Ice Cream Makers Buying Guide

Frozen treats are the best part of summer!  Now you can eat them year round when you make your own ice cream,  gelato,  frozen yogurt  or ices  with a home ice cream maker.  So c'mon, put a little muscle into your ice cream; it will taste even better because you made it!

How to Choose

• Consider how eager you are for these frozen treats. Multiple speed models allow you to make all different types of frozen goods. If you plan to make more than ice cream, make sure the machine has the options.
• Flavor of the month? How about flavor of the hour? A dual-bowl model allows you to make two flavors at once instead of having to wait for one bowl to freeze before starting on the next one.
• As far as price, most models cost less than $100, but frozen bowl models are significantly less than compressor models.
• Consider size: If you're only making ice cream for yourself, a small machine might be enough. But if you're making it as a post-Thanksgiving  dessert,  you'll need a large capacity machine to feed the whole clan.

Types

There are two main kinds of ice cream makers: rock salt and crank machines and counter top machines. 

Rock Salt and Crank  The "old fashioned" method of making ice cream; some say it's still the best. Electric versions  (left) are also available, but tend to be noisy. Although they are good for large batches, they can be difficult to operate and a take a lot of work to clean. This might go without saying, but you also have to buy rock salt  to use this type of machine. Manual crank machines don't produce ice cream as high in quality as the electric machines.

Countertop Ice Cream Makers
Frozen Bowl  Less expensive than compressor models. The bowl contains a liquid freezing agent. The bowl is frozen and then filled with ice cream base, which is then cranked by hand or motor. Only one batch at a time can be made at a time as the bowl needs to refreeze between batches. Batches don't take long and the apparatus is easy to operate and clean. Both manual and electric versions exist, but they overlap significantly in their price range. Stick with an electric one -- they usually make better ice cream.	Compressor  This is self-contained and uses a compressor to freeze the ice cream. Multiple batches can be prepared in just a few hours. Often the choice of professionals. Can be pricey - up to $500 or more! Compact, efficient, easy-to-use and easy-to-clean. Most models take up very little counter space.

Work for Your Ice Cream

Exercise Makes Dessert Not Count, Right? What could be better than burning off some calories before indulging in ice cream? The UCO Play and Freeze  is a workout toy and an ice cream maker in one. Fill the inner compartment with ice cream ingredients and the outer compartment with ice and salt, and play catch! After a good long game (20 minutes or so) of rolling, tossing and playing with it, you'll have a batch of ice cream ready to eat. At seven pounds the ball might be a bit heavy for young children.

Major Manufacturers

• Cuisinart 
• Rival 
• Deni 
• Nemox 
• Musso 
• Krups 

Recommendations

White Mountain Electric Ice Cream Maker  This ice cream maker can hold up to 4 quarts and uses a triple motion system to mix ice cream in about 30 minutes. The freezer tub is made of pine and gives this model that old-time, classic feel. For an even larger capacity tub, try the F64306X  model which can hold up to 6 quarts.	Cuisinart Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker  Not only can this model make ice cream but it mixes a range of iced goodies from sorbets  to frozen drinks.  It has an automatic mixing arm, a large spout for adding ingredients, and an easy lock lid for convenient use and speedy service.	White Mountain Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker  A little elbow grease is required to use this crank machine, which holds 6 quarts and can all be mixed by hand in this large wooden bucket.

 Accessories

Serve it up!
Ice Cream Bowls  Make sure you get a fun set so that you can make your dessert even more enjoyable!	Ice Cream Scoopers  Some ice cream scoopers, like the Cuisipro,  will let you stack ice cream in square shapes to have multiple flavors at one time.	Gourmet Toppings  From sprinkles  to cherries  to hot fudge  and so much more, make sure you have a wide variety of toppings to load onto your ice cream!	Ice Cream Recipe Books  Find out how to make a certain type of ice cream to make sure that it comes out the right way.	Waffle Cone Makers  If you are making your own ice cream, why not take things a step further and make your own cones?

Related Guides

• Yogurt Makers
• Soy Milk Makers