Smoothies and juices are all well and good, especially when you are on a self-professed health kick. However, what about for those times when you are craving something altogether more indulgent and well, a little bit creamier and whole lot naughtier! Tired of having a runny and thin consistent blended drink and really want to sink your teeth and taste buds into something more decadent? Don’t have the time or the energy to head out to one of those milkshake and ice cream style franchise parlors popping up on the high street? Well, that’s exactly when and why you need a milkshake maker, and luckily for you, we’ve got our top recommendations. Read on to discover what we currently think are the best milkshake makers to produce yummy and thick creamy, indulgent treats from the comfort of your own kitchen top! Maximum taste and minimum cleaning up too. All you need to do is decide what flavor you want to create and grab your straw and a large glass!
The Best Milkshake Maker
1Hamilton Beach 730 C Classic Drink Master Milkshake Maker
If you are looking for a machine that looks great and that can recreate thick and creamy milkshakes, then this Hamilton Beach is a real classic and is quick and easy to use too. It features two speeds as well as a tilting head and makes incredible vanilla and chocolate shake as well as malts and soda float too. It’s one milkshake machine that all the family will love to use and even better still, enjoy drinking the fabulous creamy concoctions created! Just start out with a base of milk and ice then add whatever takes your fancy. Everything from pineapple and forest fruits, to crushed cookies, chocolate chips, and even candy bars. The significant advantage of this machine is that it is of commercial size and quality with its generous 28-ounce stainless steel mixing bowl. With two speeds it can blend and mix to perfection. The spindle is detachable which makes for easy clean-up. Versatile, convenient, and attractively designed, this is a great Milkshake maker. Be sure to also check out our list of the best juicers for more great items like this.
Detachable spindle allows for easy cleaning
Great retro inspired design looks and features
Large capacity 28-ounce mixing cup
Compact design perfect for most kitchen countertops
Tilted head for each access along with 2-speeds
- BrandHamilton Beach
- Model730C
- Weight4.75 pounds
2Hamilton Beach HMD200 Commercial Milkshake Maker
If you are looking to invest in a commercial Milkshake Mixer, then step forth the Hamilton Beach HMD200 with its attractive but functional single-spindle design. Delivering a powerful 300-watts, it’s an excellent solution for small businesses preparing milkshakes on a daily basis for homes that just love a creamy, cold, and delicious ice cream-based drink. Durably built and constructed from a heavy-duty die-cast metal it’s perfect for preparing delightful ice-cream shakes, blending eggs, making smoothies, and also mixing up fantastic batter for pancakes and waffles. There’s a three-speed rocker switch, and the mixer offers up to different options; pulse switch or cup guide. Not only that but the cup also removes for easy cleanup too. With a generous 28-ounce stainless steel mixing cup this is a great commercial grade milkshake maker that will be right at home wherever you locate it. Our handy guide to the best blenders features more great products like this.
Can be used with entirely hands-free operation
Attractive die-cast housing and single spindle stick
3-speed powerful universal motor to commercial standards
Unique fingertip action pulse for stop and start
Features generous 28-ounce stainless steel mixing cup
- BrandHamilton Beach
- ModelHMD200
- Weight14.37 pounds
3Nostalgia MLKS100BL Milkshake Maker
This Two-Speed Milkshake Maker from Nostalgia is one of the Best Milk Shake Makers around, and it will bring a real touch of retro nostalgia to your kitchen. It features a versatile and robust 100-watt motor that allows you to effortlessly customize the thickness of your shakes. The unit is of quality construction and features durable stainless steel as well as a powerful mixing rod and a weighted base that helps deliver more stability when in use. It not only looks attractive but it works like a treat too. It’s perfect for smoothies, milkshakes, and also scrambled eggs too. With the versatile 2-Speed motor, you can easily customize your milkshakes thickness, creating just the right consistency for you. Bring back a touch of nostalgia and treat your kids to the kind of ice cream float you might have enjoyed as a kid back in the day! Find more great products like this by checking out our guide to the best growlers.
Powerful 100-watt motor with 2 versatile speeds
Durable mixing rod with stainless steel mixing cup
Chrome plated motor
Weighted base for additional stability
Powerful enough to even crush ice
- BrandNostalgia
- ModelMLKS100BL
- Weight2.4 pounds
4Proctor Silex 60200 Commercial Milkshake Maker
Another great commercial style option from Proctor Silex (aka Hamilton Beach) features two speeds along with a powerful 300-watt motor. It’s an attractive and elegant looking Milkshake Mixer as well as being able to handle a full range of other frozen style drinks. The unit can be operated hands-free, and it conveniently features cup activated mixing. Talking of cups, these can be removed for quick and easy clean up too. The stainless steel shaft and agitator are robust and sturdy as well as looking stylish. A great option that wouldn’t look out of place on any professional or domestic countertop. Don’t forget to also check out our guide to the best mini fridges, so you can store the milkshakes you make for later.
