Some might argue that the best ice-cream makers are a luxury, but if you\u2019re a true dessert devotee, I believe they can earn their keep in no time. A tub of H\u00e4agen-Dazs will set you back almost \u00a36 nowadays, which is an expensive habit if you\u2019re getting through a pot a week during the hottest months of the year.<\/p>\n
With your own ice-cream machine, you get an endless supply whenever you fancy it, and you can get creative with flavours, tweaking as you go. It\u2019s also ideal if you have allergies or follow a dairy-free diet, as good allergy-friendly ice-cream can be harder to find. Better still, making your own means you can skip the emulsifiers, artificial flavours, sweeteners and stabilisers found in many shop-bought tubs, so it\u2019s a great option if you\u2019re trying to move away from ultra-processed foods.<\/p>\n
But with so many options available, where do you start? I\u2019ve taken one for the team \u2013 and no doubt my waistline \u2013 to test the best ice-cream makers available right now, from trendy soft-serve ice-cream machines to professional-style compressor models.<\/p>\n
At a glanceWhy you should trust me<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve spent almost a decade researching, testing and reviewing kitchen appliances, which means I\u2019m aware of the very best (and worst) the industry has to offer. I\u2019ve seen appliance trends come and go, and I know what people actually want in their kitchens.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m also an avid home cook and dinner party host. When I\u2019m not in my kitchen testing appliances on the clock, I\u2019m still there whipping up feasts for my willing partner and friends.<\/p>\n
How I testedWhipping up a storm \u2026 each ice-cream maker was assessed on everything from texture to ease of cleaning. Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian<\/p>\n
The research for this article meant making \u2013 and eating \u2013 a lot of ice-cream and sorbet (someone had to do it). I put 13 machines through their paces with three recipes on each: Felicity Cloake\u2019s perfect vanilla ice-cream<\/a>, her lemon sorbet<\/a> and, where the machine allowed, a more basic throw-it-all-in recipe for strawberry ice-cream made with milk, cream, sugar and macerated strawberries. All the machines also came with their own recipe booklet or app, so I also tested one of these, usually a standard vanilla recipe with double cream.<\/p>\n Testing a variety of recipes gave me a sense of how capable and versatile each machine really was, helping to decide whether it\u2019s worthy of taking up precious space on your worktop.<\/p>\n As well as making lots of ice-cream, I put on my technical hat to measure churning speeds, record noise levels using a decibel meter, and assess ice crystal formation, as well as the general taste and texture of the results after some time in the freezer.<\/p>\n As a certified chore hater, I found that ease of assembly and cleaning were just as important. Waiting 24 hours to taste the results of your prep is one thing; spending another hour to disassemble and scrub clean the machine afterwards is quite another.<\/p>\n All ice-cream makers sourced for this article will be donated to charity. <\/p>\n The best ice-cream makers for your homeCool contenders \u2026 the ice-cream machines that went head-to-head in the tests. Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The GuardianBest ice-cream maker overall: Caso<\/p>\n IceCreamer<\/p>\n from \u00a3278.97<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3280 at Argos<\/a>\u00a3278.97 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n A real surprise standout, this model from the little-known brand Caso turned out to be not only the best compressor ice-cream maker, but also my favourite overall. It may be big and bulky, but that shouldn\u2019t put you off (as long as you have the space).<\/p>\n Why we love it I was testing on one of the hottest June days on record, and so I wasn\u2019t expecting miracles when it came to churn times. Impressively, though, the machine produced rich, velvety ice-cream in about 60 minutes using Felicity Cloake\u2019s vanilla recipe. I imagine on a slightly cooler day it would have been even quicker. Unfortunately, the heat did mean my ice-cream began to melt almost instantly once out of the machine, but I managed to get it in the freezer before all the hard work was undone.