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We put a spread of self-freezing and freeze-first ice cream makers by their paces utilizing much-loved olive recipes. Learn on to see how every mannequin fared.
Finest ice cream makers at a look
Self-freezing ice cream makers:
Finest ice cream maker for professional-quality dessert: Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Skilled, £299.99Best inexpensive no-freeze ice cream maker: ProCook Skilled ice cream maker, £149Best blowout ice cream maker: Magimix Gelato knowledgeable, £449.95Fastest ice cream maker: Lakeland compressor ice cream maker, £179.99Best ice cream maker for tech lovers: Sage the Sensible Scoop, £369.95
Freeze-first ice cream makers:
Finest freeze-first ice cream maker: Cuisinart iced dessert maker, £54.99Best versatile ice cream maker: Ninja Creami Deluxe 10-in-1 ice cream & frozen drink maker NC501UK, £199.99Best smooth serve ice cream maker: Ninja Swirl by CREAMi 13-in-1 ice cream maker, £299.99Best small ice cream maker: Cuisinart Solo Scoops ice cream maker, £37.75Best on a regular basis ice cream maker: ProCook Ice Cream Maker, £39.20Best progressive ice cream maker: Ninja Creami ice cream & frozen dessert maker NC300UK, £169Best stand mixer ice cream making accent: KitchenAid ice cream maker accent, £149
Leap to:
Finest ice cream makers to purchase in 2025
Cuisinart iced dessert maker
Finest freeze-first ice cream maker
Star score: 5/5
This ice cream maker is a freeze-first mannequin with 1.4-litre capability. Coming in a sexy pale blue color the machine is trendy and efficient, making ice cream, iced fruit desserts and sorbets.
It comes with two paddles — one for ice cream and one to mash and churn contemporary fruit for {smooth} or iced desserts. On take a look at we discovered this machine to be impressively quiet and efficient. The ice cream we made was creamy, gentle and scrumptious, though we did discover it just a little difficult to take out of the machine.
Ninja Creami Deluxe 10-in-1 ice cream & frozen drink maker NC501UK
Finest versatile ice cream maker
Star score: 5/5
When it first launched, the Ninja CREAMi took the web by storm and offered out ceaselessly. That is the model’s newest model of the ice cream maker, which works otherwise from different fashions on this listing. For the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe you freeze your combination in a single day earlier than spinning it within the machine the place highly effective blades churn the combination to a {smooth} consistency.
This mannequin has 10 totally different features that embrace churning frozen yogurt and gelato, and it comes with three massive tubs which you can retailer in your freezer. On take a look at we had been impressed with the sleek texture of our malt chocolate ice cream and our frozen orange and raspberry ‘slushi’ was simple to sip and refreshing.
Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Skilled
Finest ice cream maker for professional-quality dessert
Star score: 5/5
When you’re available in the market for an ice cream maker that produces the identical ultra-smooth outcomes discovered within the gelaterias of Italy, this mannequin is the one. Whether or not utilizing the ice cream or gelato paddle, the outcomes had been constantly silky, creamy and the proper texture. It was a dab hand when making sorbet, too. The machine had clear and straightforward to make use of buttons.
It’s not the smallest (no self-freezing mannequin is) and it’s fairly noisy when in use, but it surely’s stately and engaging on the kitchen counter. The brushed stainless-steel accents are a modern remaining flourish. The cease/begin button to pause the machine proved our favorite characteristic because it permits you to pattern your creations mid-churn.
Learn our full Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Skilled overview.
Ninja Swirl by CREAMi 13-in-1 ice cream maker
Finest smooth serve ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5/5
For lovers of Mr Whippy-style ice cream, the Swirl is Ninja’s most subtle ice cream maker but, and it actually seems the half – it’s very massive, with a slick, premium design that calls for consideration even in a spacious kitchen.
This machine is as enjoyable as it’s useful, boasting 13 totally different settings, together with choices for soft-serve and ‘scoopable’ ice cream, frozen yoghurt, sorbet and ‘CreamiFit’ protein ice cream.
It comes with a devoted soft-serve attachment, permitting you to swirl your personal creations straight into cones. It is also intuitive to assemble and use, so you will be churning frozen desserts very quickly, although you will want to pre-freeze your base for at the very least 24 hours beforehand. In take a look at, the outcomes had been spectacular: our ice cream was {smooth} and creamy, with a real soft-serve texture.
Cuisinart Solo Scoops ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5/5
When you’re seeking to make your personal ice cream however do not have plenty of space for storing, this mannequin from Cuisinart may very well be a great choice. It makes a single tub of ice cream at a time (about eight scoops), in simply 25 minutes, making it good for experimenting with totally different flavours the place you could not need to make an unlimited amount.
