Making ice cream at home is fun, far cheaper than buying it, and dangerously with a reliable automatic ice cream maker. Cuisinart is a leader in the frozen dessert category and the stalwart kitchen brand's ice cream makers consistently rank well in consumer sentiment in buyer reviews and on Reddit . After testing eight models myself from a range of manufacturers, Cuisinart's 2-quart double-insulated machine tops our list as the best ice cream maker to buy in 2024.
Ice cream is a summer staple, and a year-round favorite in this house, but the good stuff isn't cheap. That's what makes at-home ice cream makers the perfect fix for keeping a stockade of vanilla, chocolate or mint around without going broke. In addition to Cuisinart's formidable lineup or ice cream machines, there are other models worthy of consideration including smaller single-serve machines and one super speedy model that's likely hit your feed on Instagram or TikTok.
I tested eight machines in all and challenged each to make more than just old-fashioned ice cream. I gauged each model's ability to make creamy fruit sorbet and vegan frozen desserts (can we call it ice cream?) for those who prefer a sweet treat without dairy. After more than 25 hours of turning through three tasty recipes in eight industry-leading machines, I landed on this definitive list of the best ice cream makers for 2024.
Best ice cream makers At any given time, Cuisinart has six or seven ice cream makers available but this model is the brand’s best overall and our top pick for best ice cream maker. The Pure Indulgence 2-quart model uses double insulation to turn a fruit, nut milk or dairy into a smooth frozen dessert more efficiently than its single-insulated counterparts. This machine also has just one easy mode "on" and a sturdy stainless steel base that doesn't shake, even if it does smudge easily.
This model made the best sorbet and non-dairy vegan ice cream of the bunch, presumably because the double-insulated hull helped it turn custard into dense ice cream faster. The consistency of non-dairy ice cream can be tough to get right, but the Cuisinart had no problem creating a rich creamy and dense dessert from our cashew milk base. If I had one complaint about this model it's the noise.
The Cuisinart makes a clicking sound while operating but because it only takes 25 minutes or so to make a pint of ice cream, you won't have to deal with it long. The price is also reasonable clocking in at around $100. It's not the cheapest or most expensive model we tested, but with a rugged build and consistent output, this ice cream maker presents clear value.
This isn’t my first time testing the viral Ninja Creami ice cream maker and I’m still a fan of the high-octane machine. The process for making ice cream with this souped-up blender-style machine is different than the typical slow churn and some detractors even go so far as to call it something other than ice cream, but what you end up with is remarkably similar to what traditional ice cream machines make. Instead of slowly turning ice cream custard into a semisolid, the Ninja Creami whips frozen custard into ice cream in just a couple of minutes via its powerful -- and, yes, loud -- motor.
The biggest advantage this model has over others is that it allows one to make several types of ice cream in one session without having to wait for an inner bowl to refreeze. It's supercharged to spin a pint of frozen custard, sorbet base and vegan frozen desserts into the good stuff in about 2 minutes. That churn time is far faster than any of the other machines we tested, but the Creami requires some planning since the dessert bases must be frozen solid, preferably for 8 hours before firing it up.
As fun and fast as it is, the Creami costs double what the Cuisinart 2-quart does, making it hard to justify if you are only making ice cream a few times a month and don't need more than a few pints at a time. If you have a more robust habit or more mouths clamoring for ice cream or nobody can decide on a flavor, the Ninja Creami can turn out as many pints as you can throw at it as long as you have enough of special containers. On the downside, we found occasional icy bits in some of the frozen deserts that emerged from the machine but not enough to impede our enjoyment.
The Creami has special settings for lite ice cream, sorbet and gelato but they mostly do the same thing. The basic Creami package costs $200 and includes two 1-pint containers. You can buy more from Ninja’s website or from Amazon.
