If you have ever made homemade ice cream and thought, “Why don’t I do this more often?” the answer might be your ice cream maker.

The best ice cream makers in 2026 are much easier to use than the old machines that required bags of ice, rock salt, and a lot of patience. You can still buy simple freezer-bowl machines, but there are also compressor models that freeze while they churn and machines like the Ninja CREAMi that turn a frozen base into thick, creamy ice cream.

And yes, there is a pretty big difference between them.

Some machines are perfect for the person who wants to make vanilla ice cream a few times each summer. Others make more sense if you are constantly experimenting with high-protein ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, dairy-free desserts, gelato, or homemade pints.

So instead of picking the most expensive machine and calling it the best, I broke these down by how you will actually use them.

Best Ice Cream Makers 2026 at a Glance

Prices change throughout the year, especially around summer and holiday sales, so I recommend checking the current price before buying.

1. Cuisinart ICE-21: Best Ice Cream Maker for Most Home Kitchens

If you want homemade ice cream without spending several hundred dollars on another countertop appliance, the Cuisinart ICE-21 is one of the easiest places to start.

It is a traditional freezer-bowl ice cream maker. That means you freeze the bowl ahead of time, add your chilled ice cream base, turn the machine on, and let it churn.

There aren’t a bunch of settings to figure out, which is actually part of why I like this style of machine.

The 1.5-quart capacity is enough for a family-sized batch without making so much ice cream that you need to rearrange your freezer afterward.

What I Like

• Affordable compared with compressor machines
• 1.5-quart capacity
• Very simple controls
• Homemade ice cream can be ready in about 20 minutes once the bowl and base are cold
• Works for ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet
• Compact enough for kitchens without a lot of appliance storage

What to Know Before Buying

You need to freeze the bowl ahead of time.

That is the dealbreaker for some people.

If you suddenly decide after dinner that you want to make homemade ice cream, you cannot pull the machine out of the cabinet and immediately start churning unless your bowl is already frozen.

My solution would be simple: if you have the freezer room, keep the bowl frozen during the summer.

Best For

Beginners, families, occasional ice cream makers, and anyone who wants a good homemade ice cream maker without spending hundreds of dollars.

2. Breville Smart Scoop: Best Compressor Ice Cream Maker

This is the machine for the person who does not want to plan homemade ice cream a day ahead.

The Breville Smart Scoop has its own compressor, so there is no freezer bowl to remember.

Pour in your prepared base, choose your settings, and the machine handles the freezing and churning.

It also gives you far more control over texture than a basic machine. There are 12 hardness settings designed for frozen desserts ranging from softer sorbet to firmer ice cream.

What I Like

• Built-in compressor
• No bowl to freeze overnight
• 12 hardness settings
• Automatic and manual controls
• Can make ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, and sorbet
• Good choice for making several batches
• Keep-cool function
• Great for someone who makes frozen desserts often

What I Don’t Love

The price.

At around the $600 range, this is a serious kitchen purchase.

It is also much heavier than a freezer-bowl machine, so this probably isn’t something you will want to drag in and out of a high cabinet every weekend.

Best For

Frequent ice cream makers, serious home bakers, recipe developers, and anyone who hates pre-freezing bowls.

3. Ninja CREAMi Deluxe: Best for High-Protein Ice Cream and Frozen Treats

The Ninja CREAMi Deluxe deserves its own category because it does not work like a normal ice cream maker.

Instead of pouring liquid into a machine and churning it while it freezes, you prepare your mixture and freeze it solid in one of the containers. The CREAMi then processes that frozen mixture into a creamy dessert.

This setup is especially fun if you like making individual flavors.

One container can be chocolate peanut butter, another can be strawberry frozen yogurt, and another can be a high-protein vanilla ice cream.

What I Like

• 11 programs
• Great for customized frozen desserts
• Excellent for mix-ins
• Works well for high-protein recipes
• Makes ice cream, sorbet, gelato, frozen yogurt, Italian ice, and other frozen treats
• Larger 24-ounce containers on the Deluxe model
• Easy to make different flavors for different people

What to Know

Your base generally needs to be frozen ahead of time.

This is not the machine for deciding at 7 p.m. that you want freshly churned ice cream at 7:30.

You will also sometimes need to use the re-spin function to get the texture exactly where you want it.

Best For

High-protein recipes, lighter frozen desserts, dairy-free recipes, families that want different flavors, and anyone who loves experimenting.

4. Whynter ICM-201SB: Best Large-Capacity Compressor Ice Cream Maker

If you like the idea of a compressor ice cream maker but want a bigger bowl, take a look at the Whynter ICM-201SB.

Its 2.1-quart capacity makes it one of my favorite options for families and entertaining.

Because the compressor freezes the mixture inside the machine, you don’t need to store a giant frozen bowl.

That also makes it much easier to make another batch.

What I Like

• 2.1-quart capacity
• Built-in compressor
• No pre-freezing
• Removable stainless steel mixing bowl
• Makes ice cream, gelato, and sorbet
• Better suited to larger batches
• Upright design helps reduce the amount of counter space it takes up

What to Know

Like most compressor machines, it is heavy.

