There are many types of ice cream makers on the market, including old-fashioned machines, simple freezer bowls, canister models with electric motors, and compressor ice cream makers. Here’s what you need to know about each type: If you have a little more room in your budget, you may like the brand's Cool Creations model too. Our testers say it yielded similarly delicious frozen treats, but has the added convenience of a built-in LED countdown timer that lets you know when your dessert will be ready. The amount an ice cream maker can freeze in a single batch varies widely. The machines we tested range from about half a cup to a full gallon. Keep in mind that homemade ice cream doesn't store as well in the freezer as commercial brands, so it's best not to make much more than you plan to use within a day or two. The FDA considers 6 ounces to be a serving of ice cream, which means a quart is (in theory) enough for six people.

Through these assessments, our experts found that, in general, there is no correlation between price and performance — all ice cream makers tested produced ice cream that was palatable if eaten immediately, though sorbet results were more varied. Differences are largely convenience-based, though all required some level of pre-planning. You follow the directions in your ice cream maker's instruction manual, of course! Every ice cream maker has slightly different rules, but you'll want to disassemble all the parts and thoroughly wash everything soon after use. Things like paddles and lids might be dishwasher-safe, but freezer bowls almost always have to be washed by hand. You should never submerge or run water over the motor base or other electrical parts; just use a sponge or damp cloth to wipe down buttons and other surfaces.Plus, the Ninja Creami is very beginner-friendly as the buttons are very self-explanatory. We would happily recommend this ice cream maker to anyone who doesn’t want to go through a lot of trial and error. We like that it has a built-in timer so you don’t have to keep a close eye on it—unless you want to. It also has helpful buttons to fix texture issues that other ice cream makers we tested didn't have. When you’re craving tasty ice cream that melts in your mouth, why not save yourself a trip to the frozen aisle and make it at home? It might seem like a chore to make your own ice cream, but it’s actually not that hard as long as you have the right ice cream maker. To find the best ice cream makers, we tested 20 models in our Lab. We made two frozen recipes with each appliance—a traditional ice cream and a sorbet—and assessed them on design, ease of use, performance, taste, ease of cleaning, and more.

Donvier Manual Ice Cream Maker: With a freezer bowl and a hand crank, this model combines old and new technology. It made pretty good ice cream and sorbet, but the level of babysitting required—cranking every minute or two for half an hour—just isn't worth it. It depends on the ingredients you use. The main ingredients for ice cream are cream, milk, sugar, and sometimes eggs, all of which come in inexpensive and pricier versions. Fresh and local ingredients, grass-fed dairy, and cage free eggs can be costly but can also make a difference in flavor. The same is true for non-dairy ice cream. Base ingredients like soy milk or canned coconut milk are more affordable, while something like cashew milk can be quite expensive. Look, you're not going to mistake the results of the Yonanas for "real" dairy ice cream—our test batch had chunks of fruit in it and kind of a gooey texture—but it makes a healthier dessert that could be great for ice cream-loving kids. The sweetness level depends entirely on the fruit you use, so we'd aim for overripe over underripe. (The manual recommends "cheetah-spotted" bananas.)The main catch, though, is that you need a pre-frozen bowl, and this machine's is pretty bulky. If you want to be able to make ice cream at the drop of a hat, it has to live in the freezer all the time, and it'll take up a lot of room. This model has a smaller capacity than some of Cuisinart's other ice cream makers, so be mindful of batch size when you're following recipes and scale down accordingly. We didn't do the math quite right and got a little overflow in one test. Also, none of the parts are dishwasher-safe, but they're also unlikely to need much more than a rinse. With it, you choose exactly how much fruit and what types to use to customize your soft-serve ice cream. (If you need flavor inspiration, it comes with a recipe book that has lots of ideas for fruit combinations.)