Home ice cream makers are like the Netflix of summer treats – dessert on demand. With only a modicum of effort – often mixing a few everyday ingredients such as cream and sugar in a bowl and pushing a button – you can quickly create an endless array of flavours to suit any sweet tooth.
Of course, not every method for making ice cream needs a machine. Popular food blogger Stacie Vaughan has more than a dozen recipes for frozen treats on her website, Simply Stacie. “Most of my recipes are no-churn,” she says, meaning the ingredients are beaten by hand or with a stand mixer, then left to freeze. Otherwise, no special equipment is needed.
And according to professional ice cream makers Ailynn and Jason Wong, tech doesn’t trump when it comes to the best summer treats. “Most certainly, a good recipe using quality ingredients is the most important factor,” says Ailynn. “Quality high-fat cream and milks and the right amounts of sugar will give you the perfect mouth feel.”
That said, a good machine can make a difference. “I mean, you can technically churn ice cream with just a bucket with salt and ice, too,” says Ailynn. “But there will be no consistency in your efforts.”
At their shop Yelo’d, the Wongs produce some of Edmonton’s favourite Philippines-inspired flavours – including ube, mango and pandan, a tropical plant with a nutty, vanilla-like taste. But they are so passionate about their craft that they also make ice cream at home.
The Wongs’ test runs have ranged from more affordable models from brands such as Cuisinart to pricier options from the high-end Italian company Musso (whose machines easily cost more than $1,000). A key difference among them is the amount of air that is churned into the cream, which changes the density, making for harder or softer results – a question of preference for many people.
“Most home machines don’t allow you to control the air,” says Ailynn. “So depending on the machine you choose, you may have really airy ice cream or really heavy ice cream.” For example, Cuisinarts tend to produce denser, chewier results, whereas Mussos tend to make lighter, softer ice creams.
Something else to consider: whether the machine has an internal compressor, which cools the mix as it churns. “This way, you’re not having to freeze mixing bowls all the time,” says Ailynn. “If you’re impatient like we are and decide you want to make ice cream right away, having a machine with a compressor is definitely the way to go.”
For several years, Vaughan has had a Cuisinart Pure Indulgence. It does not have an internal compressor but this makes it more compact (non-compressor machines tend to be smaller). “I chose it because it was affordable, around $165,” she says. “And it could make not just ice cream, but also gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt.”
She also recently picked up a Ninja on sale at Canadian Tire. Also without a compressor, the Ninja is basically a high-power food processor and works with Vaughan’s no-churn recipes, taking prefrozen mixes and blending in the air after they have set in the freezer to lighten the density. She hasn’t used it yet, but has seen them a lot on social media and is looking forward to seeing if they are worth the hype.
“What makes an ice cream maker worth buying, in my opinion, is ease of use, how easy it is to clean and store, and whether it fits your lifestyle,” says Vaughan. “If it’s too bulky or complicated, it’s likely to just gather dust.”
Six buys to try
When looking for a home ice cream maker, weigh size, price and functionality
Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker
The Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker works differently than most ice cream makers. It’s essentially a powerful food processor. Instead of churning the cream and sugar as they freeze, the machine grinds up a prefrozen base (typically frozen for 24 hours) into the desired texture – such as sorbet, ice cream, frozen yogurt or gelato.
Buying options
$270, buy at Canadian Tire
Musso Lussino Ice Cream Machine
Gelatiere Musso is an Italian company that makes high-end ice cream makers. The stainless-steel body of their Lussino model is commercial quality, while the compact size (it makes about 1.5 litres) is small enough to fit on most kitchen counters. Bonus: It makes great ice cream in less than 30 minutes
Buying options
$1,200, buy at Faema
Whynter ICM-201SB Ice Cream Maker
The benefit of having an ice cream maker with a built-in compressor is that you don’t have to freeze a metal bowl or canister a day ahead. Whynter’s ICM-201SB ice cream maker allows impulsive aficionados to lick their favourite, fluffy scoops within about half an hour of having a hankering.
Buying options
$525, buy at Under Counter
Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker
The Dash My Pint doesn’t look particularly grand or fancy. But it consistently makes best-of lists for its quality, size and price (it’s about the size of a water bottle and costs less than an entree at a fancy restaurant). The drawback is that there is no compressor so the canister has to be frozen for 24 hours before use.
Buying options
$40, buy at TSC
Yonanas Deluxe Healthy Dessert Soft Serve Maker
Sad but true: Ice cream, while delicious, isn’t always diet-friendly. Yonanas Deluxe Healthy Dessert Soft Serve Maker is attempting to change that. Ideal for vegans, it works by crushing and aerating frozen bananas, mixed with other fruit, until they have a texture akin to ice cream. Add-ins are optional, such as chunks of chocolate, but extra sugar isn’t necessary.
Buying options
$130, buy at Chef Supplies
Pure Indulgence Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker
Although the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence machine doesn’t have an internal compressor, meaning some preplanning is required to freeze the metal mixing bowl, it makes up for it with other features. It consistently churns ice cream in about 20 minutes and is nice and compact, less than the size of a bread box, so won’t eat into valuable kitchen storage space
Buying options
$170, buy at Cuisinart
