"If you had asked me two weeks ago what a Ninja Creami was, I would have had no clue what you were talking about. In the past several days, however, my algorithm has turned the appliance into a permanent fixture on my FYP. I went from being totally unfamiliar with the multi-purpose ice cream maker to desperately wanting to try it after I saw rave review after rave review on social media. Watching videos of it magically turning fruit and protein shakes into fresh ice cream made my mouth water through my phone screen and convinced me to put the Creami to the test.
Will it join the Bissell Little Green Machine and Hatch alarm clock as an elite viral TikTok product? Or will it go the way of the Stanley Cup, popular for a few weeks before the next big thing replaces it? Keep reading for a full Ninja Creami review from someone who tested it firsthand.
What is the Ninja Creami?
The Ninja Creami is an ice cream maker that turns frozen ingredients—such as fruit, yogurt, milk, or a protein shake—into a creamy, soft-serve-like treat in just a few minutes. It’s a cross between a blender and a traditional ice cream maker packaged in a small, sleek countertop appliance. The capacity is smaller than that of a typical blender, so it’s more for single-servings than big batches. The other main difference is the texture it can achieve. While blenders are meant to purée ingredients and often create a kind of slush, the Creami creates a smooth, creamy texture similar to ice cream. The price is around $200, depending on the model you get and what retailer you purchase it from.
What is the hype all about?
The Creami initially went viral after people started using it to turn a simple protein shake into a melt-in-your-mouth frozen treat. Eating enough protein is the internet’s current favorite health goal, and social media presents the Ninja Creami as a way to reach those goals by literally eating ice cream. Another main reason the internet is freaking out is that the Creami can turn frozen fruit into top-tier sorbets. Basically, the draw is that you can create your own customizable, delicious frozen dessert from the comfort of your home, and it’s a far healthier option than what you usually find in the freezer aisle.
My thoughts after testing the Ninja Creami
After using the Ninja Creami every night for a week, here’s my honest review:
The texture is as good as it looks online
No creative editing or tricky angles are overselling the texture of the ice cream the Creami makes. It really does produce the thick, creamy, soft-serve consistency you see in videos on social media. However, you may have to spin it a few times before you achieve that texture. One downside is that once you spin the ice cream, you’ll probably want to eat it all because it doesn’t re-freeze the same way as store-bought ice cream. If you store leftovers in the freezer, you will have to spin them again to get the creamy texture back.
It’s very loud
Perhaps the biggest downside of the Ninja Creami is that it is incredibly loud. I don’t mean loud in a normal appliance way like you’d expect from a blender or hairdryer; it literally sounds like a plane engine. It’s a small price to pay for delicious homemade ice cream, but it is something to be aware of before purchasing. Especially if you live in an apartment that shares walls with others, this could be an issue. Every time I started up the appliance, I quickly retreated to a different room to escape the noise.
The level of customization is amazing
I loved how customizable your treats can be when using the Creami. There is no need to compromise on a flavor or toppings like you might when choosing a store-bought pint. With the Ninja Creami, the world is your oyster. If you’re a topping girlie, you can load up on all your favorite mix-ins or get super creative with the flavor combination of your base.
It requires some experimentation
While the Creami allows for a lot of creativity, it also requires some experimentation to get the results you want. There is a learning curve, and not every recipe turns out perfectly. I had a few Creami flops where my flavor combo didn’t work, or I had to tweak the recipe in real time to get it to the consistency I wanted. The need for experimentation isn’t necessarily a negative, and getting innovative in the kitchen was fun. However, if you want a flawless result as quickly as possible, know that you may need to work with the Creami a bit for the product to be worth it. You also have to freeze the base the night before and wait at least 12 hours before spinning, so it lacks the immediate gratification you get from premade desserts.
It’s a helpful tool if you have specific health goals
The main draw of the Ninja Creami, as seen on TikTok, is how it can help you reach your health goals without cutting out treats like ice cream. It provides a sneaky way to add more protein to your diet or reduce your refined sugar intake. You control every ingredient going into the dessert, so if you have dietary restrictions due to health reasons or allergies, it offers a huge benefit that ice cream from the store can’t. That said, depending on the ingredients you use, the flavor can be less indulgent than a typical Ben & Jerry’s pint. Yes, ice cream made from a protein shake or fruit still tastes fantastic, but as an ice cream connoisseur myself, I can definitely tell the difference from the real thing.
Is the Ninja Creami worth it?
My final thoughts on whether the Ninja Creami is worth it is a “Yes, but…” The Ninja Creami requires more effort than a 60-second TikTok video makes it seem. If you know that and are willing to put in more work than just grabbing a premade pint from the freezer, the final result is worth the hype. Knowing what I know after trying it out, I’d purchase it again. However, I’m someone who enjoys experimenting, is willing to spend some extra time in the kitchen, and loves the idea of a healthier alternative to my usual pint of ice cream.
So, for me, the Ninja Creami is definitely worth it. However, if you are already very busy and the last thing you want to do is make your nightly sweet treat into a whole production—planning the night before what you’ll make, prepping ingredients, purchasing mix-ins—you might find the Creami more effort than it’s worth.