Stainless steel cup is included
Comes with 2 speeds perfect for mixing shakes and making coffee drinks
Powerful 300-watt motor along with hands-free operation
Have base for stable performance
Cups easily removed for clean up
- BrandHamilton Beach
- Model60200
- Weight10.8 pounds
5Nostalgia MLKS100COKE Coca-Cola Limited Edition Milkshake Maker
Just like the Nostalgia model that we have already reviewed, this Nostalgia MLKS100COKE unit features a versatile two-speed mixer alongside that powerful 100-watt motor. The unit comes with a durable stainless steel mixing cup and rod and has that weighted bottom which helps to secure the unit in place. You can fully customize the thickness of your shakes to your own desired preference. The best thing about the Nostalgia though is that it comes in a super striking and collectible Coca-Cola red design that will really bring a touch of ice cream parlor retro design right into your kitchen at home. Make sure you also check our guide to the best immersion blenders for more great items like this.
Powerful 100-watt motor with 2 versatile speeds
Durable mixing rod with stainless steel mixing cup
Chrome plated motor and limited edition Coca-Cola red housing
Weighted base for additional stability
16 oz blending cup
- BrandNostalgia
- ModelMLKS100COKE
- Weight2.35 pounds
6Brentwood SM-1200B Classic Milkshake Maker
Milkshakes bring back memories of diners and drive-in movie theatres. Even if you’re too young to remember those days, you’ve definitely seen them on the big screen. The Brentwood SM-1200B takes design inspiration from the golden age of milkshakes. It has a turquoise body with chrome fittings that give it a distinctly 50s vibe. One of the things we like best about this machine is how easy it is to use. Just put your ingredients in the 450ml stainless steel mixing cup and choose between the two settings – low and high. It could be simpler than that! Other features include a rubberized base and a safety locking tumbler.
50s inspired design
Two speeds (low & high)
450ml stainless steel mixing cup
Turquoise body
Rubberized base
- BrandBrentwood
- ModelSM-1200B
- Weight2.4 pounds
7Hamilton Beach 727B Classic DrinkMaster
Earlier in this list, we featured the Hamilton Beach 730C. This is the cheaper alternative and it boasts many of the same features, so it’s perfect for bargain seekers. The main difference is the body is made from plastic instead of chrome. Other than that, it functions in the same way. It has the same 70-watt motor that powers the mixing blades, the same size stainless steel mixing cup (28-ounce), and the same tilting head for easy access. Even with the plastic body, we like the look of this kitchen appliance. If you want to make restaurant-quality milkshakes, malted milk, fruit smoothies, and health drinks, you need the Hamilton Beach 727B Classic DrinkMaster.
70-watt motor
28-ounce stainless steel mixing cup
Tilting head
Plastic body
Two-year warranty
- BrandHamilton Beach
- Model727B
- Weight3 pounds
Milkshake Maker Buying Guide & FAQs
How We Chose Our Selection of Milkshake Makers
Our selection of Milkshake Maker is all well known for their premium features and strong design aesthetics too. All of them are selected following a rigorous process, analyzing reviews both from experts as well as consumers. We try to ensure that we covet off a range of brands but that all have one thing in common, delivering a machine that is easy to use. Price is also taken into consideration, and our selection all offer what we believe to be excellent value for money given their unique features. Based on brands you can trust, prices that are attractive and strong reviews, ratings and customer testimonials, we trust that at least one of the Milkshake Makers we’ve shortlisted will be the perfect one for you and your family.
Features To Look For In Milkshake Makers
Before you decide to invest in any one of our recommended Milkshake Makers, there are a couple of points worth considering and also features that you should be on the look-out for.
Power, Construction & Weight - For the most powerful and durable makers, we recommend that you go for components that are made from stainless steel. These will be easy to clean and long lasting too plus the stainless steel helps to additionally keep your milkshakes nice and cold. When it comes to power, if you are intending adding in ice or blending with frozen fruits to make smoothie style milkshakes, then you need to ensure that the motor is powerful enough to perform that function and not just to aerate and mix dairy produce which is generally soft. Most machines will deliver somewhere in the range of 65-100 watts of power. Go for a heavy base too as that will anchor your machine and ensure that it stays stable when you are mixing up your magic shakes!
