Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
Whynter ICM-201SB Upright Automatic Compressor Ice Cream Maker vs Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full The Best Ice Cream Makers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Whynter is the best all-around choice: it churns the smoothest of the compressor machines, runs quietly, and never asks you to plan ahead. If you make ice cream only now and then, the frozen-bowl Cuisinart delivers nearly the same quality for a small fraction of the price.
Whynter ICM-201SB Upright Automatic Compressor Ice Cream Maker
Buy itThe compressor machine that churns the smoothest, runs the quietest, and takes up the least counter space for what it does.
- Built-in compressor means no pre-freezing and back-to-back batches
- Independent testing rated its churn among the smoothest, with minimal icy buildup
- Notably quiet for a compressor unit and a compact upright footprint
- Roughly 2-quart capacity handles a crowd in one run
- Heavy and a real investment compared with a frozen-bowl model
- Fixed stainless bowl adds a bit more hands-on cleaning than a removable canister
Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
Buy itThe frozen-bowl workhorse that makes genuinely good ice cream for a fraction of a compressor's cost.
- Produces excellent results in about 20 minutes once the bowl is frozen
- Inexpensive, light, and easy to stash in a cabinet
- Enormous owner base with a long, consistent track record
- Simple one-switch operation with almost nothing to learn
- Requires freezing the bowl 16-24 hours before every session
- One frozen bowl means one batch unless you buy and freeze spares
Side by side
| Whynter ICM-201SB Upright Automatic Compressor Ice Cream Maker | Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Frequent makers and entertainers who want spontaneous, high-quality batches without planning a day ahead. | Occasional makers who can plan a batch a day ahead and want the best value in the category. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Whynter ICM-201SB Upright Automatic Compressor Ice Cream Maker - The compressor machine that churns the smoothest, runs the quietest, and takes up the least counter space for what it does. Choose the Cuisinart ICE-21P1 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker instead if occasional makers who can plan a batch a day ahead and want the best value in the category.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Ice Cream Makers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).