Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker
Dimensions: 9.5 x 9 x 11.25 inches | Weight: 11 pounds | Capacity: 1.5 quarts | Dishwasher-safe: No | Includes: Motor, lid, mixing bowl, paddle
Best for:
- People who want to make ice cream a couple times a month or for special occasions
- Anyone who enjoys experimenting with creative flavors and mix-in combinations
Skip if:
- You have limited freezer space
As satisfying as it is to make your own ice cream at home, I am never going to make it every day—or even every week. But for special occasions like birthdays, movie nights and impressing guests at dinner parties, and for the opportunity to dream up super creative, personalized flavors and mix-ins, nothing beats homemade ice cream. The Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker fits just right into my compact Brooklyn kitchen and semiregular ice cream–making lifestyle. It is small enough to easily tuck away when I’m not using it, while still yielding an ample 1.5 quarts (3 pints) of ice cream per batch. And most importantly, it churns out truly delicious ice cream with minimal effort.
The American-style and French-style ice creams I tried had the consistency of slightly melted soft serve right out of the mixing bowl. The Cuisinart also effortlessly incorporated the chopped-up sandwich cookies I added to the French-style base, dispersing them evenly throughout the frozen custard and leaving me with a perfect bowl of cookies and cream ice cream. In my testing notes I wrote, “Just yum. Give me 100 pints of this.” The vegan batch of ice cream, which combined oat milk and coconut cream in the base, was thick and creamy right after churning. (The mixing bowl is removable, so going from kitchen to table is simple.)
The Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker beautifully churned out a batch of oat milk and coconut cream-based vegan ice cream, as well as a classic custard-based cookies and cream ice cream.
The Cuisinart is a canister-style ice cream maker, which means the mixing bowl must be frozen for 16 to 24 hours before it can be used. Once the cooling liquid inside the mixing bowl is adequately frozen, it takes only 20 to 30 minutes of churning to thicken the liquid base into a frozen treat. The Cuisinart’s manual suggests storing the mixing bowl in the freezer so that it is ready whenever the ice cream craving strikes. But for anyone who can’t permanently devote a corner of their freezer to an ice cream mixing bowl, making a batch of homemade ice cream does require about 24 hours of advance forethought.
Best Ice Cream Maker With Compressor
A Next-Level Machine For Next-Level Ice Cream Connoisseurs
Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
Dimensions: 7.2 x 16.2 x 10.7 inches | Weight: 30 pounds | Capacity: 1.1 quarts | Dishwasher-safe: No | Includes: Cleaning brush, bowl, paddle, motor
Best for:
- Anyone with the budget and space for a high-end, sizable machine
- Fooling dinner guests into thinking you brought home pints from the store
Skip if:
- You are lacking in counter or storage space
This compressor-style machine transformed every base I poured into it into 1.5 quarts of scoop shop–worthy ice cream. In a blind taste test, I would have trouble telling the difference between a spoonful of Häagen-Dazs and my homemade version. The American-style ice cream was rich and sultry straight after churning, reminding me of super-custardy soft serve. The French-style and vegan ice creams were also top-notch—easy to scoop and even easier to eat.
Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker has a sleek chrome exterior and straightforward settings, including a knob that lets you select how soft or hard you prefer the consistency to be. It dinged endearingly about five minutes before it finished churning to indicate it was time to add any mix-ins (none of the other models gave any indication of mix-in timing), and it evenly dispersed the chopped-up cookies throughout the ice cream. And while it took a bit longer than the Cuisinart to chill and churn (my batches clocked in between 30 and 45 minutes), the absence of pre-freezing time made the process feel quick.
Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker churned out scoop shop–worthy ice cream every single time, including delivering a delicious custard-style cookies and cream ice cream, as well as a classic bowl of creamy vanilla.
The main potential drawbacks to the Breville are its size and price. Thanks to the built-in compressor, it takes up a significant amount of counter space and is heavy enough (30 pounds) to make lifting it out of a cupboard and onto the counter feel onerous. After 10 days of testing, I was ready to get it off my counter. The price tag, meanwhile, might feel steep for casual ice cream makers. But for anyone with more generous counter space, or who wants to step up their ice cream–making game, the quality is worth it.
