At-home ice cream makers you can't survive summer without
With a summer of record-breaking heat on its way, it pays to be prepared – and what better way to do so than by purchasing an ice cream maker.
Sure, you can head out to your local supermarket and buy a standard tub of ice cream. But where's the fun in that?
To help you decide, here are some of the best ice cream makers on the market.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Best ice cream maker
Cuisinart Cool Scoops Frozen Dessert Maker
The Cuisinart Cool Scoops Frozen Dessert Maker will have your ice cream ready in 20 minutes or less.
Using a double-insulated freezer bowl chilled from the freezer, just flick the simple on-and-off switch to watch your ice cream churn and freeze. Whipping up to 1.5L of ice cream, you can also add your favourite treats as it churns from its mix-in opening. It also won't take up too much counter space, measuring just 24.2cm x 22.9cm x 28.6cm.
Looking for a larger model? You can buy the Cuisinart Cool Scoops Plus Frozen Dessert Maker with a 2L capacity for $159.
Best soft serve ice cream maker
Cuisinart The Soft Serve Machine
With a 1.5L capacity, you can make up to 10 soft serves at a time using the Cuisinart The Soft Serve Machine. Simply freeze the bowl ahead of time, make your ice cream mixture, pour it into the machine and wait 20 minutes for your soft serve to be ready. Once ready, just pull down the handle and watch it swirl into your cone or cup. Built into the machine are a cone holder, cup holder and three topping containers.
Best gelato maker
Cuisinart Ice Cream & Gelato Maker
The Cuisinart Ice Cream & Gelato Maker comes with two paddles for churning ice cream and gelato. It has a built-in freezer compressor so no need to freeze or prep ahead of time – just turn it on and you can have your ice cream or gelato ready in less than 25 minutes. It also has an LCD screen with touchpad controls, a 1.5L capacity, a transparent lid with a mix-in opening, and a keep-cool function that will hold the temperature and consistency of the ice cream for up to 10 minutes after completion.
Best healthy ice cream maker
Yonanas Healthy Frozen Dessert Maker
The Yonanas Healthy Frozen Dessert Maker allows you to make 'ice cream' out of frozen fruit. Just peel and freeze your fruit of choice, drop it into the chute and just like that, you'll have a fresh and healthy frozen dessert. Perfect for those who are lactose or gluten-intolerant, or vegan. It also comes with a handy recipe book with over 130 recipes to try.
Best budget ice cream maker
Davis & Waddell Electric Ice Cream Maker
The Davis & Waddell Electric Ice Cream Maker can have your ice cream ready in as little as 15 minutes, as long as you freeze the bowl for 8 hours beforehand. It has a 1.5L capacity and comes with a recipe book.
Ice cream maker worth the splurge
Breville The Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
The Smart Scoop 1L Ice Cream Maker by Breville has all the bells and whistles, making it worth every cent. The machine automatically tracks the hardness of the ice cream it has created and will keep it at that level until you are ready to serve – you can set it and forget it for three hours, if you like, and return to cold ice cream.
With both an automatic and manual setting, it is programmed with a pre-cool function so your ice cream can set faster and you can select from 12 hardness settings – this lets you experiment with different ice cream textures and recipes, including sorbet, gelato and frozen yogurt.
Best high-tech ice cream maker
Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker
The 470mL Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker is an advanced machine, able to make all types of desserts from ice cream, sorbet and gelato to milkshakes and smoothies. All you need to do is create your mixture, freeze it overnight then place it into the maker for it to churn and mix. Your ice cream will be ready in as little as five minutes.
It is pre-programmed with settings accessible through a one-touch panel, letting you have direct control of the machine's mixing pressure, speed and duration.
Best kid-friendly ice cream maker
Chef'n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker
A good way to get kids involved in cooking, the Chef'n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker lets them get hands-on in the ice cream-making process. Just prepare your mixture, add it to the already chilled bowl and your mix will start freezing instantly. Using the scooping tools, turn and move the ice cream around to make it creamy. If you like, now's the chance to add your favourite mix-ins.
Best on-the-go ice cream maker
Cocinare KRUSH Ice Cream Maker
Just freeze the bowl, add your mixture, press start and it will make ice cream while you're on the go. It is built with an insulated cooling system that keeps 210g of ice cream cool for up to five hours. You will also have access to the Cocinare app, which has over 500 recipes for different frozen desserts for you to try.
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Best ice cream stand mixer attachment
KitchenAid Aluminium Ice Cream Maker Attachment
Easy to set up and attach to your KitchenAid mixer, the 1.9L KitchenAid Aluminium Ice Cream Maker Attachment can churn your ice cream ready to eat in 30 minutes. Freeze your bowl 24 hours before use, add your mixture and churn away. You can also add your favourite mix-ins as it goes.
This attachment is only compatible with KitchenAid stand mixers. You can check out their range here. Just make sure the model of the stand mixer you purchase will work with this attachment prior to buying.
Why buy an ice cream maker?
An ice cream maker will only add value to your culinary skills.
Many modern ice cream makers are able to whip up different types of desserts like gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt, giving more variety when it comes to the best meal of the day. You can also play around with recipes to make lactose-free or even vegan ice cream – varieties that can be hard to find in the supermarket.
An added bonus when making ice cream from scratch, you can sidestep the preservatives and modify your recipe to make it as healthy (or unhealthy) as you like.
What to consider before buying an ice cream maker
If you're serious about adding an ice cream maker to your kitchen bench, consider the following:
- How much space will it take up? Look at the measurements and weigh up if it will be a functional buy for your kitchen.
- How much ice cream can it make? Is it enough for your family of five? Too much for you and your partner?
- How much time do you want to spend making the ice cream? Some makers will require a few hours to freeze the bowl and churn before eating, some take less than an hour. Figure out which one sounds most appealing to you.
- Is it versatile? Many ice cream makers are not just for ice cream but for a whole range of delicious frozen desserts.
- Is it easy to use? Some makers have a simple on and off button while others are far more advanced. Consider what best suits your abilities.
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