The Best Ice Cream Scoops of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Try a stylish, durable scoop on your next pint.
Tested by Joy Cho and Eva Bleyer
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Digging into a delicious, frozen dessert doesn't have to be hard. The best ice cream scoops make it shockingly easy, offering power and control in one simple, relatively affordable tool. They soar above regular spoons in terms of durability and ease of scooping; a must if you frequently visit your freezer for a creamy, cold snack. After testing 11 scoops across 22 tubs of ice cream in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab and Test Kitchen, the popular Zeroll 1020 Original Ice Cream Scoop came out on top. But not all ice cream enthusiasts are looking for the same features, so we included other top-performing scoops for every preference and budget.
Our team of culinary and kitchen appliance experts has tested all kinds of frozen-treat tools, from traditional ice cream makers to the trendy Ninja Creami. Our side-by-side test of ice cream scoops, plus decades of scooping for recipe development and product testing, revealed that the shape of the handle and scoop, its comfort, weight and other special features are key for parlor-quality rounds of ice cream.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Aced our ease of scooping tests
Cons
- Not dishwasher-safe
Material: Aluminum | Weight: 5.5 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: No | Capacity: 1.5–2 ounces, per our tests
For an ice cream parlor experience right at home, reach for this classic scoop from Zeroll. The aluminum tool is lightweight so it's easy to maneuver, but it doesn't feel flimsy. It easily stood up to both chunky and smooth ice creams, creating uniform scoops across multiple tubs of ice cream. According to the brand, the handle contains a heat-conductive liquid that uses the natural warmth of your hand to slightly heat the tool and make for smooth scooping. We can't speak to the mechanism behind this, but we can say it aced all of our scooping tests. "It cut through vanilla ice cream like butter," noted our tester. It's not dishwasher safe, but easy to clean with soap and water.
The shape of the head — relatively deep with a rounded top and bottom and straight sides — effortlessly creates round, photo-worthy scoops. We tested the 2-ounce scooper, but the brand offers several sizes ranging from 1 ounce to 4 ounces.
It's not dishwasher-safe — a little high-maintenance for an ice cream scoop — but it's easy to clean in the sink with soap and water. It's worth noting that this trusted tool has been in production for about 90 years, according to the brand's website.
Pros
- Affordable
- Ice cream released easily from the scooper
Cons
- Somewhat inconsistent scoops
Material: Zinc alloy | Weight: 6.5 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Capacity: About 2 ounces, per our tests
The slightly square head with divots made this ice cream scoop stand out from the rest, and it created nicely shaped scoops that released easily from the tool with minimal shaking to get the scoop out. It's also less than half the price of our overall pick, a great value considering how well it performed on our tests. The head is made from zinc alloy, a less expensive, lighter alternative to stainless steel. Like our overall pick, it's lightweight but not flimsy.
When testing, we weighed each ice cream scoop to check for consistency in size and found this tool produced only somewhat consistent results, but the ease of scooping and shape of the scoops still made it a clear winner. Unlike other scoopers we tested, this one comes in bright colors like blue, green and pink.
It has a short, curved handle that's comfortable to hold and may be preferable to users with smaller hands because of its compact size. It also has a built-in notch on the handle that's meant to help you lift the lid off ice cream — a unique, if only somewhat helpful, feature. When you're done scooping cleanup is easy, because it's dishwasher-safe.
Pros
- Trigger mechanism easily releases hard, frozen ice cream
- Affordable
Cons
- Ice cream leaks through gap between spoon and trigger
Material: Zinc alloy | Weight: 6.6 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Capacity: 2–2.5 ounces, per our tests
Hard, frozen ice cream comes right out of this affordable Joseph Joseph scoop thanks to a trigger mechanism that works with a push of your thumb. It worked particularly well on the chunky cookies and cream flavor, releasing every last chocolate chip into the bowl. The trigger also doubles as a spoon rest, though the ice cream leaks through so our tester didn't find it that helpful. Our tester noted that this scoop was best for hard ice cream; the trigger became less effective as the ice cream softened.
It was easy to use, scoring top marks on our scooping and ease of release tests. Like our value pick, the head is made from zinc alloy. The resulting ice cream scoops were nicely round and consistently sized, on the larger size compared to the scoops from other brands. Like many of our other winners, this tool is lightweight but sturdy. It's not dishwasher-safe.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop
Pros
- Comfortable grip
- Made from stainless steel, a strong material
Cons
- One of the heaviest scoops we tested
Material: Stainless steel | Weight: 8 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Capacity: 1.5–2 ounces, per our tests
One of the heaviest ice cream scoops we tested, this option from OXO has a sturdy handle with a comfortable grip. Depending on the user, the thick, non-slip handle with ridges on the side may be the easiest to hold compared to the other scoops we recommend. Though there's definitely a weight to it, our tester noted that it still felt nimble. The weight likely comes from the stainless steel head. It's the only scoop on this list made from stainless steel, a strong, heavy material that should last for years to come.
In our tests, it created reliably round, consistent scoops, though our tester did have some trouble releasing the scoops as the ice cream softened (some shaking was involved to get the scoops into the bowl). The head has a similar shape as our overall pick — ovular with straight sides — and it cut through both vanilla and cookies and cream ice cream with ease. It's dishwasher-safe.
Other ice cream scoops we tested
- Caraway Ice Cream Scoop: Looking for a sleek, shiny scoop? This giftable, 100% stainless steel scoop performed well in our tests, creating "cute, small scoops" according to our tester. Though heavy, it was easy to use with a raised groove right under the scoop for your thumb to grip. Just note it's not dishwasher-safe.