Best Upgrade Ice Cream Maker
A High-End Model Endorsed By The Pros
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino
Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 11 inches | Weight: 40 pounds | Capacity: 1.5 quarts | Dishwasher-safe: No | Includes: Motor, lid, mixing bowl, paddle
Best for:
- Anyone who plans on making ice cream often
- Ice cream lovers with plenty of countertop space or kitchen storage
Skip if:
- You’re seeking something effortless to use
- You’re on a budget
I knew I had to include this Italian compressor-style ice cream maker in my research because all the experts I interviewed raved about it. Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw said they “exclusively uses the Musso Lussino” in their R&D kitchen. “I’ve had this machine for 10 years and made a few thousand gallons of ice cream on it, and it still runs like a champ,” he said. Courtney Blagrove and Zan B.R. of Whipped Urban Dessert Lab said that the machine’s quick freezing time and the amount of air it can whip into the base “consistently produces the smoothest and creamiest ice cream.”
The hefty and expensive Lello 4080 Musso Lussino churns out pro-style ice cream regardless of the type of ice cream base you use.
I similarly found many things to love about the Musso Lussino in my at home tests. It was the only model that had an all stainless steel construction, including the paddle. And it worked remarkably fast, churning out lusciously thick ice cream in about 15 minutes—half the time as comparable machines (or less). But there are drawbacks. Most notably, the ice cream bowl is not removable, which made both scooping out the finished ice cream and cleaning the machine difficult. The manual suggests cleaning it by pouring one-quarter cup of warm water into the bowl, sponging it out and repeating until the bowl is clean.
It is also heavy—just shy of 40 pounds—and when I accidentally waited a minute too long to add the chopped sandwich cookies to my French-style batch of ice cream, I found that the custard had frozen so solid, the paddle could no longer turn through it. I ended up having to scoop the ice cream into a bowl and fold in the cookies by hand, Cold Stone Creamery–style. The end result tasted amazing though. If I were a professional ice cream maker or a home cook who planned to make ice cream once a week or more, the Lello 4080 would be my top choice.
Best Value Ice Cream Maker
A Nifty Attachment That Transforms Your Stand Mixer
KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment
Dimensions: 10.9 x 10.3 x 10.3 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Capacity: 2 quarts | Dishwasher-safe: No | Includes: Bowl, dasher, hub connector
Best for:
- Using a beloved appliance in a new way
- Kitchens with limited storage space
Skip if:
- You don’t have a KitchenAid stand mixer
I absolutely love my KitchenAid stand mixer for quickly kneading dough, whipping up buttercream frosting or whisking egg whites into soft peaks. But could a simple attachment really turn my favorite mixer into a worthy ice cream machine? The KitchenAid attachment also cost more than the Cuisinart Forzen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker. Was an attachment really worth the fuss and price? The answer to both questions was a resounding yes.
The attachment includes an insulated mixing bowl that is compatible with almost any KitchenAid stand mixer and is very similar to other canister-style bowls (including its 24-hour pre-freezing period). It also includes a dasher (which is just another name for a paddle) and a little hub piece that connects the dasher to the mixer.
If you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, it’s worth investing in the Ice Cream Maker Attachment that’s easy to store and a delight to use.
With a bit of skepticism, I poured in the American-style base, turned the mixer to “stir” (which is the slowest setting) and walked away to finish another kitchen task. About 25 minutes later, I peeked in the bowl and saw 2 quarts (more than either of the other winning ice cream makers) of thick, velvety soft serve wrapped around the dasher. I stopped the machine, took a small taste and fell even more in love with my stand mixer, which I honestly didn’t think was possible. My tests with vegan and French-style ice cream provoked similar responses. And, as might be expected from a stand mixer, the KitchenAid effortlessly folded the chopped cookies into the custard.
If you do not have a KitchenAid stand mixer, and otherwise have no need for one, then the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment obviously does not make sense to buy. But for any of the legions of KitchenAid mixer fans out there who want to try their hand at making ice cream, it’s a no-brainer.
