On trial: Ninja Creami Ice Cream & Frozen Dessert Maker

No more rooting around an empty freezer looking for the tub of rocky road you definitely ate last week, this machine lets you make your own. The Ninja Creami Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Maker helps you turn basic ingredients into sweet frozen deliciousness with minimal effort. 

It comes with seven preset programs (Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Smoothie Bowl, Light Ice Cream, Milkshake and Mix-Ins) and is customisable to your dietary requirements – crucial if you’re an ice cream addict who can’t handle their lactose (guilty as charged). You can also buy separate dessert tubs so you can create and store even more flavours in the freezer. 

Each recipe is different, but the majority start with:

1. Add your ingredients to a Dessert Tub
2. Put the tub in the freezer for 24 hours 
3. Place the tub in the Ninja Creami and let the paddle swirl up a treat

Some recipes, like the milkshakes, don’t require 24 hours in the freezer and can be made instantly – perfect for late-night cravings. You also have the option of adding ‘mix-ins’ such as chocolate chips, sweets or pieces of biscuit to personalise your flavour to your individual tastes. The world is your gelato.

The Ninja Creami is bold, it won’t restrict you to standard ice cream flavours – or even just to ice cream. With seven different modes to choose from, you can make a variety of frozen treats.

You’ve got the option of morning smoothie bowls or afternoon frappés and after 5pm, surely a frozen margarita is on the cards?

The Ninja Creami is as easy to clean as it is to assemble. It’s dishwasher and handwash safe, there are only three pieces that need cleaning – and no intricate parts that take hours to soak and scrub in the sink. 

It takes minutes to combine your ingredients, and once they’ve been frozen, assembling the machine and watching it whip up your soft serve takes no time at all. The fact your ingredients need 24 hours in the freezer for most recipes means some pre-planning is required, but with three Dessert Tubs at your disposal, why not keep different flavours in the freezer at all times, ready to go?

There are a plethora of included recipes that are easy to follow, although my favourite thing is getting creative and coming up with my own unique flavours. 

For ice cream fans? Absolutely. Not only is it easy to use, but you get to come up with weird and wonderful flavour combinations with as many ‘mix-ins’ as your heart desires. You can use different settings for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and the customisable element means it doesn’t have to feel like an indulgent treat if you don’t want it to. 

Coming in at £200, the Ninja Creami is at the lower end of the price range for ice cream makers. So as long as you remember to plan your sweet treats in advance, this is a more affordable option for making your own frozen delights.