An ice cream maker is an invaluable kitchen gadget during the summer. Whether you prefer soft scoop, gelato or frozen yoghurt, the best ice cream makers let you create your own flavours and styles – sometimes in a matter of minutes.
But there are a couple of things to consider when choosing one. First, you’ll need to decide between pre-freeze and self-freeze models. The pre-freeze versions are usually cheaper and smaller, but you have to be organised enough to remember to put the bowl in the freezer at least 24 hours before you want to make your ice cream.
Alternatively, self-freeze machines have powerful compressors that will churn and freeze your ice cream from liquid. These are obviously better suited for those who don’t want to have to prepare their ice cream bowl in advance, but they do come with a heftier price tag and are often larger, taking up more space on your counter.
That’s a lot to bear in mind, so I tested all the best ice cream makers to help you find the right one for your kitchen. I tried multiple machines, from Cusinart’s new six-in-one frost fusion (which enables you to make your own Mr Whippy-style ice cream) to the budget-friendly MagiMix (which is incredibly simple to use and can create a bowl of ice cream in less than half an hour) and many more.
How I tested
I tested each ice cream machine using the same basic vanilla ice cream recipe, as this was a fair way to determine how each machine handled the ice cream and what kind of consistency was produced. I also tried a range of other ice cream recipes to test each appliance’s versatility. While assessing the machines, I took into account the following criteria:
- Functions: For machines with multiple functions, I tested them all. That said, I was mostly judging the generic ice cream-making ability.
- Ice cream quality: I considered the creaminess, softness and flavour of the ice cream.
- Capacity: Ice cream makers are available in a range of sizes, so consider your needs before investing. You can buy from a single-serving-sized maker to up to 2l.
- Practicality: I noted the size and weight of the machines to see how much space they occupied on the kitchen counter, and how easy they were to store and move around.
- Speed: I took into account the minimum churn time – this ranges from two minutes to an hour – and how long it took to whip up a batch of ice cream from scratch. Some ice cream makers can whip up gelato, sorbet and more in a matter of minutes, while others can take hours of preparation time, especially freeze-first designs that require as long as 16 hours in the freezer before you actually make the ice cream.
- Noise levels: Some machines are extremely loud, while others are so quiet you’ll hardly know they’re on, so I took note of noise levels.
- Affordability: As with any home appliance, there is a range of ice cream makers to cater to all budgets. Smaller, freeze-first models are cheaper, as are individual makers, beginning from as little as £25, whereas more expensive self-freezing machines cost hundreds of pounds.
- Ease of cleaning: Finally, I assessed each ice cream maker on how easy they were to clean after use. It tastes great, but ice cream making can be a very messy business.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Rachael Penn is a writer specialising in lifestyle and tech, particularly home appliances, food, and drink. She has tried, tested and reviewed toasters, air fryers, hand mixers and much more for IndyBest, and has been contributing to the section since 2021. Rachael puts every product featured in her reviews through real-world testing, and her years of experience with different machines mean she knows what makes an appliance great value for money.
The best ice cream makers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Ninja deluxe creami: £194.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Cusinart solo scoops ice cream maker: £29.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for a large capacity – Caso 5-in-1 ice cream maker: £199, Amazon.co.uk
Ninja deluxe creami
Best: Ice cream maker overall
Capacity: 709ml
Size: 30.5cm x 42.39cm x 21.38cm
Weight: 6.54kg
Min churn time: Two minutes
Pre-freeze: Yes
Why we love it
- Super fast
- Can whip up plenty of ice cream styles
- Simple to use
Take note
- You have to pre-freeze
- Very loud
If you’re tight on space and you want a machine that doesn’t only produce ice cream, the Ninja creami deluxe is the answer. This ice cream maker is a 10-in-1 machine that can also make frappes, gelato, lite ice cream, slushies, and frozen yoghurt.
The machine comes with three large 760ml tubs that you fill with your mixture and pre-freeze for up to 24 hours beforehand. While it is a little bit of a faff having to remember to pre-freeze the mixture, having separate tubs to do it in does make it easier, as you can always have one or two in the freezer. Once your base is frozen, that’s when you can start having some fun.
The tubs slot into an outer jug, which then slots into the machine. All this is completely effortless, and the digital display makes it easy to select your options. When it came to ice cream, the machine took just two minutes to create a perfectly creamy and delicious soft scoop.
