ConsFirst / Ice cream makers

Whynter

Whynter Automatic Ice Cream & Yogurt Maker, 2.1 Qt: the downsides first

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#2 of 8
$$$CompressorScore 3.8/5
10%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: about 333 ratings (7% 1-star + 3% 2-star).

Both Serious Eats and Food & Wine name it the best compressor machine: smooth ice cream in about 30 minutes, no pre-freezing, and a yogurt mode. Ice cream sticks to the paddle, the mix-in window is small, and it is big and heavy.

Top complaints

  • Ice cream sticks to the paddle

    Food & Wine had to scrape a lot of ice cream and sorbet off the paddle. Serious Eats saw base freeze on the bottom of the bowl in its first test (it mixed in when scraped).

    Source: Food & Wine, Serious Eats
  • Small mix-in window

    The flip-up window is only a few inches wide, so pouring in caramel and peanuts took care to avoid spills (Serious Eats).

    Source: Serious Eats
  • Large, heavy, and pricier than canister models

    About 24 pounds and takes significant counter or cabinet space (Food & Wine). Amazon owners are split on value, and about 14 of 48 reliability mentions are negative.

    Source: Food & Wine, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)

What owners love

  • Smooth ice cream with no pre-freezing

    Serious Eats made lovely, smooth vanilla ice cream in 30 minutes; Food & Wine calls the sorbet and ice cream textures wonderful.

    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Useful modes

    Labeled churn, mix-only and cool-only modes, an extended cooling mode after the timer, and a yogurt-incubation function (Serious Eats).

    Source: Serious Eats
  • Easy to clean

    Amazon owners say it is easy to clean (about 24 positive vs 1 negative mention) and makes a batch in under 50 minutes.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • Frequent ice cream makers who want no pre-freezing
  • 2-quart batches
  • Also making homemade yogurt

Scores (tap for why)

  • Texture4.0
    Why 4.0?Lovely, smooth ice cream (Serious Eats, 23% overrun) and wonderful sorbet and ice cream (Food & Wine).
    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Speed & batch size4.0
    Why 4.0?About 30 minutes for ice cream and 36 for frozen yogurt with a 2-quart capacity (Serious Eats); faster than other compressors but slower than canisters (Food & Wine).
    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Ease of use & prep4.0
    Why 4.0?Push-button with labeled modes and no pre-freezing (Serious Eats, Food & Wine); the mix-in window is fiddly.
    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Cleaning & noise3.5
    Why 3.5?Amazon owners find it easy to clean, but it isn't dishwasher-safe and ice cream sticks to the paddle (Food & Wine).
    Source: Amazon.com product page, Food & Wine
  • Durability3.5
    Why 3.5?Amazon reliability mentions are mostly positive (about 34 vs 14) and quality-control mentions too (85 vs 12), but the sample is small.
    Source: Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • Serious Eats: Best self-freezing compressor model for most people (updated 2026-07-21): the most budget-friendly winning compressor; small mix-in window.
  • Food & Wine: Best compressor ice cream maker (updated 2026-09-01): the best balance of capacity, features and price among six Whynter models; ice cream sticks to the paddle.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

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