10 Best Ice Cream Makers (Review) In 2020

Gelato, sorbets, ice cream or yogurt, the minimal designed Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5 Quart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream Maker is up to any frozen task you throw at it. This model costs less than fifty dollars, featuring a 1.5-quart freezing bowl that is wide enough to contain all your ingredients and mix-ins. It has a white exterior (and other colors to choose from) and four main components- the locking lid, mixing arm, freezing bowl, and base/motor.

Although the ICE-21 might feel heavy, it’s not. It’s also considerably durable and made with quality plastics. It has an easy to navigate toggle switch to turn the machine on/off. As a whole the ice-cream maker small and ideal for homemade ice cream and might not match up to large scale ice cream making. Unlike the old school, nostalgic way of making ice-cream, you won’t require ice or rock salt, thanks to the double insulated freezer bowl. In terms of performance, this machine takes 20 minutes to make a soft serve ice cream, and for hard ice cream, it takes a little bit more to get you the delicious home-made ice-cream you crave. If you have a sweet tooth, check out our guide to the best milkshake makers.

The Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence Automatic Frozen Yoghurt, Sorbet and Ice Cream Maker allows homemade ice cream, sorbet or frozen yoghurt come alive with a bang. The machine also allows you to take total control of your yoghurt ingredients and gives you the absolute freedom to choose your taste and smoothness level and come up with the best dessert in whichever way you wish to customize it. Whether you are thinking of creamy yoghurt or simply a frozen dessert or drink, Cuisinart makes them all. It comes in a brushed stainless steel encasement and is powered by a heavy-duty motor. What’s more, the mixing arm provides the mixture with just the right amount of aeration to achieve the required smoothness and texture. Luckily, this machine does not contain any plastic whatsoever and the vital parts are completely BPA-free.

Furthermore, it consistently produces smooth, creamy, simply phenomenal and fantastic desserts – we are sure you will never be disappointed. Additionally, the double-insulated freezer bowl is able to hold two quarts of frozen dessert at a time. This is your ideal device to spice up your birthday party, barbecue session or other fun-packed indoor or outdoor event. It is stylish and sleek in design and has been built to last. What’s more, it is also easy and simple to use and maintenance and cleaning are totally hassle-free. The base is designed to accommodate any unused cord thereby keeping the mixing environment neat and safe. You may also be interested in some of the best ice makers from our list, so check them out.

If you don’t have enough counter space, the Whynter ICM-201SB 2.1 Quart Upright Stainless-Steel Bowl Ice Cream Maker is the best option for you. The machine is built to take up as little space as possible, with its upright footprint profile. The ICM-201SB is a recent Whynter model to the ICM-200LS. They have similar features but different designs. While the older version takes up ample counter space, the ICM 201SB is more space-efficient and a bit pricier.

Like its predecessor, the ICM-201SB has three convenient modes: ice cream mode, cooling only mode, and mixing only mode. On the model, you’re given a pause button, that allows you to add more toppings or fruits into the mix. You can also press the pause button to let you check the consistency of your ice cream which is unique to this model. The mixing bowl has a capacity of 2.1 quart which is quite large and an extended cooling function that prevents the frozen dessert from melting. To avoid overheating and damage, the ICM-201SB has a motor protection function that prevents your machine from overheating when the mixture becomes solid. Our handy guide to the best juicers features more great products like this. 

Avid ice-cream fans with no budget limit will appreciate this model. The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker is an ice cream machine that also serve as a self-refrigerating compressor ice-cream maker, that keeps your ice-cream from melting 3 hours after it is done. You can make 1.5 quarts of ice-cream with this machine, which takes about 30-40 minutes. It has six main parts including the body which houses  the motor, compressor, and control panel, a removable bowl, a dasher, a transparent lid, a spatula, and a cleaning brush. 

On top of the machine, there a big LCD screen that features a ton of buttons including the manual timer arrows adjustable from 5 to 180 minutes. Other buttons include the pre-cool, keep cool, temperature units, sound (adjust the sound from loud, quiet or mute), and a power button. One of the interesting features of this model is the unique hardness dial that allows you to adjust to the desired hardness of the ice cream in auto mode.

If you have a larger family, then this model’s 4-quart bowl will be more than enough. The Hamilton Beach 68330N 4-Quart Automatic Ice-Cream Maker produces delicious home-made ice cream, frozen yogurt, custard, sorbet, gelato, and sherbet, with the use of the old-fashioned ice and salt method. Skip the stirring and cranking, and enjoy this fully-automated no sweat machine. Simply pour salt and ice to freeze the canister, add your ice-cream or sorbet ingredients and get your frozen treat in 20-40 minutes.

