Top 5 compared
The best ice cream makers
Ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt made at home, in your own flavors.
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The top 5 at a glance
An ice cream maker turns a chilled mix into ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt by freezing and churning it at the same time. Freezer-bowl machines need the bowl frozen ahead; compressor models chill as they go; and the traditional kind packs ice and rock salt around a canister, the idea behind the hand-cranked freezer Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia patented in 1843.
The Ninja CREAMi turns the idea around: the base freezes solid in a pint, then the machine shaves it into ice cream in minutes. Each type needs its own kind of planning: freezer space for a bowl or a pint hours ahead, a permanent spot on the counter for a compressor, or a bag of ice and rock salt for the bucket.
What matters
- Batch size, for the number of people you’re serving.
- A spout in the lid, for adding mix-ins as it churns.
- A timer or keep-cool mode, if you won’t be standing by.
- Which parts can go in the dishwasher.
#1Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker (ICE-30BCP1)
$75–$100
A double-insulated 2-quart bowl, frozen ahead, and a single on/off switch: pour in the mix and soft-scoop ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet comes out in under half an hour. Cuisinart’s ICE-70 below adds a timer and three settings and comes out ahead on score, yet it costs more for the same 2 quarts, so the simpler machine leads.
What owners say: Quick batches and an easy cleanup come up again and again, along with soft serve straight from the bowl; a few find it louder than they expected.
A closer look: Turn the machine on before pouring the mix in, as Cuisinart’s booklet says, and keep the freezer at 0°F so the bowl freezes solid. It comes out like soft serve, so spoon it into a lidded container and give it time in the freezer if you prefer it firm.
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Double-insulated bowl
- Large spout for mix-ins
- Cord tucks into the base
- Comes out like soft serve
Best for: Simple family-size batches
- Type
- Freezer bowl
- Freeze ahead
- Bowl, 6–22 hours
- Batch
- 2 qt
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- No
- Controls
- On/off switch
#2Cuisinart Cool Creations 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker with Countdown Timer (ICE-70P1)
$150–$200
A freezer-bowl machine you can set and leave: pick Ice Cream, Gelato or Sorbet on the LCD panel, set the countdown timer, and it stops by itself when time’s up. Mix-ins go in through a spout in the lid, whose cap doubles as a measuring cup.
What owners say: Owners find it simple to run and easy to clean, with ice cream ready in about 25 minutes and gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt from the same bowl; whether it’s noisy depends on whom you ask.
A closer look: Freeze the bowl for 12 to 24 hours, until nothing sloshes when you shake it, and chill the mix in the fridge before it goes in. Keep it at least half an inch below the rim, since it swells as it churns, and wash the bowl by hand rather than in the dishwasher.
- Ingredient spout in the lid
- Cap doubles as measuring cup
- Stops itself when time’s up
- Multiple churning speeds
Best for: Walking away while it churns
- Type
- Freezer bowl
- Freeze ahead
- Bowl, 12–24 hours
- Batch
- 2 qt
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- No
- Controls
- 3 settings, 60-min timer
#3Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Ice Cream and Gelato Maker with Compressor (ICE-100)
$200–$300
No bowl to freeze and no planning the night before: a built-in compressor chills as it churns, so one batch can follow another right away. It comes with two paddles, one for rich ice cream and one made for gelato.
What owners say: Owners like how little effort it takes compared with freezing a bowl, and how rich the results are, though a batch takes closer to an hour; some find it squeaky, and a few had a machine stop working early.
A closer look: At about 27 lb and nearly 17 in long, it needs a permanent spot on the counter rather than a cabinet. Chill the base in the fridge first, add mix-ins through the clear lid near the end, and let Keep Cool hold the batch if you’re busy when the timer goes off.
- Ice cream and gelato paddles
- See-through lid for mix-ins
- Keeps finished batch cold
- Needs a permanent counter spot
Best for: Batch after batch, no planning
- Type
- Built-in compressor
- Freeze ahead
- None
- Batch
- 1.5 qt
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- No
- Controls
- 60-min timer, touchpad
#4Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker (NC299AMZ)
$200–$300
It works the other way round: freeze your base in the pint for 24 hours, and the CREAMi shaves the frozen block into ice cream, gelato, sorbet, a milkshake or a smoothie bowl in minutes. You choose every ingredient, so protein-packed, low-sugar and dairy-free versions are easy to make.
What owners say: Owners like how creamy and fresh-tasting the results are and enjoy trying new flavors; it’s loud while it runs, some had one break quickly, and they’re divided on the price.
Heads up: It comes with one pint, so add extra NC299 or NC300 series pints to keep a few bases frozen and ready; other CREAMi pints don’t fit.
A closer look: Stand the pint level in the freezer with its lid on, so the block freezes evenly, then fit it into the outer bowl and pick a program. If the texture comes out a little crumbly, Re-spin softens it, and chocolate chips or cookie pieces go in afterward with the Mix-In program.
- Re-spin softens crumbly texture
- Mix-in program for chocolate chips
- Makes milkshakes and smoothie bowls
- 800W
Best for: Protein, dairy-free and sorbet bases
- Type
- Frozen pint, then processed
- Freeze ahead
- Base in pint, 24 hours
- Batch
- 1 × 16 oz pint
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Pint, lid, paddle
- Controls
- 7 programs
#5Nostalgia 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker, Wood-Style Bucket (WICM4L)
$30–$50
The old-fashioned way, with a motor doing the cranking: the aluminum canister sits in a wood-style bucket packed with ice and rock salt, so there’s no bowl to freeze ahead, and it makes up to 4 quarts, enough for a backyard party.
What owners say: Owners say it turns out ice cream in 30 to 45 minutes, runs more quietly than older machines of its kind and makes a fun family project; the paddle is the weak spot for some.
Heads up: Each batch needs a good supply of ice and rock salt, so pick up a bag of each before you start.
A closer look: Chill the mix, pour it into the canister and set it in the middle of the bucket, then layer ice and salt around it before locking the motor on top. Kids can help with the layering, and leftovers keep in the canister under its lid in the freezer.
- Motor does the cranking
- Lid for storing leftovers
- Vintage wood-style bucket
- Kids can help layer ice
Best for: Big batches for a crowd
- Type
- Ice and rock salt bucket
- Freeze ahead
- None (ice and salt)
- Batch
- 4 qt canister
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- No
- Controls
- On/off button
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Cuisinart ICE-30 | #2Cuisinart ICE-70 | #3Cuisinart ICE-100 | #4Ninja CREAMi NC299 | #5Nostalgia 4-Quart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best premium | Most programs | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $150–$200 | $200–$300 | $200–$300 | $30–$50 |
| Type | Freezer bowl | Freezer bowl | Built-in compressor | Frozen pint, then processed | Ice and rock salt bucket |
| Freeze ahead | Bowl, 6–22 hours | Bowl, 12–24 hours | None | Base in pint, 24 hours | None (ice and salt) |
| Batch | 2 qt | 2 qt | 1.5 qt | 1 × 16 oz pint | 4 qt canister |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 1 year | 1 year |
| Dishwasher-safe parts | No | No | No | Pint, lid, paddle | No |
| Controls | On/off switch | 3 settings, 60-min timer | 60-min timer, touchpad | 7 programs | On/off button |
| Best for | Simple family-size batches | Walking away while it churns | Batch after batch, no planning | Protein, dairy-free and sorbet bases | Big batches for a crowd |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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