It is a freeze-first mannequin, so you will have to preserve the bowl within the freezer for at the very least 24 hours earlier than use, however the bowl is compact sufficient that it would not take up an excessive amount of house. On take a look at, we discovered the machine fairly noisy however had been general impressed by that remaining outcomes, which had been thick, {smooth} and creamy, with none discernible ice crystals.
ProCook ice cream maker
Finest inexpensive ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5/5
This ProCook ice cream maker retains issues easy, because it doesn’t include fancy settings or interchangeable paddles. The inside container must be frozen for at the very least 12 hours earlier than use, but it surely’s definitely worth the wait. We examined this machine with indulgent ice cream recipes, together with a standout Biscoff and low, and the outcomes had been incredible.
What stood out to us was the simplicity. The digital timer took the guesswork out of the method, churning our custard combination into {smooth}, creamy ice cream in simply half-hour. The paddle and attachment did their job successfully, and the sturdy energy unit saved issues working easily. The paddle and motor attachment didn’t appear as strong as the facility unit, however labored properly to attract in all of the substances to the combination.
When you’re after a no-fuss ice cream maker for infrequent use, the ProCook mannequin is a superb selection.
ProCook Skilled ice cream maker
Finest inexpensive no-freeze ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5/5
This ice cream maker from ProCook is a modern and easy mannequin that allowed us to churn ice cream in simply 45 minutes utilizing the no-freeze compression expertise. The mannequin was lighter and extra compact than others we examined, though it is value noting that you’re going to nonetheless want a great deal of storage space for storing it.
We actually just like the look of this machine, which has a matte end and straightforward to make use of digital show. Though our ice cream was nonetheless fairly smooth as soon as churned, we had been impressed by the sleek texture – as soon as it had firmed up just a little extra within the freezer, it was completely scoopable.
Ninja Creami ice cream & frozen dessert maker NC300UK
Finest progressive ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5 / 5
That is the unique Ninja CREAMi, which went viral on social media when it first launched – due to its progressive strategy of spinning a solidly frozen block of combination with highly effective blades to show it into ice cream.
As a machine it’s fast and intuitive to make use of, turning our frozen combination into ice cream in underneath 4 minutes. It additionally comes with a recipe e-book in addition to three one pint containers for storing ice cream (or gelato and sorbets) in your freezer. You may additionally discover settings for making frozen drinks like milkshakes and smoothies.
Magimix Gelato knowledgeable
Finest blowout ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5 /5
Whether or not you are a passionate residence prepare dinner or skilled pastry chef this ice cream maker is certain to impress. It has a big capability with the flexibility to make 2 litres of ice cream in underneath an hour.
Though it is actually an funding, for the value this mannequin has extra settings than many different compression ice cream makers we have examined. You possibly can select from gelato and granita in addition to ice cream, or take a extra hands-on strategy with the handbook operate.
Lakeland compressor ice cream maker
Quickest ice cream maker
Star score: 4.5/5
This ice cream maker from Lakeland is a compression mannequin, which requires no pre-freezing. There isn’t any getting round that it is a massive machine and at 11.5kg it is significantly weighty, making it difficult to maneuver out and in of a drawer or shelf to retailer. Nevertheless, we had been impressed by the operate of the machine, which made our vanilla ice cream in a formidable half-hour.
Whereas we discovered the opening within the lid just a little slim for pouring in our combine it labored very well for including toppings just like the toasted hazelnuts we added to our gelato, which was {smooth} with an intense flavour.
Sage the Sensible Scoop
Finest ice cream maker for tech lovers
Star score: 4.5/5
Sage is well-known for its high-tech, sensible and complicated wanting machines. The Sensible Scoop is strictly that. It’s geared up with 4 settings for sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato and ice cream, in addition to 12 hardness settings, permitting you to completely tailor your outcomes. This mannequin sits panorama, which leaves loads of countertop house for prep.
It comes with a wealth of settings (together with an automated ‘preserve cool’ setting) and equipment. We favored the operate that permits you to know when so as to add in extras to your base ice cream combine.
We struggled to get the automated hardness sensor to work, a characteristic that Sage makes an enormous deal of. Regardless of this, we loved constantly top quality outcomes: the ice cream was luxurious, the gelato was {smooth} and the sorbet was gloriously summery and contemporary.
Learn our full Sage the Sensible Scoop overview.
