Ninja - CREAMi, Ice Cream Maker, 7 One-Touch Programs - Cloud Silver

Awesome machine. Takes minutes to whip up a base for ice cream. You can make it as healthy or as indulgent as you want. I use a chocolate protein shake recipe as my go to recipe. Tastes better than store ice cream, with maybe 1/4 the calories and more protein. You really can't ask for more than that. A few small cons - It's very loud; It takes several respins before you get to the right consistency (which just means it probably takes 5-7 minutes total to make ice cream from the base); you have to wait 24 hours from when you make the base in order to make the ice cream. Overall, I'd still say this is an amazing purchase!

I’ll start by saying that this product is a bit of a novelty item. Not everyone is going to need this machine. I say this because the machine actually doesn’t “make the ice cream” you still have to put in the work to prepare your cream base and freeze it for a day. So just know that. Don’t expect this machine to make the ice cream in an instant. That being said, I do appreciate what this product provides. Especially since I have a lot of nephews. They had a blast “making their own ice cream”. I do like the pint containers that come included. They allow easy storage of ice cream in your freezer and since there is 3 of them. You can make different flavors at a time. They are easy to clean and very sturdy. The machine itself is more of a processor. It will blend up and turn your frozen cream base into a soft serve ice cream. The product comes with a recipe book for ice creams, milk shakes, sorbets. Once you make a couple , you’ll get a feel for making the cream base and will want to experiment with different ingredients. The kids enjoyed mixing in their own cookies and treats into their ice cream and milk shakes. It is fairly foolproof to use with all the preset buttons and very easy to clean. Would I recommend this to a friend? I would but only if you enjoying spending time to make your own ice cream and deserts. I could see this being very useful to anyone with kids or who just loves to make ice cream and milk shakes.

Great product- my wife and daughter use it daily for healthy shakes!

Another great Ninja product! Very user friendly controls

This machine is incredible. Super easy to use and the included recipe book is great to get you started. First thing I made was pineapple sorbet and all you needed was a can of pineapple juice in juice or syrup. Texture was exactly what you’d expect for a sorbet. Looking forward to trying out other recipes.

============================ >>>>> Bottom Line Up front: <<<<< ============================ The Ninja CREAMi ice cream maker is super easy to use and lets you enjoy ice cream stand quality treats at home. Adding the CREAMi to my kitchen has really made my kids want to be more involved in all kids of cooking now that they can see how easy it to make so many different types of frozen treats at home. The CREAMi blends easily with any modern kitchen aesthetic, and won’t break the bank bringing it home. ============================ >>>>> My detailed thoughts: <<<<< ============================ =============================== >>>>> Overall Design/Aesthetics: <<<<< =============================== If your fan of Ninja products in general (as I am) – you’ll find that the CREAMi is right at home on your counter top sitting side by with many of their current kitchen appliance/devices (such as the Ninja Foodie series products, Blenders, etc.). The simple two-tone silver black exterior colors and blue LED lighting are exactly what I happen to like in my kitchen, and should go with any dark or modern theme; but if that not you’re your “style” you’re not really left with any other choices. I always wish there were at least a couple more color choices for those people that happen to like actual “color” in their kitchens, or more obsessed with “color coordination” in their spaces. That being said, thank to an over all “slim” style exterior design you can just as easily tuck it away under a counter or in a cabinet if needed. As with all Ninja products I have ever used, every button and function are easily identifiable, labeled and makes sense while using the CREAMi itself. In my opinion, the CREAMi is super easy to use, but I have to admit that is in large part thanks to the outstanding videos and guides that Ninja makes available to you right out the box. All you have to do is scan the QR code right on the unit, or visit Ninja’s site and you will have access to many useful videos of the CERAMi’s setup, use, and recipes so that you can get going as quickly as possible after unboxing it. If I had to nit pick though, the unit is on the “plastic-y” side of things, which one would expect for this type of unit’s work – but it feels very solid and still have metal contact points for the blades and drive system itself. I just hope the plastic latched and mechanisms hold up over time, but so far so good and I know Ninja has always stood behind their products in the past if/when I had issues. ====================================== >>>>> Making ice cream/CREAMi usage: <<<<< ====================================== On to the meat and potatoes …. If you actually take the 5/10 mins to read the instructions or watch a Ninja CREAMi video or two …. the whole process is SUPER easy and pretty straight forward. The CREAMi comes with a little recipe book, so there are more enough recipes to get started making everything from traditional ice cream styled treats, milk shakes, sorbets and the like. The package included 3 of the CREAMi “Pint” containers – so I opted to try and make the classic “Neapolitan” trifecta of Vanilla, Strawberry, and Chocolate. I have three kids under 10 years old at home, and they were super fascinated in making homemade ice cream – so they were all about helping mixing the ingredients and starting to make the “bases” for enjoyment later. REMBER THIS IS NOT A BLENDER! - so don't treat it like one or may not work right or break! If your new to making “homemade” noncommercial style ice cream deserts at home – you may be surprised that there are more than a few ways to “make it” … ranging from using plastic Ziplock bags …to electric and hand crank machines that churn your concoctions for you. Having used many of those types of machines myself – the CREAMi has them beat when it comes to simplify and the sheer amount of versatility with minimal effort. The added bonus is being able to make “blizzard” style treats by adding chocolate chips, candies or cookies as part of the “spinning” or mixing process when you are ready to serve them up. All you have to do is follow the recipe for the base, freeze for 24 hours, turn the CREAMi on, pop the base in the bowl, push the corresponding button for the type of treat you want – and let the CREAMi do its thing. It really is that simple. The only knit picky things that come to mind is that the CREAMi definitely isn’t the quietest thing as you may expect, and some of the plastic heavy product design comes into question as you constantly push/rotate/remove the bowl/pints/bases and blade for regular use and cleaning over time – but like I said before, Ninja has always stood behind their products if that actually did become an issue. I accidentally filled my first chocolate pint past the “max fill” line, and I observed slightly more noise then usual, and some of the chocolate ice cream came out of the top opening where the blade assembly meets the metal drive bit. That was completely my fault, and I wouldn’t hold that against the machine, since that was entirely my error, but I would caution that you make sure to keep your bases under the pint containers max fill line to avoid any issues in the future with your CREAMi. ========================= >>>>> Closing thoughts: <<<<< ========================= The Ninja CREAMi has been a huge hit in my kitchen. The kids love it – I like it, and the sky is the limit as to how you want to concoct your own personalized treats. Making the bases and adding the mix-ins were so easy my kids were all able to master the process after making the first couple of pints and are all about trying to make new flavors and treats they had never thought of before. To me personally, that is a huge win – because they are super excited to “make” something with me for a change. To top it off the results were just as good as we would get from a local “drive-thru” creamery stand. As long as you don’t go over the max fill line (as I did with one of my first pints) – its super easy to clean and operate as well. The CREAMi is not super expensive and would make a great addition to any kitchen – even if you have one of the more “traditional” style of ice cream makers simply because of the added versatility it brings to your everyday.