- Williams Sonoma Tilt Up Ice Cream Scoop: The curved, ergonomic design of this ice cream scoop stood out from the rest. Our tester found it one of the most comfortable to hold. It comes with a spoon rest, which we found more effective than the spoon rest on the Joseph Joseph scoop because there was no gap for ice cream to leak through. It's on the heavier side with a large, ovular head. It was a solid performer, scoring top marks in all of our tests except the consistency of the scoops, which turned out hollow in the middle.
How we test ice cream scoops
For each ice cream scoop, we dig out three portions from a 1.5-quart container of chunky cookies and cream ice cream and one pint of smooth vanilla ice cream. The different types of ice cream present unique challenges for the scooper and the different size tubs of ice cream help us judge the ease of scooping, no matter what vessel you’re scooping from.
Next we assess the shape of each scoop. Is the ball of ice cream nicely round, mostly round or an undefined shape? Spherical scoops are preferred.
When releasing the scoops from the scooper into a bowl, we note if it’s hard to release, requiring a lot of shaking and coaxing, or easy to release.
We weigh each of the three scoops and check for consistency. Does the ice cream scoop dole out a similar portion each time? The more identical the scoops, the better the scooper.
For ease of cleaning, we note whether or not the tool is dishwasher safe. After dishwashing or handwashing, we note how well it washed. Were there any marks left over or did it look brand new?
What to look for in an ice cream scoop
✔️ Scoop capacity: While this wasn't a factor we considered when choosing which ice cream scoops to try, our tests revealed that the heads of different ice cream scoops have varying capacities, averaging 1.5 to 3 ounces. Not all brands share the capacity of their ice cream scoops within the product description, so our recordings of scoop capacity come from tests in the Lab. Opt for a larger capacity if you prefer larger scoops or a smaller capacity for more petite portions.
✔️ Weight: The total weight of the scoop can affect how comfortable it is for you to maneuver. The ice cream scoops we recommend range from 5.5 to 8 ounces. Our tester found anything outside of that range too flimsy or too heavy.
✔️ Handle shape and material: We saw a range of handle shapes and materials, from grooved or grippy handles to smooth and sleek handles. Handles made from soft materials with or without finger grooves may be more comfortable to hold, while metal handles may be preferred for that classic ice cream parlor look. Our tester noted that longer handles made scooping more difficult.
✔️ Special features: There were two notable features we saw on some ice cream scoops but not all: built-in spoon rests and release mechanisms. While you may not need a spoon rest — you can scoop ice cream and then transfer the scoop to the sink — spoon rests can be helpful if you typically serve multiple people or plan on hosting a party. An effective spoon rest can help avoid ice cream drips as you set the spoon down in between scooping.
We were only able to test one ice cream scoop with a release mechanism that pushes the ice cream out of the spoon and we were pleasantly surprised. The trigger was effective at releasing the ice cream, especially harder, more frozen ice creams.
✔️ Material: Ice cream scoops are typically made from aluminum, zinc alloy or stainless steel. Aluminum is lightweight and easy to maneuver, zinc alloy is a similar weight but tends to be more affordable and stainless steel is heavy and tends to be more expensive, but may offer durability and long-lasting quality.
✔️ Cleanability: Most ice cream scoops are dishwasher-safe, but some, like our overall pick, are not and must be hand-washed with soap and water. Be sure to check the label or product manual before purchasing if you're looking for an ice cream scoop that you can put in the dishwasher.
What's the best way to scoop frozen ice cream?
It’s best to take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until the sides of the tub yield to a gentle squeeze, about 10 minutes. Some brands, like Breyer’s, may require little to no resting time because the ice cream is less dense.
We found that resting, rather than heating your scoop with warm water, was the way to go because the water can influence the taste and texture of both the ice cream that goes into your bowl and the ice cream left in the pint. Water coats the ice cream in a thin layer of ice, and slightly melted and refrozen ice cream in the pint will taste icy rather than creamy the next time you go in for a scoop.
It’s ok to rinse the scooper off in between flavors, just dry it well before moving on to your next pint.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Samantha MacAvoy is an assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen. She has tested and reviewed hundreds of products across kitchen and culinary categories, such as electric griddles, kitchen torches and olive oils. She heartily consumes ice cream year-round and considers a good scoop an absolute must. She used Joy’s testing data and supplementary research to write this story.
Joy Cho is an assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and is professionally trained in all things sweet, including pastry and baking arts. She worked alongside the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab to develop the methodology for testing ice cream scoops and led the testing for this story.
Eva Bleyer has tested all kinds of kitchen gear for Good Housekeeping, including gas ranges, microwaves, kitchen scales, blenders and more. She’s a trained cook and holds a B.S. in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health. Eva worked with Joy to develop the ice cream scoop testing methodology and helped Samantha review and interpret the results of the testing.
Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Joy (she/her) is an assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she develops and tests recipes to ensure both deliciousness and accuracy before they appear in titles like Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Woman’s Day, Prevention and Country Living. After graduating from UChicago with a major in political science, she made the (best) decision to pursue her passion for food by enrolling in pastry school and working at her dream restaurant, Gramercy Tavern. Before joining the GH team, Joy assisted on cookbook and editorial shoots, ran an Instagram micro bakery, and worked as a freelance writer and developer with bylines appearing in Eater, Food52, Simply Recipes, Food Network and more. Joy has a special place in her heart for croissants and tiramisu, and is always on the hunt for the next cafe to explore in the city (a journey that never ends!).
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
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