<\/p>\n Despite this, the ice-cream that initially emerged was well frozen yet buttery smooth and had few ice crystals. After a couple of days in the freezer in an airtight container, it still tasted fantastic. It also made light work of the lemon sorbet recipe in about 40 minutes.<\/p>\n The IceCreamer has post-churn settings that keep the ice-cream at a frozen temperature for up to 60 minutes, or it just churns without freezing. It also comes with an ice-cream scoop and measuring cup. The bowl was easy to clean and, unlike some other machines here, there weren\u2019t any fiddly parts to handle.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 it\u2019s on the large side \u2013 and quite pricey, when not on offer.<\/p>\n Machine type: compressor Caso<\/p>\n IceCreamer<\/p>\n from \u00a3278.97<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Best budget ice-cream maker: Cuisinart<\/p>\n Solo Scoops<\/p>\n from \u00a333.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a339.99 at Lakeland<\/a>\u00a333.99 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Let me temper your expectations here \u2013 if you\u2019re spending this little on an ice-cream maker, you\u2019d be silly to expect the world. However, I\u2019m making a case for this mini motor-based machine because it\u2019s so ridiculously simple to use.<\/p>\n Why we love it The ice-cream maker comes with a small bowl that makes up to 475ml of ice-cream. It needs to be popped in the freezer for at least 24 hours before use, but takes up very little space. You\u2019ll know it\u2019s ready when you can no longer hear the liquid in the walls of the bowl moving around.<\/p>\n Its small size is both a strength and a limitation. Because it relies on the frozen bowl staying cold for as long as possible (which proved a challenge in my furnace-like kitchen), I struggled to achieve the same firm, scoopable texture as the other models here despite using the same vanilla recipe throughout. With a little patience, though, you can get a soft-serve-style ice-cream in about 30 minutes. I got the best results by freezing the bowl for a minimum of 36 hours, chilling the ingredients first, and opting for sorbets over richer, higher-fat ice-creams.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re at all worried about longevity given the price (I was), the good news is that parts are easy to replace or repair. The Solo Scoops\u2019 simple design means there\u2019s less to go wrong, and replacement parts are available through Cuisinart\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 while it\u2019s not overly loud, the noise it makes is a bit grating.<\/p>\n Machine type: freeze-first Cuisinart<\/p>\n Solo Scoops<\/p>\n from \u00a333.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Best freeze-first ice-cream maker: Ninja<\/p>\n Creami NC300<\/p>\n from \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3199.99 at SharkNinja<\/a>\u00a3199.99 at Currys<\/a><\/p>\n Ninja\u2019s first iteration of the Creami might be getting on a bit now, with newer models featuring improved designs and new settings, but I\u2019ve owned it for years, and it still produces good results.<\/p>\n Why we love it Over the years, I\u2019ve used my Creami to create all kinds of frozen desserts, from the brand\u2019s signature strawberry ice-cream, which you\u2019ll find in the accompanying booklet, to gelato-style mixes and even frozen smoothie bowls. Unlike other brands on this list, I really rate Ninja\u2019s recipes, too.<\/p>\n All recipes I tested, including Felicity\u2019s sorbet and frozen vanilla ice-cream, were fully churned in about three minutes \u2013 a couple of minutes faster than the Nutribullet Chill below. I also like the Creami\u2019s flat blade, as it allows it to get right to the end of the tub with ease. The compact tubs are also a plus, fitting easily into the freezer without taking up too much space.<\/p>\n I found the Creami easy to clean, and some parts are dishwasher-safe. That\u2019s not to say there aren\u2019t any nooks where mixture can hide, but I haven\u2019t had any problems as long as I\u2019ve cleaned the machine straight away.<\/p>\n The machine comes with two 493ml tubs as standard from SharkNinja, although some retailers offer three, and you can buy more either directly from the manufacturer<\/a> or at other online retailers<\/a>. Spare parts are available through the brand\u2019s website<\/a>, so if anything does go wrong, it\u2019s usually easy to fix at home.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 it\u2019s quite loud, and it\u2019s unusually tall, so might not fit under some kitchen cabinets.