Best Large Batch Ice Cream Maker
An Impressive Machine For Whipping Up Large Batches
Whynter Upright Automatic Ice Cream Maker
Dimensions: 10.75 x 12.5 x 14.25 inches | Weight: 24 pounds | Capacity: 2.1 quarts | Dishwasher-safe: No | Includes: churn blade, removable mixing bowl, ice cream scoop
Best for:
- Making large batches of ice cream without pre-freezing
- Whipping up delicious French-style ice cream
Skip if:
- You’re short on countertop or storage space
- You prefer lightweight appliances
Straight out of the box, I had high hopes for the Whynter. It had an elegantly tapered design and was a breeze to set up and use. And as a compressor-style ice cream maker, there was no pre-freezing required, so I could simply mix up my base and set it whirling. And most excitingly, it was capable of churning just over 2 quarts of ice cream (think: 4 pints from the supermarket freezer case) at a time–a generous amount to stock the freezer with or to feed a gaggle of hungry dinner guests.
The Whynter Upright Automatic Ice Cream Maker excels at making both American and French-style ice cream.
Fortunately, the ice cream the Whynter churned out was as delicious as I’d hoped. It whipped an impressive amount of air into the American-style ice cream, yielding a scoop that felt light and fluffy. The vegan batch was a tiny bit watery out of the mixing bowl, but froze up without noticeable ice. Meanwhile, the French-style ice cream was the best of the bunch–creamy and rich and smooth.
One drawback to the Whynter Upright Automatic Ice Cream Maker is size–it has a relatively large footprint and weighs a hefty 24 pounds. But if you entertain often or simply live in a household that enjoys ice cream for dessert on a regular basis, it is worth the counter or cupboard space.
Other Ice Cream Makers I Tested
I tested three additional products that, while they definitely had their merits, didn’t quite make the cut.
Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker: This ice cream maker turned out lovely ice cream and was the quietest of the bunch while churning—so quiet that I had to double-check it was running. It also yielded 2 quarts (4 pints) of ice cream, while taking up a relatively small amount of counter space. I would have no qualms recommending it to someone looking to purchase a higher-yield, canister-style ice cream maker. But in comparison with its cousin, the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker, I noticed a few small but meaningful drawbacks.
The American-style ice cream was noticeably soupy and melty straight from the mixer bowl and then subtly icy after a couple of hours in the freezer. If you handed me a bowl with no context, I would definitely enjoy eating it. But it was not quite as ethereal as the American-style ice cream from the other Cuisinart model. The vegan ice cream also had an icy texture that reminded me of chocolate sorbets I have purchased at the supermarket. It was fine on its own merits, but did not have the richness or creaminess of the vegan ice cream I made in the other Cuisinart.
Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker: My first impression after turning on Hamilton’s Beach ice cream maker was that it was loud–noticeably louder than any of the other ice cream makers I tested. My second impression was that it failed to turn my ice cream base into creamy, scoopable ice cream. I followed the manual’s instructions to pre-freeze the mixer bowl for 24 hours (mine chilled for closer to 48 hours) and chill the ice cream base in the refrigerator before pouring it into the bowl. But after 40 minutes of very loud churning, the heavy cream-mixture had barely turned to slush let alone ice cream. I have several Hamilton Beach appliances at home, and they often hit the sweet spot between affordability and practically. But I unfortunately had no luck with the brand’s ice cream maker.
Ninja Creami Breeze 7-In-1 Ice Cream Maker: The Ninja Creami Breeze has plenty of fans in the Amazon reviews, and for good reason. It can blend a frozen base into ice cream in 90 seconds and is versatile enough to also make smoothie bowls and milkshakes. I appreciated that it comes with two pint-sized storage containers, which makes it easy to prepare ice cream in advance and store it until needed. But in comparison with the other ice cream makers I tried, I was disappointed in the ice cream it turned out.
