After you're done wiping the drool from your chin, take a gander at our gaggle of frozen-dessert makers. (Getty)(bhofack2 via Getty Images)
What pumpkin spice is to autumn and egg nog is to Yuletide, well, that's the place that ice cream occupies here in the dog days and sultry nights of summer. Me, I love a treat from the ice cream truck as much as the next person (vanilla soft serve in a cup with rainbow sprinkles, please). But I can't predict when I'll hear that annoying yet entirely welcome jingle on my block — and on sweltering days, the thought of braving the outdoors to get ice cream from a store is enough to make me skip dessert altogether.
Luckily, making ice cream at home has never been easier, thanks to contraptions that'll have frozen goodies in your hands within 30 minutes. Prefer hard ice cream or a milkshake? There's a machine for that. More of a soft serve or shaved ice person? Yup, you can make those at home too. There might be a little advanced planning involved, like placing a bowl into your freezer to chill overnight, but otherwise, it's usually a matter of adding a few ingredients (far fewer than you'll find in the average store-bought tub), turning the appliance on and letting it churn. Plus, being able to add as many mix-ins as your heart desires? Sign. Me. Up. (P.S. You can even do what I like to do and make a homemade ice cream cake.)
I've rounded up everything you might need to prepare ice cream and other cold concoctions at home, including some picks from Senior Home Writer Lisa Schweitzer, who put a slew of machines to the test. Here's the scoop.
Step aside, coffee and tea — this might be the best use of mugs since hot chocolate was invented. If the thought of making ice cream at home is intimidating, these have your name on them. Really, they couldn't be easier to use — just make sure your mug(s) are frozen for at least 24 hours, then mix up your ice cream base (there's a recipe book included). Once your mug is sufficiently chilled (you want it to be really cold), you'll add your base to the mug, pop on the top (it's got a motorized paddle inside), turn it on and it'll start churning away. You can also add mix-ins of your choosing via the pour chute while it's running, and in about 20 minutes, you'll have ice cream.
"This is great," raved a satiated snacker. "You don't have to make a ton of ice cream. Just enough for one person. ... Storage is easy; you can leave the mugs in the freezer if you want and they will always be ready to go whenever you want to make some ice cream. This was a great buy."
I scream for it, you scream for it ... and this wildly popular appliance will satiate your sweet tooth in between trips to the Good Humor truck this summer. It churns out not just ice cream, but sorbet, milkshakes and more — just add your ingredients, freeze overnight, press a button and ta-da! Plus, you'll be able to customize your creation with your favorite mix-ins.
Senior Tech Writer Rick Broida tested it out and was able to whip up treats he describes as "easily as good as anything I've had from a store or pint." He adds, "There's a certain mad-scientist joy that comes from creating or discovering a delicious recipe. I think it's especially great for the health-minded, as it affords total control over your ingredients."
Check out his full Ninja Creami review for more.
Not ready to splurge on the Creami? This fan favorite pays for itself in just a few uses and mixes up frozen desserts in a jiffy. No wonder Schweitzer named it best ice cream maker overall.
"With the caveat that you must freeze the canister 16 to 24 hours in advance and that this Cuisinart machine is not ideal when taking work calls (it's quite noisy!), it's the easiest and most foolproof ice cream maker we tried," she says.
"Once you pop the dasher (aka paddle) into the bowl and place the cover on top, you simply turn on the machine and pour in your ice cream base. There's nothing to program or decide on. Just 20 minutes later, you've got creamy, delicious ice cream or sorbet. You can eat it right away, but you'll probably want to pop it in the freezer for a few hours to reach peak texture. There's no timer on this model, so you'll need to set your own and check the texture as you go. I had no issue with this."