KitchenAid ice cream maker accent
Finest stand mixer ice cream making accent
Star score: 4/5
This ice cream maker is an adjunct from stand-mixer large KitchenAid. You have to freeze the bowl for at least 16 hours earlier than use, or we have discovered that it is best to retailer in your freezer (you probably have room) so you can also make ice cream everytime you like.
The bowl has a 1.9 litre capability, which is bigger than many different fashions, plus you’ve got better management over the velocity of churning than you do on many automated ice cream makers. This fashions works with a spread of KitchenAid’s stand mixers together with tilt-head and bowl-lift fashions.
How to decide on one of the best ice cream maker
There are broadly two several types of ice cream makers:
Self-freezing fashions: These with a compression gadget meaning no pre-freezing is requiredFreeze-first fashions: These machines require you to pre-freeze the bowl for at the very least 16 hours earlier than use
Compressor fashions are usually pricier, and are additionally massive and heavy, so want extra space to retailer. Fashions that require pre-freezing are usually extra inexpensive, however you will have to plan forward if you wish to make ice cream.
What can an ice cream maker be used for?
When you wish to get artistic within the kitchen, ice cream makers help you dream up new flavour pairings and experiment to your coronary heart’s delight. For some inspiration to get you began, check out our greatest ice cream recipes and straightforward sorbet recipes.
When you’re seeking to minimize out sure substances, both by necessity or a way of life selection, an at-home ice cream maker offers you management so you already know precisely what’s going into your meals.
As pleasant as it’s by itself, ice cream may also be utilized in standout desserts. Take a baked alaska for instance: the mixture of spongy cake plus frozen, creamy ice cream, all enrobed in a layer of silky and crisp Italian meringue is a wedding made in heaven.
On the different finish of the spectrum (although no much less scrumptious) sits the ice-box cake. This US basic requires no actual talent aside from a primary understanding of which flavours work properly collectively. A wide range of textures work finest when constructing your ice-box cake: assume crunchy biscuits or nuts, jammy dried fruits, and sticky sauces – strive our pistachio and chocolate ice-box cake.
What to look out for when selecting an ice cream maker?
There are a variety of various components to take into accounts earlier than selecting an ice cream maker.
Self-freezing or freeze-first: In skilled kitchens and gelaterias you’ll discover self-freezing ice cream makers. They’re favoured by cooks as a result of they’re quick, produce high-quality outcomes and might make batch after batch with out having to attend. They’re massive and extra expensive than their freeze-first counterparts, although. By comparability, freeze-first fashions are smaller and sometimes cheaper. They arrive with a detachable bowl that must be put within the freezer for between eight and 24 hours. These fashions can solely be used as soon as a day, however typically produce as high-quality outcomes as self-freezing fashions.Bowl capability: Most ice cream makers have bowls with a capability of between one and two litres, although the quantity of ice cream base you may put within the bowl can range broadly from model to model. We’d advise checking the utmost capability within the handbook to keep away from issues.Timer: Virtually the entire fashions we examined include a timer. Helpful for these of us who wish to set our home equipment to go and are available again after they’re completed.
How we examined ice cream makers
Any ice cream maker value its salt ought to be capable of make a basic vanilla ice cream and a easy sorbet. Utilizing olive’s vanilla ice cream recipe and mango sorbet recipe, we put these ice cream makers to the take a look at.
If the ice cream maker had an additional paddle or setting designed for gelato, we additionally made olive’s chocolate and black pepper gelato: a grown-up twist on a agency favorite.
All fashions had been scored based mostly on the next set of standards:
Outcomes: we regarded on the high quality of the ice cream and sorbet produced: was it silky {smooth} and freed from ice crystals? Was it properly aerated? Did it soften slowly?
Versatility: ice cream makers that may make extra than simply ice cream and sorbet had been favoured.
Ease of use: we imagine most home equipment needs to be uncomplicated and simple items of package. If a mannequin has extra features than most, the handbook needs to be complete and clarify these properly.
Footprint and ease of storage: some self-freezing ice cream makers may be massive, so we most popular those who weren’t awkwardly formed and will simply slot into place on the kitchen counter. The identical goes for ease of storage – it shouldn’t be troublesome to discover a house for them when you’ve cleaned all the pieces up.
How engaging: when you’re a fan of conserving your home equipment out on the counter you’ll be after one which’s nice wanting, eye-catching and certain to get folks speaking.
Packaging: it is essential to us that, whereas the ice cream makers needs to be securely packaged, manufacturers additionally shouldn’t be utilizing an excessive amount of of something (ideally nothing) that may’t be recycled.
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