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After a relentless winter, it's finally starting to feel safe to say that warmer days are officially here. As somebody who subscribes to “little treat” culture, I am extremely ready to celebrate the extended sunshine with something cool, delicious, and refreshing.
You don’t need to spend as much time online as I do to have heard of the Ninja CREAMi. This at-home frozen treat machine has been popping up on my social media feeds for years, with tons of “this is not an ad, I swear” videos featuring evangelical reviews about how easy it makes completely customizable frozen treats out of just about anything.
I am admittedly not very picky when it comes to anything ice cream, but to me, soft serve is the undisputed sweet treat champion of summer. When Ninja’s latest innovation, the CREAMi Swirl, came on the scene promising that same perfectly smooth, airy texture without having to chase down a singing truck in my neighbourhood, I was eager to give it a spin.
The Ninja Swirl by CREAMi is a countertop machine that gives you the power to turn your everyday ingredients into a wide variety of frozen treats at the touch of a button, from classic scooped ice cream to smooth, creamy soft serve. What sets the Swirl apart from the original Ninja CREAMi is a set of new programs, like Frozen Custard and Fruit Whip, and a built-in nozzle that can dispense soft serve directly into cones or bowls. It’s designed to give you full control over the ingredients with 13 preset options, so you can whip up something indulgent or treat yourself to light, dairy-free or high-protein options. You can even mix in your favourite add-ins like chocolate, nuts, or fruit for an extra personalized touch, in a setup that's approachable for any home kitchen.
First, I consulted the included booklet that features in-depth, step-by-step instructions on how to use the machine, alongside a ton of pre-set recipes and a handy guide on how to start creating your own concoctions. As any “very online” person would, I also took a tour around TikTok, Facebook and Reddit — all of which have pretty substantial communities of users who are keen to share their #dessertinspo, give advice, and troubleshoot any unexpected recipe flops.
To start, I wanted to try both the new soft-serve feature as well as the classic scoop with mix-ins that made the CREAMi so popular in the first place. For the soft serve, a classic homage to the Disney Dole Whip. I was looking for a light, fruity dessert with pineapple, coconut and vanilla. The scoop option was my chance to bring all my favourite things together to create the ice cream combo I always wanted, but could never find in the freezer aisle — coffee, chocolate and cookies.
While there is a bit of a learning curve to the machine, it’s not very steep. My first pass at the Dole Whip Dupe was a little runny at first, so I put it back in the freezer and in a few hours. After that, I managed to get that perfect, tropical swirl. I had the opposite experience with the scoop, which was a bit stiff and crumbly on its first go-around, but got the texture right by using the “re-spin” setting before adding the Oreo cookie mix-ins. The leftovers were easy to store in the same pint containers, and the machine allowed me to bring them back to their original texture with a quick spin when the cravings came back.
The process was as easy as they say, the hardest part is waiting for your mixture to freeze overnight. One thing I wasn’t expecting was the volume — this machine is loud. I couldn’t carry on a conversation in the same room while it was in operation, and my next-door neighbours may have thought I was doing some DIY renovations, 5-6 minutes at a time. However, it works fairly quickly, and the consistently delicious results make all the racket a little easier to swallow.
The versatility and customizable options are great for people with dietary restrictions or who want to get creative with protein.
It’s straightforward and simple to set up. Although there are a lot of different parts, everything assembles easily, and the pieces are dishwasher-safe.
Between Ninja’s detailed guides and the dedicated Ninja CREAMi community you can find across platforms online, you’ll never run out of inspo for your next treat and will almost always be able to troubleshoot your way to a perfect fix.
The volume of the machine operation could be a drawback, especially if you’ve got neighbours, pets, or family members who are sensitive to noise.
If negotiating cupboard and countertop space is an issue, you might have trouble finding a place for this machine’s considerable footprint.
It’s got a hefty price tag. Unless you’re already spending a fortune on ice cream, it’s going to be a minute before this machine pays for itself in money saved.
Ninja has a dedicated fanbase for their easy-to-use, time-saving kitchen appliances, and many reviewers have already embraced the Ninja CREAMi Swirl for its ability to whip up rich, creamy ice cream that rivals their favourite scoop shops. They appreciate the versatility, whether they’re making classic vanilla, fruity sorbets, or even protein shakes, and say the results are consistently delicious. While several note that the machine is loud and requires a full day of freezing before use, most agree that the taste and texture of the treats make the wait (and the noise) well worth it.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes.