Of all the things that the expert product reviewers have tested over the years, ice cream makers were probably our favorite. Talk about a labor of love! Eating all that delicious homemade ice cream might not have been great for our waistlines, but it helped us find the very best ice cream makers you can buy to use at home.
Our top picks
- Best overall: Ninja CREAMi NC500 Deluxe Ice Cream Maker
- Runner-up: Ninja CREAMi NC301 Ice Cream Maker
- Best cheap option: Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker
- Best for a quick fix: CUISINART ICE30BCP1 Ice Cream Maker
- Best slushie cup: ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker
Those are our favorite ice cream makers in each category, and you can’t go wrong no matter which model you pick. If you want to learn a bit more about each option, you’ll find everything you need to know down below.
1. Best overall: Ninja CREAMi Deluxe NC500 Ice Cream Maker
Pros: Easy to use, thousands of recipes, 11 different modes, 24-oz tubs, easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts
Cons: Noisy, ice cream recipes need to be frozen overnight
Picking the best overall ice cream maker was fairly easy because the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe NC500 Ice Cream Maker is clearly a cut above the competition.
I’ve personally been using this model for over a year now, and I’m completely obsessed. The CREAMi Deluxe lets you turn just about anything into a delicious frozen dessert. There are thousands upon thousands of great recipes out there. Heck, there are even YouTube channels and a subreddit dedicated to CREAMi recipes.
This model has 11 different modes including frozen yogurt, sorbet, slushi, milkshake, creamiccino, and more. But the star of the show is obviously ice cream.
Using the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe to make ice cream couldn’t be easier. Just take your ingredients and mix them together in the 24-oz tub. Then, pop the tub in the freezer for 24 hours. Take it out the next day and let it thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then pop it in the machine and process it for deliciously creamy ice cream.
I use mine to make healthy protein powder-based lite ice cream. An entire 24-oz tub typically ends up having only about 250 calories despite being delicious and packing 30+ grams of protein.
The only real downside to this ice cream maker is the wait. Since you have to freeze your concoctions overnight. Of course, that’s why you can just buy a bunch of extra CREAMi tubs. I have five or six CREAMi recipes frozen at any given time, so I can just pull out the flavor I want without having to wait.
You should also be aware that the CREAMi Deluxe is very loud while it’s mixing. You might want to keep a pair of headphones or earplugs nearby.
2. Runner-up: Ninja CREAMi NC301 Ice Cream Maker
Pros: Cheaper than the Deluxe, easy to use, thousands of recipes, 7 different modes, easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts
Cons: Fewer modes and smaller tubs compared to the Deluxe model, noisy
Since the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe was so easy to pick as the best overall ice cream maker, it stands to reason that the smaller version is almost as good.
The Ninja CREAMi NC301 Ice Cream Maker is just like the Deluxe model, with two main differences. First, it only has seven different mixing modes instead of eleven. And second, the tubs are 16 oz instead of 24 oz.
While it’s nice to have the extra modes on the Deluxe model, the NC301 has all the main bases covered. In addition to ice cream and lite ice cream modes, you also get sorbet, gelato, milkshake, smoothie bowl, and mix-in. That last mode is used after your main spins to add any mixed-in toppings that you want evenly distributed.
Other than those main differences and the lower price tag, the NC301 is just like the NC500. And just like the Deluxe model, we definitely recommend picking up some extra tubs.
3. Best cheap option: Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker
Pros: Cheap, easy to use, large capacity, easy to clean, fun for the whole family
Cons: Not as versatile as other models
If you want something that’s inexpensive and easy to use with your whole family, the Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker is the perfect option.
This ice cream maker isn’t as versatile as the Ninja models in this guide, but it doesn’t need to be. It makes ice cream, frozen yogurt, and gelato — that’s it. This is a no-muss, no-fuss option for people who want to make some delicious ice cream that young children can help with.
That last note is really the main appeal of this model. Since it’s so simple and easy to use, your young kids will have a blast helping out.
Also, unlike the Ninja models, where mixtures need to be frozen for 24 hours, this ice cream maker churns out tasty frozen treats in about 20 minutes. Just pour in your ice cream mixture, turn the motor on, layer in ice and salt, and you’re done!
4. Best for a quick fix: CUISINART ICE30BCP1 Ice Cream Maker
Pros: Fast, easy to use, inexpensive
Cons: Some people have trouble getting good results
When it comes to countertop ice cream makers, the CUISINART ICE30BCP1 Ice Cream Maker is about as basic as it gets.
In most ways, that’s a good thing. There are no complexities or special procedures to wrap your head around. This model makes ice cream or frozen yogurt, and that’s it. Of course, the other side of that means you don’t get some of the more fun options that you’d find on a more complex machine, like the Ninja CREAMi.
The CUISINART model is much faster than the CREAMi, though, since you don’t need to pre-freeze your ingredients. You just keep the bowl in your 0-degree freezer at all times so it’s ready to go. Then, when you want to make ice cream, you literally just toss all the ingredients into the bowl and turn on the machine. That’s all there is to it.
Most people find it easy to use once they get the hang of it, but there are a few scattered reviews from people who had trouble getting good results. Also, some people complain that this machine is a bit noisy, but they’ve obviously never tried a Ninja CREAMi.
5. Best slushie cup: ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker
Pros: Cheap, couldn’t be any easier to use
Cons: Uhh… it doesn’t make ice cream
This last recommendation isn’t actually an ice cream maker. But slushie cups have become so popular lately that we would be remiss not to include the best one out there: The ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker.
You’ll find dozens of different knockoffs out there, but ZOKU is the original model and it’s also the best. It makes slushies, not ice cream, but it’s still a delicious frozen treat. And because it’s so easy to use, it’s a blast for young children who can watch their favorite desserts freeze and become slushies right before their eyes.
All you need to do as far as prep goes is to keep the inner core in your freezer. Then, when it’s time to make a slushie, it really couldn’t be simpler. Just pop the inner core into the outer cup, pour in your ingredients, and use the included spoon to mix and scrape the sides. That’s it!
You can use just about any freezable liquids in the ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker. Examples include blended fruit, homemade juice, chocolate milk, sweetened coffee, soda, and more. Just make sure you use stuff with real sugar, but sugar-free and diet drinks won’t freeze properly.
