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Checklist · 12 picks · 2 categories

homemade ice cream

Edited by Zach · updated Oct 31, 2026 · How I pick

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Homemade ice cream is a flex: any flavor you want, mix-ins as wild as you like. The first choice is the machine.

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Food Network churned the same vanilla base in seven of them. A freezer-bowl Cuisinart or a tiny DASH pint maker is the cheap way in, and a Hamilton Beach ice-and-salt bucket makes enough for a crowd. Want more? The Ninja CREAMi blends frozen pints into almost anything, the GreenPan Frost does real soft serve, and the Breville Smart Scoop is fully push-button. America's Test Kitchen's winning Zeroll scoop and Baby Bargains' reviewed tubs finish the job. Each card shows the drawback its outlet called out. Start with a maker and a scoop; a good tub keeps leftovers free of freezer burn.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you want blended frozen drinks more than scoops; the Smoothie Starter list has the blenders.

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.

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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 31, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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Showing all 12 picks

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01 Churn it

the first pick is the one I would start with
Compare these 6
PickTierPriceBest forEvidence
Cuisinart Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Sorbet Makermid$50-100first-timers who want a classic churn1 outlet
DASH My Pint Ice Cream Makerbudget$25-50a pint for one or two, no big machine1 outlet
Hamilton Beach Automatic Ice Cream Makerbudget$25-50feeding a crowd or a whole family1 outlet
Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Makersplurge$200-300custom flavors, mix-ins and diet-friendly treats1 outlet
Frost by GreenPan Ice Cream and Frozen Drink Makersplurge$300-500soft-serve swirls at home1 outlet
Breville the Smart Scoopsplurge$500+serious ice cream fans who want push-button batches1 outlet

Ice cream maker

Best ice cream maker

mid pick · 1.5 qt

Cuisinart Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Sorbet Maker

Best for first-timers who want a classic churn

Food Network's best budget ice cream maker: easy to set up and use, good for beginners, and the double-insulated freezer bowl means no ice.

Heads up. You have to freeze the bowl first, and it comes out closer to gelato unless you freeze it overnight

1 outlet. Food Network best budget ice cream maker.

$50-100

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budget pick · 1 pint

DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker

Best for a pint for one or two, no big machine

Food Network's best ice cream maker for small batches: a lightweight, compact machine that's intuitive to set up and use.

Heads up. Limited yield

1 outlet. Food Network best ice cream maker for small batches.

$25-50

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budget pick · 4 qt

Hamilton Beach Automatic Ice Cream Maker

Best for feeding a crowd or a whole family

Food Network's best ice cream maker for large batches: a big old-school ice-and-salt machine sized for families or a crowd.

Heads up. Needs ice and rock salt, it's noisy, and you can't add mix-ins while it runs

1 outlet. Food Network best ice cream maker for large batches.

$25-50

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Frozen treat machine

Best frozen treat machine

splurge pick · 2 x 24 oz pints

Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker

Best for custom flavors, mix-ins and diet-friendly treats

Food Network's best multipurpose ice cream maker: it makes gelato, Italian ice, sorbet and more, with most treats ready in 4 minutes or less.

Heads up. Tricky to assemble and install the paddle the first time, and it's expensive

1 outlet. Food Network best multipurpose ice cream maker.

$200-300

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splurge pick · 2 qt

Frost by GreenPan Ice Cream and Frozen Drink Maker

Best for soft-serve swirls at home

Food Network's best ice cream maker for soft serve: fast churning with no pre-freezing, and it makes true soft serve.

Heads up. Heavy and expensive, and cleaning can be a bit finicky

1 outlet. Food Network best ice cream maker for soft serve.

$300-500

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splurge pick · 1.5 qt

Breville the Smart Scoop

Best for serious ice cream fans who want push-button batches

Food Network's best overall ice cream maker: consistent, powerful and fully automated, with no bowl to freeze.

Heads up. Expensive, heavy and big on the counter, and the built-in paddle makes a regular scoop awkward

1 outlet. Food Network best overall ice cream maker.

$500+

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02 Scoop & store

Compare these 6
PickTierPriceBest forEvidence
Zeroll Original 2 oz Ice Cream Scoopmid$15-25perfect round scoops, even from hard pints1 outlet
Spring Chef Ice Cream Scoopbudgetunder $15a cheap scoop that's comfy to hold1 outlet
Midnight Scoopsplurge$25-50scooping a lot without sore wrists1 outlet
Tovolo Stackable Sweet Treat Ice Cream Tubbudgetunder $15storing a quart of homemade ice cream1 outlet
SUMO Homemade Ice Cream Containermid$15-25easy cleanup between batches1 outlet
StarPack Long Scoop Ice Cream Freezer Storage Containermid$25-50long scoops and no freezer burn1 outlet

Ice cream scoop

Best ice cream scoop

mid pick · 2 oz

Zeroll Original 2 oz Ice Cream Scoop

Best for perfect round scoops, even from hard pints

America's Test Kitchen's winning ice cream scoop: it glides smoothly through ice cream and sorbet.

Heads up. Not dishwasher-safe, and depending on your bowls a bigger or smaller size may suit you better

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning ice cream scoop.

$15-25

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budget pick · Drawer

Spring Chef Ice Cream Scoop

Best for a cheap scoop that's comfy to hold

Food Network's other top pick: a comfortable non-slip grip, light in the hand, with a notch on the handle for hard-to-open lids.

Heads up. Works noticeably better on ice cream that has softened for a few minutes than on rock-hard pints

1 outlet. Food Network another top pick ice cream scoop.

under $15

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splurge pick · Drawer

Midnight Scoop

Best for scooping a lot without sore wrists

Food Network's best scoop for relieving wrist strain: the ergonomic handle is built to push away from you.

Heads up. The priciest scoop Food Network reviewed, and it works best on ice cream fresh from the freezer

1 outlet. Food Network best ice cream scoop for relieving wrist strain.

$25-50

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Ice cream container

Best ice cream container

budget pick · 1 quart

Tovolo Stackable Sweet Treat Ice Cream Tub

Best for storing a quart of homemade ice cream

Baby Bargains' best round quart container: a stackable tub with a tight-fitting silicone lid.

1 outlet. Baby Bargains best round quart ice cream container.

under $15

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mid pick · 1.5 qt

StarPack Long Scoop Ice Cream Freezer Storage Container

Best for long scoops and no freezer burn

Baby Bargains' best long 1.5-quart container: the double-wall design keeps out freezer burn.

Heads up. Hand-wash only, a bit pricey, and the silicone lid could be more secure

1 outlet. Baby Bargains best long 1.5-quart ice cream container.

$25-50

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Side by side

Questions people ask

Freezer bowl, compressor or Ninja CREAMi?

A freezer-bowl maker like the Cuisinart is cheap, but the bowl needs 16 to 24 hours in the freezer first. Compressor machines like the Breville and GreenPan Frost need no pre-freezing. The Ninja CREAMi blends a base you've frozen for at least 24 hours, so plan a day ahead.

Why is my homemade ice cream soft?

Fresh from the machine, it's usually soft-serve soft. Food Network says the Cuisinart's comes out closer to gelato and needs a night in the freezer for a firmer texture, so pack it into a tub and give it time.

How do you stop freezer burn?

Use a tub with a tight lid. Baby Bargains picked the StarPack Long Scoop container because its double wall keeps out freezer burn.

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