Best ice cream makers for homemade frozen desserts

Ice cream makers have quickly become a common sight on kitchen counters, particularly since the launch of the Ninja CREAMi. After testing a range of models myself, I understand the appeal.

When they work well, they turn a few simple ingredients into smooth, scoopable ice cream with very little effort. To assess each one properly, I made two recipes in every machine: a classic vanilla ice cream and a sharp lemon sorbet.

Vanilla is great for revealing texture issues, while lemon sorbet shows how well a machine handles fruit based mixtures. Some testers also tried their own flavours, which helped highlight differences in performance.

I compared freeze first models, which require the bowl to be frozen in advance, with compressor machines that chill as they churn. I focused on texture, speed, noise, ease of use and cleaning to see which ones genuinely deliver results worth making at home. For inspiration, check out our full collection of ice cream recipes .

The latest additions were tested and reviewed by Brendan Hodrien .

How to choose the best ice cream maker

What can an ice cream maker be used for?

How we tested ice cream makers

As standard, we made our ultimate vanilla ice cream and lemon sorbet in every ice cream maker we tested. If a model came with settings or attachments for gelato or frozen yogurt, we made our hazelnut gelato and tropical frozen yogurt , too.

All ice cream makers were tested against the following criteria, then scored out of five to determine their overall star rating: Effective freezing: most importantly, the machines had to freeze the mixture quickly and evenly for a smooth texture. We looked for sturdy churning paddles that scraped our ice cream from the edges of the bowl, breaking up large crystals in the process.

Size: on freeze-first models, we looked for bowls that were compact enough to fit in the freezer easily. Ease of cleaning: hygiene is paramount for making dairy ice cream safely.

Some paddles are dishwasher-safe, but most parts will need hand-washing and thorough air-drying before packing away. Durability: we looked for machines with durable parts that were easy to assemble. Noise levels: though not vital, we preferred machines that were relatively quiet.

Capacity and overall footprint: we looked at the bowl capacity and footprint for both ease of use and storage. Instruction manual: how helpful was the instruction book and did it include recipes?

Packaging: excessive use of plastic and polystyrene in packaging was negatively scored.

Why you can trust Good Food reviews

The Good Food reviews team has tested over 20 different ice cream makers over the last five years, so we can say with some authority which models are actually worth spending your money on.

Every ice cream maker is put through its paces in the Good Food Test Kitchen, which is set up to emulate a typical home kitchen rather than a lab-like environment – this means if an appliance works in our kitchen, it should work in yours too. Our reviews are also entirely independent and we don't accept payment in exchange for positive reviews, nor do we share product reviews with manufacturers or retailers before they're published.

Not the most intuitive

Star rating: 5/5

This ultra-versatile ice cream maker has four presets (ice cream, gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt), a hardness setting to fine-tune consistency and a mix-only mode that helps aerate the base before churning. Compared with the older version, I didn’t find it quite as intuitive, so I recommend keeping the manual close at hand during the first few uses.

The touchscreen is clear, responsive and easy to wipe clean, which I appreciated when making multiple batches. Assembly was quick – the bowl and lid clicked into place and the paddles (one for gelato, one for ice cream) slotted in without fuss. In my testing, I was impressed by the results.

The vanilla ice cream came out smooth, creamy and ready to eat straight from the machine at the highest churn level. The sorbet was soft, evenly textured and free from icy chunks, which made it stand out compared to some other machines I’ve tried.

If you're after a Cuisinart model, but aren't sure which one to buy, read our review of the best Cuisinart ice cream makers . Wattage: 150W

Pre-freeze: Not required Average churn time: 40 minutes

Capacity: 1.5L Warranty: 3 years

Ingredients require pre-freezing for 12-24 hours

Star rating: 5/5 A great option for smaller kitchens with minimal storage space, included in the box with the FreezeWand comes three colour-coded tubs for pre-freezing ingredients, plus the wand itself offers five different modes.

It truly couldn’t be easier to use, with a colour-coded light guiding you to the bottom of your tub – this flashes red when you’re almost hitting the base. It took minutes to churn ice cream and sorbet using this freeze-first ice cream maker. I made the tastiest lemon sorbet, which was the perfect texture and ready to serve in seconds, but the vanilla ice cream stole the show; smooth and creamy after only 30 seconds of churning.

Packaged responsibly in fully recyclable materials, this ice cream maker received top marks for almost everything. Its 240ml tubs are even dishwasher-safe and it’s quiet to use.

