The Ninja Swirl by Creami is the latest addition to Ninja’s popular Creami line, bringing a soft serve function to the mix. It promises to turn almost anything into ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, or even a protein-packed frozen treat. But does it live up to the hype, or is it just a louder, pricier version of the original Ninja Creami? Let’s find out in today’s review.
Where to Purchase
You can pick up the Ninja Swirl by Creami direct from the Ninja website, or from Amazon. It may be wise to shop around, due to the price!
Unboxing & First Impressions
I ordered the Ninja Swirl directly from the Ninja website for $349, though it’s also currently available on Amazon as a #1 New Release (at the time of review). It comes with:
- ✅ Two 16-ounce pint containers
- ✅ Soft serve dispensing handle
- ✅ 13 preset programs, including 6 new swirl settings
- ✅ Retract and mix-in functions
From the start, it’s clear this is a large and heavy machine, weighing over 20 lbs, but if you’re familiar with the Ninja Creami, you know that’s par for the course. My initial concerns are that the containers are small, and like previous models, this thing is loud.
How It Works
The basic process for making ice cream is the same as other Creami models:
- Prepare your base: Mix ingredients according to a recipe or experiment on your own.
- Freeze for 24 hours: This is a must. No shortcuts here, unless you’re using a feature like store-bought ice cream for soft serve.
- Process in the machine: Choose Scoop or Soft Serve, then the specific setting such as ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt, or Lite Ice Cream.
- Enjoy, or mix in extra ingredients – Add chocolate chips, cookie crumbles, or whatever you like.
The major upgrade here is the soft serve function, which allows you to dispense ice cream directly into a cone or bowl.
Testing It Out: Multiple Recipes
I used several different included recipes to get a feel for how to use this machine. They include:
1. Basic Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips
For this test, I whipped up their basic vanilla recipe included in the recipe guide.
⭐ Verdict: Great texture, good flavor, but no different from results achieved by the regular Creami. The chocolate chips were added as a mix-in, and texture-wise I didn’t think they improved the basic recipe.
2. One-Ingredient Frozen Yogurt
Simply freeze some yogurt and run it through the Swirl’s as soft serve.
⭐ Verdict: If you want an easy frozen yogurt, this actually delivers.
3. Store-Bought Ice Cream → Soft Serve
You can supposedly put any store-bought ice cream through the re-spin cycle and get instant soft serve.
⭐ Verdict: Works as advertised, and ideal if you don’t want to prep your own base.
4. Dole Pineapple Whip
Add canned pineapple with juice to one of the containers and freeze overnight. Run it through the “Fruit Whip” cycle for a homemade Dole Whip.
⭐ Verdict: If you love Dole Whip, this will not disappoint.
5. Light Ice Cream from Chocolate Milk
Simply pour a bottle of chocolate milk into a container and freeze overnight. Run through the “Lite Ice Cream” cycle for a light treat.
⭐ Verdict: A fast, simple way to make a frozen treat.
6. Chocolate Banana “Fruit Whip” (That Turned Into Ice Cream)
Since I tried a “canned” fruit whip, I wanted to try another fruit whip from a recipe.
⭐ Verdict: Not quite the texture of a true whip, but still tasty.
7. Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
I wanted to try their CreamiFit function which is designed to create lower-calorie, lower-sugar, high-protein treats.
⭐ Verdict: Light and airy, and the recipe I used was quite tasty.
Pros & Cons
👍 Pros:
- ✅ Soft serve feature works well
- ✅ Same great Creami functionality: Works with ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and more.
- ✅ Re-spin function fixes crumbly results
- ✅ Lets you turn store-bought ice cream into soft serve
- ✅ Great for making high-protein or low-calorie frozen treats
👎 Cons:
- ❌ Loud: All of the Creami’s are loud. This is no exception.
- ❌ Expensive: $349 is steep, especially if you already own a Creami.
- ❌ Small container size: Only 16 ounces per pint vs 24oz for the Creami Deluxe.
Final Verdict: Is the Ninja Swirl Worth It?
If soft serve is a must-have, the Ninja Swirl by Creami is a solid buy. It does everything the original Creami does, plus lets you dispense ice cream straight into a cone. However, if you don’t care about soft serve, the regular Ninja Creami or Creami Deluxe might be a better value since they offer the same basic functionality at a lower price and with a smaller footprint.
For $349, it’s a great machine for ice cream lovers, but it’s also big, loud, and not exactly a necessity unless you’re really into soft serve.
👉 Would I buy it again? Maybe, but only if I didn’t already own a Creami.
Video Review
Below is my full video review of the Ninja Swirl.