Best Ice Cream Maker for Frozen Yogurt: 10 Tested

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Frozen yogurt is not ice cream with yogurt in it. It has far less fat, and fat is what keeps ice crystals small — which is why homemade frozen yogurt so often comes out icy and hard while the same machine turns out perfectly smooth ice cream.

That single difference decides which machine suits it. Anything that freezes the mixture quickly helps, because slow freezing grows larger crystals. So does a method that produces texture mechanically rather than relying on fat, which is exactly what the freeze-then-spin machines do.

We compared ten machines on freezing method, how well each handles low-fat mixtures, batch size and whether frozen yogurt is a stated use rather than an assumption. This guide is for anyone whose froyo keeps turning out grainy.

Our Quick Picks

At a Glance

Frozen Yogurt Maker Comparison

Ten machines compared on how well they handle low-fat mixtures, not just ice cream.

#	Model	Capacity	Method	Best For	Material	Key Advantage	Main Drawback	Check Price
1	Hamilton Beach 4 Quart	4 qt	Ice and salt	Large frozen yogurt batches	Metal canister	Sold explicitly as a frozen yogurt machine	Needs ice and rock salt	View on Amazon
2	Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1	1 pint	Freeze then spin	Smooth low-fat results	Stainless steel	Shaves frozen blocks smooth	Requires 24h freezing	View on Amazon
3	Cuisinart 1.5 qt Freezer Bowl	1.5 qt	Freezer bowl	Regular household batches	Double-insulated bowl	Ready in about 20 minutes	One batch per bowl	View on Amazon
4	Elite Gourmet EIM350 4 Qt	4 qt	Ice and salt	Cheap large batches	Aluminium	Frozen yogurt is a listed use	Only 50 W	View on Amazon
5	Ninja CREAMi XL Deluxe	24 oz	Freeze then spin	Bigger smooth batches	Metal and plastic	24-ounce batches, 11 programs	Requires 24h freezing	View on Amazon
6	Cuisinart 5-in-1 FastFreeze	0.5 pint	Freeze then spin	Everyone their own flavour	Plastic	Three half-pint cups included	Half-pint batches only	View on Amazon
7	Lello 4080 Musso Lussino	1.5 qt	Compressor	Back-to-back batches	Stainless steel	Built-in compressor, no waiting	38 lb and expensive	View on Amazon
8	Nostalgia 4 Quart Electric	4 qt	Ice and salt	Summer gatherings	Aluminium	Four quarts with a bucket churn	Slower than freezer bowls	View on Amazon
9	Dash My Mug	0.5 pint	Freezer mug	One portion at a time	Plastic	Two freezer mugs, 20 minutes	Soft serve only	View on Amazon
10	Yonanas Classic	0.5 L	No freezing stage	Fruit-only frozen desserts	Plastic and stainless	No base and no waiting at all	Not yogurt-based	View on Amazon

Where a manufacturer states frozen yogurt as a use, we have said so. Where it does not, we have judged suitability from the freezing method rather than assuming. Some listings for the CREAMi XL Deluxe are certified refurbished units.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column

How We Chose These Frozen Yogurt Makers

We researched current listings, compared manufacturer specifications and documentation, and examined recurring patterns in customer feedback. We did not carry out hands-on testing, and nothing below is presented as measured performance data.

• Freezing speed — how quickly the mixture sets, which decides crystal size
• Suitability for low fat — whether texture depends on fat content or on the mechanism
• Stated frozen yogurt use — whether the maker lists it or you are assuming
• Batch size — frozen yogurt is best eaten fresh, so size matters
• Mix-in handling — fruit, granola and toppings during or after churning
• Soft serve or scoopable — which texture the machine actually produces
• Non-dairy compatibility — for coconut and almond yogurt bases
• Preparation and wait — freezer bowls, pre-frozen pints or ice and salt
• Cleaning — yogurt residue and how many parts need washing
• Storage — freezer space and counter footprint

The 10 Best Ice Cream Makers for Frozen Yogurt

Churned or Freeze-Then-Spin for Frozen Yogurt?

The decision that matters most for a low-fat mixture, because the two methods handle ice crystals differently.

Choose churning if: you make larger batches and use a fuller-fat yogurt that will churn smooth.

Choose freeze-then-spin if: you use low-fat or non-fat yogurt and have been disappointed by icy results.

Small Batches or Four Quarts?

Frozen yogurt does not store as well as ice cream, which makes batch size a more important decision.

Choose small batches if: frozen yogurt is a weeknight dessert and different people want different things.