It can be stored easily in a drawer or cupboard and the tubs are stackable, too. Wattage: 250W Pre-freeze: At least 12 hours

Average churn time: up to 5 min Capacity: 240ml

Warranty: 3 year guarantee

Ninja Creami Deluxe

Available from Very (£199) , Ninja (£199.99 ), Currys (£209.99) , JD Williams (£209.99)

Frozen contents need to be flat in the tub

Star rating: 5/5 This ice cream maker went viral on social media on its release and it's not difficult to see why.

Aside from the original Ninja Creami , it's unlike any of the other ice cream makers on this list. Rather than slowly churning and freezing the ice cream mixture, the ice cream base needs to be frozen solid first.

Once frozen, you can add the bowl to the ice cream maker and set it to go. Powerful blades then 'shave' and churn the frozen mix into smooth, creamy ice cream in just a few minutes.

What sets this model apart from its predecessor is the larger capacity across the three tubs (just over two litres in the Creami Deluxe versus 1.4 litres in the Creami) and three additional functions, which include frappe, frozen yogurt, and "slushi". I loved how simple and fun it was to use, and all my creations in test were well combined and soft without any lumps or ice crystals present.

It also provides an easy way to pack fresh fruit into kids' desserts and frozen drinks, and in test I particularly enjoyed the orange and raspberry "slushi" that features inside the recipe book. If you're torn between this model and the original Ninja Creami, read our comparison of the Ninja Creami vs Deluxe .

Wattage: 800W Pre-freeze: At least 24 hours

Average churn time: 2 minutes Capacity: 709ml per tub (x3)

Warranty: 2 years Cost to run for 10 minutes: 1.2p (based on 24.5p/kWh )

Fiddly to wash with several parts

Star rating: 4.5/5

Everybody wants to host a great barbecue. How do you host a great barbecue?

Well you offer everybody a frozen marg in the scorching heat, they’ll sing songs about you in years to come. A bulky piece of kit with a big footprint, set up may seem daunting at first glance but the package comes with a link to an easy-to-follow video guide. A huge tick in the pro-column is that there is no pre-freeze needed here, just set it up, fill it up, pick your setting and wait for it to reach temperature – you can be dishing out soft serves in just half an hour.

Give it a good clean before offering up the margaritas, as the cleaning process is a fiddly but straightforward affair. I particularly enjoyed the lemon sorbet this machine conjured up: velvety smooth and incredibly refreshing, though ice cream didn’t come out as thick as hoped, but a quick blast in the freezer soon firmed it up. This is certainly a better slushie machine than it is ice cream maker but it does both jobs very well.

Some materials feel flimsy

Star rating: 4.5/5

ProCook’s basic ice cream maker is simple to operate and churns mixtures to creamy perfection. Our ultimate vanilla ice cream recipe was smooth, though the lemon sorbet was less so – without a special setting for sorbet or recipes in the manual, I'd say this one-speed model is best for ice cream.

I appreciated the simplicity – the digital timer ensured our custard mixture reached a smooth consistency in 30 minutes. The plastic paddle effectively scraped the sides of the bowl during churning, though it felt a bit flimsy compared to the sturdy power unit.

I did, however, like the compact footprint – perfect for those who plan on storing the machine away until summer rolls around again. Wattage: 12W

Pre-freeze: At least 10 hours Average churn time: 45 minutes Capacity: 1.5L

Warranty: 2 years

Some non-recyclable packaging

Star rating: 4.5/5

If you're hosting a gathering or just want to stock up your freezer, this 2L self-freezing model from CASO Design is great for churning large quantities in one go. It's a superb all-rounder, with functions for ice cream, soft serve, sorbet, yogurt and frozen yogurt, as well as post-cooling for up to 60 minutes.

I loved its professional-grade feel and robustness, and the user-friendly controls were a doddle to master – simply hit the 'menu' to navigate through the presets and adjust the dial accordingly. The paddle rotates smoothly in operation, and though it didn't quite reach the sides of the bowl, the ice cream was perfectly creamy and lump-free in just half an hour.

This machine requires a bit of an investment, not just in terms of the cost but also counter space too (and storage for the colder months), so it's really better suited to big kitchens. If you want the flexibility and convenience of a large-capacity model though, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

Wattage: 180W Pre-freeze: Not required

Average churn time: 30 minutes Capacity: 2L

Ninja Swirl by CREAMi 13-in-1 ice cream maker

Available from AO (£335) , Amazon (£335.50) , Ninja (£337) , Very (£369) , John Lewis & Partners (£369.99) , Currys (£369.99) , Argos (£369.99)

Expensive

Star rating: 4.5/5 If you've ever dreamed of owning an ice cream parlour, this gadget could be well worth the investment.

