8 Best Ice Cream Maker Machines: Cuisinart, Ninja, with Compressors, Self-Freezing Functions

Honestly, who doesn’t love ice cream? In our hot weather, this cool creamy dessert is a definite treat. And if you can make it at home with your family, customising it just how you want it, what could be better than that?

These days there are a wide variety of ice cream makers that you can use at home, many of them with special functions that allow you to whip up a fresh batch whenever you want it, keep it properly frozen for a number of hours or customised perfectly for your needs. Ranging from simple functions to more elaborate options, these ice cream machines are great for families and friends.

So what is the best ice cream machine for the home? It’s important to think about how often you might use it, whether you need to store it or are happy to display it on your countertop, and whether you want to transport it.

One of the great things about making ice cream at home is you can take into consideration any personal needs like whether it has to be dairy-free or vegan. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up eight of the best with different functions and specialties.

Here are the 8 best ice cream makers for your house in Singapore along with their prices and best functions.

Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker NC300, $408

Best ice cream variety

This powerful ice cream machine can help you whip up ice cream, sorbets, milkshakes and more from pretty much any kind of solid base. It’s easy to control your ingredients and whip up non-dairy, vegan options with this as it only requires three easy steps.

First freeze your base overnight, next process it and “creamify” – a technology the machine uses to break down the frozen block into a smooth, creamy texture.

This ice cream machine comes with seven one-touch programs that have optimised speeds, pressure and time for making your desired sweet treat.

The Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker NC300 retails for $408 and can be purchased from Amazon and Lazada.

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Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker ICE-21, $202.90

Fastest ice cream maker

One of the most popular ice cream makers on the market, the Cuisinart ICE-21 can whip up yoghurt, gelato and sorbets making it incredibly multi-functional.

It’s also very fast, capable of whipping up a delicious dessert in just 20 minutes. It’s large ingredient spout makes it easy to add in ingredients without having to lift a lid or manoeuvre anything awkwardly.

This Cuisinart model can make 1-2 quarts of ice cream at a time so may not be appropriate for large quantities but since it works fast that may not be an issue for more patient ice cream lovers. 

The Cuisinart ICE-21 retails for $202.90 and can be purchased at Lazada.

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KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment, $87

Best for large batches of ice cream

As a kitchen tool, the KitchenAid has always been known as a powerful appliance with many different functions to make cooking and baking easier. Now you can also use it to whip up delicious ice creams with its KICA0WH attachment.

While most ice cream machines can make one to two quarts, this one can produce four quarts in less than 30 minutes. It can also create yoghurt, gelato, sorbet and many others with a nice, creamy texture.

What’s also nice about the KitchenAid is that it’s dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean, and it comes with a plastic bowl, paddles, dashers and a recipe book to make creating your frozen desserts easier and more fun.

The KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment retails for $87 and can be purchased on Amazon.

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Rolled Ice Cream Maker, $12.20

Cheap rolled ice cream maker for toddlers and children

Rolled ice cream, known locally in Thailand as I-Tim-Pad (stir-fried ice cream), is one of the most visually captivating street food trends to emerge from Southeast Asia in the last decade. Originating in Thai night markets around 2009, it has since evolved from a humble market stall novelty into a global viral phenomenon.

The “wireless stainless steel rolled ice cream makers” often found on Shopee and Lazada (usually priced between $15 and $40) are popular novelty kitchen gadgets. They are frequently marketed as “Fried Yogurt Machines” or “Instant Ice Cream Trays”.

These machines do not run on batteries, nor do they use advanced wireless power technology. Instead, they operate on the principle of thermal mass.

The device consists of a stainless steel pan (usually 304 grade) with a hollow interior. Inside this hollow space is a cooling gel or saline solution, similar to the blue liquid found in freezer blocks or cooler bags. You are essentially buying a heavy-duty, flat-shaped ice pack encased in steel.

Ok - which makes it very toddler- and child-friendly!

To use the machine, you must place the entire unit upside down in your freezer for 12 to 24 hours before you want to make ice cream. The internal gel needs to freeze solid to a temperature of around -20°C.

Once you take it out of the freezer, you have a short window of time (usually 15 to 20 minutes) to pour your liquid ice cream base onto the cold steel surface. The liquid freezes on contact with the steel, allowing you to scrape it up with the provided plastic or metal spatulas. Because there is no electrical compressor to keep the plate cold, the surface temperature begins to rise immediately after you remove it from the freezer.

The Ice Cream Maker retails for $12.20 and can be purchased on Shopee.

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Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker, $74

Best portable ice cream maker

Fancy bringing over freshly churned ice cream to your next potluck? This super portable ice cream maker makes that possible while producing delicious, smooth and rich ice cream in just 30 minutes.

This ice cream maker is light, easy to carry around and store, not to mention it comes in some cute colours. It works with a simple switch that churns chilled ingredients, simply chill the bowl overnight in the freezer first before using.

Included in the purchase is the cooling bowl, mixing spoon, recipe book and access to a recipe database to inspire you to create healthy, delicious ice cream.

The Dash My Pint Ice Cream Maker retails for $74 and can be purchased on Amazon.

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Zoku Ice Cream Maker, $36

Small ice cream maker for single servings

Say for whatever reason, you want to manage your ice cream intake and limit it to single-servings. The Chinese-made, Zoku Ice Cream Maker can do this while still keeping it easy and simple to make a bowl of frozen goodness.

The Zoku machine keeps things really simple. It comes with a spoon for mixing and can be eaten straight out of the bowl. It also comes in a variety of fun colours and is easy to clean - great for families with children too.

It’s also small and easy to keep away when it’s time to take a break from the sweets.

The Zoku Ice Cream maker retails for $36 and can be purchased at Lazada.

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Bruno Ice Cream Machine, $151

Hailing from Japan, the Bruno brand is known for their retro-chic appliances that work great and look great on a countertop at the same time. The ice cream machine is no different, with a retro look reminiscent of old-school ice cream machines.

This one however is all about quality product, with two functions that are designed for either soft and creamy ice cream that’s almost smoothie-like, and the other is a rich, full-bodied gelato-style ice cream.

While both modes take one and a half hours and two hours respectively, we think the end results are probably worth it.

The Bruno Ice Cream Machine retails for $151 and is available on Shopee.

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Breville BCI600BSS The Smart Scoop Ice-Cream Maker, $798

Best for serious ice cream makers

Breville’s The Smart Scoop is all about making ice cream that you can enjoy fresh whenever you want it. It’s the first ice cream machine to automatically sense the hardness of the mixtures based on your selection, and keeps it frozen at the perfect temperature for up to three hours.

No pre-freezing is required for this machine and sound alerts help you know when to put in ingredients and when your ice cream is ready.

It can also create great vegan flavours using coconut milk or almond milk. While the machine is a bit of a splurge, reviews consistently praise the quality and taste of the ice cream.

Breville The Smart Scoop Ice-Cream Maker retails for $798 and is available at Amazon.

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