The Ninja Creami – A Detailed Review

Last Updated on August 28, 2024 by Cherie

Learn the ins and outs, the pros and cons of The Ninja Creami, the ice cream maker that does everything, even makes a cup of tea! (No, it doesn’t make a cup of tea #justkidding).

The Ninja Creami: So this appears to be ‘The Product’ that everyone is talking about – certainly in the Ice Cream world. But what’s all the fuss about? Is the Ninja Creami all it’s made up to be?

In this article we will go over the fine details of this Ice Cream Maker, we’ll provide objective views along with a brief video that shows the Ninji Creami in action, and of course, we’ll provide the results from our ice cream-making and testing.

I guess this means we will have to eat lots of ice cream to make sure the results are tasty. Sigh, it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!

The Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker

If you are an ice cream maker, or generally an avid home cook, you will have heard about the Ninja range of appliances. Ninja is famed for its impressive kitchenware and The Ninja Creami is its first direct attempt into the world of ice cream makers.

It presents as quite a formidable piece of kit, capable of conjuring up not just ice cream but an array of frozen deliciousness – sorbet, gelato, and even indulgent milkshakes.

Why is Everyone Talking About the Ninja Creami?

As an avid Ice Cream maker, experimenter, and creator, when a new product comes along, I want to know what it’s about. What does it do? How is it going to make my life easier? I think that is always my biggest question, how is this going to speed up my processes, make my ice cream making easier, faster perhaps? Will my ice cream be even more delicious than it already is? If that is at all possible? lol

And with all these questions, I thought it only right to get hold of one and see what all the fuss was about.

The Great Ninja Creami Caper

In this day and age, where we have shops and outlets at our fingertips and we can place an order at 9 pm one day and have items delivered by midday the following day, I thought I’d have my Ninja Creami in hand in the blink of an eye! It turns out I was mistaken.

These all singing and dancing, frozen dessert crafting masterpieces are somewhat difficult to get a hold of!

After several online attempts, with various sold-out / not-in-stock disappointments, I eventually ventured out into the freezing arctic conditions in search of one. Okay, it wasn’t quite arctic, but it felt odd that all online channels were unfruitful and that I had to go on the hunt and I felt a tad left out in the cold. So to me, artic conditions it was!

After some searching around and a near-on fight with a woman who looked like Mary Berry, really, she had a rolling pin in hand, apron on and all, I returned home victorious with MY Ninja Creami!

Now, filled with great anticipation, I was thoroughly looking forward to unraveling my prize and seeing what it was all about.

It ought to be noted that the sheer effort it took to get my hands on one of these machines says a great deal about the demand for this Ice Cream Maker!

Is that incredibly good marketing or The Ninja Creami is all that? Let’s find out.

MY Ninja Creami!

So what did I get for my grueling endeavour? My blood, sweat, and Mary Berry looky-likey’s tears?

Well, I got my hands on the Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker & Frozen Dessert Maker, Black/Silver – Model NC200UK. Let me take you through it:

I paid £214.99 which I know is over the odds, but given the scarcity of this much sought-after ice cream maker, I was prepared to pay a few extra pounds. It was going to be mine!

It comes with 3 additional 1.4litre Tubs with lids, a very generous recipe book that has some wonderful and easy-to-follow recipes, it has 6 Programmes available, that enable you to make Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Smoothies, Milkshakes, and more.

Specifications

Wattage: 800W
Pre-freeze or self-freezing: pre-freeze
Accessories: three one-pint pots with lid
Pre-set functions: ice cream, gelato, sorbet, smoothie bowl, light ice cream, milkshake
Dimensions (cm): H:30 x W:24 x D:42
Bowl capacity: 0.56ml (one pint)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

===> Click here to see options on The Ninja Creami 

The Much Anticipated Unveil:

Whilst unboxing, I found there to be a lot of plastic. Accessories are all in individual bags and I feel Ninja could work on their Eco-friendly ethos a tad. That said, there were various recyclable elements like a cardboard shield safeguarding the main unit and the box itself, so almost there I guess.

Design, Features, and User Experience of the Ninja Ice Cream Maker

At first glance, this appliance does not scream traditional ice cream maker; it has a touch of a filter coffee machine vibe. It’s a towering appliance but quite slim and therefore doesn’t take up too much countertop space.

This Ninja model boasts an array of settings. It offers a whopping six options:

• Ice cream
• Gelato
• Sorbet
• Smoothies
• Light ice cream
• Milkshakes

Additional buttons for mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts and another for re-spinning the ice cream add an extra flair to this ice cream maker’s repertoire.

Installing The Ninja Ice Cream Maker

The manual is easy to follow and the machine itself has many visual prompts (be assured you are not going to need a degree in engineering to use this machine).

Thankfully, there is minimal putting together required. The Ninja Creami comes out of the box pretty much ready to go. There is one piece that requires ‘installation’ and that is the paddle that needs to be attached to the outer bowl lid. It’s very simple and the instructions provided are very clear on how to do this. And that’s your Ninja Creami set-up.

Making Ice Cream with The Ninja Ice Cream Maker

As a heads up – you won’t be able to make ice cream straight away, so have a tub or two of Ben n Jerry’s to hand just in case! (Cherry Garcia) lol

The way the Ninja Creami works is you fill one of your cups provided with your desired fruit/cream base and freeze the mix for 24 hours, only once it has been frozen do you then use the Ninja Creami.

I think this could be a negative for some, but once you know this and get yourself organised, with prepared tubs in the freezer ready to go, pre-freezing won’t be such a problem.

Extra Tubs

You can also purchase additional tubs, so you can prepare several fruit/cream base mixes and have them frozen and ready to go at any time.

This is a really good idea to consider. Bearing in mind the 24-hour freezing requirement, having more tubs available to pre-freeze several fruit/cream bases is a very sensible idea. This will mean that you can make ice cream, within 2-5 minutes (assuming a couple of re-spins) easily and very quickly.

===> Click here to see options on additional tubs

Max-fill line

When you fill your tubs, you must ensure you do not go over the max-fill line, clearly marked on the tubs and when putting it in the freezer, make sure it is level. If it freezes unlevel, this can cause damage to the paddle/blade.

After 24 hours of freezing, you take your tub with your frozen fruit/cream base and leave it for 10 minutes at room temperature. I found this helped with the outcome and how many times I had to re-spin. Giving it 10 minutes at room temperature meant a much better consistency.

(I know, I know, it’s another 10 minutes on top of an already very long 24-hour wait, but it is worth it!)

This gives you time to prepare bowls and spoons and any add-ons or mix-ins.

Then you drop your tub into the outer bowl click the lid on and then place the outer bowl into position. With a press of a button and 2 and a half minutes, yes a mere 2 and a half minutes later, you have ice cream!

Different mixes require an extra blitz, sometimes two (using the re-spin button) but there you have it, creamy ice cream in just 2 and a half minutes. It’s pretty impressive.

I tested out an ice cream mix, a sorbet mix, and a gelato (though to be honest, I can’t say I noticed much difference between the ice cream and gelato in texture), and I also tried out a milkshake. All incredibly good texturally.

The Ice Cream and the Gelato both needed a few extra blitzes to get a smooth consistency as I found the fruit pieces didn’t fully mix on the first couple of attempts, but it got there after 3-4 re-spins.

For adding mix-ins, I did all the above and ran the process once, then I made a hole in the middle of the ice cream with a spoon and dropped into that hole my chocolate chips, then I repositioned my ice cream in the outer bowl, clicked it into place and pressed the mix-ins button. The Ninja Creami mixed the chocolate chips into the ice cream very evenly. So a very simple option to add different textures and flavours.

I was incredibly impressed with the smooth consistency and very surprised by the ease of use and overall results! Taste tests were a resounding yes all around!

Check out the following video that shows the Ninja Creami in action:

It’s Quite Noisy!

I was quite taken aback at just how noisy this machine is, but not surprised as it’s churning into a frozen mixture. Still, at least the noise levels are limited to a very swift few minutes.

Traditional Ice Cream Makers typically take 20-30 minutes to churn the ice cream base to bring it to a soft serve consistency, which you then can either eat straight away or freeze for a thicker consistency.

Ease of Cleaning the Ninja Ice Cream Maker

Cleanup’s a breeze; all attachments can be placed in the top rack of a dishwasher, or they can be handwashed with ease. You do need to pay attention to cleaning the metal bolt beneath the machine as ice cream tends to clump up in there. Overall, it’s much easier to clean than traditional models.

There is one area though that bothered me as far as cleaning. The pillar that spins the blade is lowered into the ice cream base and spins it, and then it retracts inside of the appliance which makes it impossible to clean.

If I can’t clean this one piece, then there’s a risk of cross-contamination – say for someone with nut allergies if you make a nut-based ice cream, then a non-nut-based ice cream directly afterward.

I checked online for answers to this and a few other niggles I had.

The answer and responses to that concern were a tad ambiguous – Suggestions like:

• The lid can be cleaned by removing the blade and soaking the blade and lid in warm water with a splash of vinegar.
• The lid should be swooshed around so that the water gets inside the hole that holds the blade.
• The blade hole should be opened and closed while in the water to ensure that it all gets clean.’

Another ‘solution’ was ‘to get a chopstick and push that into the appliance to push through any particles that may have become lodged’. This doesn’t feel like a practical solution and who wants to be stuffing chopsticks into an appliance? It was advised that you turn the power off first.

So, that got me looking a little harder online for a few more ‘issues’ with The Ninja Creami.

Below is a list of ‘common issues’ people have encountered.