I have always loved ice cream and I tried to make it with rock salt but it never comes out the consistency I want it to be. I bought this on a whim because you can make all types of frozen treats! It is so easy to use and comes with a recipe book that tells you exactly what to do. The ice cream comes out super creamy and tastes amazing! Definitely, a fun thing to do with friends and family. You can make your own little ice cream bar! It is a bit larger than I thought it would be so you need more counter space but I just put it away after using it. It takes about 30 seconds to make.

I love this ice cream maker. It’s not too big so it fits perfectly on my counter. My favorite part is that not only does it make ice cream it makes gelato, milkshakes, smoothie bowls and many more! It’s definitely the perfect gift to give this holiday season!

Pros Versatile Dishwasher safe Easy to use You can make your own custom flavors Multiple pints containers allow options Cons Has a bit of a learning curve Warnings of damage might prevent trying new combinations Base must be frozen perfectly flat to prevent damage Design The Ninja Creami resembles narrow, tall coffee maker more than a blender. At first glance you would think it would hold a large picture but with the motor housing and blades that plunge down there is only room for a pint-sized container. The picture comes in two portions. There is an outer container which appears to be mainly for safety to lock it into the machine and then the inner removable container houses the frozen treat base which you will process. The overall design is distinctly Ninja where most of the unit is black and gray with chrome accents for buttons. Usage The recipe book has many recipes to start you off, including lite options. Some recipes even have regular and lite options combined into one, such as replacing sugar with a combination of stevia and agave. One thing that may cause concern is there are several warnings of damage when using the machine, such as with certain ingredients, or if the base is frozen slightly off level, or if the base is frozen too cold. Also, typically the base will refreeze hard when you put it back in the freezer. This means if you want to run it through the Creami again later, you must smooth the top flat before putting in the freezer or risk damage. While this problem is easy to avoid, this might cause a new owner to be concerned that is seems too easy to damage the Creami. If you have owned Ninja products before you will be familiar with the adjustment period where at first you feel overwhelmed with the features and options before you realize they are all very familiar. Once you understand the basics, its simple to use and without damage. With nearly every recipe, you start with a few ingredients and mix them and add them into one of the three included bases. Just don’t fill it past the line in the container and you will be good. Put it on a level shelf in a regular freezer and around 24 hours you can run it through the Creami. This is essentially the process for most frozen dessert options. The main difference, besides the ingredients, is how the Creami processes the base you have frozen. For ice cream the blending sounds a bit slower where a milkshake blends fast nearly the entire time. Regardless of which option you choose, the progress will be displayed as 4 lights at the top of the control panel. When all four are lit up, you are done and unless adding more ingredients you are ready to enjoy. Performance With the right ingredients you might be pleasantly surprised with the results. While not identical to store or restaurant style desserts, the results are arguably better as you can tailor things to exactly what you want. You can make what you want, the way you like it, while saving money. Gelato comes out with the consistency of soft serve and very smooth and rich. Ice cream also comes out heavy and thick but smooth. Unlike ice cream purchase at the store, scooping out ice cream the next day requires letting it sit out or reblending. Overall, it’s worth the wait. Milkshakes are one of the few things that don’t require waiting the customary 24 hours. All you need is 1 ½ cups of ice cream and a ½ cup of whole milk and a couple of minutes later you have a milkshake. Consistently is soft enough to drink easily with a straw. If you like thicker shakes, there doesn’t seem to be a way to choose a thicker option, but the default seems perfect for most. Final Thoughts If you have been considering a machine to make frozen desserts at home and you like Ninja products, the choice is easy. You will enjoy it. For everyone else, the question is if you want a versatile machine that’s easy to use, easy to clean up, and give you the choice to make it the way you like then the Ninja Creami is work a look.