Is the Ninja Creami Worth It? What Reviewers Found Before You Buy
Reviewers agree the Ninja Creami makes very good frozen desserts, but it is loud, needs a 24-hour freeze and takes practice, so whether it is worth it depends on how often you will use it.
Research-based: public sources and consumer feedback, not hands-on testing. How we review
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In this article
Quick Verdict
Mixed resultsBottom line: A capable machine with real drawbacks: it is loud, every pint needs a 24-hour freeze, and the first batches may disappoint. It suits regular use, not the occasional treat.
- Best for
- Households that make frozen desserts most weeks, especially dairy-free or high-protein versions
- Main concern
- You want ice cream on impulse, have little freezer or counter space, or are sensitive to noise
- Better alternative
- A traditional ice cream maker with a freezer bowl
Research-based: public sources and consumer feedback, not hands-on testing. How we review
Quick answer
The Ninja Creami makes very good frozen desserts, and reviewers who tested it agree on that. Whether it is worth it depends on three things the adverts play down: every pint has to be frozen for 24 hours first, the machine is loud, and it takes a few failed batches to get the texture right. It suits people who will use it every week, not people who want ice cream on a whim.
The Creami is a large appliance that does one job, and the reviewers who have tested it disagree about who should buy one, so “is it worth it?” is a fair question. This article draws on two independent hands-on reviews and the manufacturer’s own product information. We have not used the machine ourselves, and we have not relied on customer star ratings.
Key takeaways
- It does not churn a liquid base: it shaves and blends a pint that has already been frozen solid
- Reviewers found the results smooth and the processing quick, at two to four minutes a pint
- The base must freeze level for about 24 hours, so dessert has to be planned a day ahead
- One reviewer measured it at 86 decibels from a meter (about three feet) away, close to a high-powered blender
- We found no CPSC recall of the Creami; a 2025 Ninja recall concerns a different product
What you get for the money
A conventional ice cream maker churns a liquid mixture while it freezes. The Creami works the other way round. You fill one of its pint tubs, freeze it solid, then lock it into the machine, where a blade drives down through the block and turns it into ice cream, gelato, sorbet or a milkshake. Expert Reviews timed a cycle at about two and a half minutes; Tasting Table’s reviewer, using the larger Deluxe model, put a pint of ice cream at about four.
The costs of owning one are mostly time and space, not consumables:
- A day’s notice. Both reviews say the base needs about 24 hours in the freezer. Expert Reviews calls this really important for avoiding ice crystals and odd textures.
- Freezer room, on the level. A tub has to freeze upright and flat. If the mixture freezes above the maximum fill line, the machine cannot process it.
- Counter space. Expert Reviews lists the original model at about 16 inches (40 centimeters) tall and about 14 pounds (nearly 6.5 kilograms). Tasting Table’s reviewer found the Deluxe about an inch too tall to fit under a kitchen cabinet.
- Extra tubs. You can only make as many flavors as you have tubs. SharkNinja’s listings warn that tubs are specific to a model series, so check compatibility before buying spares.
- Warranty. SharkNinja’s product listing gives a one-year limited warranty.
What Reviewers Liked
- Smooth results, including with dairy-free and vegan bases, which one reviewer found as good as the dairy versions
- Speed once the base is frozen: a few minutes a pint, against around half an hour for a traditional machine
- Good sorbet, gelato and milkshakes as well as ice cream
- Tubs, lids and other removable parts that can go in the dishwasher
Common Complaints
These come from two published hands-on reviews. They describe the reviewers' own experience with one unit each, not a survey of owners.
It is loud
Expert Reviews measured an average of 86 decibels from one meter (about three feet) during a cycle, only slightly below the 88 decibels it recorded for a high-powered Ninja blender. The cycle is short, at two and a half minutes at most, but it is not something to run while someone is asleep nearby. Tasting Table’s reviewer found the milkshake setting especially noisy.
The first batches may disappoint
Tasting Table’s reviewer got “flavorless snow” on the top half of a protein ice cream on the light setting, and had to add liquid and run the re-spin function. Small chunks of ice and fruit were also left around the edge of the tub. Expert Reviews says to expect some trial and error, because the result changes with the brand of milk, the ripeness of fruit and how long the tub has been frozen.
Dessert has to be planned
Because nearly every recipe starts with a 24-hour freeze, Tasting Table’s reviewer described using the machine as, in effect, meal-prepping dessert. Milkshakes are the main exception.
