How Does The Ninja Creami Work And Is It Worth The Price Tag?

During summer, the last place you'd rather be is in the heat of the kitchen. You may want to stay away from the stove and oven as much as possible, unless, of course, your idea of fun is melting from the heat. But while cooking may feel unbearable, there's one kitchen task you might look forward to in the warmer seasons: making ice cream and smoothies. 

Ice cream is a summertime treat most of us wax nostalgic about from childhood. You usually just grabbed it ready-made from the grocery store or bought it with loose change when an ice cream truck rolled through your neighborhood. This, however, meant you were stuck with whatever flavor was available, which could be disappointing. Thankfully, at-home ice cream makers like Ninja Creami now exist. Instead of going out for ice cream, this unconventional kitchen appliance allows you to whip up your own pint on the spot, essentially. However, unlike the old-fashioned bulky ice cream machines that churned bases from scratch, the Ninja Creami is more compact and makes ice cream in an entirely different way. 

The Ninja Creami is a seven-in-one ice cream maker designed to turn pre-frozen mixtures into your favorite frozen dessert. How it does that is pretty simple. First, you prepare the customized base, which is essentially just a blend of your chosen ingredients. This could be anything from a regular ice cream base to crushed fruit with juice. Pour the mixture evenly into one of the 16-ounce pints that come with the machine, and leave it in your freezer for 24 hours, with the temperature ideally set between -7 to 9°F (-22 to -13°C). Once frozen solid, pop the pint into the outer bowl, secure it to the unit, and simply press the preset program you want to run.

From here, the Ninja Creami will work its magic. The motorized paddle will shave the solid mixture to create a smooth, creamy treat. Depending on the setting, this process only takes about one to 2.5 minutes. You can then pull out the outer bowl once all four progress bar LEDs are off.

Besides ice cream making, the Ninja Creami features six other preset programs. You can use it to whip up a lighter ice cream (keto or paleo), sorbet, milkshake, gelato, or a smoothie bowl. If you're feeling extra, there's also a Mix-In button that lets you add about ¼ cup of slices/chunks of biscuits, candies, nuts, or what have you to the processed base. Each program sets a different paddle speed, downward pressure, and process time, so make sure you select the right mode for your base's recipe. Otherwise, you likely won't get your desired texture.

If you're just as crazy about ice cream as a kid at the beach, the Ninja Creami is definitely worth adding to your collection of kitchen appliances. What makes it worth buying is its value for the money. Good store-bought ice cream can easily go for $6 a pint, or even more for specialty and artisan flavors like the low-fat, low-cal, zero-sugar, or high-protein options. Just imagine how much you'll be spending if you reach for an expensive ice cream two or three times a week. With a Ninja Creami, you can make not just one but roughly six to eight pints for the same price of a store-bought pint. You can even create different flavors from the same batch of ingredients, so you're effectively getting more ice cream and more variety without spending more than $6.

Other than being easy on your budget, the Ninja Creami gives you the freedom to fully customize the ice cream. You can handpick every single ingredient and experiment with unconventional ones like protein powders, chili flavors, or monk fruit. This is also especially convenient if you want a healthier dessert for your family.

Right now, its two online bundle models are valued at $199 and $229 respectively.

It's worth noting, though, that the Ninja Creami isn't perfect. Perhaps the biggest and most annoying one is how hard it is to clean the shaft that attaches to the paddle for mixing the base. It retracts completely after use, so you can only clean the tip with a brush. Plus, compared to the compressor-type ice cream makers that freeze the base themselves — like the Breville Smart Scoop and Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Maker, you can't have impromptu ice cream sessions with the Ninja Creami due to the 24-hour freezing time. The machine reportedly can be quite loud in operation too.