Norpro Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Spade

A couple weeks ago, I was in the mood for some ice cream and luckily I had some in my freezer. The bad thing is that it was hard like ice. So like any normal human being, I grabbed one of my Mikasa flatware spoons and attempted to "scoop" out the ice cream. Now mind you this, my Mikasa spoon isn't one of those cheap ones you get from a $20 set from Walmart. I got the set for my wedding and if I remember correctly, it was a $200 flatware set. Not to say they are invincible but as I scooped, I felt the spoon's end flex a little bit because the ice cream was that hard. So instead of continuing to scoop, I immediately stopped because I didn't want to bend the spoon. Bottom line, I had to let my ice cream thaw a little before I got to enjoy any of it. So that's when I started looking for a real ice cream scoop. Not the kind with the thumb lever that tries to "release" the ice cream (I hated those) but a real scoop that you see at local ice cream shops. I checked Bed Bath & Beyond but all the good ones with brand names were at least $10.99 and up. I didn't want to spend that much on an ice cream scoop. Looking at Amazon with the following criteria: 4-star and up, under $10, I found this scoop, or rather... ice cream spade. I originally looked at this one Norpro Nonstick Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop , which was near the same price but it so happens that most of the "negative" reviews is the black coating chips off. Not wanting to deal with the chip problem, I looked at this one (the item I'm reviewing) and the majority of the negative reviews is that it gets ruined when in the dishwasher. So it came down an ice cream spade that "gets ruined in the dishwasher" or an ice cream scoop that "chips eventually". I can control the dishwasher portion easier than I can control a chip problem, so I went with the spade. Now for the functionality. I also chose this based on the "antifreeze" functionality. Like other reviewers said, if you shake it, you can hear some kind of "liquid" in the shaft of the spoon. This liquid is how it keeps the ice cream from sticking/freezing to the spade. Because the liquid is at a warmer temperature (typically room temperature) than the ice cream, it keeps the spade at a warmer temperature. This in turn has a "melting" reaction when you scoop ice cream. Making it easy to scoop, easy to release into the bowl. Also if you haven't noticed, the other reviewers say "DO NOT PUT IN DISHWASHER". This is apparent by the labeling and the sticker on the spade if you purchase it. If you do, then this spade gets ruined. I'm not taking my chances and I will definitely hand wash this thing. With that said, I'm very happy with my purchase and would recommend it to anyone.

This scoop is very nice and shiny in appearance. It holds up well being cleaned per the instructions. I didn't realize when ordering it that it contained something to help it glide through the frozen ice cream. It seems to do the trick. It has become much easier to scoop out with this versus a regular rounded scoop. I hurt my wrist permanently while getting the hard frozen ice cream out with the regular metal scoop. I guess it was too frozen and the scoop twisted or did something and I chipped a bone spur. Who would have thought getting ice cream could injure you.

This spade makes tackling rock-hard ice cream way less of a workout. The anti-freeze design keeps it from sticking, and the sturdy build feels more like a kitchen tool than a flimsy scoop. I used it on a pint straight from the freezer, and it sliced through cleanly without bending or breaking. It’s not the prettiest utensil, but when dessert calls, it gets the job done with less wrist strain.

Great ice cream scoop! Lightweight & very durable. My only complaint is that it's slightly larger than expected, but it's easy to use & works quite well!

This is the best ice cream scoop. It makes scooping ice cream so easy. It is comfortable to hold and adds just enough heat to help scoop the ice cream easily. It is durable enough to scoop even the most frozen ice cream. The scoop itself does not weigh a lot.

I’ve had my scoop for one year and it’s used a lot in my house! I love it! I saw some negative reviews and am surprised, so I thought I’d put in my two cents.. It works great! I run warm water over my scoop before every scoop and the ice cream rolls right onto it and right off just as well. I’m actually back on this page because I’m buying several to go in wedding gifts. I’m purchasing ice cream makers and decided to give the scoop to go with it! Enjoy your ice cream & your new scooper!

I had one of these I actually inherited, and when I though it had been lost I ordered this to replace it. I found the original, thankfully, but the new one turned out to be very close to the one I had, so I was very well pleased. These are just perfect for scooping ice cream.

This ice cream scoop had a sticker attached to the back of the scoop. I did my best to peel it off, but some residue remained. I figured it would come off in time, but even after several washings, some remained. The texture of the scoop was just kind of odd, and then I noticed the warning on the back side that says not to expose it to hot temperatures over 140 degrees Fahrenheit (meaning it couldn’t go in the dishwasher). I was annoyed with myself for not doing a better job of reading the product description before ordering, but I made sure to always hand wash the product. (I think perhaps the warning in the product listing has been made more visible since I purchased this, but I’m not absolutely certain.) The scoop is sturdy and does an excellent job of scooping our ice cream. However, the finish started to wear off in places even when washed by hand. And then, inevitably, someone put it through the dishwasher--ONE time!. That made the entire thing change color and it looks too awful to use it. Ironically, the part of the scoop that had sticker residue looks the best. This scooper only lasted about 5 uses. I’m disappointed, and I would not recommend this product. This was a full-priced, personal purchase.