Best Ice Cream Makers for Homemade Frozen Treats & Fun
Nothing says summer like enjoying a scoop (or two) of ice cream under the hot sun. What makes it even better is making your own ice cream from scratch! Not only is it rewarding, but it’s also a great way to kill time. With kids out of school for summer, sometimes it’s hard to think of fun activities so that they won’t get bored.
When making homemade ice cream, you can create your own combinations of flavors! This is especially great if you or your family has certain food allergies or intolerances. You can mix your favorite fruits, add a pinch of this and a pinch of that and make some delicious ice cream flavors that you don’t normally find in store.
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There are three different types of ice cream makers to choose from: compressor, frozen bowl and hand-crank ice cream makers.
We did the research so that you don’t have to, and here are the best ice cream makers for your home.
Best Compressor Ice Cream Maker
Out of the three different types of ice cream makers, a compressor is the most convenient. It pretty much does everything for you. All you need to do is pour in the mixture and it’ll handle the rest! Some compressor ice cream makers even have special settings to make different types of frozen treats such as gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt. Since it’s electronic, there is always the possibility of a compressor ice cream maker to have issues that can be pricey.
Our favorite compressor ice cream maker is the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker. It is definitely a high-end machine, but with good reason. At the touch of a button, this ice cream maker will be ready to work in about 10 minutes while it chills. What stands out to us about this machine is the ability to choose the hardness level of your ice cream with the “Softer to Harder” knob.
[ Additional read —> A Beginner’s Guide to Making Ice Cream from Home ]
Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
You will get fluffy ice cream every time you use this ice cream maker, which can make 1.5 quarts at a time. It is a very high-quality machine made of stainless steel that is truly worth the investment. Is it bulky? Yes, which is something to keep in mind. It is also heavy, so it’ll be difficult to put away and carry around.
Regardless, we love this ice cream maker!
Best Frozen Bowl Ice Cream Maker
Frozen bowl ice cream makers have a removable bowl that must be chilled for a few hours (or overnight) before making your ice cream. They’re not bulky machines and are very low maintenance. The only downside to this type of ice cream maker is the fact that you need to chill the bowl beforehand, which can take up to 6 hours. It is also a hassle if you don’t have enough space in your freezer to store the bowl because they do take up a bit of room.
In just 20 minutes, you can make two quarts of your frozen treat of choice with the Cool Creations 2 Quart Ice Cream Maker by Cuisinart. It has a control panel with an LCD screen that makes it incredibly easy for you to work this ice cream maker. Whether you choose to make ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt or sorbet, this ice cream maker has the correct speed and time settings with just the touch of a button.
This ice cream maker has an upright compact design and only weighs 14 pounds which makes it quite easy to store and move around. It creates velvety smooth ice cream in just 15-40 minutes, but the downside is that it can be pretty loud. Additionally, the 2 quart freezer bowl needs to be refrigerated overnight before making a frozen treat, meaning you can’t exactly satisfy your craving right there and then. But you can always store the bowl into the freezer so that it’s ready to go when you want to make a delicious new creation.
Another one of our favorite frozen bowl ice cream makers is the Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker because it is perfect for a single-serve frozen treat. Chill your bowl overnight, add your ingredients the next day and in less than 30 minutes you will have 1.6 cups of fresh ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet or gelato! With just one button, the Dash My Pint is very simple and easy to use.
[ Additional read —> A Beginner’s Guide to Making Chocolate Ice Cream from Home ]
This ice cream maker weighs less than one pound and is pretty much the size of any other cup in your cupboards! It won’t take up a lot of space, making it great for apartments, dorm rooms, or as a gift for a kid!
Best Hand-Crank Ice Cream Maker
Hand-crank ice cream makers are old fashioned, but they’re pretty fun to use and are a great addition to any experience. Ice and salt are added in between the bucket and the mixing chamber which will slowly freeze the ice cream while you churn your ingredients together.
Yes, hand-crank ice cream makers take a lot of work and energy. However, this can be a great activity for kids who are bored and can’t find anything to do. These types of ice cream makers can make frozen desserts faster that other types of machinery. The downside to a hand-crank ice cream maker is that it can get quite messy, which doesn’t make it the best option for the kitchen. However, it is great for an outdoor activity or on a camping trip since it doesn’t require electricity.
Our favorite hand-crank ice cream maker is the Immergood Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker. It is made of strong stainless steel which helps keep the mix of ingredients colder for a long period of time. It can make up to 6 quarts of soft serve ice cream! This is perfect for sharing at a pool party for your kids or at a family party. It is leak-free and is made to last and be handed down from generation to generation.
[ Additional read —> Are Vegan Ice Cream Alternatives Truly Healthy? ]
We make our own frozen treats with the best ingredients possible, and we have many flavors that are our original recipes.
We have different treats that’ll satisfy your craving: ice cream, popsicles, gelato and more. Not only are we the coolest dessert company in Los Angeles, but we also deliver to parties and events!
That’s right, make your next event more special by inviting us to serve your guests with delicious and gourmet frozen treats.
And if you want to add a logo or image to the popsicle sticks, ice cream cups, ice cream cart and plastic wrappers, we can do that too!