The Swirl is Ninja's most sophisticated ice cream maker yet, taking everything that's unique about the Ninja Creami and Ninja Creami Deluxe and bringing in functions like 'CreamiFit' (for protein ice cream) and a soft-serve attachment. As with its predecessors it's intuitive and easy to assemble, and you'll need to pre-make and freeze your ice cream base at least 24 hours before churning.

Two tubs are provided as standard – these were a little leaky for us in test so will need to be secured extra tightly. Even when placed on our quite sizeable kitchen countertop, the Swirl looks enormous and – as freeze-first ice cream makers go – it's expensive too. But if your budget allows, we can imagine it being a huge hit with families, particularly younger children who will find tons of joy in swirling their own soft-serve creations into ice cream cones.

Read our full Ninja Swirl ice cream maker review . Wattage: 800W

Pre-freeze: At least 24 hours Average churn time: 5 minutes

Capacity: 480ml per tub (x2) Warranty: 2 years

Some non-recyclable packaging

Star rating: 4.5/5 This compact model is ideal for those looking to dabble in homemade ice cream-making for the first time without committing to a larger machine.

At 36 x 30cm, it's the smallest of Cuisinart's ice cream makers, allowing users to generate eight scoops (roughly one tub) of ice cream in just 25 minutes. It also comes with a clear lid, so you can check on its progress throughout. We loved its simplicity and fuss-free set-up, which leaves barely a smidge of room for error – just hit the on/off button on the top of the machine to get started (pictured below).

The manual is concise and features a good range of recipes, from unique ice cream flavours to refreshing sorbets. It's relatively easy to clean, too, especially as the paddle and the lid can go in the dishwasher. For such a small machine, it's quite noisy and we found the paddles didn't quite reach the sides of the bowl, though this didn't prove to be an issue when we sampled our ice cream in test – the results were thick, creamy and smooth.

It also lacks the versatility of other models, especially as it's just 475ml, but that won't be a problem for casual users looking for a machine that's compact, efficient and reliable – everything that the Solo Scoops delivers on. Wattage: 35W

Pre-freeze: At least 12 hours Average churn time: 25 minutes

Capacity: 475ml Warranty: 3 years

Star rating 4.5/5

If you've been eyeing the Ninja CREAMi but worried your budget won't stretch, the Russell Hobbs Chilluxe may be just the thing. Priced at £160, the machine comes with two tubs and lids, and has seven pre-set functions.

It's also aesthetically pleasing on your worktop. But, there is a catch: it doesn’t come with a warranty.

It is, however, as easy to use as the Ninja and has a similar design, except that it has a door that conceals the outer bowl. It created silky smooth vanilla ice cream for waffle cones, but the sorbet we made was slightly more firm than we prefer (the flavour was impressively intense, though).

Each took just over 3 minutes to churn, which is very efficient. Arriving with minimal packaging inside the box (all of which is recyclable), this machine is convenient to clean thanks to its dishwasher-safe parts. It's noisy in use, though, but it's only at its worst for 3-4 minutes.

It may be too large to squeeze into a kitchen cupboard, but you can store one of the 500ml tubs inside the machine. The other tub and two lids will need to be kept elsewhere.

Wattage: 800W Pre-freeze: yes

Average churn time: 3-4 minutes Capacity: 500ml per tub Warranty: none

Non-recyclable packaging

Star rating: 4.5/5 If you don't mind having a larger appliance in your kitchen, an automatic ice cream maker with a compressor – like this Lakeland machine – is a great option.

As well as ice cream, it can make gelato, frozen yoghurt, and sorbet, and the transparent cover allows you to keep an eye on the mixture as it churns. We had no trouble navigating the various functions via the digital display, and because the ice cream maker came pre-assembled, we could get going almost straight away.

Our ice cream was ready in just 30 minutes in test, and had a smooth, soft texture and enhanced vanilla flavour, with no ice crystals or graininess. It's worth bearing in mind that, at 11.5kg, this machine is very heavy – and if you don't have the countertop space to keep it out permanently, getting in and out of storage would pose a serious challenge for some. Wattage: 150W

Pre-freeze: Not required Average churn time: 30-50 minutes

Capacity: 1.5L Warranty: 3 years

May be difficult to store

Star rating: 4.5/5

This is ProCook's first ever ice cream maker and it produced impressively thick, creamy results in test. The machine relies on 'no-freeze compression technology' to churn the ice cream, so there's no need to freeze the 1.2L bowl first.

