Best Ice Cream Makers August 2026
Finding the perfect ice cream maker can transform your dessert game. This guide helps you compare the best models on the market, from versatile all-in-ones to powerful dedicated machines. We've gathered the key features, pros, and cons to help you choose the right one for your kitchen.
Last updated: 14 August 2026
Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker climbed 1 position
Ninja NC501UK dropped 1 position
Ice Cream Makers: Top 5
1
Ninja Creami NC300EU
from £179.9913 stores
from £179.99
13 stores
2
Ninja Creami Swirl
from £317.1915 stores
from £317.19
15 stores
3
Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker
from £249.0016 stores
1
from £249.00
16 stores
4
Ninja NC501UK
from £199.0017 stores
1
from £199.00
17 stores
5
Magimix Gelato Expert 11680
from £448.007 stores
from £448.00
7 stores
The Ninja Creami NC300EU is a popular and versatile machine that goes beyond just ice cream, with settings for soft serve, slushies, and even yoghurt. Its 800W motor is powerful, but be aware that user reviews mention it can be very loud and may require a few cycles to achieve the perfect texture.
Pros
Versatile: makes ice cream, soft serve, and slush
Includes a yoghurt function
Powerful 800 W motor
Available in multiple colours
Cons
Can be extremely loud during operation
Small 0.5 litre maximum volume
May require multiple runs for smooth consistency
The Ninja Creami Swirl is a modern ice cream maker with user-friendly features like dishwasher-safe parts and a viewing window. It offers the same 800W power as other Ninja models and includes functions for soft serve and yoghurt, all operated via a sleek touch interface.
Pros
Dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleaning
Features a convenient viewing window
Modern touch controls
Also functions as a soft serve and yoghurt maker
Cons
Small 0.47 litre maximum volume
Quite heavy at 9.45 kg
Requires pre-freezing the bowl
Unlike the other models on this list, the Ninja SLUSHi is a dedicated machine designed specifically for making frozen drinks and slushies. It comes in many vibrant colours but does not have the functionality to produce ice cream or sorbet.
Pros
Specialised machine for making slushies
Available in a wide range of fun colours
Cons
Does not make traditional ice cream
Very limited functionality
The Ninja NC501UK is another powerful 800W ice cream maker in the Creami family, standing out with a larger 0.709-litre bowl capacity. It combines a rotary dial and touch controls for operation and features dishwasher-safe parts to simplify cleaning.
Pros
Larger bowl capacity (0.709 litre)
Powerful 800 W motor
Dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleanup
Hybrid rotary and touch controls
Cons
Only makes ice cream
Requires pre-freezing the bowl
The Magimix Gelato Expert is a traditional high-capacity ice cream maker with a built-in compressor, so you don't need to pre-freeze the bowl. It can produce up to 2 litres of ice cream in about 30 minutes, making it ideal for larger households or entertaining guests.
Pros
Built-in compressor, no pre-freezing needed
Very large 2-litre capacity for big batches
Makes ice cream in about 30 minutes
Durable stainless steel bowl
Cons
Significantly heavier than other models (10.9 kg)
Lower power motor at 180 W
Compare specifications
| Type | Ice cream machine, Slush machine, Soft serve ice cream, Yoghurt function | Ice cream machine, Soft serve ice cream, Yoghurt function | Slush machine | Ice cream machine | Ice cream machine, With compressor, Yoghurt function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 800 W | 800 W | — | 800 W | 180 W |
| Maximum ice cream volume | 0.5 litre | 0.47 litre | — | — | 2 litre |
| Preparation time | 0 min | 5 min | — | — | 30 min |
| Requires freezer | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
How we create the list
The ranking is updated monthly and is based on data we collect from our own platform. Products that rank highly are popular among our users while also maintaining high quality according to editorial expert assessments. Specifically, we weigh how many users follow the product via price alerts or lists, how it is rated by experts and users, as well as how much traffic it generates to stores and how well it is represented in retail. The texts on this page are AI-generated and created to give you a quick and clear overview. No products are paid placements – the ranking is driven solely by data.
