Ice cream makers represent one of the best inventions for those who crave for ice cream throughout the year. If you thought ice cream can be made only in coffee shops and specialized facilities, you have never tried a domestic ice cream maker. These machines are designed to prepare small quantities of ice cream that can be consumed right away. They are meant to mix ingredients with the help of an electrical mechanism, offering a great variety of ice cream options. Hand-cracking and electrical motors are two of the most frequently encountered methods used to build ice-cream makers.

Ice cream makers have the ability to freeze the mixture inside of them, while aerating it and destroying ice crystals. Modern machines have multiple options and can deliver excellent results, allowing the user to add all kinds of ingredients, including alcohol. Although, some machines can require prior chilling if alcohol is used, for perfect consistency.

The first hand-cracked ice cream maker was patented in 1843 by Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia in the United States of America. Nowadays, these machines include an outer bowl, a smaller bowl on the inside of the ice cream maker and a hand-cracked mechanism that helps a paddle turn. On the other hand, electric machines have an electric motor that drives the paddle. There are four types of electrical ice-cream makers: the counter-top machines, the smaller freezer-unit machines, the larger machines with a built-in freezer mechanism and the electric ice-cream maker that has an outer tub.

Today, the market offers a wide variety of ice-cream makers, technologically advanced and impressively designed. When it comes to choosing the machine that will make your summers chillier and all your cookies more special, due to your ability of covering them in ice-cream, the decision can be difficult to take. Today’s ice-cream makers are anything but simple, having a bunch of features, colors, accessories and abilities.

Those of you who are looking to buy an ice-cream maker should set a budget and a few of the most important capabilities that matter to them. The market offers ice-cream makers that range from $20 to hundreds and thousands of dollars, which is why, if you decide to invest in such a tool, you should definitely know what it can do and how it can transform your recipes into heavenly desserts. If you think that a big bowl of ice-cream is after all, just a big bowl of ice cream and nothing else, think again. You might discover huge differences between one product and the other.

This article is meant to give you a basic idea about the best-selling ice-cream makers. We have gathered 10 of the most controversial such machines and reviewed them from the bottom to the top. While analyzing their capabilities and flaws, we have mostly looked at their available features, technology type, resistance, warranty, price, ease of use, design, capacity and more. These factors are all important when wanting to find the best product for your needs. Therefore, check out the 10 reviews below and see what the pros and cons of each product are.

1. Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker

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This ice-cream maker is a machine that comes in white, blue, red, pink and green, has a visually pleasant design and a great price. More than that, except for being an excellent, affordable product that will help you make ice-cream, it can also make sorbet. It has a large capacity of 1-1/2 quarts. It has a double insulated freezer bowl which means that no ice has to be added when preparing ice-cream.

The Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt has a heavy-duty motor and is able to produce yogurt, sorbet, ice cream and all kinds of frozen drinks in less than 20 minutes. It works with the help of a mixing paddle and has an easy lock lid. Its transparent lid can be easily cleaned up, as well as its mixing bowl.

What’s to like about Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker?
  • Has a freezer bowl
  • Has a classy design
  • Has double insulation
  • Can make sorbet and frozen drinks
  • Is affordable
What’s not to like?
  • Some customers have complained about this product’s short lifetime

2. Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence

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This is a great product from Cuisinart that can be bought at an incredible price, just like the product above. It has an elegant design due to its stainless steel coverage and it is comprised of a large capacity freezer bowl that is double insulated. It is capable of doing not just ice-cream, but sorbet and frozen yogurt, too.

This ice-cream maker is equipped with a heavy-duty motor which makes it powerful and extremely useful. Its freezer bowl has a capacity of 2 quarts. The product is fully automatic and includes a large ingredient spout that allows the user to pour the ingredients comfortably and easily. It has a 3 year limited warranty, which is great.

What’s to like about Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence?
  • Has a powerful motor
  • Is inexpensive
  • Has cord storage
  • Has stainless steel coverage and an elegant design
  • Has a large capacity bowl
What’s not to like?
  • Its mixing paddle is made of plastic

3. Nostalgia Electrics ICMP400BLUE Electric Ice Cream Maker

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This ice-cream maker is an inexpensive product that is suitable for those who need a larger capacity bowl such as a 4-quart one. It is an electric machine with a great design, it comes in blue color and it looks classy, but its plastic bucket and dasher make it look a bit too cheap.

It has an electric motor and an aluminum canister, but the bucket needs to be filled with ice while working, which can be a bit uncomfortable for those who do not own an ice-making machine. Other than that, this looks like a great ice-cream maker.

What’s to like about Nostalgia Electrics ICMP400BLUE 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker?
  • Has a heavy-duty motor
  • Has a large capacity bowl
  • Is affordable
  • Has an aluminum canister
  • Has a great design
What’s not to like?
  • Its bucket and dasher are made of plastic

4. Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

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This is an exquisite product that is totally worth its money. Its price is higher than other similar products’, which makes you expect much more of it. It comes with and excellent design, a tiny LCD screen, a stainless steel coverage and a transparent, plastic lid that makes it elegant and classy.

It is equipped with a 60-minute countdown timer and touchpad controls, which makes it easy to use even when you are doing something else in the meantime. It also comes with two paddles instead of one and a keep-cool feature that will not allow your ice-cream to melt after the timer has gone off.

