Ice cream scoop poll

[marbel]

We have too many little things in our kitchen cabinets and drawers.  I'm trying to get rid of things we don't use or things that have only one use for which another tool would do as well.   We are arguing over the ice cream scoop.  (Not really arguing.)  So, I thought; it's Saturday, how about a poll? 

 

 

[AK_Mom4]

My ice cream scoop makes far more muffins and cookies than it does sundaes.  I'm keeping mine!

[Susan in TN]

I have found ice cream scoops to be far more difficult to use for any application than an appropriately sized spoon.

[trulycrabby]

Ice cream scoops are waaay to small for my serving of ice cream. It would take five scoops! One big spoon can serve up 1/4 of the container! :)

[AFwife Claire]

We keep ice cream in our outside freezer, and it freezes too cold for us to ever use just a spoon to scoop, unless we waited for awhile for it to soften (and who has time for that?!?  :drool5: )  So for us, an ice cream scoop is essential . . . of course, we are a family who pretty much always has 5 tubs of various flavors of ice cream in the freezer, so we are pretty hard-core ice cream eaters.

[Ellie]

No kitchen would be complete without an ice cream scoop, whether it actually scooped ice cream or not. Oh, and having several different kinds is also a necessity. :-)

[Mnemosyne]

Nice to have, but not essential. DH always uses the scoop, I usually use the spoon unless the ice cream is hard, in which case I like to use the scoop.

[justasque]

The kind of scoop with the metal thing that swoops across the bowl to remove the contents is NOT intended for ice cream. It is also called a "disher" and is perfect for scooping out cookie dough, muffin or cupcake batter, egg-and-veg mixture for individual "quiche muffins", yogurt for DIY "fruit on the bottom" yogurt cups, and so on. It helps you to scoop standard amounts, so that each muffin or cookie cooks in the same length of time. It makes for quick scooping with much less mess. I have several sizes (1/2 cup for yogurt and large muffins, a smaller size for mini-muffins and larger cookies, and a small size for regular cookies.

 

For ice cream, one of the solid scoops, with no moving parts, is the best tool for the job. Those who scoop ice cream professionally dip the scoop in clean water between scoops, which washes off the previous flavor and helps the ice cream come out of the scoop easily. The scoop is rigid enough that there is no risk of bending it, even if the ice cream is very hard.

 

Both types of scoops are used frequently in my kitchen!!!

[chocolatechip]

The kind of scoop with the metal thing that swoops across the bowl to remove the contents is NOT intended for ice cream. It is also called a "disher" and is perfect for scooping out cookie dough, muffin or cupcake batter, egg-and-veg mixture for individual "quiche muffins", yogurt for DIY "fruit on the bottom" yogurt cups, and so on. It helps you to scoop standard amounts, so that each muffin or cookie cooks in the same length of time. It makes for quick scooping with much less mess. I have several sizes (1/2 cup for yogurt and large muffins, a smaller size for mini-muffins and larger cookies, and a small size for regular cookies.

 

For ice cream, one of the solid scoops, with no moving parts, is the best tool for the job. Those who scoop ice cream professionally dip the scoop in clean water between scoops, which washes off the previous flavor and helps the ice cream come out of the scoop easily. The scoop is rigid enough that there is no risk of bending it, even if the ice cream is very hard.

 

Both types of scoops are used frequently in my kitchen!!!

This. 

 

We have a cookie scoop and an ice cream scoop. Our ice cream freezes way too hard for a spoon to work well. We broke the cookie scoop using it on the ice cream once when we couldn't find the ice cream scoop (or were too lazy to find it in the dishwasher and wash it by hand?)

[Trilliums]

We use a spoon for ice cream and a ladle for muffin/cupcake batter.

[The Girls' Mom]

We are weird.  I own around 8 scoops.  I have a Pampered Chef scoop that is a must have for ice cream.  (the handle has a liquid that transfers heat from your hand to the scoop).  We also have a big July 4th deal every year and we make tons of different flavored ice creams, so I have multiple scoops just for serving.  THEN we have 3 scoops that are really only used for baking.  I have a larger one I use for scooping out things like salmon patty mix, etc.  I have a medium size one I use for meatballs, cookies and cupcake batter.  Then I have a very small one for the tiny meatballs I make for wedding soup and we use it sometimes for cookies or such.  

