Top 10 Best Value Ice Cream Makers – sweet picks on a budget

Samuel J Tan Home & Kitchen, Ice Cream Makers, Kitchen, Summer Essentials 0

It’s often difficult to explain the need or the desire for an ice cream maker, after all, it isn’t so difficult to pop down to the local supermarket to pick out a favourite flavour from a favourite manufacturer.

Truth be told the thing that got me hooked on having to have an ice-cream maker was the thought of making strawberry ice-cream with real strawberries (and cream). I was never a fan of store bought strawberry ice cream – not the sickly sweet pink stuff they pass off as strawberry ice cream. It was Hagen Daz that got me hooked – Strawberry ice cream with real strawberries and not a drop of food colouring in sight.

This was quickly followed by Belgian chocolate ice-cream, and then Matcha Green Tea ice cream and before you know it – an ice cream maker becomes a necessity not just a far off ideal.

So as I researched for the best ice cream maker to buy, I had to console myself with two limitations, space and budget. The budget bit meant that I was limited to non-compressor freeze the bowl type ice cream makers (although we take a look at them here – imagine 1.5L of creamy luscious ice-cream in 30 minutes!) and the space limitation, meant that I had to find something that would take up the least amount of freezer space.

All things considered – the Phillips ice cream maker was the best option for us at the time simply because all it required was freezing a saline filled disc instead. However if freezer space isn’t a premium for you, then there are quite a few options to consider.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Best Value Ice Cream Makers with Freezing Bowl

While Freezer Bowl based ice cream makers are not as elegant or as simple and straight-forward as the ones with built-in compressors, for the significant financial savings (a fraction of the price), it certainly makes a great option for the pleasure of a good litre (and sometimes more) of pure home made ice cream.

Now for a closer look at each of these ice cream makers.

Cuisinart ICE30 Deluxe Ice Cream Maker

Fully automatic for efortless preparation, just turn the dial and fill the bowl.
Capacity: 2 litre – BIG CAPACITY
Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes
Other Features: Detachable mixing arm, lid and freezer bowl for eacy cleaning

Andrew James Premium Digital Ice Cream Maker

Fully automatic with digital count down timer so you know when your ice cream is ready. Unit in Plum red.
Capacity: 1.5 litre
Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes
Other Features: extra large ingredient funnel, detachable accessories for cleaning, free recipe book by Annette Yates included

Tefal Gelato Ice Cream Maker

Gel canister technology and aluminium pot for optimal freezing result
Capacity: 1.6 litre
Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes
Other Features: transparent lid with window to add ingredients during freezing process. Recipe book included.

Hamilton Beach 68330R Automatic Ice Cream Maker REQUIRES ICE AND ROCK SALT

Prepare home made ice cream, frozen yogurt, custard, sherbet and gelato. No need to freeze bowl but requires ice and rock salt for the outer bowl.
Capacity: 4 Quartz (approx 4.5 litre)
Preparation Time: 20-40 minutes
Other Features: 20 recipes included in user manual.

Newer model Hamilton Beach 68321Z Ice Cream Maker at 1.5 quarts (1.7 litres) capacity available with freezing bowl (does not require ice or rock salt).

Orbit Gelato Ice Cream Maker

Fast freezing insulating bowl.
Capacity: 1 litre – SMALL CAPACITY
Preparation Time: 30-40 minutes
Other Features: removable bowl and paddle for easy cleaning

Andrew James Ice Cream Maker Machine

Makes ice cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt with fast freezing bowl and extra large ingredient funnel.
Capacity: 1.45 litre
Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes
Other Features: Removable paddle and bowl for easy cleaning. 128 page Recipe Book included. Available in white or red.

Philips HR2304 Ice Cream Maker

Uses a cooling disc instead of freezing bowl, takes up less space in the freezer. A container under the disc keeps saline solution.
Capacity: 1.0 litre – SMALL CAPACITY
Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes
Other Features: Removable paddle and freezing disc for ease of cleaning.

Duronic IM525 Ice Cream Maker

Mix ingredients and leave in fridge then leave bowl in freezer overnight or for 8 hours, pour ingredients into the bowl, connect it up and switch on.
Capacity: 1.2 litre (a 1.5 litre version is also available Duronic IM540 and IM525 spare bowl)
Preparation Time: 15-30 minutes
Other Features: large funnel for extra ingredients, clear view lid to keep an eye on consistency. Also includes Ben and Jerry Home Made Ice Cream Recipe Book

Kenwood IM200 Ice Cream Maker

Fast freezing insulated bowl with double insulation
Capacity: 1.1 litre
Preparation Time: 25-40 minutes
Other Features: Removable clear lid, freezing bowl and paddle for easy cleaning.

VonShef Ice Cream Maker

Makes delicious ice cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt in less than half an hour.
Capacity: 1.45 litre
Preparation Time: 15-25 minutes
Other Features: easy to clean accessories, see through lid with ingredient funnel. Add anything from fruit, herbs, chocolate, nuts or seeds.

If you are looking for a more substantial ice cream maker with the convenient built-in cooler and not having to wait overnight to cool your bowl in your freezer, then consider one of these electric ice cream maker with built-in compressor.

Top Hint: Be brave and experiment with flavours. Using the basic vanilla recipe, you can add and adapt it to suit a variety of different flavours. Also remember to try sherbets and sorbets which are amazing on a hot summer’s day.

Right – off now to make a Strawberry-laced elderflower sorbet.

Ice Cream Recipes Online

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Copycat Recipes By Angela Harris

Best Ice Cream Recipe Books

When you have invested in one of these ice cream maker, be sure to look at some of my recommended recipe books at the bottom of the article to make the most of it. Below are the must have ice cream recipe books.