7 Best Ice Cream Makers of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

This is the Rolls Royce of ice cream makers. It’s ready to make ice cream straight out of the box, works quietly and efficiently and produces super creamy ice cream with a uniform texture. This a compression model with a built-in refrigeration system, so you can make back-to-back batches of ice cream without needing to refreeze the bowl. The Breville Smart Scoop boasts plenty of bells and whistles, including pre-programmed settings to make four different types of frozen desserts ranging from soft to hard, such as sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato and ice cream. The manufacturer states that the ice cream will need an average of 50 minutes to churn and chill; we found that it produced harder ice cream in 40 minutes. It has a pre-cool setting that cools the machine to 14 to 22 degrees Fahrenheit in 5 to 10 minutes, speeding up the ice cream process even further (though you’ll need to press start to begin the churning process once it’s pre-cooled). There’s also a keep cool setting, which keeps your frozen dessert chilled and churned for the selected duration.

The Breville Smart Scoop is also fully automated and will stop once the ice cream has reached the programmed setting for desired hardness, or when it’s time to add mix-ins. The alert sound is a beep, but can also be customized with three different jingles. It also comes with a spatula to scrape down the bowl and a bottle brush for cleaning the paddle and bowl. The plastic paddle and lid are both dishwasher safe, though the bowl must be washed by hand.

The digital interface also tracks progress, displaying the current temperature, timer count, and firmness. You can also toggle to manual mode if you’d like to make a recipe according to specific timings. And if you have kids around, there’s a handy child lock to prevent interference.

One drawback is that the machine takes up a lot of counter space and weighs 35 pounds, though it does have built-in handles for easy carrying. The canister design has a paddle mount built into it, which can make it challenging to use a regular-size ice cream scoop to scoop out ice cream. It was also the most expensive ice cream maker we tested, but its quality materials and durable construction make it built to last. If you make ice cream regularly, it’s a worthy investment.

This easy-to-use, budget-friendly model makes smooth ice cream in 20 minutes or less, making it an ideal pick for beginners, too. The model’s pieces — including a base, paddle, lid and double-insulated bowl—were intuitive to put together, and with just an on/off switch, it was straightforward to operate, too. Once the bowl was chilled for the recommended time (between 16 and 24 hours), the maker lived up to its promise of churning ice cream in 20 minutes or less. We found that it delivered a smooth, gelato-like consistency and benefited from the additional 1 hour of chill time per our testing recipe. (If you want a harder scoop consistency, it’s best to chill the frozen mixture overnight.) The manual was easy to read and included a recipe book, helpful recipe tips for sweetener and milk substitutes and guidance on when to add mix-ins or alcohol.

This model wins props for its design, too. The easy-lock plastic lid attaches seamlessly to the base and the clear plastic allows you to monitor the freezing process. It also has an ingredient spout that allows you to easily pour in your ice cream base and to add mix-ins like chips or nuts without interrupting the freezing cycle. The base is designed with a heavy-duty motor that’s strong enough to make a variety of frozen confections, including frozen yogurt, sherbet, sorbet and frozen drinks. It also has a safety feature that automatically stops the motor if it overheats. The base also has non-slip rubber feet to keep the base stationary during use and tucked-away cord storage on the bottom of the base. All the machine’s materials that come into contact with food are BPA-free. We also appreciate that this model’s performance is backed by a limited 3-year warranty.

This pint-size ice cream maker is ideal for quickly and easily making small batches of ice cream or frozen yogurt. It’s user-friendly and intuitive to assemble the cooling bowl, cooling cup and plastic paddle, then mount the motor on top. This maker promises to make 1.6 cups of ice cream in 30 minutes or less; we found that after 30 minutes, the maker yielded a soft, spoonable ice cream with a smooth texture. Because of the smaller quantity, the ice cream set up nicely after an hour in the freezer. (For best results, the manufacturer suggests pre-chilling the ice cream base in the freezer for 30-45 minutes before churning.)

It’s lightweight (under 1 pound) and compact, making it a good choice for first apartments, small kitchens, college dorm rooms and camper or RV travels. The maker can also be used manually and includes a mixing spoon to churn the ice cream by hand-stirring the mixture. The contemporary design comes in two colors, including aqua and white. The wallet-friendly price also makes it a great gift-giving option. We also appreciate that it comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

This model delivers big batches of frozen treat — to the tune of four quarts — on a budget. This model relies on the addition of ice and rock salt (also known as ice cream salt, although the manufacturer states that Kosher salt can be used too) to cool the canister and chill the mixture while the motor, which is mounted on top of the paddle and canister, automatically churns the mixture. The machine auto-stops when the ice cream is done; the manufacturer states that the frozen dessert is ready in 20 to 40 minutes. We found that the maker stopped after around 28 minutes and produced a spoon-able and super creamy soft-serve-like ice cream. Once it set up in the freezer for an hour, it achieved a more gelato-like consistency. The maker comes with an easy-to-read manual, which is especially helpful for your first time using the machine to understand how to layer the ice and salt in the bucket. It also provides troubleshooting and storage tips, as well as more than 20 recipes. The canister, lid and stopper mean you can seamlessly move the canister and ice cream from the maker to the freezer.

