Ready to prove to yourself that you can make ice cream at home? We thought so and we love to see it. In order to achieve your frosty dreams, you need the best blender for ice cream.
Many blenders boast about their smoothie and frozen drink capabilities, but few have what it takes to make delicious ice cream.
We have dug deep into the ice crushing specifications and features, and rounded up the best blender for ice cream. Grab a spoon and let's go!
Top Blender for Ice Cream
  | |||
  | |||
  | |||
  | |||
  | |||
  | |||
  |
Best Blender for Ice Cream with Accessories
First on our list is the Oster Pro Series Blender with Texture Select. This blender has lots of ice crushing power, a necessity when making ice cream. The extra-wide 3 inch blade system draws ingredients down and quickly chops them up. Its six point, stainless steel blade assembly ensures that every last chunk is blended.
The eight cup blending container is an awesome size for making large batches. After you have sufficiently ground up your ice or frozen fruit, add in your liquid and watch the 1200 watt motor whip everything into delicious ice cream. For added style, the blending jar is so classy!
Ice cream won’t likely be an everyday treat (but we won't judge you if it is). Thankfully, this blender can make other common eats too, such as frozen drinks, salsa, dips, and milkshakes. A pulse button, three pre-programmed settings, and three speeds give you precise control.
The Oster also includes two, 24 oz smoothie cup with a plastic to go lids, which you can use to blend right in the cup. The brushed nickel base is designed to fit both the plastic blending container and smoothie cup easily for added convenience. Of course, we think the smoothie cup is also perfect for single serve milkshakes.
For clean up, the blending container and smoothie cup are both dishwasher safe which means you can get clean up time over with quickly and get on with enjoying your ice cream. It's easy to see why this blender is a top pick for ice cream and other blended treats.
What We Like:
- Budget friendly
- Dishwasher safe
- To go cups included
- Durable blending jar
- Stylish brushed nickel base
What We Don't Like:
- Excessive plastic parts
Best All Around Blender for Ice Cream
Next up is the Ninja Mega Kitchen System. When they say “mega” they mean it. This blending system packs a punch and comes with several added accessories to help you level up your kitchen game.
Those desiring to make ice cream will be interested in the 72 oz pitcher. Made from durable plastic and boasting clear measurement markings on the container, this pitcher will help you whip up enough ice cream to last through the entire next season of the The Bachelor.
The 1500 watt base provides more than enough power to break through ice. This blender can make snow out of your ice cubes in just seconds, and this is essential to making smooth ice cream.
But it also can do much more thanks to its other blending accessories. Two 16 ounce to-go cups are great for making smoothies, vegetable juices, or protein drinks. You can blend up your ingredients right in the attachable cup and then simply twist on the to-go lid. They are also ideal for making small batches of new ice cream flavors or milkshakes.
Another attachment, the 8 cup food processor bowl, can slice, grate, and chop veggies onto healthy salsas, dips, and purees. Swap out the chopping blade for the dough blade and you can mix up 2 lbs of dough in under a minute. Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream anyone?
While this blender can certainly handle making ice cream, its other attachments mean you can make an entire dinner spread in addition to dessert. Once finished, toss everything in the dishwasher for a quick clean. This all around blender is a perfect addition to any kitchen.
What We Like:
- Powerful 1500 watt motor
- Dishwasher safe
- 4 blending speeds
- 5 manual programs
- Includes a pitcher, two cups, and a food processing bowl
What We Don't Like:
- Tall and difficult to store
Best Runner Up Blender for Ice Cream
The USA made, Blendtec Classic 575 Blender is the newest rebel in your kitchen. This blender has what Blendtec refers to as the “WildSide +” jar. It is a 90-ounce jar with a square base. This is a huge capacity, and the unique shape means ingredients are pulled down into the blades instead of up the sides.
A unique design when it comes to blenders, the steel-forged winged blades are blunt and winged shaped - excellent for shaving ice. The result? Sinfully smooth ice cream.
The base has a handful of 1-touch buttons that give you total control over your blending. These buttons include 4 pre-programmed cycles, 5 different speeds, and a pulse. There are even two timed-cycle options, allowing you to go handsfree.
Whether you are making frozen treats, juices, batters, or soups, you can achieve the perfect consistency. Speaking of soups, the base uses friction to heat fresh or even cold ingredients to a warm soup temperature as it blends. This way, you can make your dinner and your dessert using the same machine. How convenient!
When you are finished use the clean cycle to wash up the blending bowl and blades, hands-free. This awesome professional grade can handle all of your recipes, from icy frozen desserts to hot and creamy soups.
What We Like:
- Made in the USA
- Wide base jar
- Includes "spoontula" accessory
- Variety of settings including soup mode
What We Don't Like:
- Lid is flimsy
- Less affordable
Best Overall Blender for Ice Cream
If you don’t want to be overwhelmed with buttons and dials, and just want blending power, consider the Vitamix 5200 Blender. This powerful blender packs a punch. Its durable motor is both efficient and fast blending. You don’t have to worry about the base overheating though, it is equipped with a cooling fan to keep your ingredients cold and refreshing.
