How to Choose the Best Ice Cream Maker For You What's the best ice cream maker for you? Almost everyone agrees there's something special about homemade ice cream, and that the easiest way to make it is with an ice cream maker. But not everyone will agree on which is the best machine. Finding the best one for you depends very much on your family and your style of doing things. If you've never owned one before, you might think it's just a matter of looking up the best rated machines and buying one of the top ones. Sounds good, but that's actually step two of the process. Many people don't realize that there different kinds of machines until they start looking for one and find themselves faced with a myriad of very different choices. Do you want a manual or an electric model? A top of the line self-cooling compressor machine or an old fashioned bucket freezer? More importantly, does it make any difference? Yes, it does. The kind of machine you choose will affect how you make it, how much time it takes and how smooth and light it turns out. It will make a difference in the noise level in your kitchen and especially in how much advance planning you'll need before you can get started. Electric gel-canister models require you to plan a day ahead. The biggest ones only make 2 quarts. But they're affordable and easy to clean. If you want to churn out 6 quarts at a time, on the other hand, you'll need a freezer bucket and will have make sure you have lots (and I mean lots!) of ice and salt on hand. With a compressor ice cream maker, there's no advance preparation required and the results will be so far beyond anything you've ever made, you won't believe it. But you'll have to provide enough storage room and be able to cover the high cost of one. For more info about Schneeeis click here.