Presets include ice cream, cooling mode (cools the mixture without stirring), and stirring mode (stirs without cooling). It's also more compact and lightweight versus others like it on the market, but still about the same size as a small microwave – so if you're not keeping it out permanently on the countertop, you'll need a decent amount of space to store it.

I loved the high-quality build and clear digital display, and assembling it was straightforward. This ice cream maker also earned extra marks for its packaging, most of which could be recycled. Wattage: 110W

Pre-freeze: Not required Average churn time: 60 minutes

Capacity: 1.2L Warranty: 2 years

Sensitive if not frozen flat

Star rating: 4.5/5

The first of Ninja's Creami ice cream makers, this appliance is quick and intuitive, taking around two-to-three mins to turn the solid block into ice cream – but you will need to freeze your mixture for 24 hrs before use. It produces single pints of ice cream and has pre-sets for gelato, smoothies, sorbets and milkshakes.

Helpfully, it also comes with a recipe book and three one-pint containers with lids that can be used to churn the ice cream and store it afterwards. Read our full Ninja ice cream maker NC300UK review, and if you're torn between this model and the newer Creami Deluxe, check out our comparison of the Ninja Creami vs Deluxe . Wattage: 800W

Pre-freeze: At least 24 hours Average churn time: 2 minutes

Capacity: 493ml per tub Warranty: 2 years

Packaging couldn't be recycled

Star rating: 4.5/5 A robust, well-made ice cream accessory that makes 1.9 litres of exceedingly good ice cream quickly and efficiently, but only for those with a KitchenAid stand mixer .

Creating that much ice cream in one go will appeal to big families and ice cream lovers, but the large bowl means you also need a large freezer – in which it will need to sit for a minimum of 16 hours. In test, the pre-made ice cream mixture needed to be poured into a jug to be able to transfer it to the bowl.

Once it got going, we had smooth, thick results in around 15 minutes with no lumps or graininess. Wattage: N/A

Pre-freeze: At least 16 hours Average churn time: 30 minutes

Capacity: 1.9L Warranty: 1 year

How to choose the best ice cream maker

An ice cream maker is a countertop appliance designed to make homemade ice cream.

There are two different types of ice cream maker: freeze-first and self-freezing . Which type is right for you depends on a number of factors, including budget and space.

Freeze-first ice cream makers

These models are simply designed and have a bowl with walls that are filled with a gel coolant.

These bowls usually need between eight to 24 hours in the freezer before they can be used and can only churn one batch of ice cream a day. Freeze-first models tend to be cheaper than self-freezing models and can make smooth, good-quality ice cream.

They don’t take up too much space on the kitchen counter, though the bowls can be bulky or awkwardly shaped; we’d recommend checking the size of the bowl to make sure it’ll fit in your freezer.

Self-freezing ice cream makers

Usually more expensive, self-freezing machines feature a built-in freezer, which is what drives up the price.

They generally take a couple of minutes to reach the sub-zero temperatures required for making ice cream, meaning you can make several batches of ice cream a day. They’re also larger than freeze-first models, owing to the compressor, and these machines need to be stored upright and not moved around too much.

They take a little longer to freeze ice cream than freeze-first bowls, but they tend to produce smoother and creamier results. What can an ice cream maker be used for? Whether you need something to cool you down in the summer sun or you’re entertaining and looking to impress your guests with exciting flavours, an ice cream maker can do all that, and so much more.

An at-home ice cream maker is ideal if you’re looking to avoid certain ingredients or you’re dedicated to using the best produce you can find. With an ice cream maker you can whip up new, exciting and daring flavour combos not thought of by expensive, store-bought brands.

For inspiration, take a look at our ice cream recipes for some creative ideas. But you’re not just limited to ice cream; many of the models we tested can also be used to make sorbet , gelato and frozen yogurt .

Most brands will include a number of recipes in the manual which will give you an idea of the range of desserts you can make with your new machine. Some models come with dedicated settings for these different ices, others include a whole different paddle. One brand we tested suggested using your ice cream maker to make frozen cocktails.

Just mix your cocktail and let the ice cream maker run for 10-15 minutes or until it becomes a slushy texture. While most cocktails can be frozen, we think bright and zesty drinks such as gin cocktails , fruity cocktails like a strawberry mojito , and tequila cocktails will work best.

While there are some brilliant vegan and dairy-free ice creams on the market, they can be expensive and the flavours limited. An ice cream maker means there’s no need to miss out as you can create your own flavours and save a bit of cash, too.

We’ve got a collection of dairy-free ice cream recipes to get you started.

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