The exterior of the base has a pulse button, a high-speed button, and a manual speed dial - putting full control in your hands. Even the slowest speeds on this Vitamix blender dominate when compared to most other blenders, which helps if you intend to blend up large pieces of frozen fruit inside of your ice cream.
Throw in your ice cream ingredients and in just seconds you can have a bowl of cold creamy goodness. It's so easy, anyone can be a pro at making ice cream at home! Besides ice cream, the Vitamix also excels at making soups, baby food purees, smoothies, and nut butter. The intuitive lid allows you to use the included tamper. This way, you don’t have to stop blending to scrape down the sides.
For clean up, this blender performs best if you keep it away from the dishwasher. The reason? The Vitamix IS a dishwasher. Just add some warm water and a drop of soap, then pop the container back on the blending base for a quick wash cycle before your eyes.
A trusted name, this blender can assuredly deliver ice creams, frozen desserts, and even sorbets at the perfect temperature and consistency every time.
What We Like:
- High power motor
- Simple controls
- Tamper included
- Heating function for versatility
- Self cleaning function
What We Don't Like:
- Loud
- Needs liquid for smooth blends
Best Multi Use Blender for Ice Cream
The NutriBullet Blender Combo is a compact multi-functional blender. It specializes in nutrient extraction. Breaking down fruits and veggies so that you can get the most out of your protein shakes, green drinks, and smoothies.
Who says ice cream can’t be a little bit healthy? Certainly not the Nutribullet! This blender can infuse your ice cream or milkshakes with not only the nutrients from tasty fruits but also their delicious flavors using its powerful 1200 watt motor.
The blades are also adept at crushing ice, turning your ingredients into enticing frozen desserts by first breaking everything down and then whipping the ingredients up into the ideal consistency. When you need a break from sweet treats, this blender is perfect for sauces, salsas, soups, nut butter, and more.
The lid tightly seals on the 64 oz blending container to prevent leaks. When you are finished its streamline pouring spout lets you get every last blended drop without spilling or dripping. Anyone who has ever tried to transfer ice cream into a freezer safe container will recognize the added value here.
If you don’t want a large batch you can blend right in the included to-go cups. Choose from a 24 oz cup or a 32 oz cup, then simply snap on the travel lid and head out the door! Alternatively, use the travel cups to test out new small batch ice cream flavors.
All components are dishwasher safe, but it is recommended to wash the easy twist blades by hand using only soap and water. Another option for cleaning would be to utilize the Nutribullet's self-cleaning cycle. For having such a compact footprint, this blender has a lot of features.
What We Like:
- Compact footprint
- Sleek design
- Three speeds plus extract and pulse button
- Includes 2 travel cups
- The vented pitcher can warm liquids
What We Don't Like:
- Short 1 year warranty
The Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is a powerful, professional-grade blender, but appropriately sized for a family. It fits easily under your countertop and has the perfect capacity for blending up treats for a family of four. The 48-ounce container is big enough to feed everyone but small enough to fit nicely in your kitchen storage.
The stainless steel forged blades can power through whatever you happen to be blending whether its icy sorbets, creamy desserts, or frozen drinks. Vitamix claims their blades to be aircraft quality steel, so even if icy treats are an everyday occurrence (yes, please) you don’t have to worry about them dulling.
The blades gain their mixing muscle from an incredibly powerful motor housed within the blending base. Boasting around 1380 watts of power, the Vitamix can handle anything that you want to blend, especially ice. With this power, you can achieve the perfect ice cream consistency, every time.
The pulse button is great for keeping things chunky, like mint chocolate chip or butter pecan. The manual speed dial is great for getting a smoother blend. The texture is up to you!
The lid is a thing of beauty. It tightly seals to eliminate messes. However, it also has a spot to tick in a tamper while blending, saving you from shutting the entire machine off to scrape the sides. The tamper hole also helps when adding in those extra chocolate chips mid blend. The pour spout keeps your countertops drip-free!
This is a strong and efficient blender that is appropriately sized for the family who loves their frozen treats!
What We Like:
- Stores well
- Assembled in the USA
- 10 year warranty
- Vented lid with tamper access
- Manual speed control dial
What We Don't Like:
- Loud
- Less affordable
Best Value Blender for Ice Cream
If you can’t wait to get your hands on delicious ice cream, take a look at the Homgeek High Speed Professional Blender. Going from ice, fruit, cream, and sugar to a frozen bowl of goodness has never been quicker or easier thanks to the powerful 1450 watt motor.
The wide base of the pitcher keeps you from having to scrape down the sides or stir your ingredients. Everything is drawn down in a vortex into the powerful blades. The blades are adept at crushing ice and breaking through the cell walls of ingredients, resulting in a smooth texture with the ultimate nutrient and flavor extraction.
8 speeds and 4 pre-programmed options keep dessert making simple and headache-free. You are in control of the consistency, but without having to guess at the required speed. The pulse feature is excellent for crushing ice cubes.
For versatility, in case you decide you are tired of an ice cream diet, the pre-programmed options can chop, blend, liquefy, mix, and puree. This is excellent for making a wide variety of blended foods from baby purees to chutneys.
