There is nothing more satisfying than a big bowl of ice cream, piled high with sprinkles, hot fudge, whipped cream, and cherries, except for maybe an ice cream cone dipped in a hard cherry shell, or a thick, creamy milkshake… There’s nothing better than ice cream! As the saying goes, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!”
Here are the best ice cream maker brands:
- Best Home Use Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker
- Best Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker: Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker
- Best Automatic Ice Cream Maker: Hamilton Beach 68330N Automatic Ice-Cream Maker
- Best High-Tech Ice Cream Maker: Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
- Best Old-School Ice Cream Maker: Nostalgia ICMP400WD Ice Cream Maker
If you have a serious love affair with ice cream, maintaining your relationship can end up costing you a pretty penny. The price of a cup from the local confectionary, a cone from the ice cream man, or a tub from the corner market can add up over time. Plus, satiating your craving for the frosty treat can be a pain when you have to head out to get it. What’s the solution? – An ice cream maker! With any of these top ice cream machines, you’ll be able to enjoy fresh-made ice cream any time you want; and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you made it yourself!
Ice Cream Maker Review Center 2021
| Image | Ice Cream Maker | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | #1 - Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker | 99% |
 | #2 - Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker | 97% |
 | #3 - Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream Maker | 96% |
 | #4 - Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker | 95% |
 | #5 - Nostalgia ICMP400WD Ice Cream Maker | 93% |
 | #6 - Hamilton Beach 68330N Automatic Ice-Cream Maker | 90% |
 | #7 - Nostalgia ICMP600BLUE 6-Quart Ice Cream Maker | 87% |
 | #8 - White Mountain Ice Cream Maker | 85% |
 | #9 - Gourmia GSI400 Automatic Ice Cream Maker | 84% |
 | #10 - Hamilton Beach 68320 Ice Cream Maker | 80% |
Want to learn more?
Now that you’ve seen our top 10 recommendations, we’re going to provide you with more detail on each of them. When you’ve decided which is best for you, click the yellow button to get the best price on Amazon.
#1 – Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker
Among all the other Ice-Cream Makers, this one takes the cake when it comes to speed. When a friend of mine told me that this baby could turn milk into ice cream in less than twenty minutes, I immediately took him up on that bet!
I think that it suffices to say that I lost that bet, but I also gained a lot of respect for Ice-Cream Makers. Never could I have imagined that ice-cream was only twenty minutes away! This machine made it happen, and if I could, I would never stop talking about it. Anyways, it’s medium-sized capacity enables it to make up to three pounds of ice cream per round.
I also liked the mixing paddle, which made the entire twenty-minute process possible in the first place along with the easy-to-lock lid.
What We Like About It – This is one of the cheapest electrical Ice-Cream Makers on the market, and it is a great choice for anyone on a budget!
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#2 – Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker
Cuisinart has to have a model for every occasion, and I quite like the idea behind this one; Some people like it smaller and more personal. Compare to the ICE-100; this product can only create a measly four pounds of ice-cream per round of usage.
Don’t despair, as you can also create gelato, yogurt, and sorbet all on the same machine! Although it lacks in size, it compensates in technology; A beautiful control panel with big buttons and an LCD screen with three settings! Did I mention that you can adjust the speed to your will?
What I Liked About This Product – It’s a perfect pick-up for the lonely traveler as it can fit anywhere you want it to! With only thirteen pounds to its name, it will never feel like a burden, more like a nifty little tool that can create a delicacy in record time.
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#3 – Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream Maker
Surprise an ice cream lover in your life – or treat yourself – with the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker. Since it’s made by Cuisinart, one of the most trusted manufacturers of appliances for the kitchen, you know that it’s high-quality. This fully automatic ice cream maker is outfitted with a commercial quality compressor so that it can put out serious amounts of creamy goodness; 1 ½ quart, to be exact.
What we love about this machine is that it comes with two paddles; one for ice cream and one for gelato, so you can make both treats with one appliance. Since the compressor is a commercial grade, you can continuously make batches without any wait time. The 60-minute countdown timer, touchpad controls, and an LCD make for super easy use. It also features a “keep cool” feature, which will keep treats frozen once the timer has ended. During the mixing cycle, you can add in any ingredient you’d like; nuts, hard-shelled candies, chocolate chips, fruit, brownies – you name it! All components are BPA-free, too.
What We Like About It
- Completely automatic
- Commercial grade compressor
- Makes up to 1 ½ quart of ice cream
- Makes ice cream and gelato
- Touchpad controls
- LCD
- 60-minute countdown timer
- “Keep cool” feature keeps treats frozen after the timer goes off
- BPA free
Reasons to Complain
- The price is a bit high
Final Verdict: With the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker, you can make ice cream and gelato, just like you would get from the corner store, ice cream shop, or ice cream truck; probably even better! Though the price is high, it does have a commercial-grade motor, and it makes incredible treats, so we think it’s worth the cost.
