Warm weather is just around the corner, which means my birthday is too! I am one of those people who absolutely adore the day of their birth. I usually start counting days until the next one, just as the previous passes.
I love surprise parties, cakes, candles, creative gifts, and everything that goes with it.
Best Ice Cream Scoop
In the last few months, I have decided to be more introspective and make a list of the things I’ve achieved so far. I haven’t even imagined the list would be so long! I mean, yes, I know I am leading a pretty good life, but when you put it down on paper, it looks even better!
I have a husband who loves me and two smart, beautiful, and, most importantly, happy children. I’ve become the cook I dreamed I would be one day, and I am running a successful blog!
After that, I decided I deserve to buy myself a gift this year.
When it comes to ice cream, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, and I always dreamed of having a professional ice cream scoop. This is the perfect opportunity to buy one. As always, I tried a few of them before buying, and I’m sharing my opinions with you.
Enjoy!
What is an Ice Cream Scoop?
Ice cream scoop is a kitchen utensil used for forming ice cream into rounded ball shapes, as it is taken from the container and placed into a bowl, cone, or onto the cookie, waffle, or any other dessert.
There are two different kinds of ice cream scoops:
- Ones that have mechanical bail, which slides between ice cream and scoop, separating them. You’ll find two distinct models of mechanical scoops. The difference is in the trigger placement. Some have a little trigger by the thumb, and others use the entire scoop handle as a trigger mechanism.
- Ones that are relying on heat and conductive metal to keep the cream from sticking. These are usually heated electrically or by using hot water. Some of these are even coated with Teflon.
As you can see, ice cream scoops developed in many directions. However, every single model does the same job; the only difference is if they offer a slightly rounded or perfectly rounded shape in the end, and even that depends more on your technique than the tool itself.
One of the perks of buying an ice cream scoop is that serving ice cream is not its only purpose. You can use it as a baking tool for serving mashed potatoes or making perfectly ball-shaped meatballs. In all of these cases, an ice cream scoop keeps your hands clean.
So, if you rather avoid getting messy and sticky, get yourself one of these.
You’ll be thanking me later.
What To Look For?
When you are searching for the perfect ice cream scoop, there are a few general things you should pay attention to.
These are my recommendations:
- Sharp edge for easier cutting through ice cream.
- Roundhead, so the ice cream slides out easily and makes more rounded shapes.
- Comfortable, ergonomically designed handle for the good grip, you don’t want your scoop sliding through your hands even if the ice cream is really firm.
- Easy to clean, dishwasher safe if possible. Complex mechanical designs are often hard to clean because ice cream sticks and jams the mechanical parts.
- High-quality materials and simple construction. Scoops made of plastic or ones that have a cheap coating may flake, bend or even break while dealing with frozen dairy products. It is always a good idea to go with stainless steel.
- Complex constructions may be complicated for using or hard on your hands. Using a scoop that has a lever that needs constant pressing may seem easy if you are serving ice cream for only a few people, but scooping through the whole container would make your hands ache.
- If you are left-handed, and you want to buy a mechanical scoop, look for ones designed specifically for left-handed people. Their thumb lever is positioned differently. If you plan on buying a simple scoop without a mechanism, you don’t have to think about this characteristic.
See Also: Looking For New Ice Cube Trays?
How To Make A Perfect Scoop?
As I already mentioned, whether you will make a perfect scoop of ice cream or not depends more on your technique than the utensil you buy. Becoming a scoop-master takes a little practice, but it is not as hard as it seems.
However, there are a few tricks that will make the job much easier for you. If your mother or granny hasn’t taught you, I am here to help.
The whole process starts by knowing how to store your ice cream. You should place it in the back of your freezer and not by the door.
On the door, the temperature fluctuates due to the frequent opening, while in the back – the temperature stays consistent. Those temperature changes may form ice crystals and damage ice cream’s texture, making it harder to scoop.
After you get it out of the freezer, wait three minutes for it to soften, neither more nor less. Run your scoop under the stream of hot water and dig in! Do this after every scoop. This will warm up and moisten the ice cream, which will prevent sticking.
The last step is to make an “S” shaped motion while scooping. You should do it as slowly, continuously, and smoothly as possible. This will get you perfectly round balls of ice cream.
However, I repeat – practice is everything!
Most Recommended Ice Cream Scoops: Detailed Reviews 2022
Good Living Ice Cream Scoop – Old Fashioned and Dangerous
Whatever benefits this product has, I would not recommend you to buy it. It has one major flaw that can’t be overseen.
Good Living’s ice cream scoop comes with the warning that the product may contain chemicals that are known to cause cancer, congenital disabilities, and other reproductive problems.
For me, this was enough. I did test it so that I could write this review, but I haven’t eaten anything that touched it.
This scoop is affordable, it comes in four different colors and looks really cute and old-fashioned. It has a lever mechanism that is known to cause problems with cleaning, but as it is dishwasher safe, this issue is solved.
For the money you pay for this product, you’ll get a robust and sturdy utensil with stainless steel scoop and a non-stick, non-slip, although plastic handle. It is easy to use, and it does the job really well, but it is not designed for heavy everyday use. It can be used as a baking tool, for serving rice, mashed potatoes, and anything you imagine.
If you are left-handed, skip this ice cream scoop because you simply won’t be able to use it.
This product does have many good sides, and I was rooting for it, but if you buy it, you are doing it at your own risk.
Things I liked
- Fashionable handle colors.
- Stainless steel scoop and non-stick handle.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Sturdy and easy to use.
Things I didn’t like
- Not designed for left-handed people.
- Plastic handle.
- Smaller than others.
- Not heavy duty.
- May contain chemicals that cause cancer and congenital disabilities.
Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop – Professionalism and Tradition
If you are looking for a traditional product, made in the USA, used by generations of ice cream shop workers, Zeroll’s ice cream scoop is the one to go with. Zeroll had been producing ice cream scoops since 1935.
You’ll have to set aside a little more money for this one, but if you ask professionals, they’ll say it pays off. You’ll get a simple and sturdy scoop made of aluminum. It has heat conductive fluid inside the handle which means it should make going through firm ice cream much easier.
Before you start using it, read the instructions! This product is not dishwasher safe, and if you clean it that way, discolorations will appear, and it will leave gray or black stains on your hands and your ice cream. Just rinse it and wipe it – that is all the care it requires.
However, if you don’t follow the recommendations I gave you on how to make a perfect scoop, you’ll notice it doesn’t go through ice cream much easier than a regular spoon. Still, it does make perfectly rounded balls of ice cream.
Also, it has a perfect size for cones and for people who love ice cream, but it is too big if you want to use it for other purposes.
Things I liked
- Designed for both right and left-hand use.
- Made in the USA.
- Made of aluminum.
- Very sturdy.
Things I didn’t like
- Not dishwasher safe.
- Expensive.
- It doesn’t scoop easier than a regular spoon.
- Takes a while to warm up.
- Too big for everything except ice cream.
OXO Ice Cream Scoop – Heavy and Pointy
OXO’s Ice cream scoop is very similar to the previous one; it has almost identical pros and cons.
For the money invested in OXO’s product, you’ll get stainless steel scoop with a non-slip grip made of rubber. The scoop has a pointed tip which makes digging the hard ice cream easier, and flat edges which will reach the corners of ice cream containers. It does the job very well, and it is dishwasher safe, so it is easy to clean.
However, this one also has a problem with making a good shape of ice cream servings because it is too shallow. The water collecting problem may appear in this model too, because of the rubber handle. The fact is this one doesn’t have any warranty, so dealing with this issue won’t be so easy.
This ice cream scoop is a little heavy and needs more strength in operating. My friend had this product for a year or two, and hers started to get a little rusty after a year of use. This doesn’t mean it happens to every OXO’s scoop, but it is something to have in mind.
Also, the scoop was a little smaller than I expected, so I had to scoop through ice cream a few times before I got my ideal portion.
Things I liked
- Made of stainless steel.
- Dishwasher safe.
- It has a non-slip grip.
- The pointed tip makes it easier to scoop hard ice cream.
Things I didn’t like
- Too shallow.
- It gets rusty.
- It is heavy.
- It is smaller than expected.
SUMO Ice Cream Scoop – High Quality but Poor Result
SUMO’s ice cream scoop really surprised me. I did a little research before selecting which scoops to test, and no one ever mentioned that SUMO’s product would be so good!
For the amount of money you invest in buying it, you’ll get an ice cream scoop made of stainless steel with a non-slip and comfortable rubber grip. It doesn’t have heat-conductive liquid in the handle or any other method of heating up, so you just put it in the glass of hot water, wait a bit and proceed to scoop.
It is dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning, and it cuts through hard ice cream with ease. I would only like it to be a little deeper and more round-shaped because this way it doesn’t make nice ice cream balls and ice cream tend to fall off the scoop too easily.
I had a problem with the one I have purchased. After I had washed it, I noticed that the handle collected a considerable amount of water, and it was dripping. I was worried about mold, too. So, I called the company as the lifetime warranty is provided and told them about this inconvenience.
They sent me a new product immediately. They didn’t replace it but sent another one, so I had two at the time! I haven’t had this problem with the latter one, and I was delighted with their customer service.
Things I liked
- Lifetime guarantee.
- Made of stainless steel.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Non-slip rubber grip.
- Cuts through hard ice cream with ease.
Things I didn’t like
- Handle collects water when washed.
- The scoop should be a little deeper.
Spring Chef Ice Cream Scoop – For The Perfect Job
Spring Chef’s ice cream scoop is one with a lifetime warranty, which means if it ever breaks, ever in your life, the company is bound to replace it. Pretty good deal, isn’t it?
However, the money you pay for it will provide you with stainless steel scoop and a smooth plastic grip that slips a little. Still, this handle has a useful notch that will help you with lifting frozen container lids. Also, you will be able to clean your ice cream scoop in the dishwasher without worrying about damaging it.
This ice cream scoop is often advertised, but fortunately, advertisements are mostly accurate. It is heavy-duty and sturdy; it does cut through hard ice cream easier than other scoops, and also it gives you the ice cream scoops a perfectly round shape.
During all of that ice cream falls off the scoop without any additional help. Its edges are designed for getting to the corners of ice cream containers and not leaving a single drop behind.
You should watch for your hands if you are in need to push the scoop into the ice cream a little harder, because of the handle rear end which is a little pointy so it might hurt you. It is not a big concern, but be careful.
Things I liked
- Dishwasher safe.
- Lifetime warranty.
- The handle has a notch for lifting container lids.
- It is sturdy.
- Made of stainless steel.
Things I didn’t like
- The rear end of the handle is pointy.
- The plastic handle slips in your hand.
My Choice
This time, my decision was so hard!
The problem was that the last three products, Spring Chef’s, OXO’s, and SUMO’s were so similar. I had to write this review to get my thoughts together before purchasing one.
At last, I decided to go with Spring Chef’s ice cream scoop. It has a good design, high-quality materials, it is sharp, and the company offers a lifetime warranty.
But the thing that won me over was how it made perfect ice cream curls, and you know how much I care about the looks of the food I eat and serve!
Depending on your preference you can choose whichever you like, and you won’t make a mistake. However, I am again warning you not to purchase Good Living’s scoop for the sake of your family’s and your own health.
Choose wisely and eat as much ice cream as you can! 🙂
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