The extra durable pitcher is both temperature resistant and impact resistant, making this blender a reliable ice cream maker for years to come!
What We Like:
- Affordable
- Powerful 1450 watt motor
- Durable container
- Variety of optional settings
- Tamper included
What We Don't Like:
- Loud
- Tall height difficult to store
Guide to Buying an Ice Cream Blender
Making ice cream in the blender requires a few things from your machine. First, it must be able to crush ice. Second, it should be able to whip air into the mix. And finally, it needs to be able to deliver a smooth consistency.
When looking for a blender to make ice cream in, there are a few factors that are important to consider:
Blender Power
To make ice cream, ice cubes need to be pulverized. Ice cream should be smooth and creamy. In order to achieve this, you need an ice crushing blender with lots of power. Look for a base with a decent amount of watts when it comes to motor power.
It's worth nothing that the highest amount of blender motor power available on the market isn't necessarily a factor that you should consider unilaterally when it comes to choosing a blender. For example, the Vitamix brand boasts in the ability of harnessing horsepower rather than simply providing the most horsepower available. In other words, motor power is best utilized when it can be controlled.
If this frame of thinking appeals to you and you also intend to utilize your blender for making things other than ice cream, then a blender like the Vitamix 5200 Blender would be a perfect addition to your kitchen.
If, however, you just want to play with motor power and need a more budget friendly option than the Vitamix, then the supercharged Homgeek High Speed Professional Blender would be a great way to get started in your ice cream making adventures.
Special Attachments
We love it when blenders are sold with special attachments. Especially when those attachments can be used to make milkshakes or small batch servings. Consider the ways that you intend to make ice cream using your blender.
Perhaps a model like the Ninja Mega Kitchen System will best serve your needs if you know that you will be experimenting with a variety of chopped ingredients. The included food processor attachment will be perfect for getting the job done without having to utilize more than one appliance.
If your kitchen space is slim, however, and you would rather just have a blender without all of the extras, the Blendtec Classic 575 Blender has just what you need without all of the extra fuss.
We do think, however, that the added "spoonula" included with the Blendtec is a nice touch and stores away compactly in your cutlery drawer. Also, "spoonula" is rather fun to say, isn't it?
In the end, if you choose a blender without an added spatula or other accessories, we love this extra long silicone scraper to help reach that last little piece of chocolate trapped under the blades.
Blender Blades
Powerful motors go a long way, but some blenders still aren’t great at crushing ice. You need a blender with a blade system that is efficient at turning ice into snow.
Some experts recommend a blunt blade system like the Blendtec Classic 575 Blender with two tips for ultimate ice crushing power. This keeps ice cubes from getting stuck in the blades or just bouncing on top.
Other sharp blade alternatives will also work well to churn out your sorbet, but be sure to check that the material of the blade is up to the challenge. For example, the blades of the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender are crafted from aircraft-grade stainless steel. If it's good enough for flight, then it can surely handle your tasty treat with ease.
Blender Speed Options
For ice cream, you will likely want a blender that can blend at high speeds. This is because after your ingredients have been sufficiently crushed you will need to blend them. However, you don’t just want to blend them, you need to whip them to obtain a great ice cream consistency. Whipping requires fast speeds.
When it comes to speed options, consider if you prefer a blender that includes multiple buttons featuring preset options like the Oster Pro Series Blender with Texture Select or if you prefer a blender with a manual speed dial like both the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender and the Vitamix 5200 Blender.
Blender Size
The size of your blender doesn’t have too much to do with ice cream making, although some ice cream recipes call for more ingredients than others. Size is important when it comes to capacity and storage. Think about how big of batches you plan to make.
If you are feeding a large family, we suggest choosing a blender with at least a 72 oz blending container. If you are living that single serve life, then a more compact model like the NutriBullet Blender Combo may be best.
Also, consider the space you have available for storage. Many people leave their blenders out on the countertop all the time, but some like to store them away to preserve space. If you don't have much space to work with or plan on storing your blender away after each use, be sure to take note of the height of the blender before you make your purchase to ensure that your blender will fit nicely inside of your cabinets.
Blender Durability
The strength of your blades, pitcher, and the motor is important because making ice cream can be hard on your blender. Unlike chopping up veggies or breaking down soft fruits, ice cream involves grinding up frozen ingredients. You want a blender that is strong enough to stand up to the task repeatedly.
When searching for the best ice cream blender, focus on durability, power, and speed. These three features should help guide you to a great blender. It also helps to choose a blender with a long warranty. Longer warranties from manufacturers usually signal that quality is a top priority of the brand.
Conclusion
When it's time to make ice cream, our favorite blender is the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender. It is powerful enough to break through frozen ingredients. Its super charged motor and aircraft-grade stainless steel blade system is ideal for ice and frozen fruits. Aside from ice cream, it is also great at making a variety of other recipes with its user-friendly features and settings.
You can’t go wrong with any of the blenders on this list, just like you can’t go wrong with ice cream made from scratch in your own home!