<\/p>\n Machine type: freeze-first Ninja<\/p>\n Creami NC300<\/p>\n from \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Best ice-cream maker for small freezers: Nutribullet<\/p>\n Chill<\/p>\n from \u00a3169.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3169.99 at Currys<\/a>\u00a3169.99 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Nutribullet\u2019s Ninja Creami-esque machine makes ice-cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt with minimum fuss after 24 hours of freezing the mixture in the tub. I was won over by its simple design, and much like the Caso, it was an underdog that surprised me in testing.<\/p>\n Why we love it The texture isn\u2019t quite the same as a classic compressor machine \u2013 it\u2019s less velvety \u2013 but for its compact size and ease of use, the trade-off is one I\u2019d be happy to make.<\/p>\n In performance, it\u2019s similar to the Ninja Creami. The vanilla ice-cream and sorbet recipes came out as expected \u2013 less smooth than a compressor but still delicious \u2013 although I did find that the recipes in Nutribullet\u2019s accompanying booklet and app do need a little tweaking. Using too much fat in your recipe will give you grainy, greasy-tasting results, as the fat from the cream isn\u2019t stable and solidifies. I had better luck swapping out the double cream in Nutribullet\u2019s recipes with a 40:60 split of double and single cream. It also did a great job making vegan ice-cream.<\/p>\n The Nutribullet Chill comes with two 470ml tubs, with extras available to buy<\/a>. In addition, the blade comes away for easy cleaning, plus replacement parts are available for repairing at home.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 it\u2019s ear-shatteringly loud: I found myself having to leave the room while noise levels were being measured. Something to bear in mind if you\u2019re noise-sensitive like I am.<\/p>\n Machine type: freeze-first Nutribullet<\/p>\n Chill<\/p>\n from \u00a3169.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Best soft-serve ice-cream maker: GreenPan<\/p>\n Frost ice-cream maker and slushie machine<\/p>\n from \u00a3328.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3328.99 at Robert Dyas<\/a>\u00a3328.99 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Looking for an all-in-one appliance that will keep both kids and adults happy? Then GreenPan \u2013 best known for, well, its pans<\/a> \u2013 turns out to make a surprisingly capable ice-cream maker, too.<\/p>\n Why we love it: Some research revealed that soft serve works best with an additional stabiliser, such as xanthan gum. I tested this with other batches and found it did indeed help the ice-cream hold its shape better. That said, it\u2019s not essential if you\u2019d rather skip it \u2013 you\u2019ll simply get a more traditional soft-serve texture. The GreenPan Frost also has settings for making milkshakes, slushies (of the booze and booze-free variety) and similar treats.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, one of the downsides of this style of machine is cleaning: it was definitely trickier to clean than others on this list. The Frost has a self-cleaning cycle, while its numerous parts can be disassembled for cleaning in the dishwasher \u2013 a bonus for convenience and repairability. My advice is to run the clean cycle with two to three rinses of warm water and a bit of washing-up liquid before taking apart the machine.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 it\u2019s the priciest model on this list.<\/p>\n Machine type: compressor\/soft serve GreenPan<\/p>\n Frost ice-cream maker and slushie machine<\/p>\n from \u00a3328.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love The best of the restSide by side \u2026 the Lakeland (right) excelled at gelato-style recipes, while the Cuisinart Frost Fusion (left) took more trial and error. Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian Lakeland Compressor ice-cream maker Lakeland<\/p>\n Compressor ice-cream maker<\/p>\n \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3199.99 at Lakeland<\/a><\/p>\n Best for: gelato-style recipes<\/p>\n This is another great classic compressor machine \u2013 simple, with gentle churning that\u2019s ideal for gelato. It performed well in tests, with results in about an hour. It\u2019s also easy to clean.<\/p>\n Unlike the Caso IceCreamer, the Lakeland Compressor machine doesn\u2019t allow you to adjust the timing mid-cycle. When I set it to 40 minutes and realised halfway through that my mixture needed longer, I couldn\u2019t simply press the \u201c+\u201d button to add more time \u2013 I had to stop and restart the machine instead.