This has been our top ice cream maker for over a decade
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Lisa McManus
Executive Editor, ATK Reviews
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When hot weather hits, I like to make homemade ice cream: strawberry, chocolate, or rich, creamy vanilla. We’ve even got a brilliant no-churn method that uses a blender. If our test cooks dream it up, I’ll make it, especially when it comes to ice cream. On the Reviews team, we’ve tested every style of ice cream maker. Yes, it requires eating a lot of ice cream too. It’s a tough job, but we’re up to it.
Ice cream machines come in three styles: canister, self-refrigerating, and blade. There’s a range of prices, from $30 to over $300. Depending on your preferences, I guarantee we have one that will work for you.
Our longtime overall favorite is a classic canister-style machine, the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker. It’s very simple to use, with a straightforward on/off switch. It makes flawlessly creamy ice cream and smooth sorbet in about 20 minutes. Over the years we’ve retested this model and it consistently defeats other pricier ice cream makers.
Bonus tip: Our winner can make slushy drinks too. On a recent hot day, I poured in a chilled latte and turned it into a slushy delight in about 4 minutes. Next up, slushy margaritas?
Read our full review of ice cream makers.
We tested popular new blade-style machines like the Ninja CREAMi. We had some success with recipes developed specifically for this type of machine but struggled to make great ice cream using conventional recipes.
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Pro Tip
Look for your ice cream to have the consistency of a thick milkshake or soft-serve ice cream when it’s done churning. Use an instant-read thermometer—it should read about 21 degrees.
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