If you make ice cream often, I would give it a permanent or semi-permanent place rather than planning to move it around constantly.

Best For

Families, entertaining, larger batches, and anyone who wants compressor convenience without moving into the highest price range.

5. Cuisinart ICE-100: Best for Homemade Ice Cream and Gelato

The Cuisinart ICE-100 is another compressor model, but one feature makes it especially interesting for anyone who wants to make both ice cream and gelato.

It comes with two paddles.

One is designed for ice cream and the other for gelato.

That might sound like a small detail, but ice cream and gelato are not supposed to have exactly the same texture.

What I Like

• Built-in compressor
• No freezer bowl required
• Separate ice cream and gelato paddles
• 1.5-quart capacity
• Countdown timer
• Good middle ground between basic machines and premium compressor models

Best For

Anyone who makes both traditional ice cream and gelato and wants a compressor machine without jumping straight to the Breville price.

6. Cuisinart Cool Creations 2-Quart: Best Traditional Machine for Families

If you like the simplicity and lower price of a freezer-bowl machine but want a little more capacity, the Cuisinart Cool Creations is worth considering.

Its 2-quart bowl gives you more room than the ICE-21, which is helpful when you are making dessert for several people.

It also has dedicated settings for ice cream, gelato, and sorbet.

The Catch

The bowl still needs to be frozen ahead of time.

If you have enough freezer space and do not mind planning ahead, that may not matter at all.

Best For

Families who want traditional churned ice cream and would rather spend their money on ingredients than a compressor.

Ninja CREAMi vs. Traditional Ice Cream Maker

This is probably one of the biggest questions to answer before buying.

A Ninja CREAMi and a traditional ice cream maker can both give you creamy frozen desserts, but they get there in completely different ways.

Choose a Traditional Ice Cream Maker If:

• You love classic homemade ice cream
• You want to churn a full batch at once
• You frequently make custard-based ice cream
• You want traditional ice cream texture
• You like experimenting with classic ice cream recipes

Choose a Ninja CREAMi If:

• You make high-protein ice cream
• You want individual containers
• Different people want different flavors
• You make dairy-free or lower-sugar desserts
• You love experimenting with frozen recipes
• You want lots of mix-ins and flavor combinations

For traditional homemade ice cream, I would choose a regular churner.

For protein ice cream and playing around with ingredients, the CREAMi is hard to beat.

Compressor vs. Freezer-Bowl Ice Cream Makers

This sounds technical, but the difference is simple.

Freezer-Bowl Ice Cream Makers

The bowl itself has to be frozen before you make your ice cream.

Pros:

• Less expensive
• Usually lighter
• Simple
• Smaller footprint
• Great for occasional use

Cons:

• Bowl usually needs to freeze overnight
• Takes up freezer space
• Making several batches requires more planning

Compressor Ice Cream Makers

These machines have their own cooling system.

Pros:

• No pre-freezing
• Make ice cream whenever you want
• Easier to make several batches
• More temperature and texture control

Cons:

• More expensive
• Heavy
• Larger
• Require more storage or counter space

If you make homemade ice cream three times every summer, I would save the money and buy a freezer-bowl machine.

If you’re making it three times a week, the compressor starts making a lot more sense.

What to Look for When Buying an Ice Cream Maker

Capacity

Think about how much ice cream you actually need.

Around 1.5 quarts is plenty for many households.

If you regularly host parties or have a larger family, a 2-quart or larger machine may make more sense.

Freezer Space

Do not overlook this.

A freezer-bowl machine only works if you have room to freeze the bowl.

Measure before ordering.

How Often You’ll Use It

There is no reason to spend $600 on an ice cream maker you pull out twice a year.

But if homemade frozen desserts are already part of your routine, paying more for a compressor can save a lot of planning.

What You Want to Make

Not every machine is best at every frozen dessert.

Think about what sounds most like you:

• Traditional ice cream
• Gelato
• Sorbet
• Frozen yogurt
• Dairy-free ice cream
• High-protein ice cream
• Soft serve
• Milkshakes
• Individual pints

Your answer may change which machine makes the most sense.

Are Expensive Ice Cream Makers Worth It?

Sometimes.

A compressor machine does not automatically make better ice cream just because it costs more.

What you are mainly paying for is convenience and control.

You do not have to freeze the bowl ahead of time, and making several batches is much easier.

For someone developing ice cream recipes regularly, that can absolutely be worth paying for.

For the person who makes strawberry ice cream twice every July, probably not.

What Is the Best Ice Cream Maker for Beginners?

I would start with the Cuisinart ICE-21.

It is simple, reasonably priced, and does not require learning a complicated machine.

Once you get comfortable making your own bases, you can decide whether a compressor machine is something you would actually use.

What Is the Best Ice Cream Maker Without Pre-Freezing?

Look for a compressor model.

