream in 30 minutes. Higher-end models can go much faster. When we tested the Ninja CREAMi, for example, it was able to make ice cream and sorbet in under three minutes. How do you clean an ice cream maker? When the ice cream is made, scooped, and enjoyed, it’s time for the not-so-fun part—cleaning. Nowadays, most ice cream makers have at least a few dishwasher-safe parts. Other models require diligent hand washing instead. Pay close attention to what the manufacturer suggests in order to keep your machine in the best possible shape. Why Take Our Word for It? Allison Wignall is an ice cream aficionado. She’s tasted fresh gelato in Italy, loves a good root beer float, and will hoard seasonal peppermint ice cream like a dragon hoards gold. Allison used thorough research, lab testing results, and Allstar insights to write this article. Her work has been featured in Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and more. Allstar Amy Barnes helped us test three of the ice cream machines on this list and provided valuable insights. She’s a firm believer in substituting ingredients to make a recipe your own, which is a fantastic philosophy when it comes to ice cream and its many flavors.