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Top Ice Cream Makers for Hot Summer Days

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Ice cream is one of the most popular treats for a hot summer day. While you can head to the store and pick up a pint of your favorite flavor, it doesn't hold a candle to whipping up a batch of creamy goodness at home. Add any ingredients you like to make your blend or stick with a tried-and-true recipe. These top ice cream machines do the work for you so you can save your energy for other fun summer activities.

Best Overall: Whynter ICM-15LS Ice Cream Maker

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The Whynter ICM-15LS ice cream maker has a built-in compressor, so there's no need to prefreeze the bowl. That means you don't have to put much planning into your ice cream maker. Toss in the ingredients, set the timer, and enjoy your ice cream in about 30 to 40 minutes. Other features include an audible timer and a motor protection function.

Best High-end Ice Cream Maker: Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker

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If you're passionate about your ice cream, the Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-quart ice cream maker comes with all the bells and whistles. It can crank out 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream per hour. You don't have to freeze the bowl ahead of time so that you can make batches back to back. The machine is fully automatic and easy to use.

Budget-friendly Ice Cream Maker: Nostalgia ICMP400BLUE 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker

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The Nostalgia ICMP400BLUE 4-quart electric ice cream maker offers a balance of quality and price. The bucket style is easy to use and reminiscent of old-time ice cream makers. The large bowl makes large four-quart batches of ice cream, making it suitable for a birthday party or other event. The plastic housing is easy to clean so that you can wipe away sticky messes easily.

Most Versatile Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream Maker

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The Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5-quart frozen yogurt-ice cream maker comes with a wide mixing paddle and heavy-duty motor making it durable enough to make a variety of frozen desserts — not just ice cream. The wide ingredient spout makes it easy to add ingredients like fruits, nuts, candy, and more. Once you freeze the mixing bowl, you can have dessert in as little as 20 minutes.

Best Fully Automatic Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence

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The Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence does all the work with its integrated motor and fully automatic design. Add the ingredients, turn it on, and let it do its job. Monitor its progress through the transparent easy-lock lid and add mix-ins through the ingredients spout without disrupting the process. In 25 minutes, you will have two quarts of homemade ice cream.

Best Ice Cream Maker Attachment: KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment

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If you want homemade ice cream without adding another small appliance to your kitchen, the KitchenAid KICA0WH ice cream maker attachment is an accessory you can use with your KitchenAid stand mixer. The bowl is compatible with 4.5-quart and larger models and makes up to two quarts of ice cream at a time. The bowl is dishwasher-safe, meaning little to no mess to clean when you're done.

Best Gelato Maker: Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

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Some people prefer the dense texture and rich flavor of gelato, so the Cuisinart ICE-100 compressor ice cream and gelato maker gives you the option of making both. It comes with two mixing paddles to create the perfect consistency for whatever dessert you make. The Keep Cool features keep your ice cream or gelato cool and ready to serve even after the timer has gone off.

Most Stylish Appearance: Cuisinart ICE-70 Electric Ice Cream Maker

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If you want an ice cream maker that looks good on the countertop, check out the Cuisinart ICE-70 electric ice cream maker. It has a brushed metal exterior and an LCD screen control panel. It's not all looks, however. The two-quart ice cream machine has multiple speeds, one-touch operation, and whips up ice cream in as little as 20 minutes.

Best Old-fashioned Ice Cream Maker: Nostalgia ICMP400WD Electric Wood Bucket Ice Cream Maker

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The old-fashioned appearance of the Nostalgia ICMP400WD electric wood bucket ice cream maker is reminiscent of old-time ice cream makers. This makes making ice cream as much fun as eating it. Use ice and salt to cool the canister while the electric motor does the rest. The large-capacity ice cream maker can churn up to four quarts of ice cream per batch.

Fastest Ice Cream Maker: Aicok BL1500C Ice Cream Maker

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If you want to make ice cream but don't want to wait, the Aicok BL1500C ice cream maker is one of the fastest models around. It makes 1.6 quarts of ice cream in as little as 15 minutes. This model needs just eight hours of freeze time before you can use the bowl. The machine comes apart easily, so cleanup is a breeze.

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