Yes, both ice cream makers and gelato makers are used to churning ice cream, but they are very different in function. Ice cream maker makes soft scoops of ice cream by hand while gelato makers churn gels at high speeds. An ice cream maker is a type of food processing machine that produces soft scoops of ice creams by hand. It is used for making custard, custard sauce, and other lightweight desserts. Gelato makers churn gels at high speeds; they are used for more dense desserts such as mousse or gelato.