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#4 – Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
If you like ice cream in a variety of consistencies, then Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker is the appliance for you. It features an impressive 12 hardness settings, including sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato, and ice cream, so that you can switch up the consistency of your dessert with each batch. Select the preferred setting, and this ice cream maker will detect the hardness of the mixture; that’s pretty impressive technology!
Powered by a 165 watt, 110 to 120-volt self refrigerating compressor, this ice cream maker is incredibly powerful and can put out dessert after dessert without having to wait in between batches. Each batch produces an output of 1.5 quarts of the most delicious desserts. The pre-cool setting allows the appliance to achieve the ideal temperature for the operation to ensure that your treats are perfect. It also features an alarm, which can make an automated beep or one of three jaunty tunes (just like the ice cream truck is coming!) when it’s ready. It will also keep your desserts chilled for up to three hours, so there’s no need to rush to get it into the freezer; dish it out with an ice cream scoop directly from the appliance! With a child lock and completely BPA-free, this ice cream maker is not only fun, functional, and versatile, but it’s also super safe. Oh, and you can opt for fully automatic or manual operation, too!
What We Like About It
- Features 12 hardness settings
- Automatically detects the hardness of your ice cream mixture
- Holds desserts cold for three hours
- 165 watt, 110 to 120-volt self refrigerating compressor
- Manual or fully automatic functioning
- Pre-cool setting
- An alarm lets you know when your treats are ready
- Easy to use
- Makes 1.5 quarts
Reasons to Complain
- The price is pretty high
Final Verdict: With the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker, you’ll be able to make a homemade soft serve, hard serve, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt. It’s super easy to use and holds your treats cold for three hours. While the price may be high, given the functionality, it’s definitely worth the investment.
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#5 – The Nostalgia ICMP400WD Ice Cream Maker
Nostalgia? This brings back memories for sure… My grandma and I, sitting on the breakfast table, enjoying a nice scoop of milk from a huge bucket! Me trying hard to get another glass by being extra polite.
Those were different times, I tell you! Featuring a vintage design that has a see-thru lid, I felt as if this product put me, the consumer, at the center of things. I felt in control of what was going on. I felt as if I took command of the milk and guided it towards ice-cream hood!
The wooden build is a nice touch, but hidden underneath is an electric motor that does the job for you. Lastly, because the design is so minimalistic, the machine was very easy to clean and fit perfectly on almost any shelf.
What We Like About It – It brought back memories so far away. Memories I thought I had buried so deep into my subconsciousness, that I had already written them off as lost. This combination of vintage and futurism is a risky one, but this company managed to make it happen, and I’m very satisfied with the results! On the one hand, it makes you feel thirty years younger, and on the other hand, it accounts for the fact that you are not a child full of energy anymore and does the job for you.
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#6 – Hamilton Beach 68330N Ice-Cream Maker
I like to call this a little upgrade on the previous model. It’s an electric model powered by a really strong engine that leaves you with only one job to do; Adding the ingredients!
Creating up to four pounds of gelato, custard, sherbet, frozen yogurt or ice-cream in only thirty minutes, it’s a great pick-up for travelers and for those that don’t have much time on their hands. I was also granted with a very nice and well-written manual that had twenty delicious recipes included with it.
I was very happy with the lid, which was easily attached and detached as needed!
What We Like About It – Because it was designed as a common bucket, one could easily put ingredients inside of the machine without having to worry about small pieces getting stuck anywhere or the mixture spilling outside of the machine.
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#7 – Nostalgia ICMP600BLUE 6-Quart Ice Cream Maker
We have to be honest in our reviews, so truth be told. When I purchased this product, I thought that a mix-up must have happened. I didn’t order a freaking trash can! I was very, very disappointed with the design, but I knew from first-hand experience that one should never judge a book by its cover.
That is why I persisted with it, and I’m glad I did so. Its trashy design enables it to be cleaned effortlessly. You can also carry it as if it were a bag. Behind the exterior, an electric motor that turns the engine in circles holds reign, doing your job while you just sit back and enjoy the ride. The machine had a lot of space in it, and one could make up to 12 pounds of ice-cream in only one sitting!
What We Like About It – I’m sure that you must have heard of the story of the ugly duckling. This has to be an exact real-life replica; Although horrid on the outside, it is a beauty on the inside! You should give this model a chance.
