Making your own ice cream at home is both a fun family activity and a rewarding one! You get to eat it afterwards as a sweet treat on a hot summer day (or any day!).
But first, you’ll need one of the best ice cream makers. Whether you’re a classic vanilla fan or want to experiment with making Avocado Ice Cream, with the right ice cream maker you can create your own frozen treats at home.
If you think making delicious ice cream sounds too complicated, let me stop you right there. These ice cream makers make it SUPER easy and I’ve rounded up my favorite ones that I use in my own kitchen! So clear some freezer space, and let’s get shopping! Here are my top picks for the 6 best ice cream makers.
My Top Picks:
- What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker – $99.95 at Amazon
- My Favorite Compressor: Cuisinart Ice-100 Compressor Ice Cream Maker – $278 at Amazon. This one is more pricey but I LOVE it because you don’t have to freeze a bowl.
- Best Electric: Hamilton Beach Electric Automatic Ice Cream Maker – $49.99 at Amazon
- Best Soft Serve: Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker – $99.98 at Amazon
- Best for Single Serving: Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker – $29.98 at Amazon
- Best Hand Crank: Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker – $101.89 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Ice Cream Makers
1. What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker
I LOVE this ice cream maker!! It’s works so well and I’ve had no issues with it, so long as I remember to chill the mixing bowl in the freezer the night before. The mixing paddle can crank out up to 2 quarts of creamy goodness in 20 minutes or less and you can store your creation in the mixing bowl in the freezer for minimal clean up.
I love that the clear lid lets you watch the process, which is super fun for kids to see, and the easy-lock lid and pour spout that make adding ingredients simple. Every time I use it my ice cream comes out smooth and creamy and it’s not too expensive even if you only use it occasionally.
The Specs:
- Type: Automatic
- Capacity: 2 quarts
- Speed: 20 minutes
- Care: Hand wash
- Uses: Ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet
The Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Incredibly fast
- Easy-lock lid
- Large spout makes adding ingredients easy
The Cons:
- Bowl must be frozen ahead of time
What Others are Saying:
This ice cream maker has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon from more than 17,000 reviews. The Cuisinart ICE-30 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker was also named the best budget-friendly by Food Network and best overall ice cream maker by Serious Eats and The New York Times.
Buy the Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker:
2. My Favorite Compressor: Cuisinart Ice-100 Compressor Ice Cream Maker
A compressor ice cream maker has a built-in cooler — meaning you don’t have to freeze the bowl in advance! To me that is totally worth the splurge, which is why I also love my Cuisinart Ice-100.
And you barely have to lift a finger! Just pour your mixture, press a few buttons, and come back with a spoon about 40 minutes later. Plus, the see-through lid makes it easy to add ingredients and check in on their progress without having to stop the churning process. Plus, if you want to make creamy gelato, there’s an additional paddle for that.
The Specs:
- Type: Compressor
- Capacity: 1.5 quarts
- Speed: 60 minutes or less
- Care: Wipe clean
- Uses: Ice cream and gelato
The Pros:
- Self-freezing
- No pre-planning required
- High quality
- Saves freezer space
The Cons:
- Expensive
- Lid is tricky
- No pre-cool function
What Others are Saying:
The Cuisinart Ice-100 Compressor Ice Cream Maker has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon with nearly 3,000 reviews. It was also named the best ice cream maker for ice cream on demand by Serious Eats.
Buy the Cuisinart Ice-100 Compressor Ice Cream Maker:
3. Best Electric: Hamilton Beach Electric Automatic Ice Cream Maker
This traditional rock salt ice cream maker looks like one of those old-fashioned ones from the movies but it’s automatic and does all of the cranking for you. Just pour in your ice cream mixture and ingredients, add ice and rock salt to the bucket, plug it in, and wait. The fully automated machine will churn for 20 to 40 minutes and stop when the ice cream is ready!
I love that you can make 4 whole quarts of ice cream at once, which makes it great for special occasions where you’ll have a lot of mouths to feed. Plus, it’s WAY easier than shaking a bag of ice and salt to make ice cream!
