Scooping ice cream is a simple enough task. So why are there, like, eight billion designs clamoring for the title of best ice cream scoop? There are the portion scoopers—those ones with the squeeze-handle that releases the ice cream. There are varieties with heated scoops. There are ones that are shaped like a spade. There are ones with super pointy tips. There are heavy ones and light ones and big ones and small ones. So, really, how do you make a decision about the best ice cream scoop to buy? We tested a variety of types, and we’ve got answers for you.

In total, we tested 12 varieties, by—you guessed it—scooping lots and lots of ice cream. Read on to see the winners, and for more details on how we tested and what scoops didn’t make the cut, scroll further down.

Our All Around Favorite Ice Cream Scoop: The Zeroll

Most online rankings of the best ice cream scoops put Zeroll as their top contender. And we totally agree. Why? Because the Zeroll is quite simply the best ice cream scoop available.

First, it has a classic, durable design. Like other rankings, we found that the simpler an ice cream scoop was, the better. The Zeroll is made of one piece of cast aluminum, meaning it has no breakable parts and will last. Looking at the scoop, it looks heavy, but it’s actually quite light-weight, without sacrificing durability. It feels steady and the materials feel high-quality in your hand. The actual scoop is perfectly shaped to make round balls of ice cream that slide easily out of the scoop and into the bowl. It has a sharp edge that cuts into even the most frozen ice cream.

Invented in 1933, the Zeroll is actually considered to be the first modern ice cream scoop, and its inventor, Sherman Kelly, has a patent on the “Ice Cream Dipper.” As the story goes, his product allowed ice cream shops to save money during the Great Depression, because the dipper’s ability to scoop perfectly round, compact balls meant that ice cream parlors could get 10-20 percent more ice cream out of each gallon. To this day, it is the preferred ice cream scooper of most ice cream shops. And, the thing just looks professional, classic, and high-quality.

But here’s the real secret of the Zeroll: its handle is filled with heat-conducting liquid. This means that it transfers heat from the scooper’s hand up the handle to the scoop, warming the ice cream and allowing it to be scooped and released more easily.

This scoop is more expensive than what you’d normally pay—about $18. But it will literally last you a lifetime.

The Best Bet If You Like a Lever Scoop: The OXO Good Grips Squeeze Ice Cream Scoop

A worthy second-place contender is the OXO Ice Cream Scoop with a squeeze handle. If you are very loyal to the release-lever, portion scoop, this is the one for you. It’s lightweight, and has a perfectly round scoop. Ice cream comes out of this scoop easily, even before you use the release lever. It makes a nice round and compact scoop. Despite the fact that the lever-release handles are inherently more awkward to hold than a plain handle like the Zeroll, this one manages to be ergonomic, with an option to loop your hand through the lever and only hold the smaller handle, not the whole thing. The plastic handle feels sturdy and comfortable.