There are a few drawbacks to this type of model, most notably the loud noise level. The plastic materials may not hold up for years and the large plastic bucket isn’t very aesthetically appealing. Because of its large-quantity capacity, the maker takes up a lot of counter space. It requires 8 to 12 pounds of ice and 3 cups of rock salt per batch. It’s helpful to run the maker close to a sink to catch any salt that scatters once the machine is first turned on, as well as for drainage purposes (though, in testing, we didn’t have any melted ice that needed to drain through the bucket’s drain hole while the machine was running). And you can’t add mix-ins while the machine is running; if you want to add fruit, nuts or chocolate chips for example, you’ll need to fold them in by hand once the maker is done churning.

Overall, for the price and the four-quart capacity, this family-friendly ice cream maker is a great pick for making frozen desserts and drinks for a crowd.

If you already own a KitchenAid, there’s no need to buy another appliance to make ice cream. The KitchenAid ice cream attachment comes with a drive assembly, paddle and freezer bowl that can be used with most tilt-head and bowl-lift KitchenAid models (except Mini Artisan).

Once you’ve chilled the bowl for at least 15 hours, the attachment operates on the KitchenAid’s stir setting and promises to churn ice cream in 20 to 30 minutes. We checked after 20 minutes and found that the mixture transformed into a cold, spoonable and creamy ice cream. After an hour in the freezer, it set up to a gelato-like consistency. With a 2-quart capacity, the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment also backs up its claim of having the largest single bowl capacity in the industry. We also appreciated its low noise volume.

It comes with a helpful quick-start guide and an easy-to-read manual that includes instructions for attaching the drive assembly for both types of KitchenAid mixers, as well as a selection of recipes. It’s helpful to read through the directions the first time you use the attachment and ensure that the attachment works with your model. After that, it’s intuitive to use, though sometimes it’s challenging and a little messy to pour the ice cream base in while the motor is running (as specified by manufacturer instructions). The paddle is dishwasher safe; all other parts must be washed by hand.

The 11-in-1 ice cream maker can do more than just ice cream; the Ninja Creami Deluxe can make a variety of frozen treats with the touch of a button thanks to its pre-programmed functions. The Ninja Creami Deluxe has 10 preset functions divided between Scoopable and Drinkable options. Scoopable programs include Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Frozen Yogurt and Creami Italian Ice. The Drinkable Programs include Creamiccino, Frozen Drink, Slushi and Milkshake. It’s touted as an “11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker,” meaning the mix-in function counts as the eleventh setting.

Additionally, this model cuts down on prep time. Most conventional ice cream makers come with a large freezer bowl that must be frozen before use. The chilled ice cream base is poured into the freezer bowl, and a paddle churns the mixture until it’s frozen to the desired consistency, which can take as long as 30 minutes. While the ice cream base for the Ninja Creami Deluxe needs to be frozen for at least 24 hours prior, the machine blends up frozen treats in just a few minutes.

Check out our full review of all of the Ninja Creami models to learn more about why we like the Ninja Creami Deluxe the best, and how it performed in testing the different settings.

The GreenPan Frost is the closest thing you’ll get at home to a professional soft-serve machine. The machine has a built-in compressor that can continue to operate through multiple batches, dispensing cone after cone of soft serve that rivals any you’d find at a local ice cream shop. Just pour your liquid base into the hopper at the top, choose from one of six settings, and set it to run. In less than 40 minutes, you can start filling up cones and cups. If you run out of ice cream, simply refill it and wait for it to chill again — no pre-freezing required.

In testing, it whipped up pineapple soft serve in about 38 minutes, producing a creamy, airy texture with no iciness. Some of the mixture did stick in the hopper where the blades couldn’t reach, but the machine allows you to adjust the firmness or chill factor of your creation. Setting it slightly lower softened the ice cream a bit and allowed it to flow down towards the spout. The easy vanilla soft-serve recipe in the included recipe booklet churned out in a quick 34 minutes and had that signature rich, creamy flavor and texture that we all know and love.

Cleaning can be tricky, as the machine has quite a few parts that need to be taken off to get squeaky clean. Fully washing and sanitizing took about 15 minutes, involving a few rinse cycles and disassembly of several dishwasher-safe parts. Quick rinses worked fine between flavors, but for long-term storage, you’ll need to follow a thorough routine. Despite that, the Frost’s slim, upright footprint makes it easier to store than bulkier competitors. Overall, if you’re serious about recreating the soft-serve experience at home and don’t want to have to plan in advance, this is the one to pick.