In today’s world of convenience and automation, the food industry is undergoing a massive transformation. Vending machines have evolved from simple snack dispensers into full-blown automated kitchens.

Here are our choices for smart ice cream makers. This crowdfunded machine, which hit the market ... and it’s now jazzed up with a star-shaped dispenser for soft-serve output.

Now, Nnja has a new CREAMi machine on the market, and it’s available at Target. The Ninja Swirl by CREAMi Soft Serve & Ice Cream Machine transforms almost anything into ice cream, soft serve ...

The pints that come with the Swirl all have a dispensing feature, which is utilized when you place them in the left-hand dispenser. Then, you pull the lever, and the machine pushes the ice cream out.

Although $350 is nothing to scoff at, if you plan to use this machine weekly, then yes, it's worth the price tag. A pint of quality ice cream costs upwards of $9 while the ingredients to make one ...