<\/p>\n Thankfully, this didn\u2019t affect the quality of the ice-cream \u2013 it was still excellent and held its texture well in the freezer. It was just frustrating that I had to use a workaround for something that should have been a simple adjustment.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026 I found the controls counterintuitive and a pain to use. The Caso IceCreamer offered a slightly better user experience.<\/p>\n Machine type: compressor; capacity: 1.8l; average churn time: 30-40mins; noise level: 58dB; dimensions: 49.8 x 38.6 x 30.4cm (WDH); wattage: 150W; warranty: three years<\/p>\n Lakeland<\/p>\n Compressor ice-cream maker<\/p>\n \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Cuisinart Frost Fusion soft-serve ice-cream maker and drinks machine Cuisinart <\/p>\n Frost Fusion<\/p>\n from \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian\u00a3299.99 at Lakeland<\/a>\u00a3199.99 at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Best for: families<\/p>\n I had high hopes for this machine: it\u2019s cheaper and easier to clean than the GreenPan, but I found it more difficult to achieve the right ice-cream consistency. It was always just a bit too soft, even after many tweaks to the recipe.<\/p>\n I started with Cuisinart\u2019s own soft-serve recipe from the accompanying booklet, which uses 100% double cream, sugar and vanilla. Unfortunately, the result was less soft serve, more homemade butter. I initially assumed it was my fault, particularly as I\u2019d halved the quantity \u2013 but when it happened a second time, I realised something was up.<\/p>\n Swapping to a 60:40 mix of single and double cream fixed this \u2013 as it did with other machines \u2013 but the whole experience was rather unpleasant. I wouldn\u2019t recommend using your soft-serve maker to churn butter, by the way \u2013 it\u2019s not particularly easy to clean.<\/p>\n However, the slushies were amazing, and the standard vanilla recipe I used throughout testing was decent, although it lacked the structure I would have liked for soft serve. While there\u2019s nothing catastrophically wrong with the machine itself, be prepared for a lot of trial and error.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026 performance wasn\u2019t up there with the GreenPan, although it is slightly more affordable.<\/p>\n Machine type: compressor\/soft serve; capacity: 1.6l; average churn time: 30-40mins; noise level: 58dB; dimensions: 16.4 x 41.4 x 41.8cm (WDH); wattage: 150W; warranty: three years at Lakeland<\/p>\n Cuisinart <\/p>\n Frost Fusion<\/p>\n from \u00a3199.99<\/p>\n What we love What we don\u2019t love What you need to knowWorth the wait: freeze-first machines, such as the Cuisinart Solo Scoops, need planning ahead, but can produce excellent ice-cream and sorbet. Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The GuardianFreeze first vs compressor ice-cream makers \u2013 what\u2019s the difference?<\/p>\n There was a time when you could only get two types of ice-cream maker. The first was a classic freeze-first model, where you needed to prefreeze the coolant-filled bowl for at least 24 hours before starting. The other was a compressor model, using a built-in refrigeration unit that freezes the chilled mixture as it churns, taking up to 60 minutes.<\/p>\n While these two options are still popular today, others have joined the ice-cream-making party. These include soft-serve and slushie machines, which also use a compressor but churn faster to produce softer, Mr Whippy-style ice-cream. Another type is often described as a \u201cfrozen dessert maker\u201d (such as the Ninja Creami, Nutribullet Chill, and so on). These machines require you to combine ingredients and prefreeze in a tub, after which the mix is processed from frozen with a sharp blade.<\/p>\n These newer models are more flexible in terms of what you can make, but they require more experimentation to get the best results and are often trickier to clean.<\/p>\n How to make ice-cream in an ice-cream maker<\/p>\n I quickly learned during testing that many of the recipes in the ice-cream makers\u2019 accompanying booklets aren\u2019t very good. Most suggest using double cream exclusively, which doesn\u2019t freeze that well and often creates a greasy, grainy texture when it does.<\/p>\n My advice is to stick to tried-and-tested recipes that use stable, lower-fat ingredients. While you need some fat to achieve that delicious, creamy feel, if it\u2019s too much, it goes the other way.