Ninja Creami is “Technology Upgrade of the Year”

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While I frequently review laptops and other computer-type things, the gadgets I’m most interested in are the ones I actually use on a regular basis in my daily life. This year, I’ve been more involved in displaying important memories with a digital photo frame, and in nostalgic mobile games My first Anbernic. But of all the upgrades I’ve ever made this year, the Ninja Creami was easily my favorite.

What is Ninja Creamy?

The Ninja Creami is different from a traditional ice cream maker, which sits on your counter and constantly mixes and freezes the liquid ice cream mixture until it’s ready. Alternatively, you can make the liquid ice cream mixture, freeze it overnight, and then process it (in just minutes) when you want. This means you’ll need to prepare your ice cream at least 24 hours in advance, but if you keep a few pints ready in the freezer at a moment’s notice, I actually think it’s more convenient than the alternative, and makes for great spontaneous snacks.

Plus, you can get more creative with your ingredients compared to a traditional ice cream maker, since your mixture doesn’t need to thicken while churning. In short, it is a great machine for preparing customized desserts whenever you desire. Read on here to learn more about exactly how this all works, but for now, let’s get into how much of a difference it’s made in my life this year. I got it as a gift, but it quickly became indispensable in my kitchen.

Why the Ninja Creami is my tech upgrade of the year

With the explanation out of the way, there are a few specific use cases that really made the Ninja Creami shine for me this year. In no particular order, here’s why I’ll have my favorite gadget in 2025.

It’s easy to use

I’ve already talked about how using the Ninja Creami generally takes less time than making ice cream using a more traditional ice cream maker, assuming you remember to keep your freezer stocked with pints of Creami that you’ve frozen at least 24 hours ahead of time. But let’s go over the actual process of making ice cream using creamer, just to bring home.

• Get the urge to eat ice cream

• Pull a pre-frozen pint of Ninja Creamy from the freezer

• Place a pint into the holes on the Ninja Creami pitcher, attach the blade to the pitcher lid, then place the lid on top of the pitcher

• Press the button for your favorite ice cream program and wait two to five minutes.

And that’s it. It’s a good sight faster than going out to buy ice cream, not to mention it’s cheaper. Creami can also make blends like the ones you experience at Coldstone – simply drill a hole in the center of your ice cream after processing, add your blends, and snack on the ice cream you extracted while waiting for the mixing program to incorporate the good stuff into your ice cream.

As for cleaning, the scoops, lid and blade are dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about that.

It’s customizable

Perhaps the biggest reason to get any home ice cream maker is the ability to create your own ice cream flavors, and the Ninja Creami is no different. While I made the standard vanilla and chocolate, I also experimented with more funky flavors in the Ninja Creami. Good examples are milk tea flavored ice cream and dulce de leche chocolate ice cream (stay tuned). You can’t find it at Baskin Robbins!

It’s healthy (eh)

The thing that got me the Ninja Creami is protein ice cream, or ice cream where the protein powder is the main contributor to your flavor. This is difficult to make in a traditional ice cream maker, but given how Ninja Creami mixes the ice cream together, it is very easy to make in it. It’s actually 90% of what I use the creamer for. This allows me to satisfy my sweet tooth while generally keeping the calorie count lower than full-fat ice cream. You can still make this in a Ninja Creami, but I’ve had satisfying results using just 2% milk, protein power, and my secret ingredient – sugar-free Jell-O.

Jell-O comes with xantham gum that acts as a binder, and when mixed with milk and protein powder, gives you a texture that is almost indistinguishable from full-fat ice cream after processing. You can actually buy xantham gum on its own, but Jell-O is easier to find, and can add some extra flavor. Sure, I usually add some mix-ins and whipped cream, which is a little counter-healthy, but it’s still not uncommon to get a pint under 400 calories. A full pint usually serves me and my husband, and is a great compliment to a smaller dinner, which means it can help with portion control, too.

Preserves milk

I’m not always good at using milk before its expiration date, but I hate the idea of ​​flushing it down the drain. Ninja Creami offers easy recipes for freezing milk that’s about to spoil, with each recipe calling for about two cups of the stuff. I definitely like to use one cup of cow’s milk and one cup of almond milk, because the almond milk provides some flavor and an extra smooth texture, but you can completely omit one or the other. Overall, the Ninja Creami has made me waste less milk, even when I use it often.

Milkshake!

Finally, the Ninja Creami can easily make milkshakes. Yes, I know it’s not that hard to make a milkshake in a blender, but I hate having to wash the whole blender just for that. With Ninja Creami, simply scoop the ice cream into a pint, or process some custom ice cream and mix it up a bit, then drill a hole in the center and add some milk and alcohol. Run it through the milkshake program, and the resulting texture will be pretty much perfect every time, without the guesswork required with a blender. My husband and I like to do this before watching a movie, and it’s an easy way to save money on $15+ milkshakes at our local Alamo Drafthouse.

Plus, there are also programs for making other desserts like sherbet, so while I mostly like using creamer for ice cream, there are plenty of other ways to get creative with this thing.

My favorite Ninja Creamy recipe

I’ve got my iPhone Notes app full of dozens of recipes at this point, but to give you a brief idea of ​​what I want to do with Ninja Creami, let’s walk through my favorite recipes. You won’t find this at Baskin Robbins, but once you try Dulce Chocolate, you won’t be able to go back.

Dolce chocolate

My husband is a big fan of Dulce de Leche ice cream from Häagen-Dazs, and by using a special brand of Dulce de Leche protein powder that only one company seems to make, we were able to make a very convincing but healthier dupe of it (so, use Vanilla Jell-O instead of what I’m about to suggest). However, we have discovered that Dulce de Leche also goes well with chocolate, and this is a combination you are unlikely to find unless you make it yourself. This is the recipe that really attracted me to Ninja Creami, and once you try it, I think you’ll understand.

Use the Lite Ice Cream setting to process. After processing, optionally add a mixture of your choice. My favorites for Dulce Chocolate ice cream are Kit-Kats and Reese’s Thins. It’s best to crush them a little before adding them to your ice cream.

Which Ninja Creami should you get?

If I’ve convinced you to get one of your own, you have a few options.

The one I have is Standard Ninja Creamyusually costs $200 and does everything I need. Pints ​​are two pints and there are fewer software presets than other models, but that’s what I’d recommend for most people.

But if you want more software and bigger pints, you can also use Ninja Deluxe CreamWhich usually costs $250. Here, you’ll be able to make three pints, and you can also process only a portion of a pint at a time, making leftovers easier.

Finally, if you like soft serve ice cream, here’s the option Ninja Creamy Swirl. This usually costs $350, and is very similar to the standard Ninja Creami, but it also comes with a dispenser to dispense ice cream into a cone or bowl like you would in an ice cream shop. It also has a few extra programs that make it easier to make ice cream with a smooth serving texture, but with the right knowledge, you can also do this with every Creami model.