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The hollow design of some ice cream scoops helps with heat transfer. "Anyone who has tried to scoop ice cream from a tub that just came out of the freezer knows it’s not easy, so most scoops are designed to transfer the heat from your hand to the ice cream you are scooping," the Bechtels say. "Most hollow scoops are filled with a conductive liquid that warms the scoop, making it just a bit easier to get through a tub of ice cream.” This conductive liquid will often be advertised as an anti-freeze. Scoops may seem basic, but many of them come with various features that make digging into tubs of ice cream smooth and easy. For example, you’ll find that some ice cream scoops have metal grooves that help release the ice cream into the bowl, while others may have soft and comfortable handles so you get a great grip.
The size of a scoop of ice cream largely depends on who’s scooping—but in general, it can be anywhere from 2 to 4 ounces. Even though many of the models we tested don’t list the exact scoop size, those that do are within this range. The handle is hollow and filled with antifreeze, which makes cutting through hard ice cream a breeze. (Though this also means you shouldn’t put it in the dishwasher.) In terms of performance, we hardly found any negatives except that it’s impossible to shape your ice cream scoops into balls due to the nature of spades. But if you don’t care about perfectly round scoops, this was one of the best-performing ice cream scoops we tested. The single-piece ice cream scoop, even though it has no mechanical release, is typically favored by ice cream shops because there are no parts that can gum up with repeated use. Ice cream can then be loosened with heat, either by dipping the scoop in warm water—as many ice cream shops do—or through the conduction of heat from the handle to the scoop. Those made from pure metal are often the worst when it comes to grip. Finger grooves can help you keep hold of stainless steel handles, which can become very slippery when wet.We tested 22 ice cream scoops in our Lab—including traditional scoops, dishers, spades, and even a scoop/disher combo—and evaluated them on performance, design, and durability. Each scoop was tested with two types of ice cream: Häagen-Dazs and Blue Bell. Five minutes before scooping, we took the ice cream out of the freezer and placed it on the countertop. For Kelly Williamson, co-founder of True Scoops ice cream, the best way to scoop ice cream is to let the ice cream soften on the counter until it gives slightly with the touch of a finger. “Dip your ice cream scoop in at a slight angle and drag it towards you until a ball of ice cream has formed,” she says. “If you’re scooping from a pint, dip into it at the same slight angle but ‘go around the world’ which basically means to go around the outside of the pint scooping up all that ice cream.” The downside to these designs is that the ice cream scoop normally needs to be dipped in warm water to slightly soften the ice cream, although many scoops have conductive handles that become warm from the heat of your hand. This scoop is made from zinc alloy—it's also available in stainless steel—and the 3-ounce scooper creates medium-sized scoops that easily release from the scoop with minimal effort. We found the curved handle very comfortable to hold and it kept our hand warm while scooping. Though one of the heavier scoops, it felt comfortable and didn’t cause any wrist strain while using, even with a hard ice cream that included mix-ins. During testing, we found it was comfortable to hold, balanced, and doesn't cause any wrist strain when used. Plus, the non-slip handle ensures a firm, comfortable grip and keeps your hand from getting cold while using. With no moving parts, this scoop is sturdy and durable, and, as an added bonus, is dishwasher safe. This type of scoop isn’t the best for scooping small portions or for making ice cream cones since it can scoop a lot and it's hard to control the serving size and appearance. When we used this scooper with a pint of ice cream we found it a challenge to see over the paddle since it was larger than the container itself, so that's something to keep in mind. However, it worked very efficiently in the half-gallon tub of ice cream.