Great ice cream is largely about texture, and both the American- and French-style ice cream bases had noticeable ice crystals that my family and I found unpleasant. The vegan ice cream, meanwhile, was deliciously satiny and thick, but more closely resembled frozen frosting than ice cream. And when I added the chopped sandwich cookies to the French-style batch, the Creami’s super-powerful motor pulverized them as it whirled them into the ice cream. It didn’t taste bad, but I was missing the distinct cookie bites I experienced with other models.
How I Tested The Best Ice Cream Makers
Before I started my research, I assumed that all ice cream makers functioned in generally the same way. But there are actually three different categories , and in order to find the best one for your kitchen, it is important to understand the differences between them. Here’s a basic rundown:
Canister-Style Ice Cream Makers: These machines include a mixing bowl that requires pre-freezing (typically somewhere between 16 and 24 hours) before it can be used to churn a liquid base into a frozen treat. The mixing bowl is lined with layers of insulated material with cooling liquid (similar to an ice pack) that needs to completely freeze. Canister-style ice cream makers are capable of turning out truly top-notch ice cream and tend to be on the smaller side, making it easier to find space for them on your countertop and in your cupboard. You do have to anticipate your ice cream needs about 24 hours in advance, to give the mixing bowls time to freeze. Some of the models recommended storing the bowl in the freezer, so it is ready to make ice cream when you are.
Compressor-Style Ice Cream Makers: These are designed with built-in motors that simultaneously chill and churn the base, and therefore require no pre-freezing time. It is thrilling to be able to whisk up a simple base and turn it into soft serve ice cream in under an hour. (If you want harder, more traditionally “scoopable”’ ice cream, you still need to transfer it to a container and freeze it for another couple hours.) The potential downside for compressor-style ice cream makers is that they tend to be larger, louder and heavier than canister-style models, and might not make sense for smaller kitchens.
Salt-And-Ice Ice Cream Makers: These churners rely on a mixture of rock salt and ice placed outside of the churning bowl to facilitate chilling. The salt lowers the temperature at which ice melts, creating a frosty slush that allows the base to freeze before the ice completely melts away. These churners are often referred to as “nostalgic” or “vintage” because they mimic the way ice cream was made before electric chilling methods became widespread.
After some consideration, I decided not to include salt-and-ice ice cream makers in my testing process. Rock salt is not difficult to find online, but the extra step of having to order and wait for it to arrive was unappealing. Ice cream cravings come on strong and fast—why add an extra barrier of having to keep rock salt and enough ice to fill the machine on hand? Instead, I focused on canister-style and compressor-style models, making sure I tested a few of each so I could adequately compare and contrast across the two categories.
I tested three different types of ice cream in each machine to assess how well they worked with a variety of bases. The first batch was plain vanilla made with an American-style base that combines a simple mix of milk and heavy cream. The second batch was made with a French-style ice cream custard that includes tempered egg yolks along with the milk and heavy cream. (If you have ever wondered how “French vanilla” ice cream differs from standard vanilla, it’s all about the egg yolks.) I also added chopped-up chocolate sandwich cookies to this batch so I could compare how evenly (or not) the ice cream makers dispersed mix-ins.
The third batch was chocolate and vegan, made with an oat milk and coconut cream base flavored with cocoa powder. It was important to me that any ice cream maker featured on this list could turn out a dairy-free ice cream as tempting as one filled with cream and eggs. Speaking of cream and eggs, over the course of the testing process, I used a whopping 5 quarts of milk, 7 quarts of heavy cream, 3.5 quarts of oat milk and just shy of 3 dozen eggs.
Much to their delight, I enlisted the help of my two kids as much as possible while testing out the ice cream makers. I handled most of the behind-the-scenes work, including whisking up the bases and making sure the canisters were pre-frozen. But my 4-year-old daughter enjoyed helping me switch on the churners and watched, mesmerized, as the paddles spun through the base. And my 8-year-old son declared himself an “official ice cream taste tester” and contributed his opinions on which batches he found superior. For the most part, I agreed with his assessments—the kid has good taste!