Common Issues with the Ninja Creami Machine

• One common issue is the machine refusing to turn on or produce noise.
• This might stem from a loosely connected power cord or an unplugged machine.
• Ensure all connections are snug and attempt to plug it into an alternative outlet.
• Another frequent problem involves the mixture not dispensing properly from the nozzle.
• This can occur when there’s trapped air in the nozzle or if the mixture has become excessively thick.
• To address this, turn off the machine, detach the nozzle, and use a toothpick to clear any obstructions before securely reattaching the nozzle.
• Lastly, some users have noted leaks during the use of their Ninja Creami machine.
• This could result from overfilling or inadequate securing of all parts before turning on the machine.
• Ensure everything is tightened appropriately and consider filling up to only 80% of capacity to prevent overflow.

This list, although not onerous, does seem a little basic in the concerns users are reporting and I’m not hearing any alarm bells ringing with major concerns over this appliance.

Pros & Cons of The Ninja Creami:

Pros:

• Very easy to use with minimal effort required.
• Combine your base mix and give it a good mix to make sure it’s well combined and in the freezer, it goes.
• Easy to click your container of ice cream base mix into position, press a button of your choice.
• It’s incredibly quick to process your ice cream base mix. With the Ninja Creami, your base is frozen before being ‘creamed’ by a thick, blunt blade.
• Fast when churning, produces smooth and consistent ice cream, and it’s easy to clean.

Cons:

• The 24-hour freezing time is a significant waiting period compared to other ice cream makers tested. Priced similarly to professional self-freezing models, the extended freezing time might deter some buyers.
• The noise level is high, but thankfully brief at around 2-3 minutes, a fraction of traditional ice cream makers’ duration.
• Can’t make large batches (one pint at a time).
• This model is very delicate. If the frozen mixture is uneven, or unlevel you risk breaking the machine, potentially rendering your mix unusable.

Reviews:

On the whole, reviews for The Ninja Creami are very positive. 9 out of 10 people LOVE this Ice Cream Maker! We’ve listed a few excerpts below:

F K H – 5.0 out of 5 stars: I’m thrilled with the Ninja Creami! It’s a fantastic addition to my kitchen, especially for my low-fat and low-carb creations. The variety of recipes it offers is impressive, and the results are consistently delicious. The Creami is user-friendly, sturdy, and easy to clean, making it a must-have for health-conscious food lovers. It has truly elevated my culinary adventures!

C 5.0 out of 5 stars: Fun and flexible. I love this machine. I hesitated about buying it, as I already have a conventional churn-style ice cream machine, that I seldom use. But since getting the CREAMi, it has been in constant use.

J A. F4.0 out of 5 stars: Great product, hindered by inability to clean parts We bought this product in the prime day sales and found it to be a great addition to our house, making it easy to make fruit sorbet as a cooling alternative to ice cream. Pineapple and Mango worked great, Strawberry tasted nice but the Peach was a bit crumby.

T5.0 out of 5 stars: Great healthy desserts at low costs. This is great my mum has one which is why I decided to buy one. Making a banana sorbet comes out so cream almost ice cream-like. This is just made of bananas so a really healthy treat. You can have a bowl of it and then make a banana milkshake after. The watermelon sorbet is just as fabulous. My sister-in-law came over this weekend as well and tried some they are now going to buy one. It’s so easy to use, healthy and you make your money back by not having to buy ice cream or milkshakes.

K5.0 out of 5 stars: Fantastic – I love my ninja creami being able to make my own healthy desserts is fantastic, my favourite kitchen gadget it is a very noisy machine though but it’s not a problem for us.

To Summarise:

Am I happy that I endured Arctic conditions and nearly got battered by Mary Berry looky-likey’s rolling pin? Yes indeed, I am. I do believe this ice cream maker will be a much-used addition to my kitchen and although it doesn’t make tea, I think I can live with that, as it does do a whole lot more!

The Ninja Creami is quite an impressive bit of kit, there’s no denying that it’s fast, and it’s very efficient, meaning that whipping up homemade ice cream has never been easier and it is very creamy and very delicious.

However, you do need to be organised and prepared. With organisation, you can create delicious and incredibly creamy ice cream very quickly.

There are a few niggly issues with the cleaning, but with some adaptation, you can find your way around those issues.

It’s a slimline product that will snuggly fit into your worktop without too much intrusion.

From a cost aspect, this all-singing, all-dancing ice cream maker is in the top-end price range. You can expect to pay around £200.00 for a brand new model, often a lot less if you try eBay or second-hand. But for the functions available, this is a fair price and on par with other makers of a similar ilk.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

===> Click here to see options on The Ninja Creami.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading our review of The Ninja Creami and find the points made helpful in deciding if the Ninja Creami is for you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop us a comment below and if you have a Ninja Creami and want to share your thoughts and ideas, then we’d love to hear from you.