In our testing, we found that the Sumo Ice Cream Scoop can give you a scoop of ice cream that looks like it came straight from your favorite ice cream shop. This scoop made it to the top of our list because of its durable stainless steel construction and grippy handle, which felt more comfortable in our hands than many of the other scoops on our list. Additionally, because the weight is distributed evenly throughout the handle length, you can scoop practically effortlessly without straining your hand. Plus, we felt that its pointed edge made it easy to dig the ice cream out.Some scoops (especially those used in commercial settings) list the size "with a number that corresponds to the number of scoops that you would get from a quart of ice cream,” the Bechtels say. “This means that larger-sized scoops will have a smaller number because you’d get fewer scoops from a quart of ice cream from a larger scoop." The Spring Chef Ice Cream Scoop has an ergonomic, comfortable rubber handle that comes in twelve different colors (we tested the purple one). The handle also boasts a notch at the bottom for lifting off frozen lids, similar to a bottle opener. No more cold fingers! To be labeled as ice cream in the United States, a gallon of ice cream must weigh at least 4.5 pounds and contain a minimum of 10 percent milk fat,” they say. “Milk fat is both delicious and expensive, so budget-brand frozen dairy desserts will often replace a good deal of the milk fat with whipped air in an attempt to mimic the creaminess of ice cream (while also decreasing the calories). This means a scoop of super premium ice cream will weigh significantly more than an equal-sized scoop of a frozen dairy dessert.” Why are some ice cream scoops hollow? Pretty much all modern ice cream scoops are made from either aluminum or stainless steel,” say Wes and Kristen Bechtel, co-owners of Boombalatti’s ice cream shop in Wilmington, North Carolina. This makes sense, considering all of the options on our list are made of aluminum, zinc, or stainless steel. While we didn’t notice a certain material performing better than others in our testing, it’s worth noting that aluminum ice cream scoops are hand-wash only, while the other materials are typically dishwasher safe.
Tip: If your freezer is very cold and the ice cream’s set hard, you may find it helpful to warm the Trigger Scoop in some hot water before use.On average, a scoop of ice cream is 1/2 cup, but it depends on who is doing the scooping, what their methods are, and what size scoop is used. A scoop with a 1/2-cup bowl can easily create a 1-cup ball of ice cream. Most ice cream scoops are made from some kind of metal, usually aluminium or stainless steel. These are durable and can generally be cleaned in the dishwasher. Both metals can cut through hard ice cream and are more durable than plastic. The Zeroll 1020 Original has long been a favorite among those in the know because it contains a heat-conductive liquid inside the scoop that aids in cutting through your ice cream or sorbet. However, after testing it extensively, we also found that it is an excellent choice for lefties due to its symmetrical design. We tested this scoop with our left and right hands, and both produced the same type of scoop. We also liked that this ice cream scoop’s handle was substantially wide and offered a firm grip. Our tests showed that its design made it able to better accommodate a range of hand sizes, too. Ice cream scoops are tools that are certainly not limited to frozen treats. They can also be used to scoop batter and dough for baking. The disher-style tool allows you to spoon up a precise serving and maintain that perfectly round shape. Plus, the trigger mechanism makes for an easy and smooth release. Many people enjoy using an ice cream scoop for cupcake, muffin, and pancake batter, as well as uniform portions of cookie dough. It's not limited to just the sweet stuff though—we've seen ice cream scoops being used to shape meatballs and patties for burgers. They can also be used to dish up charmingly round servings of mashed potatoes, risotto, and egg salad. The possibilities are endless.
After completing testing, the zinc alloy scoop came out of the dishwasher as shiny as it went in, but the handle looked duller with some residue. This slight discoloration didn’t affect the comfort of the handle, though. An updated take on the traditional ice cream scoop, this cleverly designed Trigger Action Ice Cream Scoop from OXO Good Grips is strongly made from stainless steel so it easily scoops through even the most solid ice cream, while the trigger action pops out perfect globes every time.We use a size 20 scoop, which means we could get about 20 scoops of ice cream from a quart, or approximately 2 ounces per scoop,” they add. “Some shops use a size 10 scoop, which is twice as big: 4-ounce scoops or 10 scoops per quart." Design and Features The typical ice cream scoop is designed to hold about 4 ounces of ice cream, which is about half a cup. However, the Bechtels point out that not all ice creams are created equally, which can affect how much a scoop of ice cream weighs.
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