<\/p>\n Compressor machines<\/p>\n Keep your cool: compressor models often mean simply adding the chilled mixture and letting the machine do the rest. Photograph: Danielle Amato\/The Guardian<\/p>\n You\u2019ll get great results with most recipes \u2013 I found sorbet and custard-based ice-creams worked best. Simply chill the mixture, then throw it in. In general, mix-ins aren\u2019t advised while freezing and should instead be added at the end using the \u201cchurn-only\u201d setting, which simply spins the paddle.<\/p>\n Freeze-first machines Soft-serve and slushie machines Blade machines How repairable are ice-cream makers?<\/p>\n Repairability varies. If you want a machine that lasts for years, look for one with easily replaceable parts and a simple design. Models with fewer hidden electronics or that can be disassembled into several pieces for cleaning are generally easier to repair at home or by a local professional. In that light, the Nutribullet Chill and Cuisinart Solo Scoops are two of the most easily repairable machines on this list in terms of the spare parts that are available.<\/p>\n However, spare parts won\u2019t always cover you for issues with electrical components. It\u2019s always worth checking whether the manufacturer of your model offers a repair service. Some have dedicated support pages on their websites where you can buy replacement parts, and of course, don\u2019t overlook warranties when you\u2019re making a buying decision, for valuable peace of mind if anything should go wrong.<\/p>\n For more, read the best (and worst) chef\u2019s knives<\/a> and the best blenders for smoothies, soups and frozen desserts<\/a><\/p>\n Danielle Amato is a consumer reviews journalist with almost a decade of experience covering kitchen and home appliances. She\u2019s an avid ice-cream and pasta enthusiast (not at the same time, though she wouldn\u2019t judge) and loves nothing more than getting stuck into a new recipe or appliance in her unofficial test kitchen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I love a scoop or two of the good stuff, even more so when the mercury hits 30C…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":721678,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,59,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-721677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-gb","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=721677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/721678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=721677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=721677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=721677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Caso IceCreamer![\"Caso](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534551_175_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Family-friendly and easy to use<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a worktop hog<\/p>\n
Caso\u2019s IceCreamer was the easiest machine I used, with very little that can actually go wrong. It has a generous two-litre capacity, and as it\u2019s a compressor model, there was no need to prefreeze anything. Caso recommends chilling any mixture beforehand to improve churning times, but that can be as little as an hour \u2013 I\u2019m impatient, and I still got great results after about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
Capacity: 2l
Average churn time: 1hr
Noise level: 67dB
Dimensions: 43 x 28.5 x 28cm (WDH)
Wattage: 180W
Warranty: two years<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Family-friendly and easy to use<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a worktop hog<\/p>\n
Cuisinart Solo Scoops![\"Cuisinart](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534551_131_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
It\u2019s compact and easy to use<\/p>\n
Struggles to produce a good consistency<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re short on counter space or can\u2019t justify the \u00a3200+ spend on a more premium machine, this is a great option. For occasional ice-cream indulgers who prefer to make their desserts from scratch \u2013 I\u2019m thinking people with allergies and dairy-free dessert fans \u2013 the Solo Scoops is a compact, low-risk buy.<\/p>\n
Capacity: 475ml
Average churn time: 30mins
Noise level: 66dB
Dimensions: machine, 25 x 21 x 21cm (WDH); bowl, 15 x 15 x 10cm (WDH)
Wattage: 12W
Warranty: three years<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
