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The 8 Best Ice Cream Scoops For 2023

Scoop, there it is!

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best ice cream scoops

Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

We know how the saying goes, and yes, we all love to scream for ice cream… But does your flimsy, faulty ice cream scoop make you want to scream in a rage? Wetting your scooper with warm or hot water will help you to seamlessly glide through your frozen fare, but it can also cause a layer of gritty, crunchy ice crystals to form on top. Meanwhile, microwaving your ice cream might seem like a smart idea, but doing so will permanently ruin its texture. So what’s an ice cream lover to do if you want to keep ice cream from sticking to the scoop? Whether you prefer homemade ice cream or just a regular pint from the grocery store, investing in quality is the key to getting the most out of your ice cream scoop. (And the most ice cream out of your carton!) Given that it’s a fairly basic tool, a top-notch ice cream scoop doesn’t need any additional features besides enabling you to effortlessly dig into rock-solid ice cream and release your scoops without sticking. From the easiest ice cream scoop to use to the best of the best, we’ve got the inside scoop on the eight best options that will get the job done.

Looking to break in that shiny new scoop ASAP? Pick up a pint (or four) of our favorite mail order ice creams or go all-out and pick up one of our recommendations for the best ice cream maker—after all, you deserve to treat yourself!

Our top picks

How we picked these products

To scope out the best ice cream scoops, we did the same amount of vigorous digging you shouldn’t be doing in your carton. After identifying the most popular models amongst our staff and on the market, we evaluated each contender based on a variety of important factors, including design, cleanability, price, accessibility, scoop size, ergonomics, ease of use, materials, and consumer reviews. Using our findings, we determined that these are the best ice cream scoops you can buy in 2022.

1
Best Ice Cream Scoop

Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop

Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop

Pros

  • Long-lasting and innovative design
  • Rolls perfect scoops

Cons

  • Hand-wash only
  • Warranty only covers defects

Our executive editor, Lindsay Funston highly recommends the

Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop, which she says “scoops perfect rounds." Funston praises the non-toxic, heat conducting fluid in the handle that facilitates excellent scooping.

Senior Food Producer June Xie echoed these positive sentiments, adding that it's ergonomic, easy to clean, and "gives you perfectly rounded scoops especially when dipped in warm water before scooping.” She likes, too, that the Zeroll doesn't come apart—meaning there are fewer nooks and crannies for melted ice cream to gum up.

But it’s not just our staff who are big fans of the Zeroll. It’s also the preferred scoop of many ice cream shops and restaurants because of its simple, yet innovative design that has largely remained the same since it was invented in 1935—all you have to do is shake, scoop, and serve.

Be sure to keep this baby out of the dishwasher, because its lifetime warranty only covers defects.

2
Best Budget Ice Cream Scoop

Our Table Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop

Our Table Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop
Credit: Bed Bath & Beyond

Pros

  • Budget-friendly
  • Non-toxic heat conducting fluid

Cons

  • Hand-wash only
  • Less durable design

Though she also strongly recommends the ultra-popular Zeroll, if you can’t justify spending more than $10 on an ice cream scoop, Delish Director of Video Julia Smith advises shoppers to keep an eye out for “any metal scoop where your hand heat helps warm up the scoop.”

From Bed Bath & Beyond’s private label, Our Table, the Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop offers a similar non-toxic heat conducting design—which means it is hand-wash only—but unlike the Zeroll, it’s two separate pieces fused together, so it’s not as durable.

That said, one reviewer calls the Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop “very convenient to use” and another says it met all their requirements for a “good, solid, functional home ice cream scoop.”

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3
Best Splurge Ice Cream Scoop

Jenaluca Cookie Scoop Set

Jenaluca Cookie Scoop Set
Credit: Jenaluca

Pros

  • Dishwasher-safe
  • Multiple size options

Cons

  • Very pricey

We love ice cream as much as Ben and Jerry combined, but we think a single ice cream scoop will suit most people just fine. That being said, the three-piece Jenaluca Cookie Scoop Set is great for those who plan to scoop things other than ice cream. They're also great for scooping chewy chocolate cookie batter and Italian meatballs—both of which might call for different-sized scoops.

One verified Amazon customer called this set a “good quality product," plus these ergonomic kitchen tools have a lifetime warranty.