This Cuisinart model is 25% smaller than our top pick but works just as well turning custard into ice cream and sweetened fruit juice into sorbet. With simple controls and a consistent churn, the Cuisinart is an easy pick for the best budget ice cream maker. Like its bigger cousin, the Total Indulgence, this machine was super simple to clean, easy to operate and will fit in most cupboards without commandeering much space.
This model works much in the same as our top pick, but features a slimmer build made from plastic instead of stainless steel. The results were remarkably similar and it churned custard into firm, creamy ice cream in about 25 minutes. The sorbet was also smooth and slick and the Cuisinart turned the vegan cashew milk ice cream recipe to a near-perfect ice cream-like consistency.
If there's one thing to quibble about it's the smaller size. The 3-pint capacity isn't nothing but you’ll have to make more than one batch if for a gathering or if your group is on the large side. Other ice cream makers we tested Dash Mini ice cream maker : As adorable as this $40 half-pint-sized ice cream maker is -- the Dash actually makes half of a pint at a time -- it's also not practical.
It takes the full 25 minutes to churn, but what you're left with is essentially one large single serving of ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt or gelato. It worked well and won't take up much space making it a good choice for tiny kitchens, RVs or dorms. Hamilton Beach automatic ice cream maker: This was the cheapest full-sized model we tested and it performed accordingly.
The Hamilton Beach made one batch of good vanilla ice cream and then puttered to an early demise. Once it died, it never came back to life -- not exactly a great showing, even for a $50 machine. Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 1.
5-quart ice cream maker : The aptly named Beautiful ice cream maker was one of the nicest looking in the bunch and it is priced right at $50 from Walmart. The build felt somewhere flimsy and took slightly longer to solidify than other frozen bowl machines we tried. Hamilton Beach 4-quart old-fashioned ice cream maker : I don't have much bad to say bout this $70 old-school ice cream machine.
It came together easily and worked well. Ultimately, it just takes longer to make ice cream this way and keeping the bucket filled with ice and salt is a pain. Elite Gourmet 4-quat electric : This $60 old-school rock salt and ice machine looks the part (old school) and feels well-built.
As with others on this list, gathering the ice and salt just doesn't seem worth it when there's an simpler way. Ice cream makers compared How we test ice cream makers I look for good pull, a creamy texture and no ice when tasting homemade ice cream. I put all ice cream maker models through their paces using the same vanilla ice cream recipe and a non-dairy vanilla ice cream recipe with a cashew milk base.
I set each machine up according to instructions and followed the directions to make a single batch of ice cream using those common recipes. Most of the ice cream makers I tested instructed us to check the custard at 20 minutes and churn it further if needed. I looked to see how far along each batch was after 20 minutes and how much subsequent time was required to reach ice cream consistency.
I noted other qualities such as an ice cream maker’s ease of operation and setup, and how easy it was to clean, take apart and store. I also noted how loud each machine was while operating and if the machine seemed sturdily built or flimsy to the touch. I repeated the same steps using the vegan cashew milk recipe.
Here, I looked for consistency and texture above all since vegan ice cream recipes can be trickier to properly thicken. I noted the consistency each batch of ice cream was in after the amount of time suggested by the user manual, but for each machine, I churned longer if I felt it needed more. Making ice cream can is full of variables including room temperature and recipe variations that can affect any individual model’s performance.
In short: I didn't deduct many points from any one model if it took longer to make ice cream than the instructions projected. I was only looking for great results. The Ninja Creami made wonderfully smooth sorbet.
I repeated the same test with a lemon sorbet recipe (lemon juice, sugar and water.) Because of the water content, sorbet is susceptible to ice and a machine's ability to churn a smooth, iceless sorbet was paramount for this test. After each churning session came the all-important taste tests.
Texture is the key to any frozen dessert and I looked for a substance that emerged with good structure, a creamy and consistent texture and no apparent ice. Properly made ice cream has good pull without being loose but is free from true solids or icy bits. The $50 Hamilton Beach made one batch and then puttered to an early demise.