Named best upgraded ice cream maker (ooh-la-la!), this newer model "delivers ice cream that's rich, creamy and as good as anything you can buy in a scoop shop," says Schweitzer. "And it doesn't just make scoopable ice cream, it also churns out soft serve, fruit whip, frozen custard, sorbet, gelato, milkshakes and more. It's a recent entry into the ice cream maker market, and its technology is pretty revolutionary. It works much like a popular (and very pricey) machine that restaurants and commercial kitchens use.
"The machine comes with a recipe book and directions, but I also watched a few videos about how to operate it. You must make and freeze the ice cream base in the canister for at least 24 hours before you can process it, which it does with a turbo-charged blade that breaks up the frozen base into ice crystals and eventually into smooth ice cream. I inserted the paddle and popped the frozen pint into the outer bowl. Each piece has helpful arrows and lock and unlock symbols to guide you. Next, I slid the outer bowl onto the base and turned it to lock it in place and raised the platform.
"The processing time is very fast for some of the modes — two minutes for scoopable ice cream — but the machine is very loud. Good thing it delivers luxuriously creamy ice cream and sorbet right away. No need to cure it in the freezer like with traditional canister ice cream makers."
You'll be bowled over by how easy it is to make ice cream from scratch with this doodad — just add your ingredients and the rest is hands-off. Of course, you'll need a KitchenAid stand mixer in order to use it, and it's compatible with all tilt-head models aside from Minis, as well as most of the brand's bowl-lift mixers. (Be sure to check out the product listing for specifics.) In addition to the bowl, this kit comes with a dasher — the part that actually mixes and churns the ice cream — as well as everything needed for quick assembly.
Schweitzer named it best ice cream maker attachment, noting, "You must freeze the bowl at least 16 hours in advance. Once it's ready, you install the drive assembly, then fit the bowl onto the base and pop the dasher inside.
"After locking the motor head and turning the machine on to the 'stir' setting, you pour in your homemade ice cream or sorbet base and let it process. This takes about 25 minutes. Then you transfer the result, which is soft-serve consistency, to an airtight container in the freezer for two to four hours. The results are excellent sorbet and ice cream with a consistent, pleasant texture."
Okay, not to knock the other frozen delicacies out there, but soft serve is the best, right? If you agree with me, this machine is your ticket to enjoying a cone of that blissfully smooth specialty in the comfort of your own kitchen. With not one, not two but three condiment containers, everyone will be able to create their dream dessert, and there's even a warming cup for dispensing hot fudge and the like. Carvel who?
"This ice cream maker is so easy to use, and best of all, easy to clean up," gushed a (now) popular grandparent. "Great for family gatherings or small parties or an after dinner snack. ... The grandkids love how it comes out like at the ice cream store across town."
Calling all impatient folks: This model, which Schweitzer named best compressor ice cream maker, is for you. "If you enjoy making frozen treats at home regularly and you want instant gratification, the Whynter compressor machine is the answer," she says. "What does a compressor do? It automatically chills the liquid you pour into the bowl to exactly the right temperature. Compressor machines are more expensive and heavier than canister ice cream makers (like the Cuisinart above) for that reason.
"That said, this model from Whynter is at the lower end of the price range for compressor machines, which can run upwards of $1,000. I liked that it was easy to program, with just three modes: ice cream (freezes and churns), cooling only (if your ice cream timer has gone off but you're not ready to transfer it to a container, you can use this mode to keep the ice cream from melting) and mixing only (which is perfect for adding mix-ins).
"It was pretty easy to program and has a built-in timer. I like that the compressor in the machine is under the inner bowl, as it makes it more compact and easy to store. The processing sounded a bit like a white noise machine and likely wouldn't disturb anyone. I wish the lid had a window through which you could add mix-ins, but taking off the lid is not a big deal. The ice cream tastes better than anything I've bought in a store."
Not a fan of dairy? How about a good old-fashioned cone of shaved ice to make you feel like a kid again? This appliance is teeming with retro vibes and can make up to 20 servings at a time. Bring it out at your next picnic and guests will go wild.
