Stuff We Want: Yaylabs Ice Cream Ball, Dessert You Have to Earn
Cream in one end, ice and rock salt in the other, then kick it around the yard until it pays you back in ice cream.
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Every ice cream maker you've ever owned does the same thing: sits in a cabinet, takes up space and judges you for buying it.
This one wants to be thrown around the backyard instead.
Meet the Yaylabs SoftShell Ice Cream Ball. You put cream, sugar and whatever flavorings you like in one end. You pack ice and rock salt in the other end. Then you shake it, roll it and pass it around like the world's most delicious game of hot potato.
About 25 minutes of active play later, you've got roughly a pint of homemade ice cream. No outlet, no motor, no humming appliance. Just you, your friends and a ball that slowly turns cardio into dessert.
The ends have built-in handles that flip back to open, and the openings are wide, so loading the ingredients and scooping out the payoff isn't a wrestling match. It's made from food-safe, BPA-free materials, it's dishwasher safe, and there's a recipe booklet in the box for when you run out of ideas past vanilla.
It's about 8.5 inches across, which makes it big enough to feel like a real ball and small enough to throw in the car for camping, a picnic or a barbecue where the kids need a job.
Fair warning: this is ice cream you have to earn. If your idea of effort is walking to the freezer, this ball is going to expose you in front of everyone.
Who it's for
- Campers and picnic people who want dessert without a cooler full of melted pints.
- Parents looking for a backyard activity that ends with a reward instead of a meltdown.
- Gift shoppers shopping for the friend who hosts every summer cookout.
Who should skip it
- You want ice cream in five minutes. This takes a solid chunk of shaking and rolling.
- You're planning to roll it across a white carpet. It's a ball full of ice and salt water. Take it outside.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Makes about a pint of homemade ice cream with no power needed.
- Built-in flip-back handles and wide openings for loading and scooping.
- Food-safe, BPA-free materials and dishwasher safe.
- Recipe booklet included.
- Fun group activity for camping, picnics and parties.
Cons
- Takes about 25 minutes of active play per batch.
- You'll need to bring ice and rock salt along.
Pros and cons are our read of the features on the listing, not a hands-on test.
How it compares
More campfire snacks: the Nostalgia electric s'mores maker handles the warm half of dessert.
Breakfast first? The Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich maker builds the morning before.
Need a cold one for the grown-ups? Grab the Keter Go Bar cooler.
Want the plug-in version? The Ninja SLUSHi makes slushies with no ice and no kicking.
FAQ
How does the Yaylabs Ice Cream Ball work?
Add cream, sugar and flavorings in one end and ice and rock salt in the other, then shake and roll it.
How long does it take?
About 25 minutes of active play.
How much ice cream does it make?
About one pint per batch.
Is it easy to clean?
It's made from food-safe, BPA-free materials and is dishwasher safe.
The verdict
The verdict: hand-picked because it turns dessert into a group activity. Toss it, roll it, argue about whose turn it is, and eat the evidence.
#ad. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hand-picked by The Deez List.
