SUMMER is here and buying ice cream for the kids every day is expensive.
And yet, this fuss-free dessert hits the sweet spot when the weather warms up every time.
Instead of splashing out on shop-bought treats, you could consider investing in an ice cream maker.
Not only is it fun for the kids but you are in control of exactly what goes in it, so it could be a worthwhile investment.
With so many on offer though, it can be hard to pick the right machine for you.
We asked mum-of-three Lynsey Hope to try out a range of best-sellers.
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She made a simple vanilla ice cream in each one before sharing her verdict.
Sensio Ice Cream Maker
- £29.95, Amazon
Small and compact, this is a great option for anyone short on space and budget.
The bottom half of this goes in the freezer but as it is quite an awkward shape, it took up a lot of space and sometimes squeezing it in was a bit of a struggle.
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It took 35 minutes to churn up some thick and creamy ice cream.
It was easy to assemble and clean. Overall, I was impressed given the price.
- Ease of use: 9/10
- Taste of ice cream: 8/10
- Value for money: 8/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Judge Electricals Ice Cream Maker (1.5L)
- £37.50, judge.co.uk
Loved the fully automatic, one-touch operation, the clear markings and instructions on this.
The mixture didn't separate – as happened with others – and it was easy to experiment with lots of different flavours.
You do need to find room in your freezer to pre-freeze the bowl for eight hours before use, but it was relatively compact.
It felt robust and built to last, was a great price and the ice cream was lush.
- Ease of use: 10/10
- Taste of ice cream: 9/10
- Value for money: 8/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Ninja 1.4L Creami Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Maker
- £200, argos.co.uk
Most models slowly churn and freeze the ice cream mix, but this base needs to be frozen solid first.
Once frozen, you can add it to the bowl and set it off.
Powerful blades then "shave" and churn the frozen mix into smooth and creamy ice cream.
It's super quick and only takes two to three minutes to turn the solid block into ice cream but the downside is you have to freeze your mixture for 24 hours before use, so you need to plan ahead.
You can use it for gelato, smoothies, sorbets and milkshakes too.
You can only make one pint at a time, but it was easy to clean and looked stylish in the kitchen.
Just a shame it's SO expensive.
- Ease of use: 9/10
- Taste of ice cream: 10/10
- Value for money: 7/10
- Overall score: 8/10
VonShef Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker
- £34.99, vonhaus.com
It took me a while to get the hang of this one as the instructions were not very clear and it was quite tricky to set up.
I also had a lot of waste as the ingredients had a tendency to stick to the side of the bowl.
The lid was opaque so you couldn't check on the progress of your ice cream which I found a bit frustrating.
It is budget-friendly as well as being one of the fastest. It can make ice cream in just 20 minutes.
What came out was soft-serve, nicely whipped and creamy but all in all, I found it too much faff and would rather just buy a tub than bother with this again.
- Ease of use: 3/10
- Taste of ice cream: 8/10
- Value for money: 4/10
- Overall score: 4/10
Chill Factor Ice Cream Maker
- £9.99, Lidl stores
Quite good fun and easy enough even for the kids to use.
They loved being able to decide what went in.
The amount you end up with is quite small and it's less ice cream, more slushy or a frozen yoghurt type texture.
It wasn't the easiest to clean either but great fun and small if you don't want another cumbersome appliance on your kitchen worktop.
- Ease of use: 8/10
- Taste of ice cream: 5/10
- Value for money: 8/10
- Overall score: 7/10
Giles & Posner Ice Cream Maker
- £19.99, robertdyas.co.uk
Incredibly easy to use if you don't want anything too complicated.
This can create ice cream, sorbet, gelato and frozen yoghurt in just 20 minutes.
There's a handy refill opening in the lid which allows you to add extra toppings and ingredients as you go.
You have to freeze the bowl for 12 hours, mix your ingredients and pre-chill in the fridge for two to three hours.
Take out the frozen bowl, fill with your mix, attach the lid and mixer and on it goes.
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It couldn't be simpler and a great price.
- Ease of use: 10/10
- Taste of ice cream: 9/10
- Value for money: 10/10
- Overall score: 10/10
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