There are two basic types of ice cream machine: the pre-frozen canister models and the fully automatic machines with a built-in freezing unit.

Costing £30-£60, the canister models are within most people's budget. They're great for making small batches of ice cream, but you'll need to plan ahead, as the inner container needs to be frozen for at least eight hours before use. You can get round this by keeping a spare container permanently at the ready, if you've got room in the freezer.

Once frozen, fit the container into the machine, press the switch and in 20 to 40 minutes you'll have about a litre of wonderfully silky smooth ice cream.

At the Rolls Royce end of the market are the automatic machines. Costing well over £200, these are for serious ice cream lovers only.

As these have a built-in freezing unit, there's no need to pre-freeze a container and no limit to the number of batches you can make; once chilled (this takes about ten minutes), the machine can go on churning all day producing excellent results.

On the downside these machines are bulky, heavy and take up a lot of counter space. They also need meticulous cleaning, especially round the rim of the bowl.

Which model you choose depends on budget and how often you're likely to make ice cream. Good-quality shop-bought ice cream can be expensive, so a top-end machine may be a worthwhile investment, especially for families.