4
Easiest to Use Ice Cream Scoop

FTVOGUE Stainless Steel Ice Cream Shovel With Wooden Handle

FTVOGUE Stainless Steel Ice Cream Shovel With Wooden Handle
Credit: FTVOGUE

Pros

  • Ergonomic grip
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Creates slices, not scoops

Here at Delish, we believe ice cream should be accessible to everyone. For those with arthritis, neuropathy, carpal tunnel, motor difficulties, and other impairments that can make gripping an ice cream scoop difficult, consider the FTVOGUE Stainless Steel Ice Cream Shovel.

As one verified Amazon purchaser writes that the "spade design is easy for digging into hard ice cream. Granted it's not for cones, but for a bowlful, float or other desserts this is a great spade.” You can also use it to pre-cut slices from your carton and transfer them into plastic baggies for easy snacking—our favorite kind of meal prep!

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5
Best Ice Cream Scoop For Lefties

GoodCook Smart Ice Cream Scoop

GoodCook Smart Ice Cream Scoop
Credit: GoodCook

Pros

  • Good for lefties
  • Rolls perfect scoops

Cons

  • Uncomfortable for small hands
  • Hand-wash only

What sets the Good Cook Smart Ice Cream Scoop apart from other options is that it’s beveled on both sides, meaning you can use it whether you’re right- or left-handed.

Per one of this scoop’s nearly 1,300 reviewers, the “ice cream rolls into perfect round scoops and slides right out when you let the handles open. If [I] did have a complaint, it would be that the handles [aren't] comfortable… [I’m] guessing it is because [I] have very small hands. I would buy this scoop over and over.”

It may take a little elbow grease if you’re faced with some frozen-solid ice cream, but we still think this Smart Ice Cream Scoop is pretty sweet.

6
Most Comfortable Ice Cream Scoop

Sumo Ice Cream Scoop

Sumo Ice Cream Scoop
Credit: Sumo

Pros

  • Cushy handle
  • Tapered scoop

Cons

  • Some elbow grease required

Boasting a cushy handle and tapered scoop, the Sumo Ice Cream Scoop makes carving ice cream out of its container an equally comfortable and convenient experience. Just know you may need to use some additional force when scooping hard, frozen-solid ice cream.

One of its 3,600-plus happy customers declares: “Simple. Utilitarian. Colorful. What's not to like?”

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7
Best Heavy-Duty Ice Cream Scoop

Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Ice Cream Scoop

Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Ice Cream Scoop
Credit: Gorilla Grip

Pros

  • 10-year warranty
  • Sturdy construction

Cons

  • Chrome pits and peels
  • Not one piece

If you want to practically clean out a pint in one fell scoop, the aptly-named Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Ice Cream Scoop is your best bet. Its design features flat edges for scraping the sides of the carton and grooves that allow for easy release, as well as a notch on the handle for opening lids that have been frozen shut.

Among the nearly 10,000 reviewers, one happy customer said: “The construction of this scoop is super solid—[you're] not going to bend it up, no matter how hard your ice cream is. The handle is very comfortable… It's easy to hold and gives you good grip when using [a lot] of force on hard ice cream. The scoop makes your ice cream curl into nice round balls as you push it into the ice cream."

It’s good to note that some users have experienced pitting and peeling on the scooper itself, but this should be easily remedied by the Gorilla Grip’s equally heavy-duty 10-year warranty.

8
Best Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Scoop

Thrifty Old Time Ice Cream Scooper

Thrifty Old Time Ice Cream Scooper

Pros

  • Great for nostalgia
  • Creates near-perfect scoops

Cons

  • Not very user-friendly

Forget sprinkles and hot fudge—if your favorite ice cream topping is a hefty dose of nostalgia, the Thrifty Old Time Ice Cream Scooper is a blast from the past. This stainless steel model requires a bit of a learning curve, but here’s the gist: Simply push this gadget into your ice cream, turn it about 90 degrees, and pull up. The two prongs inside the scoop hold onto the ice cream until you squeeze the spring-powered handle to release (which means your scoops will be near-perfect, save for the two small prong holes).

“We can now recreate at home an iconic, multigenerational product: ice cream dispensed from Thrifty's mythical, cylindrical ice cream scoop," raves one of the over 3,500 reviews on Amazon. "This is a product that delivers true joy. Gun-shaped, stainless steel, and featuring a spring-powered trigger that ‘gently ejects’ the ice cream, just looking at it is a trip back in time… The difference? Its two-pronged ‘ejector’ puts two tiny holes atop each scoop, [which is] easily remedied and hardly worth whining about.”

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