What’s to like about Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker?
  • Has an excellent design
  • Has two paddles
  • Has a timer
  • Has a keep-cool feature
  • Has touchpad controls
What’s not to like?
  • Some parts can be difficult to clean

5. Hamilton Beach 68330N Automatic Ice-Cream Maker

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Unlike the previous product, this is an extremely inexpensive ice-cream maker. It comes in white and has a large capacity of 4 quarts. It is suitable for frozen yogurt, sorbet and custard, too. It is fully automatic, but one needs to add up ice in order to be able to produce ice-cream. Its lid closes easily and safely and it is very easy to wash.

This product has a 1 year limited warranty, which is quite unexpected for an ice-cream maker. The package includes a user manual with 20 useful recipes. The product is made of plastic and does not look very sturdy, which makes us wonder how durable it is.

What’s to like about Hamilton Beach 68330N 4-Quart Automatic Ice-Cream Maker?
  • Has a large capacity
  • Can make sorbet, custard and frozen yogurt
  • It is easy to wash
  • Is affordable
What’s not to like?
  • Is made of plastic
  • Has only 1 year limited warranty

6. MaxiMatic EIM-506 Elite Gourmet

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This is an amazing ice-cream maker for those who are crazy about vintage stuff. Its design is inspired from the aesthetics of a wooden bucket, including three metal contour lines. It is great for home-use and it has a large capacity of 6 quarts. It is also recommended for barbeques and picnics due to its design.

This ice-cream maker comes with a heavy-duty freezing canister that is made of aluminum and has one electric paddle that is quite powerful. It has a black lid that easily closes and can be cleaned in a matter of seconds. The product is also available in a smaller version, of 4 quarts. Its price is moderate and the manufacturer offers 1 year limited warranty.

What’s to like about MaxiMatic EIM-506 Elite Gourmet?
  • Has a large capacity
  • Has a unique design
  • Has a heavy-duty freezing canister
  • Is affordable
What’s not to like?
  • Has 1 year limited warranty

7. White Mountain PBWMIME612-SHP

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Just like the product above, this ice-cream maker is inspired from the design of a wooden bucket, but it is a more advanced version of it. Of course, it is much more expensive, too. It has a darker color and a green lid that looks very sturdy, a large capacity of 6 quarts and a powerful motor. It also has 12 000 rotations per minute and a stainless steel canister and lid.

The great thing about this product is the fact that it has 5 years warranty and a brochure with recipes included. It is suitable for outdoors and it can produce a large amount of ice-cream, all at once. This ice-cream bucket needs ice in order to work, which can be uncomfortable, especially outdoors.

What’s to like about White Mountain PBWMIME612-SHP Appalachian Series?
  • Has a great design
  • Has a powerful motor
  • Has 5-year limited warranty
  • Is suitable for outdoors
What’s not to like?
  • You need to carry the ice around if you want it to work
  • Ice can melt and water leaks from underneath

8. Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker

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This is a moderate-priced product that has an elegant design and unlike the products above, it is only recommended for indoors. It has a capacity of 2 quarts and is suitable for gelato, frozen yogurt or sorbet. It has a brushed chrome layer which makes it look durable. Its touchpad controls and LCD display make it comfortable to use.

The Cuisinart ICE-70 is an advanced ice-cream maker that has a fast paddle, a countdown timer with an auto shut-off function and multiple speeds. Ingredients can be poured with an integrated measuring cup, which is great. It has a 3 year limited warranty and includes full instructions in the box.

What’s to like about Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker?
  • Has brushed chrome finish
  • Has LCD display
  • Has a timer
  • Has auto shut-off function
  • Has touchpad controls
  • Has an elegant design
  • Has 3 year limited warranty
What’s not to like?
  • Has a moderate 2 quarts capacity

9. Cuisinart ICE-45 Ice Cream Maker

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This ice-cream maker is a great product that has an affordable price and a different design, comparing to the product we reviewed so far. It looks like a coffee-maker and it has separate compartments for cones, ice cream and sprinklers or chips. It is quite large and it occupies some space, but it is useful and practical. The ice-cream swirls from the dispenser, imitating street ice-cream makers.

It has a capacity of 2 quarts, it is fully automatic and has a double insulated freezer bowl that needs to be frozen before use. It is easy to clean and use. This product does not require separate ice during its use. It has a 3 year limited warranty.

What’s to like about Cuisinart ICE-45 Mix It?
  • Has a great design
  • Has a double insulated freezer bowl
  • Has 3 compartments for ingredients and cones
  • Ice cream is swirled form dispenser
  • Has 3 year limited warranty
What’s not to like?
  • Has a moderate capacity of 2 quarts
  • It is difficult to store

10.  Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker

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This is an expensive product and probably the best out there. It has an excellent design, is made of stainless steel, has a sturdy construction and is easy to clean. Even though it uses advanced technology to make ice-cream, it has a small capacity of only 1.5 quarts. It has two buttons and a turning timer and it includes a stainless steel paddle, as well as stainless steel housing and bowl.

This product is also suitable for sorbet making and is able to freeze 3 quarts of ice cream per hour. It has a transparent lid, see-through, which gives it a more elegant aspect. It does not require separate ice during its use and it includes a timer that lets you know when the compound is ready. Also, the package includes a recipe booklet.

What’s to like about Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker?
  • Is entirely made of stainless steel
  • Is suitable for ice cream and sorbet making
  • Has an elegant design
  • It is easy to clean and use
  • Has a timer
  • Is sturdy
What’s not to like?
  •  Is expensive
  •  Is heavy
  •  Has a small capacity
  •  Has only 1 year limited warranty