[marbel]

We are weird.  I own around 8 scoops.  I have a Pampered Chef scoop that is a must have for ice cream.  (the handle has a liquid that transfers heat from your hand to the scoop).  We also have a big July 4th deal every year and we make tons of different flavored ice creams, so I have multiple scoops just for serving.  THEN we have 3 scoops that are really only used for baking.  I have a larger one I use for scooping out things like salmon patty mix, etc.  I have a medium size one I use for meatballs, cookies and cupcake batter.  Then I have a very small one for the tiny meatballs I make for wedding soup and we use it sometimes for cookies or such.  

 

That is what we have. 

 

So, it's staying!  

 

I find a spoon easier to use, and easier to find in the drawer.  But my husband loves that scoop.  It's a small thing (literally and figuratively).  We are getting rid of 2 of the 4 wine openers - they are identical so we have no idea where there were 4 kicking around that drawer....

[Annie G]

I make a lot of cupcakes and muffins (mostly for other people) and use the scoop with the metal thing to swipe batter out. Fast, and each one is the same size.   We also have an ice cream scoop for ice cream. Even though we live on the Il/WI border someone eats ice cream several times a week, year round. 

 

I could do without the ice cream scoop. When I indulge in ice cream I buy Ben and Jerry's and it's Mine. I eat it with a tiny spoon, right from the container. It might take me a whole week to eat it, but that's ok with me. 

[Calm37]

We just bought our first ice cream scoop that actually works better than a spoon. So now I have to vote that they are nice to have. It is just a cheap Walmart "Farberware" one, but it has one squarish corner and seems to be thick enough to slide in to the ice cream warm right out of the drawer. Very surprised by it!

[Slartibartfast]

If it is one of the big aluminum kind that warms a bit via body heat then yes, I do think that type of ice cream scoop is essential. If it is just a dinky little spring type then no, I don't think it is as good as a spoon.

[bettyandbob]

I want to know what weirdo put "don't eat enough ice cream"

 

That is just wrong. Does CPS know about the level of deprivation in these families.

 

We have and use more than one scoop.

[Slartibartfast]

I want to know what weirdo put "don't eat enough ice cream"

 

That is just wrong. Does CPS know about the level of deprivation in these families.

 

We have and use more than one scoop.

I know right?

 

I am allergic to dairy but I have two pints of dairy free ice cream in my freezer. :lol:

[myfunnybunch]

I voted nice but not essential.

 

We can use a big spoon, but if the ice cream is hard, the spoon handle gets bent. No biggie. We could just designate an ice cream spoon, but since we already have an ice cream scoop, we use that. :)

 

We eat ice cream on family game night, almost every week.

 

Cat

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

My brother and I basically destroyed our family spoons serving ice cream when we didn't want to find the scoop.  So I am pro-scoop!

[marbel]

Y'all are cracking me up.

 

And of course I want ice cream now.    We have some vanilla (always have vanilla in the house) and some Trader Joe's Coffee.  That is the best coffee ice cream ever and is made even more divine with a drizzle of Kahlua over it.

[bettyandbob]

Y'all are cracking me up.

 

And of course I want ice cream now. We have some vanilla (always have vanilla in the house) and some Trader Joe's Coffee. That is the best coffee ice cream ever and is made even more divine with a drizzle of Kahlua over it.

No, you've done it. I have to got to the liquor store and get ice cream.

[73349]

Spoons are not so useful for ice cream, but if you don't have an ice cream scoop, a melon-baller or butter knife works fine.

 

I use a measuring cup for batter and a spoon for the rare occasion that I make drop cookies. (I like bar cookies better.)

 

 

[KrissiK]

Our ice cream "scoop" is essential. It's heavy duty metal and isn't really scoop shaped, so it'll dish up a big chunk of icecream. And it has a beveled leading edge, so it'll push through icecream of any hardness. It's awesome.

[TrixieB]

I love my ice cream scoop!  It has antifreeze in the handle so it makes the ice cream easy to scoop.  IMO it's essential, even though we don't buy ice cream very often.  Hmm, I think we will buy some tonight, though!