The four-quarts of ice cream this machine produces is enough to get a small sized party, filled up on delicious frozen treats that takes only 20-40 minutes. That’s enough time to set up and wait for your guests. For four quarts of ice-cream goodness, this machine is extremely affordable and thanks to its salt and ice method, it makes superior creamy tasting ice-cream. For some healthy alternatives, check out our guide to the best smoothie blenders.

The Cuisinart ICE-45 Mix It In Soft Serve 1-1/2-Quart Ice Cream Maker resembles a mini water dispenser, but this machine sure dispenses more than water. The ICE-45 features a nifty compartment that allows you to store your top three toppings, hence the name “mix-it-in.” This machine is a little fancier and pricier than our top two ice-cream makers that precedes it. Rather than scooping out the ice-cream, this machine dispenses it for you, making you feel like the owner of an ice cream parlor in the comfort of your home.

Like our best choice, this machine only makes 1.5 quarts of ice cream, enough for a small family or group of friends. The machine is completely automatic, so no manual labor here. It also mixes and aerates your frozen treat in the 1.5-quart freezer bowl. To the left of the dispenser, there’s a hollow space for stacking up cones. The double-insulated freezer bowl makes you sweet treats in just 20 minutes. You won’t have to worry about getting chemicals, salt or ice because this machine gets all the job down in effortlessly. You may also like to check our guide to the best immersion blenders.

No other model might be able to match theCuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker. This machine comes with two paddles, one for ice-cream and the other for making the special Italian icy gelato. This machine from Cuisinart makes a 1.5 quart of frozen treats in 40 minutes, not the fastest on our list. One incredible feature about this machine is its commercial-style compressor that eliminates waiting, allowing you to produce batch after batch of icy goodness. If you have a large crowd, this is the ice cream machine for you. 

You can watch TV, work or get started on other party arrangements with the 10-60-minute countdown on this 23-pound machine. Its automated feature allows you to take your mind off the ice-cream, being assured that the machine would stop at the appropriate time. Once your frozen treat is done, it automatically switches to “Keep Cool” mode for ten minutes. This mode allows your ice-cream or gelato to rest without melting, enabling you to transfer it easily. Our guide to the best waffle makers offers more great products like this so check them out.

In just 20 minutes, you can expect a delicious 2-quart bowl of icy heaven. This is the last Cuisinart machine in this guide, but the Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker is the definition of a 21st century upgrade. It features a control panel with an LCD screen, that lets you to choose between three settings with multiple speeds. By simply touching the button on the LCD screen, you can set a countdown timer with an auto shutoff feature, which is exceptionally helpful if you need to run other errands.

You can separate the freezer bowl from the machine, which makes it easy to clean up after 2-quarts ice cream has been served. The whole design of the ice-cream maker will fit any home décor. It is made from brushed stainless steel with an adjustable timer display and four touch-sensitive buttons including start/stop, ice cream, gelato, or sorbet options. These features gives you the option of choosing the type of frozen dessert you want to make. Once you select the dessert type, a pre-set time lights up in the display. All these features take the whole chunk of the load off your hands, so you can relax and wait for the countdown to tell you when it’s ready. Like sweets? Check out our guide to the best donut makers.

This ice-cream maker from Whynter looks funny. The Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker makes 2 quarts of any cold desert and has a removable stainless-steel bowl as well as a BPA free churner blade. You’ll get the extended cooling feature in this model. This helps prevent melting in the mixture, keeping it cool enough until you’re ready to transfer it. It also has a motor protection function that stops the motor from churning to prevent overheating or damage to the motor when the mixture thickens.

Like most new ice-cream brands, the ICM 200LS includes an electronic timer, and easy to use control that lets you choose from the three modes available— the ice cream, cooling only and mixing only options. Understanding these modes and when to use them will save you a lot of headache. The ice cream mode mixes and freezes, the mixing only mode mixes without cooling, and the cooling mode is to keep your ice cream from melting once it’s ready. Depending on the frozen treat you’re making the ICM-200LS delivers your treat in 30-to-60 minutes. Find more great products like this by checking out our guide to the best blenders.

We’ve featured a lot of high-tech ice cream makers on this list. So, for balance, here’s a more old-fashioned ice cream maker that’s still capable of producing incredible results. The Nostalgia ICMP400BLUE 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker can make four quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt or gelato. Simply mix your ingredients together, pour it into the chilled canister, layer the bucket with ice and salt, then use the electric motor to mix it together. In half an hour, you’ll have perfect ice cream. 

All of the components are made from food-safe materials and it has a wipe-down design that makes it easy to clean. It also comes with a lid and cap, so you can store leftover ice-cream in the freezer. That is, unless you eat it all in one sitting. This might not be cutting-edge in ice-cream making technology but sometimes the old ways are better.