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Vonshef Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, £44.99

Ideal for families

VONSHEF STAINLESS STEEL ICE CREAM MAKER

Size: When assembled 23cm H x 24cm W x 20.5cm D Inner pre-freeze bowl 14.5cm H x 19cm D Capacity: 2L Type: Pre-freeze Guarantee: 2 years Price: £44.99 The low down: This ice cream maker has a large capacity and sleek, no-fuss design which makes it perfect for small kitchens and large families. It makes a whopping two litres of ice cream in one sitting, which is around the same size as your usual supermarket tub. This means you can easily serve a family of four and still have enough left over for the rest of the week. Like other pre-freeze models, the internal freezing bowl needs to be placed in the freezer for at least eight hours before you use it. However, the large capacity of the bowl means you can pop other frozen items inside it to keep it in the freezer long-term, without wasting space.

The instructions that come with the machine are minimal, with diagrams only to help you to assemble it for the first time. However, as it doesn’t have many pieces, it is reasonably easy to put together. Operating the machine is super simple as there’s only one button to switch the machine on and off. The motor rotates the paddle smoothly inside the pre-freeze bowl and you pour your ingredients straight through the open chute in the lid, which also allows you to add any extras. You can also change the direction of the paddle by briefly turning the machine off, then on again, which can help to make a smoother ice cream. In our test, the ice cream took 25 minutes to churn and then needed a couple of hours in the freezer to firm up. The texture was smooth and creamy and the taste was delicious. Even after a night in the freezer it was easily scoopable.

Once the ice cream is made, the motor can be removed entirely, which makes for safe and simple cleaning. The machine’s small scale makes it easy to store, and if the internal bowl is tucked into the freezer, all the other pieces fit neatly inside the casing. Size: 32cm H x 38.5cm W x 28.5cm D Capacity: 1L Type: Built-in freezer Guarantee: 3 years Price: £179.99 The low down: If you’re looking for reliability, minimum fuss or only have a small freezer, the Compressor Ice Cream Maker from Lakeland is a great option. Its built-in freezer means you don’t have to worry about pre-freezing your mixing bowl. What’s more, its useful extended cooling function, which keeps the ice cream cold for up to an hour once made, makes it ideal for entertaining too.

The in-built freezer means this machine is larger than pre-freeze models, so storage and counter space are considerations. Once set up and plugged in, it’s simple to use; position the removable mixing blade in the centre, then place the transparent lid and motor in line with it on top. The ingredients are poured in through the opening, then you simply set the timer, press start and leave it to do its thing. The opening is on the small side, but we found using the measuring cup, which came included, was the best way of adding ingredients.

The machine’s booklet has easy-to-follow pictured instructions and there are 11 ice cream recipes included to give you plenty of flavour inspiration. The machine will let you make gelato too, by adjusting the churning frequency on the timer.

In our test, it took 50 minutes to churn and freeze one litre of ingredients into a delicious, thick ice cream that was ready to eat – or, if we’d had more resistance, could easily have been dispensed into a tub for eating later.

This model is on the upper end of the price scale, but if you’re a regular ice cream buyer it’s a great long-term investment and we love that you can whip up your favourite flavour without the need to plan in advance.

For ice cr eam addict s

Lakeland Compressor Ice Cream Maker, £179.99

IN THE FRO

What’s the difference between gelato and ice cream? Here’s some frozen dessert knowledge you didn’t know you needed... ICE CREAM usually has a custard base. It requires a high whipping process to produce a light texture and a cold serving temperature to maintain a hard texture. GELATO includes more milk and less cream than ice cream. A slower churning technique makes it less airy and gives it a thicker texture. It’s also stored and served at a slightly higher temperature than ice cream, which brings out the flavours more.