Cup Capacity & Number of cups - Consider how many people you are likely to want to serve. Many machines feature detachable cups that can hold up to 28 ounces of fluffy, flavorsome and fulfilling creamy goodness. If that’s enough, great, but if you intend whipping up bigger batches maybe invest in a machine that has multiple cup attachments. Some machines also come with additional retro-styled cups so that you can go the whole hog and serve up your delicious floats in a fun container.
Ease to Clean - Nobody wants to spend unnecessary time cleaning up, so we suggest that you opt for a machine that has mostly stainless steel parts and a fully detachable cup that make cleaning up a breeze.
Speed Variations - Milkshakes are pretty easy to make so you don’t need your machine to be too fancy but having two speeds will certainly be beneficial and ensure that you mix and froth those milkshakes up to perfection.
Location - Most machines are compact and designed to perfectly fit on a countertop while still looking stylish too so that you probably will want to leave your machine permanently out rather than pack it away. However, if you are a neat freak and you do intend putting your machine away in between use, make sure that your cupboards or storage space is suitable for the size of Milkshake Maker that you are contemplating buying.
Milkshake Makers vs. Blenders
It’s undeniable that countertop style blenders and immersion blenders are powerful and useful appliances that fulfill a whole range of valuable functions. From creating smoothies to pureeing soups, creating sauces and also crushing ice. On the flip side, strictly speaking, a milkshake maker has one very specific function, to make delicious rich and creamy milkshakes. As we'll discover further down the guide though, they can do more than just that which is what makes them such a practical and popular choice. Back to milkshakes though!
The beauty of a milkshake maker, as opposed to a blender, is that they can thicken very cold ingredients in record time, not by utilizing rotating blades, but with a long shaft and an aeration disc which works effectively to add lots of air into the ingredients. This results in thicker and creamier but also faster results than with a blender and also provides precise control as well as having the practicality of a removable cup. While they may overall be less powerful and practical than a multi-purpose mixer, the one thing that they can absolutely boast is that they whip up seriously delicious shakes!
Milkshake Making Tips
In case you are a novice to the wonderful world of milkshake making, we thought it might be useful just to provide a few tried and tested top tips! Practice makes perfect so the more you make shakes, the more delicious and creamy they will be. In no particular order, you might want to consider the following:
- Don’t overfill your bowl with ingredients and add then slowly rather than lumping them all in at once.
- Leave your mix in ingredients like choc chips, syrup or peanut butter till last. These will give your milkshake its individual taste and flavor, and they should be thoroughly and evenly mixed and blended through your drink and not jam up your machine.
- The colder your ingredients are, the frothier and creamier your milkshake texture will be.
- It’s best to add in your wet ingredients first and get those blended before you add any fruit or other ingredients.
- Also, make sure that you clean your machine thoroughly every time that you have used it to ensure there’s no build-up of bacteria.
Milkshake Maker FAQs
Q: Can I use a milkshake maker for anything other than milkshakes?
A: You will find that your Milkshake Maker does have a host of other practical uses that you will appreciate. You could use it to mix up the perfect scrambled eggs as well as to create delicious smoothies too. A Milkshake Maker can also replace a stand mixer for making pancake and waffle batters for a delicious breakfast alternative and of course, for preparing delicious drinks for a cocktail party.
Q: If I already have a blender, is it worth purchasing a milkshake maker?
A: This is a great question, and if you do already own a milkshake maker, you might well be wondering whether a milkshake maker is a smart investment or not. Well, we categorically think that it is and we have a number of compelling reasons to put forward as to why. First, up your kids are just going to love drinking and making milkshakes with you. It’s great family fun and a treat for the kids. They make a fab addition to kid’s parties or family get together’s and there is nothing quite like the fresh and delicious taste of smooth and creamy milkshake on a hot summers day. Considering the cost versus how much value you can get from a machine, they’re pretty budget friendly too, especially when you think about how much you would pay for a milkshake in a soda style bar or ice cream parlor. Let’s also not forget that at home, you are in total control of what you put inside your milkshake which yes, you can also do with a blender, but they just aren’t as effective at dealing with cold ingredients as a milkshake maker is. They also don’t have sharp blades like blenders do either, so they are overall safer and more practical to have around children and also to clean up.
Q: My milkshake seems runny. How can I thicken it up?
A: If you’ve added too much milk, then you might find that your shake has a runny consistency. To thicken it up you could try adding some heavier cream or crushed ice. Both of which will help thicken up the texture.