The one major drawback is that this machine is loud. I’m not just talking a little bit of background noise like a dishwasher, either. This feels as loud as industrial machinery, so this isn’t the one if you want to sneak a cheeky ice cream while the kids are in bed or make a frozen smoothie bowl before everyone else is up. It is quick, though – two minutes and the noise is over. Clean up is simple, too – the freezable tubs are dishwasher-friendly, but it’s just as easy to give them a quick hand wash. This is a great machine if you want to be able to create a range of frozen treats quickly and easily.
If you want to save a little money, IndyBest has also tested the smaller, original Ninja creami. It’s often on sale between £150-£200, but it has a reduced capacity and fewer settings.
Buy now £214.99, Ninjakitchen.co.uk
Cusinart solo scoops ice cream maker
Best: Budget ice cream maker
Capacity: 475ml
Size: 47cm x 34.6cm x 30cm
Weight: 2.09kg
Min churn time: 25 minutes
Pre-freeze: Yes
Why we love it
- One-touch operation
- Easy to store
- Ice cream is ready in less than 30 minutes
Take note
- Need to pre-freeze
A compact machine, this ice cream maker is ideal for one or two people. Like other machines of its type, it needs a little planning. You need to freeze the bowl in advance, and it helps to chill your mixture, too, so it’s not quite instant gratification. Once it gets going, though, it is fast, producing a smooth batch in about 25 minutes.
The one-touch operation makes it incredibly easy to use. I like the clear lid, which lets you watch the churn, and the built-in funnel means you can add extras such as chocolate, fruit or nuts mid-way through.
Clean-up is refreshingly simple, too. The paddle and lid are dishwasher-safe, and the base just needs a quick wipe. It is a little noisy, but not enough to be disruptive. While you’re limited to one batch at a time, the results were consistently creamy and satisfying during testing, and you get a decent amount of ice cream with this machine. It has a 475ml bowl, which equates to about eight small scoops of ice cream, making this machine ideal for small households (or solo indulgence).
Buy now £29.99, Cuisinart.co.uk
ProCook professional ice cream maker
Best: Self-freeze ice cream maker
Capacity: 1.2l
Size: 37cm x 27cm x 22cm
Weight: 7.2kg
Min churn time: 60 minutes
Pre-freeze: No
Why we love it
- No freezing required
- Quiet in operation
- Compact size
Take note
- Softer initial texture
This self-freeze machine takes all the effort out of making frozen treats. The machine itself is pretty compact, especially since it has a generous 1.2l capacity bowl. This ice cream maker is simple to use, too – just mix your ingredients together, then pop them into the machine and click start. To make a basic ice cream, it takes 60 minutes to whip up a soft scoop, but if you prefer a more solid texture, you can increase the time, and it’ll keep on churning.
At 7kg, it’s not the lightest ice cream machine on test, but it’s a lot lighter than the Caso model in this lineup. This machine is also really quiet when in operation – you’d hardly know it was working. It’s easy to clean, too, as you just have to remove the bowl and paddle and rinse with warm water.
Buy now £119.20, Procook.co.uk
Cusinart six-in-one frost fusion
Best: Versatile ice cream maker
Capacity: 1.6l
Size: 54.5cm x 52cm x 28cm
Weight: 14.25kg
Min churn time: 20 minutes
Pre-freeze: No
Why we love it
- Makes six different frozen treats
- Features a self-clean function
Take note
- It’s quite bulky
This is one of the most innovative ice cream makers I’ve tested. Whether you’re craving a Mr Whippy-style ice cream in a cone, a soft scoop, a frappe or you want something a little more grown-up, such as a frozen cocktail or frosé (frozen rosé, if you’re not already up to speed on the drink of the summer), you’ve got it all in one machine.
It comes out of the box already assembled, so you don’t have to faff around setting it up. That said, it’s more than 14kg, so you might need a hand to manhandle it onto your counter, and that makes it tricky to store.
It’s a self-freeze machine, so you can just add your liquid and select the type of frozen treat you like. The soft serve setting doesn’t give you an option to change the hardness of the ice cream, and I found it was a little too soft for the cone on the first attempt, but this was mostly down to my recipe, which I adjusted on the second attempt (adding more cream), and the results were worthy of any ice cream van offering.
This machine also works quickly, taking just 20 minutes to create a soft scoop ice cream. If you want your ice cream a little firmer, you just have to add extra time. Cleaning is easy, too – it has a self-clean function, so you just need to make sure you clean the front and then add water to the main chamber. Once the water runs clear, the machine is clean and ready to go again.
Buy now £299.99, Amazon.co.uk
MagiMix le glacier 1.1l
Best: Pre-freeze ice cream maker
Capacity: 1.1l
Size: 17cm x 27cm x 17cm
Weight: 2.8kg
Min churn time: 20 minutes
Pre-freeze: Yes
Why we love it
- Simple to use
- Easy to clean
- Quick in operation
Take note
- You have to freeze the whole bowl
Ideal for making smaller portions, this compact model can create ice cream, yoghurt and sorbet. Its design is super simple – everything just slots together, and there is just one button to operate the machine.
However, you must freeze the bowl before using this machine, so it’s not a good choice if you never know when the ice cream cravings will kick in. However, unlike the Cuisinart model featured in my list, there’s no need to chill or freeze the ingredients, so the process is a little easier.
You will need plenty of space in your freezer, though. The simplicity of the design means the bowl doesn’t detach from the base, so the entire base has to go into the freezer. That said, you do get a generous amount of ice cream with this machine, as it has a 1.1l capacity. One thing to note is that you need to ensure all the parts are put together properly before you add the ingredients to the bowl. The ice cream starts to freeze instantly, so there’s no time to readjust if you’ve misaligned the parts. There is a feeding tube at the front, which can be used to pour in your liquid and also add any fillings during the churn.
As there are no programmed settings, you need to study the instruction book to get a good handle on the timings. During testing, I set aside 25-30 minutes for my ice cream. The company claims it takes at least 30 minutes, but my batch was perfectly formed at the 20-minute mark. In fact, the paddle was starting to struggle to go around, and it was only because it made a loud noise that I realised that my ice cream was ready. One thing that’s worth noting is that it can take a long time for the base to defrost, so you won’t be able to store it away for a while. But despite being a little chunkier than the Cuisinart solo scoop above, if you are looking for an ice cream machine that will give you a good yield and is easy to use, look no further.
Buy now £55.00, Argos.co.uk
Sage smart scoop ice cream maker
Best: Quiet ice cream maker
Capacity: 1l
Size: 18.2cm x 41.2cm x 27.3cm
Weight: 13.97kg
Min churn time: Unspecified (about 40 minutes during testing)
Pre-freeze: No
Why we love it
- Four intergrated functions
- A pre-cool function
- Audible alert when the ice cream is ready
Take note
- Not a huge bowl for the size of the machine
This machine is for serious ice cream fans. It is weighty, though – if you don’t have a dedicated space for it, you may be better off opting for a smaller, lighter model, such as the ProCook professional design included in this list.
Like the ProCook, this Sage model doesn’t require any freezing. Instead, you just pop your ice cream mix straight into the machine and let it work its magic. The large digital display makes it easy to select the type of ice cream you want to create (it also makes sorbet, frozen yoghurt, and gelato). There is a pre-cool and keep cool option, and you can even choose whether you want a softer ice cream or something with a bit more substance.
It will alert you when the ice cream is ready, and you can either leave the ice cream in the machine (using the keep cool function) or start serving straight away. You can, of course, see the progress of your ice cream through the clear lid, but the digital display lets you know how long it’s been churning, when it’s time to add any mix-ins, and what the temperature is.
The only real drawback is the weight of this machine. It’s not one you’ll want to keep dragging in and out of a cupboard, so it will need a dedicated space. However, I found that the ice cream it produces has a perfect consistency, and the machine is fast – I had delicious ice cream ready to eat in less than 40 minutes.
Buy now £369.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Caso five-in-one ice cream maker
Best: Large ice cream maker
Capacity: 2l
Size: 28.5cm x 43cm x 28cm
Weight: 11.8kg
Min churn time: 30 minutes
Pre-freeze: No
Why we love it
- Large 2l capacity
- No need to pre freeze
Take note
- Takes a lot of counter space
If you’re serious about your ice cream and want to be able to whip up a delicious bowl (or six) without having to plan, this is the ideal choice. It comes with a powerful compressor that has 180W of cooling power, meaning you can get a dish of soft scoop in as little as 30 minutes.
