These Are the 5 Best Ice Cream Makers To Help Beat the Summer Heat (2024)

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 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.