A new wave of countertop ice cream makers lets you create a custom frozen dessert quickly when you deserve a sweet li'l treat.
These appliances—popularized by the Ninja Creami, which performed well in our Lab tests—essentially function like a super-high-powered blender. You don't need to store a large bowl in the freezer or dedicate storage and kitchen space to a machine with a built-in compressor. You freeze your ice cream base in a proprietary pint container and then attach the container to the machine to rapidly process the frozen mixture.
Nutribullet is the latest to enter the category with the Chill. It's designed with settings for ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and smoothie bowls.
We got an early model in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab, so I put it to the test. As deputy editor in the Institute and a trained cook, I've tested several ice cream makers. I also led our testing of shaved ice machines. And I just enjoy making ice cream at home. During our Lab testing, I made vanilla ice cream, peach sorbet, and nondairy chocolate ice cream. This is what I learned.
What I liked
- The texture of each recipe was really pleasant. The sorbet and the nondairy chocolate ice cream (made with coconut milk) turned out great. The vanilla was a bit too soft immediately after processing, but it was very nice once frozen.
Nondairy chocolate ice cream
- The motor base is compact. The unit has a small footprint—about the size of a blender—so it doesn't take up too much space on your counter, or in a pantry or cabinet, if you don't want to leave it out. It also includes a cover for the motor base for when a cup is not attached.
- It includes two pint cups. While they don't nest for storage, it is nice to be able to make a double batch of a recipe or have two flavors freezing at once.
- It was easy to operate and to clean. There's only one main button to push: You turn it on, select your setting, and tap the center. The cups were easy to clean, and the blade shaft and housing come apart for washing—plus all parts are top-rack dishwasher-safe.
What to take note of
- It's loud (like others on the market.) The motor needs to be powerful to blast through the frozen base—and it sounds like it.
- It does not accommodate mix-ins. The manual advises that "loose ingredients may damage your machine" and advises you to "sprinkle toppings onto your frozen treat once processing is complete." Some ice cream makers of this style let you open the cup and quickly add an ingredient, so your creations can be more customizable. This is a weak point for the Chill.
Peach sorbet
How does the Nutribullet Chill work?
- Freeze your base: Rather than churning a liquid into ice cream like a traditional ice cream maker, you make your base—ice cream, gelato, sorbet (or, as mentioned, frozen yogurt or smoothie)—then snap on a lid and freeze the mixture in Nutribullet's pint container overnight. The machine's quick-start guide includes a few recipes, but you can use any of your favorites. Just know that there are only two pints to fill, so some standard ice cream recipes may require scaling down or batching to freeze and process.
- Attach the blade: Once your base is frozen, swap the container's lid for the blade block and blade shaft. Though you should use caution when handling the blade, it's not the same as the kind you would find in a blender or food processor; it's more of a grooved auger that drills through and softens the base into a scoopable consistency.
- Insert the pint cup: The pint container locks into the motor base upside down, clicking into place so you know it’s secure.
- Select your setting: This is when you'll tap the simple touchscreen to select the setting: ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, or smoothie bowl. Then you tap to start and let it run. The auger blade runs up through the machine and then back down to fully process the base, while a progress ring on the screen shows the status.
- Unlock and remove the pint container: Once the Chill's blade has returned to the start position, you'll press a button to unlock the cup. Then you can open the frozen treat and eat it immediately, or swap back to the snap-on lid and return the cup to the freezer to let the mixture firm up (as I did with the vanilla ice cream).
Vanilla ice cream
How does the Chill compare with similar machines?
✔️ It delivers creamy ice cream in a few minutes (well, plus overnight freezing), so the core performance is on par with the other models.
✔️ The Chill takes up less space than comparable full-size models, like the Ninja Creami and Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl.
✔️ The downside is that the Chill does not accommodate mix-ins. Both Ninja models have this ability (the Scoop & Swirl on the scoop function). Even the wee Dash My Mug Ice Cream Maker can incorporate your toppings. We have not tested the Cuisinart Fast Freeze yet (looking forward to that!), but the brand indicates that mix-ins are an option.
✔️ Setting aside the small $40 Dash, the price of the Chill is a toss-up. It's pricier than the Cuisinart model, comparable to the Ninja Creami, and more affordable than the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl.
Is the Chill worth it?
It works well. It's easy to use. The results are good. So in many ways, yes. Especially if you enjoy smooth creations or are fine with adding toppings later, but the advice not to incorporate mix-ins limits your creativity somewhat.