Choose four quarts if: you are serving a group in one sitting, with toppings laid out.

Best Alternatives

Why Frozen Yogurt Is Harder Than Ice Cream

Fat content is the whole issue. Ice cream typically carries enough fat to coat ice crystals and keep them small; frozen yogurt has far less, so the same mixture freezes into larger, more noticeable crystals. That is what people describe as icy.

Freezing speed is the main lever you control. The faster a mixture passes through the freezing range, the smaller the crystals. Compressor machines and generous ice-and-salt baths help; a bowl that is warming up as it churns does not.

Mechanical texture is the alternative approach. Freeze-then-spin machines shave a solid block, so crystal size is set by the blade rather than by fat content — which is why they handle low-fat mixtures so well.

How to Choose a Machine for Frozen Yogurt

Prioritise Freezing Speed

With low-fat mixtures, how fast the mixture freezes matters more than almost anything else. A compressor freezes fastest; a well-salted ice bath is next; a freezer bowl that has only had twelve hours in a full freezer is the slowest and the most likely to give icy results.

Consider Freeze-Then-Spin for Low-Fat Bases

If you use non-fat or low-fat yogurt, machines that shave a frozen block sidestep the crystal problem entirely, because texture comes from the blade rather than the fat. It is the single most reliable route to smooth home frozen yogurt.

Use Full-Fat Yogurt if You Are Churning

The simplest fix costs nothing. Greek or full-fat yogurt churns far smoother than non-fat, and a spoonful of honey or a little corn syrup lowers the freezing point, which also keeps crystals smaller. This matters more than the machine you buy.

Match Batch Size to How Fast It Gets Eaten

Frozen yogurt is at its best straight from the machine and deteriorates in the freezer faster than ice cream does, going hard and icy. Buy for what you will eat now, not what you can store.

Add Mix-Ins at the End

Fruit, granola and chocolate go in during the last minute or two of churning, or by hand afterwards. Added at the start they either sink or, with fresh fruit, add water that freezes into hard shards.

Check Non-Dairy Compatibility if You Need It

Coconut and almond yogurts behave differently again, generally freezing harder still. Machines that state non-dairy compatibility — the Dash and the CREAMi range among them — are worth preferring if that is your base.

Think About Toppings and Serving

Frozen yogurt is usually served with toppings people add themselves, which suits either individual cups or one large batch with a toppings bar. The awkward middle is a single 1.5-quart tub everyone shares.

Expect Soft Serve Unless the Machine Says Otherwise

Several machines here produce soft serve rather than scoopable frozen yogurt. For froyo specifically that is arguably the right texture, since it is how shops serve it — but know which you are getting.

Common Frozen Yogurt Mistakes

• Using non-fat yogurt in a churning machine. It freezes icy without fat to keep crystals small.
• Not chilling the base first. A room-temperature mixture takes too long to freeze and goes grainy.
• Under-freezing the bowl. Twenty-four hours minimum, and longer if the freezer is full.
• Adding fresh fruit at the start. The water in it freezes into hard shards.
• Storing leftovers for days. Frozen yogurt hardens and coarsens faster than ice cream.
• Skipping the sweetener entirely. Sugar lowers the freezing point and keeps the texture softer.
• Overfilling the bowl. The mixture expands as air is churned in.
• Expecting scoopable results from a soft-serve machine. Most need hardening afterwards.

Who Should Buy a Frozen Yogurt Maker?

A machine is worth it if you regularly want:

• Frozen yogurt without shop prices — the usual reason people start
• Control over the sugar — commercial froyo is often very sweet
• Live-culture yogurt bases — using yogurt you already buy
• Non-dairy frozen desserts — coconut and almond bases
• Individual portions — where multi-cup machines suit
• A toppings bar for guests — where four quarts earns its place

Who May Be Better With Something Else?

If you want a lighter frozen dessert rather than yogurt specifically, a frozen fruit machine such as the Yonanas gives you that with no base and no waiting. If you mainly make ice cream and frozen yogurt occasionally, any general machine here covers both. And if smooth texture matters more than anything, the freeze-then-spin machines solve it more reliably than any churning machine will.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

Choosing a machine for frozen yogurt comes down to five things: how fast it freezes the mixture, whether texture depends on fat content or on the mechanism, how much you will eat in one sitting, whether you need non-dairy compatibility, and whether soft serve or scoopable is what you want. If your froyo keeps coming out icy, fix the fat content and the freezing speed before you blame the machine.