We like the aluminum ice cream scoops that have a heat-conductive fluid inside,” says Kelly Williamson, co-founder of True Scoops ice cream. “The heat of your hand warms the fluid, causing the ball of ice cream to neatly release from the scoop. It makes the hardest of ice cream that much easier to scoop.” This article was written by Nor’adila Hepburn, a contributing writer for Real Simple. To find the best ice cream scoops, we tested 22 models in our Lab and evaluated them based on design, performance, and durability. For expert tips, we also spoke to Wes and Kristen Bechtel, co-owners of Boombalatti’s ice cream shop in Wilmington, North Carolina, who have bought over 100 scoops in the last decade and have a full collection of antique scoops; and Kelly Williamson, co-founder of True Scoops ice cream. The downside to these designs is that the ice cream scoop normally needs to be dipped in warm water to slightly soften the ice cream, although many scoops have conductive handles that become warm from the heat of your hand. For mechanical scoops, the handle can also be where the release is. The release is typically a lever that is operated with the thumb or, in some models, squeezing the handle itself. These are typically designed to be done one-handed. Sometimes you're craving more than just a little ice cream. One of these jumbo scoops is all you need for a generous serving of the delectable dessert, which means less scooping and more eating!

An updated take on the traditional ice cream scoop, this cleverly designed Trigger Action Ice Cream Scoop from OXO Good Grips is strongly made from stainless steel so it easily scoops through even the most solid ice cream, while the trigger action pops out perfect globes every time. The single-piece ice cream scoop, even though it has no mechanical release, is typically favored by ice cream shops because there are no parts that can gum up with repeated use. Ice cream can then be loosened with heat, either by dipping the scoop in warm water—as many ice cream shops do—or through the conduction of heat from the handle to the scoop. Those made from pure metal are often the worst when it comes to grip. Finger grooves can help you keep hold of stainless steel handles, which can become very slippery when wet. The typical ice cream scoop is designed to hold about 4 ounces of ice cream, which is about half a cup. However, the Bechtels point out that not all ice creams are created equally, which can affect how much a scoop of ice cream weighs.During testing, we noticed that no matter the ice cream texture, the Sumo scoop still made nice and even scoops. Instead of serving your ice cream straight from the freezer, we recommend letting it soften on the counter a few minutes before serving. (When the ice cream was too hard, we had to use our fingers and a spoon to help release it from the scoop.) Nevertheless, this reliable dishwasher-safe scoop got our stamp of approval for comfort and ease of use. Pretty much all modern ice cream scoops are made from either aluminum or stainless steel,” say Wes and Kristen Bechtel, co-owners of Boombalatti’s ice cream shop in Wilmington, North Carolina. This makes sense, considering all of the options on our list are made of aluminum, zinc, or stainless steel. While we didn’t notice a certain material performing better than others in our testing, it’s worth noting that aluminum ice cream scoops are hand-wash only, while the other materials are typically dishwasher safe. You wouldn't know from looking at it, but the Zeroll Original ice cream scoop is actually an engineering wonder. The scoop itself is made of lightweight aluminum, but the handle is filled with heat-conductive, FDA-approved mineral oil. The internal liquid heats up from the warmth of your hand, making the scoop's metal slightly warm. The result is a scoop that feels comfortable to hold and slides smoothly through hard ice cream with minimal pressure required. If your ice cream is coming straight from a household freezer, chances are it’s too hard to scoop. (FYI: Ice cream shops have temperature-controlled freezers to keep their ice cream soft and scoopable.) But that’s where this Good Cook Smart Scoop shines. By design, this aluminum scoop is made to handle frozen ice cream. It has metal claws that look clunky but are actually a genius way to cut through ice cream that’s too hard. It’s also a good option when serving up ice cream for guests, as it produces uniformly round scoops.

Ice cream spades are usually seen in gelato stores, but you should really give one a chance over the traditional scoop. The Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Spade has a paddle that is slightly curved and slides through hard ice cream, or ice cream with mix-ins, easily. The spade is great for scooping large portions, as well as transferring homemade ice cream from the ice cream maker to a freezer-safe container or pint.

Conclusion

Scoops may seem basic, but many of them come with various features that make digging into tubs of ice cream smooth and easy. For example, you’ll find that some ice cream scoops have metal grooves that help release the ice cream into the bowl, while others may have soft and comfortable handles so you get a great grip. In our testing, we found that the Sumo Ice Cream Scoop can give you a scoop of ice cream that looks like it came straight from your favorite ice cream shop. This scoop made it to the top of our list because of its durable stainless steel construction and grippy handle, which felt more comfortable in our hands than many of the other scoops on our list. Additionally, because the weight is distributed evenly throughout the handle length, you can scoop practically effortlessly without straining your hand. Plus, we felt that its pointed edge made it easy to dig the ice cream out. Scooping depends in part on the type of scoop used. If you're using a round scoop, it should be used at an angle, scooping in an s-shape in the tub of ice cream, then following around the outside of the tub to even off the top of the tub for the next scoop. Spade-style scoops are generally pushed into and across the top of the ice cream. Dipping the scoop into hot water can help get the scoop through hard ice cream, but it can also leave a bit of water behind in the ice cream tub where it will turn into ice. It may be better to leave the ice cream out of the freezer for a few minutes to let it soften enough to be easy to scoop.

For Kelly Williamson, co-founder of True Scoops ice cream, the best way to scoop ice cream is to let the ice cream soften on the counter until it gives slightly with the touch of a finger. “Dip your ice cream scoop in at a slight angle and drag it towards you until a ball of ice cream has formed,” she says. “If you’re scooping from a pint, dip into it at the same slight angle but ‘go around the world’ which basically means to go around the outside of the pint scooping up all that ice cream.” Ice cream scoops are tools that are certainly not limited to frozen treats. They can also be used to scoop batter and dough for baking. The disher-style tool allows you to spoon up a precise serving and maintain that perfectly round shape. Plus, the trigger mechanism makes for an easy and smooth release. Many people enjoy using an ice cream scoop for cupcake, muffin, and pancake batter, as well as uniform portions of cookie dough. It's not limited to just the sweet stuff though—we've seen ice cream scoops being used to shape meatballs and patties for burgers. They can also be used to dish up charmingly round servings of mashed potatoes, risotto, and egg salad. The possibilities are endless. While the scoop itself is the most important part of the ice cream scoop, the handle design also varies. A basic one-piece scoop will be made from the same material as the bowl of the scoop. Others may have a rubber coating for comfort or an ergonomic grip. If a single-piece scoop has conducting liquid to soften the ice cream, however, any coating for comfort would interfere with the heat transference. This scoop is made from zinc alloy—it's also available in stainless steel—and the 3-ounce scooper creates medium-sized scoops that easily release from the scoop with minimal effort. We found the curved handle very comfortable to hold and it kept our hand warm while scooping. Though one of the heavier scoops, it felt comfortable and didn’t cause any wrist strain while using, even with a hard ice cream that included mix-ins.

As well as being ideal for frozen desserts, the large round scoop is brilliant for serving measured doses of cake mix into cupcake moulds, or doling out portions of batter to make identically sized pancakes or crêpes – and of course, it's great for serving perfect portions of creamy mashed potato too.