The Best Ice-Cream Makers on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers

Close to 4,000 verified purchasers weigh in to give this 1.5-quart Cuisinart ice-cream maker five-stars. “This machine is ridiculously easy to use,” writes one reviewer, adding — along with dozens of other reviewers — how convenient it is that “you don’t have to stock up on ice or rock salt.” As they explain, “All you have to do us turn it on, pour your ingredients into the frozen core, wait about twenty minutes and eat your delicious homemade ice cream.” Many praise the compact size of the ice-cream maker and its “freezer bowl,” including one purchaser who says, “The bowl fits perfectly into my freezer so I am just leaving it there so it’s always ready.” As one satisfied reviewer writes, this ice-cream maker hits all the marks: “Cleanup is easy, the motor is powerful, and the tub holds enough ice cream to satisfy several people while still being small enough to fit easily into most freezers.” Many purchasers also share how much they enjoy using this machine to make their own homemade ice cream. “You’ll be proud as a brand-new parent after you make your first batch,” writes one.

About 70 percent of this ice-cream maker’s reviewers gave it five stars, with many highlighting its large output. “I love that it makes a four-quart batch,” writes one, adding, “If you’re going to go through the process of making it you might as well have lots of ice cream.” Many purchasers also mention enjoying the fact that while there are plenty of high-tech ice-cream makers available, they like that this one is more “old fashioned.” As one notes, “I have always wanted an old-fashioned ice-cream maker like my grandparents had in my childhood … I tried an electric countertop [type] that didn’t require ice and salt and it just wasn’t the same. [This] is an amazing value and it made my grandfather’s delicious homemade vanilla ice cream exactly as I remembered it.” Another praises how “fun” it is to use: “I felt like a kid again, adding the rock salt and waiting for the first taste. The machine churned out three batches of ice cream in under an hour, each batch silky smooth and ready for our add-ins. Much easier than the old crank style, but just as much fun.”

“We were able to take it out of the box, wash, and start making ice cream within minutes. It is simple to use, just like a crockpot with plug and play operation.” Many purchasers laud the simple, automatic operation of this Hamilton Beach ice-cream maker. As one writes, “You set it up, walk away, and in no time you’ve got ice cream.” Another adds, “Worked great right out of the box! SOOO simple to use, instructions explain everything. Plug it in, turn it on and it slows to a stop when it’s ready. This one’s got it down to a science.”

This brushed-steel two-quart Cuisinart ice-cream maker is one of the more popular machines available on Amazon, with over 2,300 five-star reviews. In addition to vouching for how well it makes ice cream, many reviewers also praise it as “easy to clean.” “The appliance itself is made of just four parts,” notes one purchaser, adding that it’s “very easy to clean in warm soapy water.” Or, as one satisfied customer explains, “Rinse the top, lick the beater then clean it immediately, and once all the ice cream is scooped out, wash the bowl and place it back in the freezer.” And another benefit of simplified cleanup is that making ice cream becomes less daunting: “Because the machine is easy to use and to clean, we have been making one batch of ice cream each week.”

This ice-cream maker has the look of an old-fashioned wood-bucket ice-cream maker, but as one reviewer notes, “Don’t let the old-style appearance fool you: This has all the modern conveniences and a self-churning motor. Make new memories and pass on the fun we had as kids, without the hand crank.” Another purchaser echoes that sentiment, writing, “It reminds you of the old-fashioned hand-crank ice-cream makers [but] without all the work.” Many describe this ice-cream maker as striking a balance between form and function. One reviewer points to the fact that the wood-barrel exterior is lined with plastic, calling it “the best of both worlds for durability and visual appeal.”

Over thirty purchasers praise how quickly this Cuisinart machine makes ice cream. “Churn time is superfast,” writes one reviewer who “made several batches of ice cream in a 24-hour period.” Another is more specific, explaining, “It cranks out a batch in 18-24 minutes. If you had a second container, you could probably make four batches in a day. It simple to clean up, and it is not too noisy while operating.” And according to one satisfied customer, there is a lot to love, but there’s really one main reason to buy it: “My wife loves this because it is easy to clean, easy to use, and works fast. I love it because the ice cream tastes great.”

Reviewers say the “compressor” is the key feature of this ice cream maker. “It’s clearly the easiest and fastest way to churn creamy ice cream that tastes better than the expensive premium stuff,” one reviewer writes, and many others praise the faster output of compressor-style ice-cream machines when compared to the more standard-issue “freezer-bowl” insert machines. “Highly recommend if you need instant gratification like I do. Otherwise, by all means, get the non-compressor ice cream makers. I’ll be enjoying my ice cream while you sit and wait,” one writes. According to another happy purchaser, the built-in compressor allows them to “make one batch right after another and you don’t have to worry about the bowls thawing out before the ice cream is ready. This thing is expensive but worth every penny.”

“Leaving Italy, I knew that I would miss gelato more than anything,” writes one five-star reviewer who, since returning, has taken to testing out gelato recipes from the included recipe book with their husband. “So far, my favorite gelato flavors have been Sicilian Crema (tastes like creme brûlée), lemon, pistachio, vanilla, cherry, and peaches.” But it’s not just newbies who love this machine. An experienced ice-cream maker, who has been making ice cream commercially for over 50 years, says, “This machine made some of the best ice cream I’ve ever made.” And according to one purchaser, the gelato this machine makes is “closer to the real thing from Italy than [what you find at] most restaurants.” Another reviewer attributes the superior gelato this machine produces to the fact that it comes with “two types of paddles” — one for ice cream and one for gelato. “The gelato paddle does seem to make for a smoother, silkier dessert,” they note.

Many reviewers say that while this is certainly an expensive ice-cream maker, it delivers professional-grade results. “The consistency and texture is really that of a commercial ice cream product,” writes one reviewer. “It’s so smooth and the product really hardens over time during the churning. It can maintain the texture as compared to the [other models].” Another describes it as “basically a commercial appliance.” One reviewer attributes the standout quality to the use of a “compressor,” which as they describe, “means no more pre-freezing canisters and no more waiting for the unmade ice cream to get cold enough to churn,” and provides the “flexibility” to make a variety of ice-cream types. They add, “The build quality is also excellent. The Lello looks it like it should be in a commercial kitchen. Its metal dasher and gleaming stainless-steel finish give me confidence that it will last for years.”