Greatest ice cream makers in 2025 (UK)

Ice cream makers have had their second lately. TikTokkers have taken a liking to those machines — and who can blame them? Ice cream is simply plain yum — making the ice cream maker an on-trend equipment for cool kitchens.

Certainly, ice cream makers are having their second within the solar (effectively, not fairly the solar, as a result of that might soften the ice cream, after all). And that is positively an excellent factor. As a result of who doesn’t desire a fixed provide of the tasty frozen deal with?

However there are issues to learn about making your personal ice cream. It isn’t like speeding as much as the ice cream van and ordering a 99 with a flake. Utilizing an ice cream maker is not fairly that straightforward. Particularly should you’ve by no means owned one earlier than. Enable us to get you began with some information on ice cream makers, plus a round-up of the very best fashions.

How does an ice cream maker work?

It’s simple. In most case you merely add the combination right into a bowl (cream, milk, sugar, and any flavouring), which the machine then stirs with a rotating paddle. The machine will then drop the temperature, freezing the combo. Some premium-level machines have a built-in freezer, others have a bowl that you’ll want to pop within the freezer beforehand. The combo will even broaden in the course of the course of. The quantity of ice cream you’ll get will depend on the bowl capability. Different fashions, reminiscent of these by Ninja, have a special technique however the precept is similar: Put your combine within the bowl and let the machine do the work.

How lengthy does it take to make ice cream?

As you’ll see under, completely different ice cream makers will work with completely different timescales — someplace between 20 and 50 minutes. It’s price noting that pre-freezing a bowl can take round eight hours or extra. As much as 24 hours in some circumstances, the truth is. So, should you dwell in a family with children who’re more likely to begin demanding ice cream at any given time, it may be price preserving that bowl within the freezer completely, so it’s at all times prepared.

What different options do ice cream makes have?

On costlier fashions you’ll discover actually cool options, reminiscent of built-in freezing or settings to regulate the consistency of your ice cream (or different frozen dessert). One function that’s at all times welcome — and located in cheaper fashions — is a chute within the lid so as to add components, whether or not it’s flavouring or nuts, whereas the ice cream is being made.

What else can ice cream makers make?

Ice cream makers do not solely make ice cream. Sure fashions will make ice cream variations, reminiscent of sorbet and gelato, or frozen yoghurt. What’s to not like? The Ninja mannequin under provides a formidable ten completely different kinds of frozen dessert, so these machines could be very versatile.

What’s the finest ice cream maker?

There are many top-quality fashions on supply from well-known manufacturers like Cuisinart and Sage. We’ve got checked out buyer evaluations, options, and specs to place collectively a really chill listing. Whether or not you are a complete newbie trying to whip one thing up, or an expert ice cream maker-in-the-making, there’s one thing for you right here.

These are the very best ice cream makers in 2025.