The Breville Smart Scoop, Whynter ICM-201SB, and Cuisinart ICE-100 all have built-in cooling systems, so you do not have to freeze a removable bowl overnight.

That is one of the biggest reasons to pay more for a compressor machine.

What Is the Best Ice Cream Maker for High-Protein Ice Cream?

I would pick the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe.

Traditional ice cream relies heavily on the right balance of fat, sugar, water, and air for texture.

High-protein and lower-sugar recipes change that balance.

The CREAMi’s freeze-first-and-process-later system gives you more room to play with ingredients like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, fruit, and lower-sugar bases.

My Picks for the Best Ice Cream Makers of 2026

If I were narrowing this entire list down, here’s how I would shop:

Best value: Cuisinart ICE-21

Best premium machine: Breville Smart Scoop

Best for high-protein recipes: Ninja CREAMi Deluxe

Best for large batches: Whynter ICM-201SB

Best for gelato: Cuisinart ICE-100

Best traditional family-size machine: Cuisinart Cool Creations 2-Quart

There really isn’t one machine that wins for every kitchen.

If you want simple and affordable, buy the Cuisinart ICE-21.

If you make frozen desserts constantly and never want to freeze another bowl, look at a compressor machine.

And if your freezer is already full of protein ice cream experiments waiting to happen, you are probably a Ninja CREAMi person.

More Kitchen Guides to Read Next

If you are building out your kitchen or replacing appliances, you may also like:

• Best Air Fryers for Families in 2026
• Best Stand Mixers for Home Bakers
• Best Non-Stick Pans for Everyday Cooking
• Best Kitchen Knife Sets Under $100
• Best Muffin Tins for Bakery-Style Results at Home
• First Kitchen Essentials: What to Buy When Setting Up Your First Home

FAQs About the Best Ice Cream Makers

What is the best ice cream maker in 2026?

For a traditional, affordable machine, the Cuisinart ICE-21 is one of the best choices for most home cooks. If you want a built-in compressor, the Breville Smart Scoop is a strong premium choice. The Ninja CREAMi Deluxe is better suited to people who want high-protein ice cream, individual flavors, and lots of frozen dessert options.

Is the Ninja CREAMi actually an ice cream maker?

Yes, but it works differently from a traditional ice cream maker. A normal machine freezes a liquid mixture while churning it. With a Ninja CREAMi, you freeze your prepared base first and then process it into a creamy texture.

Do ice cream makers really work?

Yes. A good machine can make smooth homemade ice cream, but your recipe matters too. The amount of sugar, fat, water, and air all affect the final texture.

How long does homemade ice cream take?

With a pre-frozen bowl, many traditional machines can churn ice cream in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Compressor machines often take longer because they are cooling and churning the mixture. Most freshly churned ice cream will still be fairly soft and benefits from additional freezer time if you want firm scoops.

Do I need to freeze homemade ice cream after churning?

Usually, yes, if you want scoopable ice cream. Freshly churned ice cream often has a soft-serve consistency. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it until firm.

Can you make dairy-free ice cream in an ice cream maker?

Absolutely. Coconut milk, oat milk, cashew bases, and other dairy-free mixtures can all work. Just remember that changing the fat and sugar content can change the texture.

Can you make frozen yogurt in an ice cream maker?

Yes. Many ice cream makers can also make frozen yogurt and sorbet.

Can I make protein ice cream in a regular ice cream maker?

You can, but protein recipes may freeze harder or turn icier because they often contain less sugar and fat. This is one reason the Ninja CREAMi has become so popular for high-protein frozen desserts.

Is a compressor ice cream maker better?

It is more convenient, but not necessarily better for everyone. Compressor machines do not require a frozen bowl and make consecutive batches easier. Freezer-bowl machines cost much less and can still make excellent homemade ice cream.

How much should I spend on an ice cream maker?

For occasional homemade ice cream, you can find a good freezer-bowl machine for well under $100. CREAMi-style machines generally sit in the middle of the price range, while compressor machines can cost several hundred dollars.

What size ice cream maker should I buy?

A 1.5-quart machine is a good size for most households. Look at 2-quart or larger models if you regularly make dessert for a bigger family or entertaining.

Is homemade ice cream cheaper than store-bought?

It can be, especially compared with premium pints, but cost depends on your ingredients. Heavy cream, quality chocolate, vanilla beans, nuts, and other mix-ins can add up quickly. The bigger benefit is being able to control exactly what goes into your ice cream.

What is the easiest ice cream maker to use?

A basic freezer-bowl machine like the Cuisinart ICE-21 is about as simple as it gets. Freeze the bowl, chill your mixture, turn on the machine, and pour in the base.

Can I make gelato in an ice cream maker?

Yes. Some machines are better suited to it than others. The Cuisinart ICE-100 includes separate paddles for ice cream and gelato, making it a good choice if gelato is high on your list.

Is buying an ice cream maker worth it?

If you enjoy homemade desserts, like controlling your ingredients, have dietary needs, or want to create your own flavors, yes. If you only eat ice cream occasionally, buying your favorite pint may still make more sense.