A domestic ice cream maker or ice cream maker is a machine used to make small quantities of ice cream for personal consumption. Ice cream makers may prepare the mixture through the hand-cranking method or by employing an electric motor. The resulting preparation is often chilled through either pre-cooling the machine or by employing a machine that freezes the mixture.
An ice cream maker has to simultaneously freeze the mixture while churning it so as to aerate the mixture and avoid ice crystals. As a result, most ice creams are ready to consume immediately. However, those containing alcohol must often be chilled further to attain a firm consistency.
Some machines, such as certain lower-priced countertop models, do require that the resulting mixture be frozen for an additional time period after churning is complete.