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See why.Large Ice Cream Makers
We churned vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet in five different large ice cream makers to find out which was best for large batches.
What You Need To Know
Large ice cream makers can produce a gallon or more in a single batch, handy for large gatherings. We purchased five models ($33.99 to $269.50) that make 4- or 6-quart batches and tested them by churning vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet.
The results were mixed—and generally less impressive than frozen desserts we’ve made in our favorite smaller-capacity ice cream makers. While the ice creams ranged from appealingly dense and smooth to moderately icy, every batch of raspberry sorbet was unacceptably grainy. The problem boiled down to how quickly the machines could freeze their contents: To achieve smooth, dense texture, an ice cream maker must freeze the base as quickly as possible to minimize the formation of large ice crystals (which we perceive as grainy or icy). But because these large-capacity machines have more base to freeze, it took them longer, and most of the resulting ice creams and sorbets developed relatively large ice crystals and felt grainy. (The dairy fat, egg yolks, and corn syrup in our vanilla ice cream recipe helped prevent the formation of large ice crystals somewhat.)
Also of note was the work required to operate these machines, which might be a fun project or a fussy mess depending on how much time and space you have to accommodate them. Though motorized, large ice cream makers cool the base the old-fashioned way—you pour a mixture of ice and rock salt around the metal canisters that hold the base, which are set in large wooden or plastic buckets. The attached motor spins the canister through the salted ice (rock salt, which can be purchased at most hardware stores, lowers the freezing temperature of the ice to keep it colder), but these machines require babysitting. In addition to refilling the ice and salt one to three times during churning to replace the melted ice, we occasionally needed to unlatch the motor to lift the opaque lids and check the ice creams’ consistencies. The canisters also sometimes became caught on chunks of ice and stalled. Churning frozen desserts in smaller ice cream makers is more hands-off because these appliances are either self-refrigerating or have a double-walled canister that contains coolant and gets chilled in the freezer prior to churning.
What’s more, churned ice cream and sorbet must typically spend a few hours in the freezer to firm up—but unless you have a large freezer, the tall (up to 14 inches) canisters might not fit. (Some manufacturers claimed that the buckets could be repacked with more ice and covered with a towel to freeze, but this technique was ineffective.) They were also considerably louder than most small ice cream makers, and some models lea...
Everything We Tested
Recommended with reservations
- Sorbet: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ice Cream: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
The stainless-steel canister and quick-spinning motor produced smooth, appropriately dense ice cream in 21 minutes (half the time of other models), but it must be used outdoors since it makes a loud noise while churning and leaks salty water. The motor was also tricky to latch into place, and sorbet was icy.
- Sorbet: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ice Cream: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
Ice cream churned in this plastic machine was just a tad harder and icier than we’d like, and sorbet was granular. With less space for ice than other models, it required frequent refilling.
Not Recommended
- Sorbet: 0.5 stars out of 3.
- Ice Cream: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
We appreciated this wooden bucket’s affordable price and sturdy handles, but it utterly failed at making frozen desserts. It took the longest to churn vanilla ice cream (46 minutes compared to an average of 41), which resulted in large ice crystals. Sorbet was also icy to the point of being crunchy.
- Sorbet: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ice Cream: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 0.5 stars out of 3.
The large ice crystals in this maker’s ice cream and sorbet were only part of the problem. During testing, one of the bucket’s wooden slats came loose and had to be repeatedly slid back into place.
- Sorbet: 0.5 stars out of 3.
- Ice Cream: 0.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 0.5 stars out of 3.
This extra-large bucket required a lot of ice, and its 14-inch tall canister was too tall for shorter testers to scoop from comfortably. Vanilla ice cream remained soft even after freezing, while the sorbet was icy and coarse.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Kate Shannon
Kate is a deputy editor for ATK Reviews. She's a culinary school graduate and former line cook and cheesemonger.