Best Compressor Ice Cream Maker

Today we’re going to be looking at the best compressor ice cream maker, and the prices you have to pay to be able to own one.

The reason we would all like a compressor ice cream maker is so we can make ice cream whenever we want without have to prepare in advance, apart from mixing up your favourite recipe. With ice cream being one of the favourite desserts that you can buy, it can work out expensive to buy everyone’s favourite flavour, especially when you can make them for a fraction of the price and you can choose the flavours your family want with their favourite add-in sweets as well.

Check out our favourite the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

#1 Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker

We would like to start with the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker, which is one of the most popular compressor ice cream makers.

What makes it very popular is the fact it has touch button control, which automatically sets your timer to the best amount of time to churn your ice cream, or other ices you can make, to the consistency you prefer.

It’s easy to select what you want, and five minutes before the ice cream has finished, it will alert you, so you can add your choice of sweets etc into the ice cream, while it’s still soft enough to mix in easily. After that it will alert you when it’s finished, with an ice cream van tune, if you wish, and if you aren’t ready to eat it straight away, it will keep it cool for up to 3 hours.

The Breville BCI600XL has a 1.5 quart capacity, with a removable ice cream bucket. There is also a pre-cool function which will cool down the bucket for 10 minutes before you add the ice cream batter to the machine. The compressor refrigerates the unit, allowing you to make ice cream without adding ice or pre-freezing the bucket for 24 hours beforehand. The processing time is about 50 minutes depending on the firmness you prefer for your ice cream.

This is a very easy machine to use but at $375 it’s not the cheapest.

Read the full review of the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker

If you want to buy the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker check out Amazon.com

#2 Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

Our second choice of Compressor Ice Cream Maker is the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker.

This ice cream maker is very easy to use, it literally has a timer button, which you can set up to 60 minutes, this is one of the main differences to the Breville BCI600XL. Once you have made your ice cream a couple of times, you are going to know roughly how long you want to run it for to give you the consistency that you like. There is also a keep cool function which begins when your timer has finished, but only for 10 minutes, so you will need to be prepared to put it in a container for storage or eat it straight away.

The Cuisinart ICE-100 has a capacity of 1.5 quarts and there is a removable ice bucket. There is also 2 paddles with this machine, one for the ice cream, it adds more air into the mixture, and one for gelato, which is a more dense ice so less air. The compressor refrigerates the unit, which freezes the ice cream batter. The processing time for the ice cream is about 50 minutes depending on your preference.

This is a simple to use machine, basic controls but once you know your times, makes great ice cream. The price runs around $265, so a little cheaper that the Breville.

Read our full review of the Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

If you want to buy the Cuisinart ICE-100 check out Amazon.com for the latest offers.

#3 Gourmia GSI400 Automatic Ice Cream Maker Stainless Steel 2.2 Qt Sleek Serve

The Gourmia GSI400 is our third choice in compressor ice cream makers.

The first difference in this machine is the capacity you can make, which is 2.2 quarts. Visibly it looks like the other two machines, functionality is much the same too.

This Gourmia GSI400 ice cream maker has a built in compressor, a removable ice cream bucket and a control panel with some simple options. There is the basic ice cream mixing function, the timer option allows from 5 minutes up to 60 minutes, although the processing time is less than 45 minutes. There is a cooling option for up to 10 minutes to cool the mixture before churning, there is a mixing only mode for adding sweets etc to the ice cream and a hold and stay cold feature for up to 10 minutes after your ice cream is finished.

This is quite a simple to use machine, with the added benefit of a 2.2 quart capacity and the price is very competitive.

Buy the Gourmia GSI400 Automatic Ice Cream Maker Stainless Steel 2.2 Qt Sleek Serve at Amazon.com 

 

#4 Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, 2.1-Quart, Silver

The Whynter ICM-200LS is our fourth choice in compressor ice cream makers. 

This is a 2.1 quart capacity ice cream making machine. It has a removable ice cream bucket and a press button timer control and temperature display. It does not require the ice cream batter to be pre-frozen and has an audible timer so you know when it’s finished.

The ice cream processing time is between 30-60 minutes depending on the mixture and your preference in firmness of the ice cream. There is a mixing only function on this machine that you can use to mix through your batter before churning or to add your extras to the mixture before it’s finished. This can be used for up to 10 minutes.

The Whynter ICM-200LS  also has a cooling only mode, which will keep the ice cream frozen for up to 30 minutes without mixing.

This has an easy to use control panel and a motor safety cut off to prevent burn out, in case the mixture freezes too much to turn the paddle. The price is around $290.

Read our full review of the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, 2.1-Quart, Silver

To buy the Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker check out Amazon.com

#5 Lello 4080 Musso Lussino 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker, Stainless

Our last choice is the Lello 4080 which is more of a commercial ice cream maker in terms of price and capability but is not too large for the home.

This ice cream maker is a high quality, well made machine with a 1.5 quart capacity. There is no separate ice cream bowl as it is incorporated within the base. It has a removable stainless steel paddle which is secured to the machine when in use.

The controls are simple to use, a timer dial, a compressor on and off switch and a churning on and off switch. The processing time for the ice cream is 20-30 minutes depending on your preference. The quality of the compressor makes the churning time quicker and the ice cream very smooth and creamy. The incorporated bowl is a little more difficult to clean, but not enough to cause a problem.

This Lello 4080 is very easy to use and could be an investment piece, but the price of about $700 is a lot to pay for a home machine.

If you want to buy the Lello 4080 Musso Lussino check out Amazon.com 

Verdict

All of these ice cream makers offer pretty much the same options, and all make good quality ice cream. Looking for the best compressor ice cream maker for you depends on your needs and circumstances, but our recommendation based on the best star rating on Amazon.com is the Cuisinart ICE-100 , it offers ease of use, good ice cream and a reasonable price.