Although summertime is almost over, it’s not time to store away your ice cream maker–pumpkin ice cream anyone? Or possibly you don’t own an ice cream machine, if you look around, you might come across some good end-of-summer sales and be able to pick one up for really cheap. But how do ice cream machines work?

Take any electric ice cream freezers, and regardless of what type of ice cream makers it is, they all pretty much make ice cream using the same principal. A a mixture of cream and ice are slowly churned until just about frozen. All the while, the churning whips air into the mix.

Although home ice cream machines vary in size and operation, there are basically only three kinds. The first kind is probably what you remember Grandma using on Sunday socials. They use rock salt and ice to get the ice cream mixture to a low enough temp.

Besides the traditional ice cream maker, there is a more modern style. The advantage is less mess making ice cream, thanks to a freezable bowl, that replaces rock salt and ice. These canister style ice cream freezers are generally easier to clean up as well.

Last but no least are the compressor ice cream makers. Wanna get rid of ice and rock salt slurry? Don’t want to plan ahead for freezing your bowl? A compressor ice cream freezer, works like your freezer with a built in freezer unit. And not only that but you can whip up ice cream anytime.

But it’s not all good news. These ice cream makers are expensive with some models costing more than a thousand dollars. Also if you looking for easy cleanup, stay away from models that don’t allow you to remove the mixing bowl.

There you have it, the three basic kinds of ice cream makers along with how they work. Like I mentioned before, summer is gone but that doesn’t mean your ice cream machine isn’t as useful. Pumpkins and sweet potatoes are in season and are great in ice cream. You can also use regular vanilla to top pumpkin pie.

Wally Clydesdale’s expertise in ice cream go back to childhood. He is currently a writer of Ice Cream Maker Basics.com where he writes about electric ice cream makers