5 Best Ice Cream Makers for Protein Ice Cream of 2026

Step into the world of nostalgic soft serve with the Cuisinart ICE-48, a machine built specifically for dispensing creamy, swirled frozen treats directly into cones. This unit features a double-insulated freezer bowl that chills ingredients as they churn, producing 1.5 quarts of soft serve in approximately 20 minutes without needing ice or salt. Its standout feature is the integrated three-condiment dispenser system, allowing you to mix in sprinkles, chocolate chips, or other toppings as you dispense, recreating the authentic soft-serve parlor experience at home.

Performance is geared towards lighter, airy soft serve textures, making it a fun option for standard frozen yogurt or lighter ice cream bases. The process is straightforward: freeze the bowl, add your chilled base, and churn until ready to dispense. While you can use protein-enhanced bases, the machine’s churning and dispensing mechanism is optimized for a soft consistency, potentially less suited for the denser, harder-freezing protein ice cream textures achievable with machines like the Ninja CREAMi. The integrated mix-in dispensers are convenient for toppings but don’t help incorporate protein powder smoothly into the base mixture itself.

Compared to batch-processing machines like the Ninja CREAMi or standard churners like the Cuisinart ICE-70P1, the Cuisinart ICE-48 is highly specialized for soft serve and its unique dispensing/mix-in feature. It sacrifices the ability to create firm, scoopable ice cream or process hard-frozen bases in favor of convenience and the fun of dispensing. This makes it ideal for families or those prioritizing the soft-serve experience with mix-ins, rather than someone focused on optimizing the texture of dense, protein-heavy frozen blocks like the Ninja CREAMi excels at.

Discover the simplicity and convenience of single-serving frozen treats with the DASH My Pint Ice Cream Maker. This ultra-compact and budget-friendly machine is designed for individual portions, making it perfect for quick snacks or experimenting with new flavors without committing to a large batch. It utilizes a pre-frozen cooling bowl and a simple on/off button to churn ingredients into ice cream, gelato, sorbet, or frozen yogurt in under 30 minutes, prioritizing ease of use and minimal fuss.

In terms of performance, the DASH My Pint delivers a decent single serving of frozen dessert, ideal for satisfying an immediate craving. Its small size means the cooling bowl freezes quickly, and the churning process is straightforward. While it can technically make various frozen desserts, including those with protein, the texture might not be as refined or consistent as larger, more powerful machines. The included spoon is useful for adding simple mix-ins towards the end of the churning cycle, allowing for basic customization of your single pint.

Positioned as a highly accessible and affordable option, the DASH My Pint stands in stark contrast to machines like the Cuisinart ICE-70P1 with its larger capacity and advanced features, or the Ninja CREAMi with its unique processing technology for dense bases. Its primary appeal is its size and price, making it an excellent entry point for exploring homemade frozen desserts or creating personalized single servings. It’s less suited for making texture-perfect protein ice cream or serving multiple people compared to the 2-quart Cuisinart models or the specialized Ninja CREAMi.

Experience enhanced control and capacity with the Cuisinart ICE-70P1, a sophisticated churn-style ice cream maker featuring a modern LCD screen and programmable timer. This machine boasts a 2-quart capacity and an improved paddle design, allowing you to create generous batches of ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, or sorbet in as little as 20 minutes using a double-insulated freezer bowl. The digital interface provides precise control over the churning process, with three settings and multiple speeds for optimal results.

Performance is robust for a churner using a pre-frozen bowl, producing smooth and consistent results for traditional recipes. The 2-quart size is ideal for families or entertaining, easily making enough dessert for several people in one go. While it handles standard ice cream bases well, achieving the creamy, dense texture often desired for protein ice cream might require recipe adjustments, as its churning method differs from the high-shear processing of machines like the Ninja CREAMi that break down hard-frozen blocks.

Compared to the simpler Cuisinart ICE-30BCP1, the ICE-70P1 offers significant upgrades in control via its LCD screen and timer, providing a more refined user experience. While it lacks the Ninja CREAMi’s ability to process hard-frozen bases into unique textures, its larger capacity and traditional churning method make it a highly versatile machine for larger batches of a wider variety of frozen desserts. It represents a strong balance of capacity, features, and performance for traditional ice cream making compared to smaller or more specialized units.

Unlock the potential to transform virtually any frozen base into creamy perfection with the Ninja NC301 CREAMi, a powerhouse designed for ultimate customization and texture control. Featuring Ninja’s signature Creamify Technology, this 800-watt unit shaves and churns a solid frozen block with high pressure, producing an exceptionally smooth consistency that’s particularly beneficial for bases that freeze hard, like those made with protein powder or alternative milks. The inclusion of two 16-oz pints means you can prep multiple bases ahead of time.

The NC301 performs brilliantly across its 7 one-touch programs, from classic ice cream and gelato to smoothie bowls and milkshakes. Its ability to process a completely frozen block means you can freeze protein ice cream bases solid overnight and process them on demand, achieving a dense, scoopable texture often difficult with traditional churners. The “Mix-in” program is excellent for incorporating protein powder, nuts, or chocolate chips after the initial processing pass, ensuring even distribution without over-processing. While pint size is limited per batch, having two included pints adds convenience for prepping ahead.

Directly comparable to the Ninja NC299AMZ (differing primarily in color and included accessories), the NC301 offers the same revolutionary method for creating highly customized, texture-perfect frozen treats. It stands apart from traditional churners like the Cuisinart ICE-30BCP1 with its unique processing technology for dense bases. This model is a top contender for those prioritizing texture and ingredient control for health-focused frozen desserts.

Embrace the simplicity of homemade frozen desserts with the Cuisinart ICE-30BCP1, a classic and reliable churn-style ice cream maker. This fully automatic machine uses a double-insulated freezer bowl to produce up to 2 quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, or sorbet in as little as 20 minutes. Its heavy-duty motor ensures consistent churning, and the large ingredient spout makes adding mix-ins like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips straightforward during the process. This model focuses on core functionality without unnecessary complexity.

Performance is solid for a traditional churner, delivering smooth and ready-to-eat frozen treats relatively quickly after the bowl is frozen. The generous 2-quart capacity is a major advantage for making enough dessert for a family or small gathering in a single batch, unlike smaller pint-sized units. While versatile for standard recipes, achieving the specific dense, scoopable texture desired for some protein ice cream bases might be more challenging compared to the high-shear processing method of the Ninja CREAMi, which is designed to handle harder frozen mixtures.

Compared to the feature-rich Cuisinart ICE-70P1 with its LCD and timer, the ICE-30BCP1 offers a more basic, no-frills experience while retaining the same 2-quart capacity and core churning functionality. It’s significantly different from the Ninja CREAMi, which processes frozen blocks for texture control rather than churning a liquid base. The ICE-30BCP1 is a dependable workhorse for making larger batches of traditional frozen desserts, offering straightforward operation and capacity at a more accessible point than models with advanced digital controls or specialized processing methods.