The Specs:
- Type: Ice and rock salt
- Capacity: 4 quarts
- Speed: 20 to 40 minutes
- Care: Hand wash
- Uses: Ice cream, frozen yogurt, custard, sorbet, gelato, and sherbet
The Pros:
- Makes big batches
- Auto-stops when done
- Fully automatic
- Easy-to-read manual
The Cons:
- Noisy
- Takes up a lot of countertop space
What Others are Saying:
The Hamilton Beach Electric Automatic Ice Cream Maker has a rating of 4.5 and nearly 6,000 reviews on Amazon. Additionally, it was named the best ice cream maker for big batches by Food Network.
Buy the Hamilton Beach Electric Automatic Ice Cream Maker:
4. Best for Soft Serve: Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker
Soft serve lovers, rejoice! The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker turns your counter into your own soft serve creamery. It not only churns ice cream to a perfectly soft and creamy 25 degree Fahrenheit in just 20 to 30 minutes, but it also has includes a stand to display and serve ice cream cones, a pull-down handle for dispensing, and three clear display cases for you to fill with your favorite mix-ins like sprinkles, cookies, candies, or cereals. How great is that??
It does, however, require hand washing of all its parts and it’s a large unit to store, but it’s worth it for the cuteness factor as well as the experience of serving ice cream like your favorite ice cream parlor.
The Specs:
- Type: Electric
- Capacity: 1.5 quarts
- Speed: 20 minutes
- Care: Hand wash
- Uses: Soft serve ice cream
The Pros:
- Fun for kids
- Easy to assemble ice cream
- Three condiment containers
The Cons:
- Hard to clean
- Difficult to store
What Others are Saying:
The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker has a 4.2-rating with more than 7,000 reviews on Amazon. It was also named best for soft serve by Good Housekeeping and Popular Science as well as one of the best ice cream makers by The Kitchn.
Buy the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker:
5. Best for Single Serving: Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker
The little Dash ice cream maker is just so stinking cute. It’s best for single servings and makes a pint of ice cream in 30 minutes or less! It’s great fun for kids who want to roll up their sleeves to mix up their own frozen concoctions, and NO one will judge you for eating the whole pint. It weighs less than a pound and it is compact in size, so it’s easy for them to pull it out, assemble, and operate on their own. Note that the parts are hand wash only, but they are self-stacking and easy to clean.
The Specs:
- Type: Electric
- Capacity: 1.6 cups
- Speed: 30 minutes or less
- Care: Hand wash
- Uses: Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt
The Pros:
- Quick and easy
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to store
- Fun for kids
The Cons:
- Must pre-freeze the bowl
- Hand wash only
What Others are Saying:
The Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker has a 3.8-rating with more than 11,000 reviews of Amazon. Plus, it was named the best ice cream maker for small batches by Food Network.
Buy the DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker:
5. Best Hand Crank: Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker
There are two ways to make ice cream in this machine: hand crank and electric! It’s a fantastic hand crank option — but you can always plug it in and switch to automatic if you get tuckered out. It’s something fun to involve kids with as everyone could take a turn at the crank, but it’s a relief to know you don’t have to hand crank it every time. It makes 4 whole quarts of ice cream to share, but it does require adding salt and ice to use.
The Specs:
- Type: Electric (with hand crank option)
- Capacity: 4 quarts
- Speed: 40 minutes
- Care: Hand wash
- Use:
The Pros:
- High yields
- Quiet
- Manual labor optional
- Waterproof lined interior
The Cons:
- Bulky to store
What Others are Saying:
The Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker has more than 1,200 reviews on Amazon and a 4.3-star rating.
Buy the Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker:
Other Ice Cream Makers to Consider
Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
This ice cream maker is also a compressor like the one I have. It’s a splurge at a couple of hundred dollars more, but it has a beautiful digital display and 12 hardness settings that mix the ice cream to your preferred consistency. It also has a pre-cool plus a stay-cool function that lasts up to 3 hours. Best of all, it plays an ice cream truck song to alert you that your ice cream is done! It’s pricey, but it took best overall by The Food Network. The Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker is available at Amazon for $499.95.
Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker
The Ninja is a compact option that comes with pint containers to prep and stash away in the freezer. When a craving hits, you can pop one in and dial one of 5 settings to make ice cream, gelato, or a milkshake in 5 minutes or less. The pint-size containers also mean you can play around with customizations. But it is super tall, making it harder to store and is often out of stock. The Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker is available at Amazon for $299.99.
KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment
If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, you can get this neat ice cream attachment to make it at home. It has a large, 2-quart capacity that fits most 5- and 6-quart mixers. I especially love the large spout for pouring ingredients. Keep in mind you need to pre-freeze the bowl for 24-hours, which means you’ll have to plan ahead. It’s also quite expensive compared to the stand alone machines. The KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment is available at Amazon for $69.95.
Nostalgia 6-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker
I love how fun this one is! Even though it looks manual, this electric ice cream maker with a classic wooden vintage vibe has a powerful motor that does all the work to make ice cream like in the good ‘ol days. It’s great for a kids’ party because you can make 6 quarts of delicious ice cream, frozen yogurt, or gelato and then carry it by the handle for easy transport. However, the cheesy, vintage style might not fit everyone’s kitchen aesthetic. The Nostalgia 6-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker is available at Amazon for $72.43.
Everything to Know Before Buying an Ice Cream Maker
What to Consider Before Buying an Ice Cream Maker
Homemade ice cream does take a little more effort and time than cracking open a pint from the grocery store, but with the right ice cream maker the freshness and quality is so unbelievably good you might ditch the pre-made stuff for good! These are the most important to finding the right ice cream maker for you.
Type: There are three main kinds of ice cream makers: hand crank, electric, and compression. Each has their own unique list of pros and cons.
- Hand crank: If you want a throwback experience, a hand crank that uses the old-fashioned ice and salt method can be a ton of fun. These machines are typically the most affordable and they can yield a ton of ice cream! Fans of the hand crank love that you have more control over the final texture of your ice cream. But keep in mind that it requires extra time and effort. Plus, it’s literally manual labor (unless you choose the Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker, which also has a fully automated option).
- Electric: Electric ice cream makers with a frozen bowl are great for families because kids can really get in on the fun. Some electric models require the addition of salt and ice to the machine while others require you to freeze the bowl. You’ll also want to prepare to wait anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes for the machine to churn, so you might get a little antsy waiting!
- Compression: Compression machines are as close to professional as you can get, but they are pretty pricey. It’s worth the jump in upfront cost if you are an ice cream fanatic who plans to make a lot of ice cream and wants the bells and whistles like digital displays that control the temperature and texture. It also comes with an internal freezer so you don’t have to freeze the bowl or deal with ice or salt.
Capacity: To enjoy your ice cream for multiple days or to feed a crowd, you’ll want to have a machine that makes at least 4-quarts of ice cream. Anything larger than 6-quarts might be too large to store. There are also single serve ice cream makers that make single pints at once.
Texture: The consistency of the final product can be a big deal! High-end compressor machines yield superbly creamy ice cream. Some ice and salt and eclectic ice cream makers allow you to control the texture by using slower speeds for a creamier texture and fast speeds for a thinner one closer to a soft serve ice cream that’s so deliciously refreshing.
How Do You Make Homemade Ice Cream?
Traditional at-home ice cream starts with a custard base made from milk, cream, and egg yolk. If done right, it produces a thick and decadent texture. But you can also play with the proportions to make ice cream that is a little lighter. After the custard has been made (which requires a lot of attention to detail to get it just right) you’ll need to strain it and allow the mixture to cool at room temperature before adding it to your machine.
Can You Make Soft Serve Ice Cream at Home?
The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker does a great job but believe it or not, you can make soft serve ice cream at home with an electric stand mixer and dry ice. You’ll get authentic results, but it can be a pain to purchase and transfer the dry ice.
How Do You Make Ice Cream in a Bag?
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can use a quality plastic freezer bag to create ice cream at home. All you need to do is combine the ingredients in the bag, mix it up, and set it in the freezer. Kids think it’s a ton of fun and can’t believe their eyes when they see the final product!
The drawback is that it can get a bit messy and doesn’t yield much ice cream. Instead, I recommend trying my No-Churn Biscoff Ice Cream recipe because it’s basically heaven on a spoon. You only need a mixer and some freezer space to make this decadently creamy treat and it tastes a lot more fancy than it is!
How Do You Clean an Ice Cream Maker?
All of the best ice cream makers on this list are super easy to clean. The removable parts can all be easily washed by hand with a little soap and warm water and then all that’s left to do is to wipe the unit down.
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