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#8 – White Mountain Ice Cream Maker
Make ice cream the way they did back in the old days – but with the convenience of electricity – with the White Mountain Ice Cream Maker. This appliance churns your ingredients with a triple-motion action dasher, so you’ll get super smooth and incredibly creamy frozen treats.
Powered by a 12,000 rpm universal electric motor, this ice cream maker will perfectly blend all types of ingredients. The canister and lid are made of durable stainless steel so that you can enjoy years of homemade ice cream making. Housed in a bucket that has been handcrafted by New England pine and bound with galvanized hoops, this ice cream maker has an attractive vintage design that will look great in any kitchen.
What We Like About It
- Triple-motion dasher system
- Powered by a 12,000 rpm universal electric motor
- Canister and lid are made of stainless steel
- The bucket is handcrafted of New England pine and bound with galvanized hoops
- Makes up to 6 quarts of ice cream in 20 to 40 minutes
Reasons to Complain
- It doesn’t have a refrigeration
Final Verdict: Overall, we liked the White Mountain Ice Cream Maker with Appalachian Series Wooden Bucket. It’s fun, easy to use, and produces 6 quarts of super creamy ice cream in less than an hour.
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#9 – Gourmia GSI400 Automatic Ice Cream Maker
Gourmia is a piece of machinery. When I first opened it up, I was stunned with the sheer size of the thing. It reminded me of an air conditioner, to be perfectly frank!
As I was playing around with all the functions, I noticed how well built this thing was. Not only was the exterior covered in stainless steel, but the most important part of the Ice-Cream Maker, the compressor, was tailored to be impenetrable!
Speaking of the various features and capabilities of this monster, I would have to mention the easy-to-use three-button panel, a modern LCD, and the adjustable timer. Let’s not forget a few futuristic touches that haven’t escaped my eagle eyes; The modernistic yet cool handle. It was very easy to rotate, and putting it back in was no hassle at all!
What We Like About It – To pick just one thing would be a sin as this Ice-Cream Maker has so many nice features that they all deserve mention. If I had to decide between a winner, it would have to be the engine powering the whole operation; Your ice-cream is ready in only 40 minutes! As I’m a person that doesn’t have too much time on his hands, yet still wants to enjoy homemade gelato, this product was godsent.
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#10 – Hamilton Beach 68320 Ice Cream Maker
This is the sort of opening container I want to see on a machine! I didn’t have to fight with the ingredients or be extra careful just not to spill anything on the table or the floor.
Just put it all in, close the lid, and you are ready to go! What a convenient design, I’m absolutely in love with it. Here is the kicker, it only weighs a teeny seven pounds! Seven pounds! You can put it anywhere or on anyone, and they wouldn’t even notice it.
An ingenious thought by Hamilton Beach, where others were aiming for large quantities and big guns, they kept it simple and to the point!
What We Like About It – The large opening would have to be the winner, alongside with the ability to create much more than ice-cream; Frozen yogurt, gelato, custard, and even sherbet! Amazing value. I’m very satisfied with this offer!
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How We Chose The Best Ice Cream Maker?
There a number of different factors that determine a good ice cream machine, here are some of the top traits we pay special attention to:
1) Time It Takes To Get Your Ice-Cream
This might be personal preference as I prefer things to go fast, but I cannot stand having to wait for anything more than a few hours.
At the end of the day, wouldn’t that defeat the point of having an ice cream maker? Wouldn’t it be easier to just buy ice cream instead of having to be patient for hours without end?!
2) Amount Of Ice Cream Produced Per Sitting
This is especially important if you have kids or neighbors coming over. I would go even further and say that it is of great value even if you have nobody to share the ice-cream with.
After all, there can never be too much ice cream on the table!
3) Type Of Engine Used In Preparing The Ice-Cream
The stronger, the better, with electrical ones being much more preferred than others.
Why?
For the simple reason that they enable you to sit back and relax or venture forth on another activity while your delicious treat is being curated!
Why Do You Need An Ice Cream Maker?
Ice cream in shops and stores and especially in coffee bars are getting increasingly expensive.
Owners are trying to turn a quick buck on our laziness without even realizing that technology has gone up to a point where literally ANYONE can make ice cream.
Owning an ice cream machine bestows you with the power to decide when, where, and what you are going to eat, without having to be reliant on others.
It is a great step towards self-sufficiency and a finger to all those who try and undermine the ice cream industry by putting up ridiculous markups on such a delicious treat! These also work well with the best milkshake makers!
It’s time to fight fire with fire, we can show greedy owners that we are more than capable of doing things on our own and that we don’t need anyone to babysit us through the process- That’s what our ice cream makers are there for! Oh, also be sure to have the best whipped cream dispenser handy! Yum!