We’ve tested many of the best ice cream makers, and honestly, they can be kind of a chore. If you’re not shelling out big bucks for a compressor machine, canister models provide a more budget-friendly path to homemade ice cream. But their mixing bowls must be frozen overnight, which is no help when the craving hits unexpectedly.
You could just DoorDash something or even pop over to a drive-thru to satisfy your sweet tooth. I’ve resorted to both plenty of times, but those desperate moves have never been as rewarding as the frozen creations I’ve whipped up with the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker. Let me explain why this old-school contraption is my new favorite home appliance.
With almost no prep and minimal ingredients, the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker deploys a centuries-old method that can satisfy a late-night craving or supply a big batch of frozen goodness for a whole party.
What I liked about it
Zero prep and a perfected process
Perhaps the best feature of the Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker is that you don’t have to freeze the mixing bowl before using the machine. Bypassing this burden means the only prep needed to make ice cream is to assemble your ingredients. Most classic recipes call for a cooked custard mixture that combines a dairy base and whisked eggs. It’s a delicate process that takes practice — trust me. Nail it and you’ll attain an ice cream that has tremendous texture. Overheat it just a smidge and your ice cream will smell of rotten eggs.
I instead got hooked on a shortcut formula that creates a soft, airy ice cream so good it might make a Wendy’s Frosty jealous. Called the “easy” vanilla ice cream by Hamilton Beach, and categorized as “Philadelphia style” to most purists, it requires only five ingredients: milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Stir together those ingredients, then let the machine go to work. A plug-in motor turns a plastic dasher enforced by a metal rod inside the canister. As the cream churns within, you layer ice and salt in a plastic bucket that houses the canister. It’s a technique that dates back to 1843, according to the Ice Cream Alliance. Salt drops the freezing point of the ice, which in turn draws heat from the ice cream mixture and starts to melt. That transfer rapidly chills the ice cream, and the constant churning develops a smooth texture instead of frozen chunks.
Once the mixture thickens, the motor will slow. This took about 30 minutes for full batches. Half batches — I can’t eat 4 quarts of ice cream alone, and Hamilton Beach suggests keeping uncooked creations for up to one week — never slowed because they didn’t have the volume to hinder the motor. I often let those churn for a full 40 minutes to get a thicker result.
The ice cream is darn good
I wish there were visual proof of the first spoonful I tried from this machine because my visceral reaction would have been a meme. I was blown away. It’s not hard serve or soft serve. It might be closer to a thick milkshake, but even that’s inaccurate because it’s not straw eligible. It’s dense yet fluffy and melts in your mouth. The texture lets the flavors truly sing. To me, that’s a 10.
I’ve found the ice cream to be at its best right when it’s done mixing, but don’t fret if you prefer a firmer ice cream. Anything made with the Hamilton Beach can be stored in the freezer to harden up in a few hours, and there’s no need to transfer to another container either. The canister’s lid comes with a rubber plug for storage.
The recipe I’ve fallen for has several variations. I’ve mastered the cookies and cream version, which replaces half the sugar with Oreos. The ice cream turns to a black-and-white base while the crushed cookies spread throughout. Other mix-ins like cookie dough would work great too, or peep the instruction packet for dozens of additional flavors and recipes. Frozen yogurt, sherbet, sorbet and gelato are all on the table, the last of which is on my to-do list (because an affogato is undefeated).
It’s rewarding
If you’ve read this far and thought all of this sounds like a lot of work for a bowl of ice cream, I get it. A gallon from the supermarket tastes good too, and it’s not hard to keep one at the ready in your freezer. But I subscribe to the notion that some things simply taste better because I made them myself. Give me a Negroni at home over an expensive cocktail at a bar or a patty off the backyard grill instead of the latest viral smashburger. My feelings are no different when it comes to the Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker. There’s something special about pulling the dasher out of the canister and seeing my own ice cream slowly droop back into itself.
What I didn’t like about it
Loud is an understatement
There’s no silencing the noise this machine emits. Watching a movie or calling your mom in the adjacent room is nearly impossible because the motor’s constant hum is annoying. Pro tip: While you wait it out, throw on some noise-canceling headphones, do the dishes and get your toppings ready. Rainbow sprinkles or nothing!
It doesn’t save me money
As much joy as the Hamilton Beach has brought me, the cost of production will prevent me from making ice cream every night — or even every week. The machine itself is affordable, usually between $50 and $60, and none of the ingredients are that expensive on their own. Collectively, though, it adds up to a lot more than a trip to even the fanciest ice cream parlor. You gotta be in this for the love of the game.
How it compares
The 4-quart canister of the Hamilton Beach is a big plus if you want to make ice cream for guests. Our best-tested ice cream maker, the Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker ICE-21P1, works with a frozen bowl and has less than half the capacity. The smaller size does have a benefit, though. It took about 15 minutes to make ice cream in the Cuisinart, one of the faster models in our testing.
Counter space is another consideration. While most parts of the Hamilton Beach can fit into its large outer bucket, it won’t have much aesthetic appeal in your kitchen. Perhaps the ice cream maker attachment for the gorgeous KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer is a better bet for ice cream lovers who have appearance in mind.
Bottom line
Forget about the song of the summer — this Hamilton Beach ice cream maker has discovered the sweet treat of the summer. The creamy, fluffy, filling mixture it creates is heavenly. Learning how to use it is a piece of cake (can I say that in an ice cream review?), whether you’re making a solo serving or you have a bunch of mouths to feed. Its noisy motor means you can’t actively listen to something else in the same room, but the volume is worth it. If you want to try your hand at ice cream at home, this is a great place to start.