Factors to consider when buying an ice cream maker There are a few basic types of ice cream makers. Frozen Bowl ice cream machines are the most common and require the user to freeze the inner bowl. From there the automatic churning paddles or a rotating inner bowl that pushes the custard up against the paddles will do all the work.
You’ll only get one batch batch out of each before you have to freeze it again or you can purchase stock multiple inner bowls Frozen bowl ice cream makers require you to freeze the inner chamber at least eight hours ahead of showtime. Compressor Ice Cream makers: These pricier models use freezer technology to chill the inner bowl on demand and thus don't require any planning or manual freezing. The big draw here is that you can make batch after batch without having to wait.
The downside is that compressor ice cream makers cost more and are larger in stature, requiring more space on your counter or cupboard. Editor's note: For this round, we only tested mostly pre-frozen bowl ice cream makers but will be testing compressor models and adding a compressor ice cream maker pick to the list. A few popular compressor machines include Breville's $600 Smart scoop ice cream maker and Whynter which makes a handful of well-rated compressor models ranging from $200 to $600.
Cuisinart also makes a compressor ice cream machine that's smaller than others and clocks in at $300. Ice and rock salt ice cream makers. These old-school machines may remind of the old days and use a bucket with ice and rock salt which actually makes the ice colder point to keep the inner bowl chilled instead of a pre-frozen bowl or custard.
There are only a handful of options in this category as they are slower and require a large stock of ice to operate. On the plus side, these models don't demand a pre-frozen bowl so you can make ice cream at a moment's notice. If you want ice cream without the wait, you'll need a large supply of ice and rock salt to keep the inner chamber super cold.
Blender-style ice cream makers . This is a new style of ice cream maker and there’s really only one: the Ninja Creami and its subsequent iterations including the Creami Deluxe . This method of ice cream making reverses the order and requires a frozen base that is spun quickly and forcefully into ice cream rather than a chilled bowl which does it slowly.
Hamilton Beach's $50 ice and salt machine makes 8 quarts at once and is a good pick if you need to make more than the average automatic machine produces. Ice cream makers turn about one and a half quarts of ice cream per batch which amounts to roughly three pints, although our top pick -- the Cuisinart Total Indulgence -- churns 2 quarts or four pints at a time. If you need to make more than that in a given session you'll want to opt for a compressor model or the Ninja Creami which can make multiple batches as long as you're able to freeze the custard ahead of time.
Salt crank machines typically hold more, around 8 quarts, since there is no need to find space in the freezer for a frozen bowl. Cuisinart's 1.5-quart model is the best budget ice cream maker to buy.
At its core, ice cream makers are simple machines requiring only an inner chamber that spins slowly and a simple paddle to turn the mixture. You can find decent ice cream makers as cheap as $30 or $40. High-end compressors go for anywhere from $300 to well over $1,000 for professional-grade units.
You can make ice cream parlor quality desserts with one of the $50 or $100 models and there is no need to spend more unless you want to. Pricier ice cream makers don’t necessarily make better ice cream, they just do it faster and with less prep (bowl or base freezing). Ice cream maker FAQs Do ice cream makers also make sorbet? Any machine that can make ice cream will also make sorbet.
Sorbet, an icy vegan frozen dessert made of fruit juice and sugar, requires the same churning process. Vegan ice cream is made with a nearly identical process and thus ice cream maker ice cream makers that make dairy ice cream can also make non-dairy you don't typically need special settings or equipment to make non-dairy ice cream using nut milk oat milk or another non-dairy base. Ice cream makers are fairly simple machines.
Turning ice cream doesn't require a powerful motor or loads of torque so your ice cream maker should conceivably last several years or longer without losing efficiency. Automatic ice cream makers typically make a 2-quart batch in around 25 to 30 minutes. Conditions, including the custard or base recipe and the room's ambient temperature, can affect churn times.
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