It\u2019s compact and easy to use<\/p>\n
Struggles to produce a good consistency<\/p>\n
Ninja Creami NC300![\"Ninja](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534552_651_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes ice-cream easy; good for healthier options<\/p>\n
It\u2019s noisy and freakishly tall<\/p>\n
Ninja\u2019s ice-cream makers are popular for a reason. While some find the brand\u2019s products a little gimmicky (and some are, in my opinion), the Creami stands out because it makes homemade ice-cream genuinely achievable \u2013 even for the most reluctant cooks.<\/p>\n
Capacity: 2 x 493ml
Average churn time: 3mins
Noise level: 81dB
Dimensions: machine, 40.5 x 16.5 x 27cm (WDH); cup only, 11 x 11 x 10.31cm (WDH)
Wattage: 800W
Warranty: two years (needs to be registered if bought from a third-party retailer)<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes ice-cream easy; good for healthier options<\/p>\n
It\u2019s noisy and freakishly tall<\/p>\n
Nutribullet Chill![\"Nutribullet](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534552_555_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Easy to use and comes with two tubs<\/p>\n
It\u2019s ear-shatteringly loud<\/p>\n
The Nutribullet Chill isn\u2019t your classic churning ice-cream maker, but it\u2019s easy to use and produced great results with my vanilla ice-cream and lemon sorbet test mixtures. You make and prefreeze your mixture in a compact 470ml tub, then the machine uses a powerful blade to churn it all up from frozen.<\/p>\n
Capacity: 2 x 470ml
Average churn time: 5mins
Noise level: 96dB
Dimensions: machine, 19.6 x 20.5 x 43.1cm (WDH); cup only, 10.5 x 10.5 x 15cm (WDH)
Wattage: 500W
Warranty: two years if you keep your receipt<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Easy to use and comes with two tubs<\/p>\n
It\u2019s ear-shatteringly loud<\/p>\n
GreenPan Frost ice-cream maker and slushie machine![\"GreenPan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534553_679_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes soft serve, slushies, milkshakes and more<\/p>\n
Expensive and tiresome to clean<\/p>\n
The GreenPan Frost really impressed in tests. I used it to make a custardy vanilla soft serve using Felicity Cloake\u2019s recipe and a soft-serve \u201csorbet\u201d \u2013 essentially, a lemon slushie. My chilled mixture achieved soft-serve consistency in about 25 minutes, but I did have to tweak the recipe a few times to get it right.<\/p>\n
Capacity: 1.9l
Average churn time: 30-40 mins
Noise level: 58dB
Dimensions: 22.2 x 44.1 x 43.8cm (WDH)
Wattage: 150W
Warranty: two years<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes soft serve, slushies, milkshakes and more<\/p>\n
Expensive and tiresome to clean<\/p>\n![\"Lakeland](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534554_984_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes amazing ice-cream<\/p>\n
Controls aren\u2019t very intuitive<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Makes amazing ice-cream<\/p>\n
Controls aren\u2019t very intuitive<\/p>\n![\"Cuisinart](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785534554_428_725.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
More affordable than some; easy to use<\/p>\n
The soft-serve recipe provided doesn\u2019t work<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
More affordable than some; easy to use<\/p>\n
The soft-serve recipe provided doesn\u2019t work<\/p>\n
These require you to freeze the included bowl for at least 24 hours before making ice-cream (I found 36 hours works best as a minimum), as well as chill your mixture in the fridge separately. With this done, you can churn as usual \u2013 but, like compressor models, leave mix-ins until the end.<\/p>\n
These can be a bit trickier to master, especially if the recipes included with your machine aren\u2019t quite right. For best results, stick to stable, medium-fat recipes (eg not just double cream); otherwise you risk making butter. You can use a chilled mixture straight from the fridge, though \u2013 it chills even quicker than a traditional compressor model, so no 24-hour waits.<\/p>\n
These work a bit like freeze-first machines, but instead of freezing the bowl overnight, you freeze the mixture in the tub provided. Again, if it\u2019s too high in fat, your mixture will become grainy, so stick to a custard or single-cream base. You can also freeze certain mix-ins directly within the ice-cream base with these models, as the blade will chop right through them.<\/p>\n