How To Choose An Ice Cream Maker
If you still can’t decide which ice cream maker is best for you, consider these factors:
The two main types of ice cream makers I tested are canister-style and compressor-style. Canister-style ice cream makers have a special insulated mixer bowl filled with cooling liquid that must be placed in the freezer for 16 to 24 hours before you can use it. These models tend to be less expensive and take up relatively little space, while still creating delicious ice cream. For semiregular ice cream makers, they do the job well!
Compressor-style models include a built-in compressor that cools the ice cream base while it churns, which means there is no pre-freezing step required. These machines turn out top-notch ice cream with very little advance planning, which is why more experienced ice cream makers tend to prefer them. But they are significantly more expensive and occupy a larger footprint than canister-style ice cream makers. “When you buy an internal-compressor type of machine, there is a lot that can break!” Malek said. “So step up and get something nice. It’s not worth your money to try and skimp on an off-brand machine.”
As with any appliance, the more often you plan to use an ice cream maker, the more valuable it becomes to your kitchen. Absolute beginners and more casual ice cream makers who plan to bring it out for dinner parties, birthday parties and other special occasions should consider purchasing a smaller, less expensive (but still great quality) model like the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker, which fits easily in the cupboard and can make 3 pints of ice cream at once. For more experienced ice cream makers who plan to make ice cream once a week (or more frequently), consider upgrading to a premium compressor-style model like the Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker.
My Expertise
Let’s be real: Is there anyone out there who isn’t something of an ice cream expert? It is hard to imagine a more universally loved dessert. But I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the day I received this research assignment, I was wearing a shirt from one of my favorite scoop shops. Growing up, I ate a bowl of Breyers chocolate ice cream almost every evening for dessert, and my obsession has only grown over the years. I regularly try out new pints from the grocery store and seek out the best local ice cream shops whenever my family travels. Beyond my personal ice cream adoration, I am also a professional food writer. I contribute stories and recipes to publications including Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, the Washington Post, New York Magazine and Food52, and I am also the author of seven cookbooks. Meanwhile, I review home appliances like rice cookers, toaster ovens and cold-press juicers for Forbes Vetted.
Since making my own ice cream with a dedicated machine was new to me, I reached out to three professionals of the craft for their insights. I corresponded with Tyler Malek, who is the cofounder and chief creative officer of Salt & Straw—an innovative West Coast scoop shop (cinnamon snickerdoodle ice cream or mango habanero IPA sorbet anyone?), with pints available for nationwide delivery. I also checked in with Courtney Blagrove and Zan B.R. of Whipped Urban Dessert Lab, a New York City ice cream shop that has amassed legions of fans for its decadent, oat milk–based soft serve and innovative cone options. They are in the process of opening a second location in West Hollywood, California, and also ship nationwide.
Do I Need An Ice Cream Maker?
Do you love ice cream? Do you dream of creating your own unique flavors, along with making high quality versions of classics? If you answered yes, then your kitchen is not complete without an ice cream maker. “With a home machine, you can become very creative and inventive with flavors,” say Blagrove and B.R. Curious to try a salted caramel ice cream with popcorn mix-ins or a strawberry, basil, cream cheese gelato? With your own ice cream maker, any combination you can dream up is possible.
Blagrove and B.R. also highlight the social aspect of an ice cream maker. “Ice cream making is a unique activity and a great way to spend quality time with friends and family,” they say. Indeed, a home ice cream maker offers a great excuse to invite people over, and creates special memories with your spouse or kids.
Do I Have to Pre-freeze My Ice Cream Maker?
If you are using a Canister-style ice cream maker, you should pre-freeze the mixing bowl for 16 to 24 hours before making ice cream. The insulated bowls contain a cooling liquid that, once frozen, helps to blast-chill the base as it churns, and bring it down to an ice cream-friendly temperature. However, if you have a Compressor-style ice cream maker, which includes a built-in motor that automatically chills the base as it churns, there is no need to pre-freeze your ice cream maker. In both cases, most ice cream recipes come out of the mixing bowl with a soft-serve consistency, and need to be frozen for another few hours to reach a harder, scoopable consistency.
