The 6 Best Ice Cream Makers for Perfect At-Home Ice Cream

Picture it: A hot, sunny day in the middle of summer. You're sitting on your new-built porch swing, enjoying the breeze. What could possibly make this experience any better?

A scoop of homemade ice cream! Homemade ice cream has it all over the store-bought stuff. That's because you know exactly what goes into it, so you can skip the weird ingredients and dial into the flavors you most want. We tend to go for extra creamy and not too sweet. (Not sure what to make? These 45+ ice cream recipes should have you covered.)

Now, you don't actually need an ice cream maker to make ice cream. (Here's an easy no-churn recipe.) But having one makes whipping up a pint or two just as easy as can be, and come summer, you may find yourself using it all the time.

That's why we sorted through all of the many, many ice cream makers on the market to find you five of the best-rated, most-loved, and most useful machines, so you can easily select the right one for you, no matter your situation. Whether you live in an apartment, love the look of old-school stuff, want the kids to be able to serve themselves, need something for entertaining friends, or would just love a bowl of ice cream late at night, we've got the device for you. We've even found the ultimate high-end model for those of you who want the freshest ice cream for the least amount of work—and it looks absolutely gorgeous.