Source: Tasting Table: the 24-hour rule
Setting up is fiddly
The reviewer needed a lot of back-and-forth with the guide to assemble the lid and blade, and felt the machine had not been designed with ease of use in mind. The recipe booklet was described as essential.
It is a lot of machine for one job
Expert Reviews called it expensive for an appliance with a limited number of uses, and noted that a much cheaper traditional ice cream maker can produce similar results, more slowly.
How serious are these problems?
None of them is a fault. They are what the machine is. The noise lasts a couple of minutes, the texture problems ease with practice and the re-spin function exists to deal with them, and the 24-hour wait stops mattering if you keep two or three tubs in rotation. What does not change is the size, and the fact that it does one thing.
The two reviewers reached different conclusions from much the same evidence. Expert Reviews said that anyone serious about frozen desserts would get a lot of use out of it. Tasting Table’s reviewer said they would not buy one for their own kitchen, and that it suits people who eat a lot of ice cream or enjoy experimenting with small batches.
Has the Ninja Creami been recalled?
We searched the CPSC’s published notices and found no recall or warning for the Creami. Ninja’s 2025 recall of about 1.8 million units concerned Foodi OP300 pressure cookers, which are a different product; it is covered in our summary of pressure cooker recalls. A search is not a guarantee, so check your model number on the CPSC site, as our recall guide explains.
Who the Creami May Suit
- Households that eat frozen desserts every week and will keep tubs in rotation
- People making dairy-free, lower-sugar or high-protein versions they cannot easily buy
- Anyone with spare freezer and counter space who enjoys tinkering with recipes
Who May Want to Consider Alternatives
- People who want ice cream on impulse, without a day's wait
- Small kitchens, or freezers with no flat space for upright tubs
- Anyone sensitive to noise, or who mostly wants milkshakes and frozen drinks, which a blender can make
Before you buy
- Measure the gap under your wall cabinets and the flat space in your freezer.
- Check which model series the listing is for, and that spare tubs for it are easy to find.
- Read the recent one-star and two-star reviews for your exact model. Our guide to reading negative reviews explains how to separate a pattern from a single bad unit.
- Check the return window. A machine like this takes a few weeks to judge; see returns, refunds and chargebacks for your options.
- For the general checks on any counter-top appliance, including certification marks and recalls, see small kitchen appliance safety.
How we researched this
We read two independent hands-on reviews, from Expert Reviews (2022, original model) and Tasting Table (2024, Deluxe model), the manufacturer’s product listings, and the CPSC’s recall notices for the brand. We have not tested the Creami, we have not surveyed owners, and we have not quoted customer reviews. Prices change too often to be useful, so we have left them out.
Is It Worth Buying?
Worth it for regular use; hard to justify for the occasional treat
If you will make frozen desserts most weeks, particularly ones you cannot buy ready-made, the reviewers’ experience suggests the Creami earns its space once you are past the first few batches. If you want ice cream a few times a summer, a traditional machine with a freezer bowl does a similar job for less money, at the cost of a longer churn. And if it is milkshakes and frozen drinks you are after, a blender you already own may be enough.
Better choice for some buyers
A frozen-bowl ice cream maker
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ninja Creami loud?
Yes. Expert Reviews measured an average of 86 decibels from one meter, close to a high-powered blender. A cycle lasts only two to four minutes.
Do you really have to freeze the base for 24 hours?
Both reviews we read say so for nearly every recipe, and one calls it really important for texture. Milkshakes are the main exception. The tub also has to freeze flat and below the maximum fill line.
Why is my Creami ice cream crumbly or powdery?
Reviewers report this with some bases, especially lighter and high-protein ones. The machine has a re-spin function for it, and adding a little liquid before re-spinning is what Tasting Table’s reviewer did.
Has the Ninja Creami been recalled?
We found no CPSC recall or warning for the Creami. A 2025 Ninja recall covered Foodi OP300 pressure cookers, which are a different product.
Is a normal ice cream maker a better buy?
For occasional use, possibly. Expert Reviews noted that a much cheaper traditional machine can produce similar results, though it takes longer to churn and its bowl also needs freezing ahead.
Sources & Evidence
Where the facts in this article come from. Summaries are in our own words; follow the links to check them yourself.
- Expert Reviews: Ninja Creami review, original model (June 2022)
- Tasting Table: Ninja CREAMi Deluxe review (September 2024)
- Tasting Table: The 24-hour rule when using a Ninja CREAMi
- SharkNinja: Ninja CREAMi NC301 product listing (warranty and tub compatibility)
- CPSC: SharkNinja Foodi pressure cooker recall (2025), a different product
- CPSC: Recalls database
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