Best Ice Cream Makers on Amazon

Every time we’re at the grocery store, we have the choice to purchase ice cream. Occasionally, tiny Jimmy Fallon’s unwavering gaze from the pint of The Tonight Dough feels like mind control. However, at times, opting for store-bought ice cream can seem stale. The possibility of creating ice cream at home whenever you desire… now that’s a countless supply of joy with endless recipe ideas.

Additionally, with a countertop ice cream machine, you get complete control over the ingredients you are using. Instead of being confronted with a daunting list of ingredients, your homemade strawberry ice cream could simply be made from milk, heavy cream, and the strawberries you trust from the farmers market.

SEE ALSO: Testing the Ninja Slushi by crafting a frozen variation of every beverage I can imagine

When thinking about at-home ice cream makers, the Ninja Creami or Ninja Swirl likely come to mind — and yes, they will definitely be included in this list. Yet, there are other outstanding ice cream makers for home use available (which are more budget-friendly as well). Below, I am comparing the top no-ice ice cream makers you can purchase on Amazon.

Ninja Creami and Ninja Swirl

Indeed, the trendy Ninja ice cream makers hold up to the hype as much as the internet claims — Mashable shopping reporter and Ninja appliance expert, Samantha Mangino, tested both the Creami and Swirl at home and thoroughly appreciated both experiences. However, one emerged as a favorite.

Either of these will probably provide you with the most “professional” at-home ice cream-making experience from this selection. The primary distinction between the Ninja Creami and Swirl is that the Creami yields that classic hand-scooped texture, while the Swirl can do that in addition to soft serve ice cream (homemade McFlurry incoming). Both include two pint containers, where you will pre-mix your base ingredients like milk, yogurt, or fruit prior to freezing for 24 hours. Once frozen, you “re-spin” the pints to create the perfect hard serve or creamy texture. From there, you can incorporate mix-ins or toppings. Both are quite loud.

Though the concept of instant frozen treats was enjoyable with both, Mangino simply found the Swirl more favorable. “After testing both the standard Ninja Creami and the Ninja Swirl, the Swirl is the better choice as an ice cream maker. It shows enhanced performance, needing fewer re-spins to reach a creamy texture. Soft serve or froyo lovers will adore the new dispensing feature, which is unbelievably easy to use and, not to mention, genuinely enjoyable.”

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

For an alternative that costs less than $100, Cuisinart’s ice cream maker has achieved nearly 4,500 five-star ratings on Amazon. Instead of needing to fully pre-mix your base before freezing it, the Cuisinart simply requires you to freeze the bowl for at least 16 hours. When it’s time to make ice cream, you can add your mixture to the chilled bowl and let it churn for about 20 minutes. (You can monitor the texture through the top to ensure you’re achieving your desired ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet consistency.) There’s even a spout to add mix-ins without pausing the process.

Cuisinart also offers a slightly larger, stainless steel 2-quart version of its ice cream maker.

Dash My Mug Ice Cream Maker

If you only need a personal batch or two, Dash’s adorable mug-based ice cream maker is quite ingenious — and costs under $40. The Dash My Mug includes two one-cup ice cream bowls (with mug handles) that need to be frozen for 24 hours before ice cream making. You will also mix your batch of ingredients separately, chill those for two hours, then pour them into the frozen mug. Unlike the Cuisinart, which rotates the container around the motor, the Dash My Mug utilizes a lid with a hand mixer-style beater to churn the ice cream. You can achieve a soft serve-like texture after 15 to 20 minutes, or you can place the mug back in the freezer after churning to thicken it further.

KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment

Anyone who already owns a KitchenAid mixer essentially has half of an ice cream maker ready. The KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment just requires swapping the mixing head for the dasher attachment and utilizing a specialized bowl. The bowl’s freezable liquid insulation should be frozen for about 15 hours — it gets so cold that some users don’t even feel it’s necessary to chill their liquid contents before pouring them into the bowl, although it is technically recommended to do so. From that point, your KitchenAid’s “stir” setting will begin to thicken your mixture into real ice cream, taking 20 to 30 minutes to