3 Best Ice Cream Makers

Looking for the best ice cream maker? Whether you're a pro or a beginner, we review top models—from budget-friendly picks to high-end machines—for the perfect homemade ice cream. Watch our full video review!

Homemade ice cream is more popular than ever—and for good reason! It’s fun to make, customizable to your taste, and so much more satisfying than store-bought options.

But with so many ice cream makers on the market, how do you choose the right one? Whether you're a serious ice cream enthusiast or just looking for a budget-friendly way to whip up frozen treats at home, we’ve got you covered.

Watch Our Video: The Best Ice Cream Makers for Every Budget! 🎥

In our latest video, we break down the best ice cream makers—from professional-grade machines to affordable, all-in-one models that are perfect for beginners.

What to Look for in an Ice Cream Maker

Before we dive into our top picks, here are a few things to consider when choosing an ice cream maker:

✔ Compressor vs. Freezer Bowl – Compressor models freeze as they churn (no pre-freezing required), while freezer bowl models need to be frozen in advance.
✔ Batch Size – Are you making ice cream for just yourself or for a big family?
✔ Ease of Use – Some machines require more hands-on work than others.
✔ Texture & Consistency – Higher-end machines produce creamier, more professional-quality results.

Top Ice Cream Makers for Every Budget

🏆 Best Overall: Whynter ICM-201SB Ice Cream Maker

✅ Why We Love It: This automatic compressor machine requires no pre-freezing and produces smooth, creamy ice cream with ease.
✅ Best For: Ice cream lovers who want professional-quality results at home.
✅ Key Features:

Built-in compressor (no pre-freezing required)
2.1-quart capacity
LCD timer and automatic shutoff
Price Range: $$$

🏆 Best Budget Pick: Cuisinart ICE-21P1

✅ Why We Love It: This affordable, beginner-friendly model is simple to use and makes great homemade ice cream with a pre-frozen bowl.
✅ Best For: Those looking for a budget-friendly, easy-to-use ice cream maker.
✅ Key Features:

1.5-quart capacity
Fast operation (ready in about 20 minutes)
Freezer bowl needs pre-freezing
Price Range: $

🏆 Best for Large Batches: Breville Smart Scoop

✅ Why We Love It: This high-end machine is a dream for serious ice cream makers, offering 12 hardness settings for perfect consistency.
✅ Best For: Those who want full control over texture and batch size.
✅ Key Features:

Self-refrigerating compressor
Customizable consistency settings
Price Range: $$$$

🏆 Best Traditional Model: Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker

✅ Why We Love It: If you love old-fashioned ice cream making, this machine is a fun, nostalgic pick that churns ice cream just like in the good old days.
✅ Best For: Families who want a classic, hands-on ice cream-making experience.
✅ Key Features:

4-quart capacity
Requires ice and rock salt
Price Range: $$

Which Ice Cream Maker Is Right for You?

If you want professional, restaurant-quality ice cream, go for the Whynter ICM-201SB or Breville Smart Scoop. If you’re just starting out, the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 is an affordable and easy-to-use option. And if you love a classic, hands-on experience, the Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker is a fun choice!

hey there i'm brianne from creamery and today we're reviewing three commonly used at-home ice cream makers right here we have a kitchenaid with a freezer bowl attachment in the middle here we have a winter compressor machine and then right here is probably the most popular which is a cuisinart ice cream freezer bowl maker so first off the kitchenaid this was the first ice cream maker that i have had when it came to ice cream makers several years ago when i got this i really didn't know what i was getting into i had a friend who had a kitchenaid and an ice cream bowl just like this and so i thought oh how convenient i have a kitchenaid and so for christmas one year i asked my mother-in-law for an ice cream bowl attachment and she was sweet enough to get that for me and it has been so great to learn ice cream with this freezer bowl some positives about this is three things you get a freezer bowl when you order this you have this little handy duty attachment and then you have a dasher on the inside and everything just fits just so so that when you turn the machine on it goes and it's easy with this you put it in the freezer for 24 hours so that gets really nice and cold when you do want to make your ice cream and you can either leave it in your freezer always or because it's just a bowl and it's very easy to store you can put it in a cupboard or wherever you put your appliances so that's really great and easy one of the downsides of this machine is the arm of the kitchenaid it's hard to pour things in a neat way into the machine because ice cream base gets all over the arm here it's hard to get in here and kind of stir if you need to stir in add-ins obviously there's also the downside of it is a freezer bowl and so you only really have one use for it any time you make your ice cream if you were wanting to make two ice cream flavors in a day well you can't because you have to refreeze it after each use other than that it's really great and handy and it has served me so well the past years and i will continue to use this machine i'm gonna go over to this one the quiz nard anybody who is an amateur ice cream maker most likely has a quiz nerd machine my mom had had one growing up i know my in-laws have one this one is actually a friend of mine they were gifted it from their in-laws so who probably have one too it's a great machine what i love about this is on the lid it has this opening right here and so you can pour all of your ingredients your ice cream base any add-ins straight in from the top there's no hindrance like there is with the kitchenaid this also is a freezer bowl with a dasher inside just like the kitchenaid you have to freeze the bowl and you only get one use a day from it otherwise it is a great little machine and it fits really nicely in your pantry or in a cupboard if you were to go with one of these two i would definitely recommend the quiznard just because it's easier to use and it's easier to add your ingredients straight through the top versus doing a side thing like this to make ice cream even quicker quicker in the sense of getting more flavors a day here is a compressor machine and this is what it looks like here from the top and this is a winter brand so you have your screen you have your power button menu and on the menu it has an ice cream setting a cold setting or a cooling setting and a mix setting and your start and stop and your time you can adjust your timing this machine is great because instead of having to freeze the bowl overnight or a whole day i can use the cool setting in here and it can cool it from five to thirty minutes and i have just cooled it for 10 minutes but 30 might even be better so when you put your ingredients in you're not putting it into a room temperature bowl but something that's cold and can start cooling your ice cream quicker if you want to you can mix all of the base straight into the mix itself and it will turn it around for you it will not make it cold and it will not churn the ice cream it will just mix the ingredients together i don't care for that option because my ice cream base i like for it to sit and come together i like to be in control of the ingredients mixing well together if you are using dry ingredients to your ice cream base such as dry milk powder salt it doesn't mix very well now cream and sugar fine that is easy but with those other three components it just gets stuck on the dasher and it doesn't doesn't go anywhere for my base that i like to use i will never mix it in here i tried it once i wasn't a fan and i stopped it and mixed it myself in a different bowl and then i poured it back in for now on i will always do that and any add-ins that i want such as a strawberry reduction or a peach reduction or peanut butter or whatever your add-in is if you really want to incorporate it into your base i would say and recommend you do that in a different bowl before putting it in here and turning it don't mix it in here the ice cream setting all you have to do it automatically sets to 60 minutes which i think is too long because i want my ice cream to be denser and not full of air from overrun you can change the time frame which is really nice and convenient or you can just watch the clock on here as it counts down from 60 and turns your ice cream and then when you are finished making your first batch of ice cream you can clean out your bowl and go straight into making another one no freezing required which makes this one ideal and very convenient especially for an ice cream maker who is making ice cream and all the time and experimenting with new flavors as well so this is my machine of choice and i will always have my kitchenaid on hand for anything else that i need my kitchenaid and my ice cream bowl for anything that i need so i hope this review was helpful for you when you are looking at which options are right for you and your home kitchen and your skills as an ice cream maker all of these machines are easy and have wonderful pros and a few cons but all in all they're great and they will help you make delicious ice cream

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