Best Ice Cream Makers of 2023

By merely using ingredients from the pantry, the ice cream maker in the kitchen is always ready to churn your preferred frozen treat. This adaptable equipment can quickly and easily chill the whole family down while producing nutritious homemade frozen delicacies, such as delicious sorbets and luscious gelato. The best part is that you can alter each batch to fit your preferences and mood, whether it's a scoop of decadent chocolate chip or dairy-free lemon sorbet.

The operation of an ice cream maker may seem complicated if you've never owned one before. But don't worry. Before you invest, we consulted several experts to help you pick the best ice cream maker.

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Here are the top ice cream makers that you should consider before making decision:

1. Best overall: Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker 

Specifications:

• Brand: Cuisinart

• Capacity: 2 Quarts

• Special Feature: Manual

• Material: Brushed Chrome

One of the pioneering manufacturers of electric ice cream makers for home usage was Cuisinart, which is still expanding its line of products.

The speed of the mixing paddle can be adjusted for ice cream, gelato, or sorbet. Each option's time is automatically set, but it can also be changed manually. The device turns off on its own when time is up.

The paddle of this machine was likewise remarkable. M&Ms were uniformly spread throughout a batch of ice cream after being added to it. It was easy to wash the paddle and freezer bowl by hand in warm, soapy water.

Pros:

• Integrated timer

•  Both automatic and manual modes

• Opening for ingredient addition

Cons:

• Heavy freezer bowl

• Loud

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2. Best Premium: Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Compressor

Specifications:

• Brand: Breville

• Color: Silver

• Capacity: 1.5 Quarts

• Material: Stainless Steel

The compressor of the 1.1-quart ice cream maker, which functions similarly to a window air conditioner, freezes the ice cream as it churns. This avoids the need to freeze and then refreeze a bowl in between batches. Additionally, it has 12 precisely calibrated settings for varying degrees of softness, so you won't get rock-hard.

Internal thermometers ensure that the temperature stays just perfect, and a pre-cool setting gets the machine ready to start churning right away. The lack of a slower churn setting for gelato is a drawback.

The lid is easy to prepare and has a finger loop for quick opening and closing. Therefore, any mix-ins could be easily added, and they were all divided equally. Despite being a large countertop compressor unit, cleanup is simple. There are no tiny crevices to clean because the bowl and paddle are both detachable.

Pros:

• Ready in a few minutes

• 12 hardness settings

• "Keep cool" feature

Cons:

• Large and heavy

• Warms fast when the cover is open

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3. Best Compressor Model: Whynter ICM-201SB

Specifications:

• Brand Name: Whynter

• Weight ‎: 24.2 pounds

• Dimensions: ‎10.75 x 12.5 x 14.25 inches

• Capacity: 2.1 Quarts

• Special Features: Manual

• Color: Stainless Steel

You may make several batches of ice cream in one day with a self-cooling compressor type like the Whynter ICM-201SB without needing to freeze an insert beforehand. The ICM-201SB has a smaller footprint than most of the other ice cream machines, so it requires less counter space despite being taller than most of them. It has several modes and a timer to help you perfect your dessert-making.

Like the majority of compressor-cooled versions, this ice cream maker is more expensive than the ones that let you pre-freeze the bowl. A nice alternative that produces denser ice cream and typically costs less than the ICM-201SB is the comparable 1.6-quart Whynter ICM-15LS, though we've observed that the price difference between the two units varies quite a little.

Pros:

• Easy to use, scoop from, and clean

• Smooth ice cream

Cons:

• Expensive

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4. Best Affordable: KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment

Specifications:

• Brand: KitchenAid

• Color: White

• Capacity: 2 Quarts

• Special Feature: Manual

• Material: Plastic

This ice cream maker may be the right choice for you if you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer and don't want to add any more equipment to your kitchen.

To ensure that your ice cream freezes properly, the 2-quart bowl needs to be completely frozen for 24 hours prior to usage. If possible, keep it in the back of the room where it will be the coolest to ensure that it is always ready to use.

The lid is easy to prepare and incorporates a finger loop for quick opening and closing. Any mix-ins could be easily added thanks to this, and they were all divided equally. Despite being a large countertop compressor unit, cleanup is simple. There are no tiny crevices to clean because the bowl and paddle are both detachable.

Pros:

• Simple and straightforward attachment

• Produces creamy results

• Quiet

Cons:

• Inconsistent freezing

• No automatic shutoff

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1. How much time does it take an ice cream maker to freeze?

This depends on the kind of ice cream machine you have and the freezer's temperature. The instructions that come with Cuisinart's ICE-21, our top pick ice cream maker, urge you to freeze the mixture for 16 to 24 hours at 0°F (-18°C). In order to get the thick, creamy texture that characterizes outstanding ice cream, you'll need to wait for the bowl to completely freeze, so make sure to plan carefully when preparing ice cream.

2. Is it possible to create ice cream by hand?

There are absolutely no-churn ice cream recipes available, but don't be surprised if the texture isn't exactly the same. While you can somewhat accomplish this with a whisk attachment and a stand mixer, it's difficult to equal the outcomes of a well-designed, adequately refrigerated ice cream maker. Churned ice cream's smooth, melting consistency is the result of air being integrated into the creamy foundation.