Last, the small capacity (about a pint) means you’ll need to adjust standard ice cream recipes. Make sure to only fill the canister about 60% of the way or you’ll have an overflowing mess on your hands.

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How we picked the best ice cream makers

To test the ice cream makers, we made a lot of ice cream (obviously). For the regular ice cream makers, we used the exact same base recipe for each machine (using a kitchen scale to measure our ingredients for ultimate precision). We cooled each base to room temperature, refrigerated overnight to reach 40°F, and then churned them in each ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions to soft-serve consistency.

For the soft serve ice cream makers, we made vanilla ice cream bases according to the recipes supplied by each manufacturer, and chilled or froze them overnight depending on their respective recipe booklets’ instructions.

We took note of how long each model took to reach soft serve consistency. And of course, we taste tested each batch to compare ice crystal formation, aeration, and overall texture and mouthfeel.

After our initial ice cream test, we narrowed down the field to our top contenders and played around with other frozen desserts like sorbet and frozen yogurt. We also tested each compressor machine’s ability to churn consecutive batches of ice cream.

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What we looked for when testing ice cream makers

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Other ice cream makers we tested and liked

Hey, we’re paid to be picky! The below machines make smooth, creamy ice cream but failed to make our top picks for one reason or another.

If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, you may have heard that KitchenAid sells an ice cream maker attachment. This is a perfectly adequate pick if you don’t have the space to accommodate a designated machine for your ice cream making needs, though we found that it couldn’t quite match the results of the Cuisinart ICE-21 (and is more expensive, for that matter).

This machine from Whynter costs about $40 less than the winning 201SB, and yielded similarly impressive results. That said, we preferred placement of the motor in the 201SB (under the bowl, rather than alongside it as with the ICM-15LS) because it made for a smaller countertop footprint. We also found the ICM-15LS to be excessively loud. But it still makes great ice cream, and would be a perfectly acceptable pick for anyone who doesn’t mind devoting a bit of extra counter space to their ice cream endeavors.

This top-of-the-line model from Lello costs nearly $1,200 at the time of writing, making it unrealistic for most home cooks. It’s also the largest of all the machines we tested and weighs a whopping 70 pounds, which means it would need to live on your countertop for all eternity. That said, this is a fantastic ice cream machine that’s able to make up to two quarts at a time in just 20 minutes (which is faster than the Musso Lussino).

This 2-quart model from Cuisinart is similar to the ICE-21 in functional design and operation, despite looking quite different. While the larger capacity might be nice for big households, the sorbet it made never quite reached same density or level of frozen as the batch made in the ICE-21. That said, the ice cream it made was on par with that made in our winner (though it did take longer to churn). If you have a large family of ice cream fiends to feed, this model might be worth considering.

This little 1-pint model from Cuisinart is cute as can be. It’s got a similar design to the Dash in that the paddle clips into the motor, which is attached to the lid. It did a great job making ice cream, and we liked that it has a clear lid that allows you to monitor your ice cream’s progress, unlike the Dash. That said, the sorbet we made never quite reached the optimal consistency, likely because the canister started to thaw due to its small size. It’s also more expensive than the Dash, and didn’t feel worth the extra $30 based on its performance. That said, it’s an effective little machine.

The Ninja Creami took the internet by storm a couple years ago, with TikTokers evangelizing its ability to turn pretty much anything into ice cream. It works quite differently from any of the other ice cream makers on this list in that the machine itself doesn’t feature any kind of cooling element (no freezer bowls or compressors here). Instead, it uses technology previously only found in a machine called a Pacojet in which a blade whirs through a frozen block of liquid, shaving off pieces and whipping it all together to achieve a creamy, ice cream-like texture.

The Swirl is Ninja’s newest addition to the Creami line. It works much like the original Creami, but features a dispensing attachment that allows you to dispense the finished ice cream through a fluted nozzle and into your ice cream vessel of choice.

It’s a well-designed, fun to use appliance with clear instructions that make it pretty foolproof: Just make your mixture, freeze it overnight in the provided canisters, run the machine (which takes around five minutes), and attach the canister to the dispensing mechanism.

I made vanilla ice cream based on a recipe in the included booklet and frozen yogurt using store-bought strawberry low-fat yogurt. Both turned out great—though if you’re expecting the kind of aerated, ultra-smooth soft serve you get from a truck, do note that this is not that. The vanilla ice cream I made in the Creami was denser than the Mister Softee-like ice cream I made in the Cuisinart Mix It In (which you can read more about below).