"I love this machine so much," swooned a happy host. "I put my ice cubes in and it shaved the ice perfectly in 1, 2, 3. This makes the perfect consistency for shaved ice topped with syrup. It's an excellent low-cost way to treat your guests this summer. Would definitely recommend."
Forgoing added sugars has never been so tasty (or easy), now that this clever invention exists. It makes sorbet-like treats out of frozen fruit for an easy, nutritious and satisfying snack. Keep things simple with one ingredient (the chilled fruit!) or play around with the 36 recipes that come with the machine. Just pop your fruit chunks into the chute at the top, then "plunge" them down into the masher/churner. Done!
"My favorite purchase this year," declared a devotee. "This makes the absolute most delicious dessert and snack. ... Took a bit of experimenting, but I discovered that you have to be careful to get the right bananas, freeze them at the right time, thaw them for the right amount of time. All of the details are included in the instructions, just be sure to follow them carefully to get your treat to come out right. Super fun and healthy fruit dessert. Easy to clean — just disassemble and throw a few plastic parts in the dishwasher and use it again the next day."
Now, you'll need something to eat your cold creations out of, and since you've already gone and made ice cream from scratch, why not treat yourself to a fresh cone too? The store-bought versions have nothing on a warm waffle, and with this little press, you can makes 'em in both cone and bowl form, thanks to the included attachments. Plus, it can be stored vertically to save space in your cabinet.
"This is a game changer for gluten-free friends," shared a wheat watcher. "I used the recipe that comes in the instruction manual with my regular gluten-free mix. The cones turned out like ice cream shop-quality. Even my non-gluten-free friends loved it. In just three minutes, you have a nice cone ... I imagine, of course, it works just as well with regular flour."
Not all ice cream-serving tools are created equal. I prefer this style because it helps soften ice cream while you scoop via the warmth from your hands. The shape allows you to get a nice, round ball of ice cream, which makes for very aesthetically pleasing sundaes. Oh, and you don't have to worry about wearing out your fingers by pressing down on a lever to release. I got mine from my favorite ice cream shop in New York City, and if it's good enough for the pros, it's good enough for me.
It also made Schweitzer's roundup of the best ice cream scoops. "This aluminum ice cream scoop has been around since 1935 and is a favorite among editors and professionals for its ability to scoop near-perfect orbs," she shares. "The handle is filled with heat-conductive liquid that captures the warmth of your hand and flows down to the scoop to ensure easy ice cream scooping and releasing."
Want to keep your ice cream from melting too quickly? These thoughtfully designed vessels boast double-wall insulation to keep things cold so you can savor the sweetness longer. Because they're made of stainless steel, they're virtually indestructible — and once winter rolls around? They'll keep soup hot too.
"I bought these bowls for my ice cream-loving husband," said a thoughtful spouse. "Not only does the ice cream not melt quickly, his hands don't get cold from holding the bowl. He has repeatedly commented that these were the best birthday present he's ever received! If you love ice cream, or know someone who does, these are a must-buy!"
In the (rare) event that you have leftover ice cream, you can use this adorable duo to store it in the freezer until your next craving strikes. The reusable tubs hold a quart each and come in different colors so it's easier to tell the vanilla from the butter pecan. Since they're microwave-safe, you can also use them for storing and heating up hot foods.
"These containers keep homemade ice cream fresh," declared a satisfied stockpiler. "I have not had a problem with ice crystals forming. The silicone lid is easy to put on and take off, even when cold. The container base is sturdy and easy to clean. I've used these for about four years and have not had any issues. In my opinion these are the best containers on the market for homemade ice cream and I will buy them again."
Don't forget the toppings! Rainbow sprinkles are the way to go, if you ask me. I try to avoid artificial food coloring when I can, and these plant-based sprinkles are plenty vibrant — they'll liven up any dessert you make this summer. Plus, I love how their crunchier texture contrasts with smooth ice cream.
