Find your ice cream maker in one question
Tell us what matters most and we'll point you to the pick that fits.
1 What matters most to you?
Shopping from Ireland or the UK? The picks below link to the US Amazon store. For 230V machines on Amazon UK — which ships to Ireland — including the Ninja CREAMi, see the best ice cream makers in Ireland.
The decision that comes first: which type of machine
Ice cream makers split into three designs, and picking the type matters more than picking the model:
- Freeze-a-base (Ninja CREAMi): you freeze the base solid in a pint, then the machine shaves and re-churns it. It’s the only type that makes lean, high-protein, low-sugar bases come out creamy — the reason the category is booming.
- Frozen-bowl (Cuisinart, Dash): you pre-freeze a bowl for 12–24 hours, then churn. Cheapest and simplest, but one batch per freeze.
- Compressor (Whynter): a built-in freezer chills on demand — no pre-freezing, back-to-back batches, at a premium price.
If protein or low-calorie ice cream is why you’re here, read how it’s made at home — then the CREAMi below is the machine for it.
Best overall — Ninja CREAMi
Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker
The CREAMi changed what a home ice cream maker can do. Instead of churning a liquid base, it freezes the base solid and then shaves and re-churns it — which is why lean, high-protein, low-sugar mixes come out creamy in it when they'd turn icy in a traditional churner. That single trick is behind the whole 'protein ice cream' surge, and it also does gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, and more across its modes, on a large and well-rated owner base. It's pricier than a frozen-bowl maker and you do have to freeze the base ahead, but for versatility and healthier treats it's the one to get.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on AmazonWhat buyers praise
- Freezes and re-churns the base — makes protein & low-cal ice cream creamy
- Seven modes: ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, and more
- Large, well-rated owner base — the category's trend driver
What buyers flag
- Costs more than a frozen-bowl maker
- You freeze the base ahead (about 24 hours)
Best traditional — Cuisinart (frozen bowl)
Cuisinart Fully Automatic Frozen-Bowl Ice Cream Maker
For the classic churned texture at a fair price, the Cuisinart is the long-standing default. Pre-freeze its bowl, pour in your base, and it churns soft-serve-ready ice cream in about 20 minutes — simple, reliable, and backed by one of the largest, best-rated owner bases in the category. The catch is the frozen bowl: you plan ahead and get one batch per freeze. If you want traditional ice cream without the CREAMi's price or the compressor upgrade, this is the value pick.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on AmazonWhat buyers praise
- Classic churned texture, ready in about 20 minutes
- Simple and reliable; large, well-rated owner base
- Much cheaper than a compressor machine
What buyers flag
- Pre-freeze the bowl 12–24 hours — one batch per freeze
- Lean, low-sugar bases churn icier than in a CREAMi
Best budget — Dash My Mug
Dash My Mug Personal Ice Cream Maker
The cheapest, most cheerful way in: a tiny personal frozen-bowl maker that turns out a single mug-sized serving, ideal for kids, dorms, and trying the hobby without committing. It won't feed a family or match a full-size machine's texture, but it costs a fraction of everything else here and carries a well-rated owner base. For a first ice cream maker or a fun single-serve treat, it does exactly what it promises.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on AmazonWhat buyers praise
- Lowest price in the category
- Single-serve — great for kids and trying it out
- Tiny footprint; well-rated for what it is
What buyers flag
- Single small serving only
- Frozen-bowl, so pre-freeze and one batch at a time
Best premium — Whynter (compressor)
Whynter Automatic Compressor Ice Cream Maker (2.1 Qt)
The upgrade that removes the one annoyance of home ice cream: the wait. The Whynter has a built-in compressor freezer, so there's no bowl to pre-freeze and no pause between batches — churn one flavor, then another, on a whim. It makes the classic churned texture at a larger capacity, and owners who make ice cream often reward that convenience. It costs several times a frozen-bowl maker and is heavier and larger, so it's for frequent makers rather than occasional ones.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on AmazonWhat buyers praise
- Built-in compressor — no pre-freezing, back-to-back batches
- Larger capacity, classic churned texture
- The pick for frequent or spontaneous ice cream making
What buyers flag
- Several times the price of a frozen-bowl maker
- Large and heavy on the counter
Best whole-fruit — Yonanas
Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft Serve Maker
Not an ice cream maker in the churning sense — the Yonanas pushes frozen bananas and fruit through into an instant soft serve, with nothing added. That makes it the simplest route to a low-sugar, single-ingredient dessert, and it's inexpensive and quick. It's a one-trick machine — frozen-fruit soft serve, not scoopable ice cream — but if the treat you actually want is healthy whole-fruit soft serve, it's the most direct way to it.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on AmazonWhat buyers praise
- Whole-fruit soft serve with nothing added — the healthiest route
- Instant; no churning or pre-freezing a bowl
- Inexpensive
What buyers flag
- Frozen-fruit soft serve only — not traditional ice cream
- A single-purpose machine
How to choose between them
- Protein or low-calorie ice cream? The Ninja CREAMi — the only type that makes lean bases creamy. Read how it’s done.
- Classic ice cream, best value? The Cuisinart frozen-bowl maker.
- Spending as little as possible? The Dash My Mug.
- Making ice cream constantly, no waiting? The compressor Whynter.
- Healthiest, simplest treat? The whole-fruit Yonanas.