While it didn’t ultimately earn a spot in our top picks for this story (due partially to the fact that it’s quite bulky, and partially to the fact that the frozen desserts it makes aren’t actually ice cream), I do understand its appeal—being able to turn basically anything into soft serve is pretty magical. If you’re already a Creami stan and like the idea of being able to host soft serve parties all summer long, you might consider upgrading. Just make sure to carve out some extra kitchen storage space first.

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Ice cream makers we tested and don’t recommend

What’s the difference between canister and compressor ice cream makers?

As you’ve probably gathered by now, there are two primary types of home ice cream makers: canister and compressor models. Both make ice cream by introducing freezing cold temperatures and agitation to an ice cream base mixture, but beyond that the two operate differently—and tend to have different price points.

Canister (or freezer bowl) machines: These typically consist of four parts: a base, usually motorized; a canister that fits inside that base; a paddle; and some sort of lid. The canister is often made of aluminum and plastic, and contains a nontoxic saline solution within its walls—think of it as a cylindrical ice pack, with added salt to lower its freezing point (if you’ve ever made ice cream in a bag, this is why recipes call for the addition of rock salt).

With these models, it’s essential that you freeze the canister for at least 24 hours before churning to ensure it’s reached a cold enough temperature to properly chill your ice cream, gelato, or frozen yogurt base.

Because they’re relatively low-tech (they’ll often have a single on/off button), these machines tend to be less expensive, making them a great choice for most home cooks looking to satisfy the occasional homemade frozen treat craving.

Compressor machines: These machines have a built-in refrigeration compressor that uses coolant to reach the optimal temperature—no pre-freezing required. The major benefit of this is that it allows you to make ice cream whenever you want, and make multiple batches in a row without buying and freezing multiple canisters.

The two main downsides to these machines are that they tend to be far more expensive (think $250 and up) and are much heavier. We’d only recommend going this route if you foresee yourself making your own ice cream a lot.

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More shopping stories from Bon Appétit

This banana ice cream recipe stars one simple ingredient: frozen bananas! This creamy, dairy-free treat is fun and refreshing on hot summer days.

Have you ever made frozen banana ice cream? This one-ingredient treat has a rich, creamy texture a lot like regular ice cream, but you don’t need an ice cream maker (or any sugar or dairy) to make it. It whizzes up in the food processor in just a few minutes!

Banana ice cream was trendy years ago (remember “nice cream”?), but it recently made its way back into my kitchen thanks to the PBS Kids show Daniel Tiger. There’s an episode where Daniel and his mom make “banana swirl” together, which inspired me to start making it with my son Ollie.

This healthy banana ice cream recipe is a great dessert to make with kids, but based on how much Jack and I enjoy it, I feel confident saying that adults will love it too. It’s so simple, fun, and refreshing on hot summer days. If you’re not a fan already, I hope you try it!

How to Make Banana Ice Cream

You can find the complete recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:

Step 1: Freeze the bananas.
I do this a day ahead, but 8 hours would do the trick too. Peel the bananas, then seal them in an airtight container or bag and stash them in the freezer.

Step 2: Let them thaw slightly, then chop.
Blending fully frozen bananas can be hard on a food processor. To make them easier to whip, I let them thaw on my counter for 15 minutes and then slice them before processing.

Step 3: Whip them in the food processor!
Place the chopped bananas in the food processor and process until smooth, for about 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The banana ice cream is ready when it becomes pale and has a smooth, creamy soft serve-like texture.

Step 4 (optional): Freeze for a firmer texture.
After blending, the banana ice cream will have a soft serve consistency. If you’d like it to be scoop-able, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Don’t leave it in the freezer for more than 2 hours though—if it’s in there for too long, it will become a block of ice!

Banana Ice Cream Flavor Variations

I like to add a little vanilla and a pinch of salt to my basic banana ice cream for extra depth of flavor.

If you’d like to experiment with even more add-ins, feel free! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Add smooth mix-ins like peanut butter to the food processor in the last few minutes of blending. Fold in chunky mix-ins like chocolate chips with a spatula once the banana ice cream is fully smooth.

Let me know what variations you try!

More Favorite Frozen Treats

If you love this banana ice cream recipe, try one of these yummy frozen treats next: