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The best countertop ice cream makers for home
The Cuisinart ICE-21 wins for smooth, quick, affordable batches; the Ninja CREAMi and Whynter suit different budgets and routines.
| Best overall | Best value | Cheapest that's still good | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker | Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker NC301 | Whynter ICM-201SB Compressor Ice Cream Maker |
| Price | about $70 | about $200 | about $320 |
| Why | Bon Appétit named it its overall pick, praising its smooth ice cream, simple controls, and quick churn; Reviewed also found it fast and good value. It’s a strong choice for people who want traditionally churned ice cream without paying compressor-machine prices. | Reviewed recommends the CREAMi for its versatility, quick processing, and easy one-touch controls, and Bon Appétit found its frozen desserts especially creamy. It costs more than the ICE-21 but makes a wider variety of individual frozen treats. | Bon Appétit recommends it as a more affordable compressor option, reporting that its ice cream texture came close to the much pricier Lello in testing. It makes sense if avoiding a pre-frozen bowl matters more than finding the absolute lowest sticker price. |
| Good to know | You have to freeze the bowl in advance, and there’s no timer. | It’s noisy, and the base still needs to freeze ahead of time. | It’s heavy, and ice cream can be difficult to scrape off the plastic paddle. |
| See on Amazon | See on Amazon | See on Amazon |
picture by AIBon Appétit named it its overall pick, praising its smooth ice cream, simple controls, and quick churn; Reviewed also found it fast and good value. It’s a strong choice for people who want traditionally churned ice cream without paying compressor-machine prices.
Good to know: You have to freeze the bowl in advance, and there’s no timer.
See on Amazonpicture by AIReviewed recommends the CREAMi for its versatility, quick processing, and easy one-touch controls, and Bon Appétit found its frozen desserts especially creamy. It costs more than the ICE-21 but makes a wider variety of individual frozen treats.
Good to know: It’s noisy, and the base still needs to freeze ahead of time.
See on Amazonpicture by AIBon Appétit recommends it as a more affordable compressor option, reporting that its ice cream texture came close to the much pricier Lello in testing. It makes sense if avoiding a pre-frozen bowl matters more than finding the absolute lowest sticker price.
Good to know: It’s heavy, and ice cream can be difficult to scrape off the plastic paddle.
See on AmazonDanilli may earn a small commission from Amazon or the store when you buy through these buttons. The price is the same for you. Pictures marked "picture by AI" are made by Danilli's AI to show the product; check the real photos on the store page.
What matters
Freezer-bowl machines cost less but need a bowl frozen ahead of time; compressor models can churn without that wait but cost more and take up space. Also compare batch size, texture, noise, and how much cleanup you’re willing to do.
Who this is for
Choose the ICE-21 if you want classic churned ice cream for a few people at a reasonable price. Pick the CREAMi for customizable single-pint treats, or the Whynter if you want larger batches without pre-freezing a bowl.
The picks, one by one
Best overall: Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker
Bon Appétit named it its overall pick, praising its smooth ice cream, simple controls, and quick churn; Reviewed also found it fast and good value. It’s a strong choice for people who want traditionally churned ice cream without paying compressor-machine prices. Bon Appétit reported that it reached soft-serve consistency in under 20 minutes, though its bowl needs at least 24 hours in the freezer first. The clear lid lets you watch the batch, and the relatively wide bowl makes it easy to remove the paddle and taste as it churns. Its 1.5-quart capacity is suitable for a modest batch, not a crowd. Skip it if you need spontaneous batches or don’t have room to store the bowl in your freezer.
Good to know: You have to freeze the bowl in advance, and there’s no timer.
See on AmazonBest value: Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker NC301
Reviewed recommends the CREAMi for its versatility, quick processing, and easy one-touch controls, and Bon Appétit found its frozen desserts especially creamy. It costs more than the ICE-21 but makes a wider variety of individual frozen treats. Unlike a churner, it processes a base that you freeze in its pint container ahead of time; the machine itself works in minutes. Reviewers liked its ice cream, sorbet, and mix-in options, and its containers and blade are dishwasher-safe. The small pint format is convenient for trying different flavors but less suited to serving a large group. Skip it if you want traditional batch-churned ice cream or need a quiet machine: reviewers describe it as loud.
Good to know: It’s noisy, and the base still needs to freeze ahead of time.
See on AmazonCheapest that's still good: Whynter ICM-201SB Compressor Ice Cream Maker
Bon Appétit recommends it as a more affordable compressor option, reporting that its ice cream texture came close to the much pricier Lello in testing. It makes sense if avoiding a pre-frozen bowl matters more than finding the absolute lowest sticker price. Its built-in compressor means you can add the base without freezing a canister first, and the 2.1-quart capacity is larger than the Cuisinart’s. Bon Appétit found its controls straightforward and its removable bowl easier to clean than the Lello’s fixed bowl. It is still a substantial, heavy appliance, and its plastic paddle can be awkward to scrape. Skip it if you only make occasional small batches and want the cheapest machine overall.
Good to know: It’s heavy, and ice cream can be difficult to scrape off the plastic paddle.
See on AmazonHow we chose
Reviewers made vanilla ice cream and other frozen desserts, judging texture, smoothness, taste, ease of use, noise, and cleanup. Food Network chilled its base for three hours, then checked the ice cream after churning and again after an hour in the freezer. Danilli read the reviews and tests listed below and compared current prices; it does not take money from brands to pick a product.
Sources
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Written with Danilli's AI from the sources above and refreshed about once a month; prices change, check Amazon for today's price. Danilli may earn a small commission from Amazon or the store when you buy through these buttons. The price is the same for you. Pictures marked "picture by AI" are made by Danilli's AI to show the product; check the real photos on the store page.