Unlike the ProCook professional model (see above), this five-in-one design takes up a lot of space on the kitchen counter, so you need to find a dedicated space for this machine. That said, it does produce more ice cream, with a generous 2l bowl. If you like to customise your ice cream, there’s a handy feeder tube at the top of the lid, so you can throw in any extras without the fuss.
The digital display clearly highlights all the options, including the four pre-programmed settings. There’s also a knob that can be turned to increase or decrease the churning time. During testing, I managed to make a batch of ice cream in just 45 minutes.
The only issue I found is that you have to make quite large portions. With one of my recipes, there wasn’t quite enough liquid, which caused the paddle to slow down and a failed batch. Just bear in mind that this isn’t the machine for you if you want to make small batches of ice cream. However, it worked quickly and quietly, and it produces a lovely consistency of ice cream.
Buy now £199.99, Casodesign.co.uk
Your questions on ice cream makers answered
What is the best ice cream maker?
My top pick is the Ninja deluxe creami. Not only does it make delicious, creamy ice cream in just two minutes (although you will need to remember to pre-freeze), you’ll also get the benefit of being able to make a whole host of other frozen treats, including frozen yoghurt and milkshakes.
If you’re on a budget or short on space, the Cuisinart solo scoops is a great choice. You need to freeze the bowl, but it’s the right size for a small family (or those who like a big portion), and you can get a bowl in just 25 minutes. If you don’t have the time for that kind of planning, I recommend a self-freeze machine. The Cusinart six-in-one frost fusion is a good choice – you get the benefit of multiple frozen treats (as with the Ninja creami), but you also get the added extra of being able to recreate the perfect soft swirl ice cream for cones.
Which type of ice cream maker should I buy?
A freeze-first or pre-freeze ice cream maker uses a double-walled bowl filled with a freezing agent. Once you’ve frozen the bowl, you re-attach it to the ice cream maker, and it cools the mixture as a paddle churns it in the bowl. With this type of machine, you’ll need a decent amount of space in your freezer, and you’ll need to prep and chill your ice cream base for several hours before you want to make it.
This type of machine can be a good option if you have lots of freezer space and can leave the bowl in there permanently, so it’s ready to go when you want it. It’s less than ideal if your freezer is so full that things tend to fall out when you open it, or you want to be able to whip up a batch of soft-serve on a whim.
You’ll also find some ice cream makers that require you to freeze the mixture itself before it’s churned. The machine then whips up the mixture from frozen, using metal blades. While super quick, these are usually best for creating ice-cream-style desserts rather than authentic, creamy ice-creams. As such, they’re less popular with ice cream aficionados.
A self-freezing or all-in-one machine does the freezing for you as it churns the mixture. Self-freezing ice cream makers are generally more expensive than the first option because they cut out the need to pre-freeze a bowl beforehand, which enables you to be more spontaneous. They also tend to be quite bulky (due to the integrated freezer compressor), but some of these machines look so smart they can take pride of place on the countertop, if you’ve got the space.
What else can I make with an ice cream maker?
The basic ingredients needed for most ice cream recipes I tested are double cream, whole milk and sugar – and you’ll need plenty of each. Many recipes also call for four or five egg yolks, and these require you to heat the mixture on the hob beforehand, to make a thin, custard base, then chill for several hours – or overnight – before you can churn your ice cream.
With every ice cream maker I tested, I found that the longer this base mixture chilled, the better the result. I also found that the recipes with egg yolks made a richer, creamier ice cream that the adults enjoyed, while the kids preferred the egg-free options. Ice cream makers can also make sorbets, which are even easier to prepare, as well as granita, smoothie bowls, frozen yoghurts, and milkshakes.
When you’re choosing an ice cream maker, pay close attention to the capacity, which is usually in litres. Bowl sizes vary, so consider a larger bowl size – or a machine with two bowls – if you’re making ice cream for a larger family or using it for entertaining. I found all the ice cream makers I tested made enough for four people, but there were some that produced far more than this. Whatever you do, check the dimensions of the bowl itself before you buy, to ensure you can squeeze it into your freezer.
Want more recommendations? Read our honest thoughts on the Ninja slushi
