Life
Whether you can’t go a day without ice cream, you’re super into fruity sorbet, or you prefer the delicious creaminess of frozen custard, the best ice cream scoops will help you slice through any frozen dessert with ease.
Indeed, as much fun as it is to eat ice cream, we all know that scooping the stuff can be an incredibly frustrating experience. Scoops with springs and levers might seem like a good idea, but they tend to fall apart more easily than scoops that only come as one piece. So when you’re shopping for ice cream scoops, you’ll want to make sure you stick with models that don’t come with extra parts, and you’ll want them to be lightweight and sturdy. Also true: Stainless steel is always a good bet for durability and longevity, and scoops with non-slip handles tend to be easier on the hands.
The shape of your scoop matters, too. If you're all about serving up the prettiest scoops, a regular rounded ice cream scoop is probably your best option. Ice cream spades have relatively flat blades that can make it easier to slice into rock-hard ice creams, but your bowl probably won't be Instagram-worthy. For the best of both worlds, square ice cream scoops provide the slicing power of a spade scoop while still allowing you to scoop up curls of frozen dessert.
You can also find some special features if you're willing to pay a bit more for your scoop. The Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop, for example, is filled with a heat-conducting fluid that transfers warmth from your hand to the scoop, helping it glide through the frozen treat of your choice and release easily. And while many ice cream scoops are hand-wash only, you can easily find dishwasher-safe scoops as well.
Check out the best ice cream scoops below. Whichever scoop shape you prefer, all of them are easy on the wallet and highly rated on Amazon.
1
The Best Heated Ice Cream Scoop
The Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop produces 2-ounce scoops and comes with a unique, heat conductive fluid inside the handle for easy scoop and release of frozen treats. This lightweight, aluminum scoop is also designed for left or right hand use — and its overall ease of use and durability makes it a favorite among professionals, like Jeni Britton Bauer, of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. The only downside to this pick is that it's not dishwasher-safe, but this scoop has still earned a respectable 3.9 stars from Amazon reviewers and hundreds of positive reviews.
What fans are saying: “Was looking for a good quality, heavy duty ice cream scoop that would withstand the test of time, and to replace another brand that was falling apart. The Zeroll is worth every penny and I highly recommend it. The fluid inside the handle is not a gimmick and actually transfers the heat from your hand to the scoop. It's all metal and you could probably drive a truck over it with how well it's built. Five stars.”
2
The Best Ice Cream Scoop For Hard Ice Cream
The Oxo Good Grips Solid Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop reportedly slices through even the hardest ice creams with ease thanks to its strategically designed, pointed tip. It's purposely made with flat edges so it can reach into all the nooks and crannies of ice cream containers of all shapes, and it also keeps comfort in mind with its non-slip grip handle. This stainless steel pick won’t chip or discolor over time, either — and it features a lip on the top of the handle because one of the scoop’s engineers hated getting ice cream on his hand while scooping. Additionally, this scoop is dishwasher-safe and boasts a 4.8-star rating and nearly 1,400 reviews on Amazon.
What fans are saying: “My husband and I love this ice cream scoop...sooo smooth and works on the coldest, hardest ice cream.”
3
The Best Ice Cream Spade
The Oxo Good Grips Ice Cream Spade puts comfort first with its soft, non-slip handle and wide, flexible fins. Plus, this pick’s sturdy, aluminum construction and wide, flat blade allows users of all ages to easily scoop large amounts of ice cream at once. The only downside to this spade is that it's hand-wash only, but Amazon reviewers give it a glowing 4-star rating anyways.
What fans are saying: “This is the best ice cream scoop. I got one of these many years ago and it lasted almost 10 years. It works great and makes scooping even the hardest ice cream easy. So glad I was able to find a replacement on Amazon when the handle finally broke off — I bought two!”
4
The Best Square Ice Cream Scoop
The Spring Chef Ice Cream Scoop boasts an impressive 4.9-star rating and more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon, and it's easy to see why. This pick is the perfect combination of scoop and spade, and it reportedly plows through ice cream like butter to create perfect curls of frozen dessert. It’s also lightweight but durable, ergonomically designed, and it won’t freeze your hands when you’re scooping because the metal handle is coated. Also, this pick is dishwasher-safe, and the handle is conveniently notched so you can lift ice cream lids without even using your hands.
What fans are saying: “This is about the tenth ice cream scooper I’ve bought in our 11 year marriage, and it will be THE LAST! ... We keep our freezer very cold and this scooper scoops ice cream like butter! No joke! I’ve tried it with three different brands/types of ice cream and it worked perfectly in all of them. I highly recommend it!!”
Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Bustle's editorial and sales departments.
