TL;DR: The Ninja Creami is TikTok-famous for a reason: it’s wildly fun, surprisingly effective, and great for creative home dessert makers. It’s not instant and has a learning curve, but once you master the spin (and respin), you’ll be hooked.

Introduction: A Blender, a Dream, and a Lot of Frozen Bananas

Look, I’m not proud of how many hours I’ve spent watching people on TikTok spin frozen protein shakes into velvety ice cream with a machine that sounds like a blender possessed by a dairy demon. But after the 17th “healthy Ninja Creami protein ice cream” montage, I caved. I bought the thing. And now I’m a convert to the cult of Creami.

The Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker promises to turn your protein shake, fruit can, leftover latte, or childhood dreams into something creamy, cold, and surprisingly addictive. It’s gone viral for a reason. But is it just another influencer-fueled kitchen gimmick, or is it actually the frozen dessert savior we’ve been waiting for?

Over the past few days, I ran the Creami through its paces. I made protein-packed pints, indulgent gelato, a few frozen disasters, and a coconut sorbet so good I almost cried. Here’s what I found.

The Setup: Not Your Grandma’s Ice Cream Maker

The Ninja Creami isn’t like the old-school machines that use rock salt and manual labor. It’s also not like the compressor models that cost as much as a PS5. Instead, this thing operates more like a drill press crossed with a blender. You freeze your base mixture (in a provided container) for at least 24 hours, then insert it into the machine, which uses a spinning blade to shave and blend the frozen contents into ice cream. Or gelato. Or sorbet. Or a “Creamiccino.” Yes, that’s a real setting.

Day One: The Crumble Era (aka Respins Are Your Friend)

My first experiment: chocolate protein ice cream. A Fairlife chocolate shake, a scoop of protein powder, a sprinkle of instant pudding mix, and a desperate hope that this would taste like Wendy’s Frosty. It was a total improvisation, a Hail Mary of frozen dessert science, and I wasn’t sure whether it was going to result in sweet success or a sad brown sludge. After the first spin, the result was less than inspiring—crumbs. Not even Dippin’ Dots. Just sad, dusty chocolate gravel that looked like what you’d find at the bottom of a cereal box.

Enter the Respin button. After one more go-round, it got a little better. Two respins in, the texture finally hit that Frosty-like consistency. It wasn’t just passable—it was good. The flavor hit all the right notes, rich and chocolatey with a subtle peanut butter backnote thanks to the powder I tossed in. I inhaled half the pint before my brain registered what was happening. I had made something not just edible but craveable. And I did it in my kitchen, with a protein shake.

Lesson learned: most low-fat or high-protein mixes need respins. That’s normal. That’s Creami life. It’s part of the ritual. Embrace the spin. Bow to the blender gods.

Day Two: Getting Fancy (Cookies, Coconut, Chaos)

By the second day, I felt like a sorcerer in a sweet, cold Hogwarts. I had conquered chocolate protein. It was time to get serious. So I tried Bon Appétit’s vanilla custard recipe, which involved egg yolks, heavy cream, and a level of prep work that felt vaguely like a science experiment. I also went for a dairy-free coconut base, playing to the plant-based crowd. And, finally, I gave mango sorbet a spin using canned fruit and no added sugar.

The vanilla custard came out like silk. Seriously, this was the kind of ice cream that makes you reconsider your life choices. Rich, smooth, indulgent—each spoonful was like a love letter to your taste buds. It was better than many high-end store-bought pints and honestly rivaled some of the boutique scoop shops I’ve hit in foodie cities. The mix-in feature added another layer of joy when I threw in crushed Oreos. The blade didn’t totally pulverize them, and the inconsistency of the cookie chunks—some powdery, some whole—made every bite a surprise.

The mango sorbet? Pure, tropical gold. I literally just dumped canned mango slices and their juice into the container, froze it, and let the Creami do its thing. After one spin, I had a dessert that tasted like sunshine. It didn’t even need a respin. It was that good. TikTok might be a hellsite, but sometimes the hive mind really nails it.

The Downsides: Cold, Hard Truths

For all the joy it brings, there are cold, hard truths that potential buyers need to know.

First, the 24-hour prep time is a serious buzzkill. If you get a craving for ice cream, you can’t just whip something up on the fly. You have to freeze your base the night before. It’s like having a friend who’s always late—you know they’re worth it, but it’s annoying as hell.

Then there’s the issue of respins. You will respin. A lot. Especially if your freezer is on the colder side or you’re using anything lower in fat. That initial crumbly texture will happen. But as long as you know to hit that button again—and sometimes a third time—you’ll usually get there.

Finally, it’s not exactly quiet. It’s not jackhammer loud, but it’s not subtle either. Imagine a blender that’s slightly hangry. If you’re hoping to stealthily make a pint of mint chip at 2 a.m. without waking up your roommate, good luck.

But Also… It’s Just Really Fun

Despite all these minor quirks, using the Creami is just plain fun. There’s something inherently satisfying about creating your own ice cream flavors from scratch. My fiancé and I have started doing “Creami nights” where we prep a few bases, debate mix-in combos, and then spin them the next evening. It’s become a mini tradition. And every now and then, a flavor comes out so unexpectedly good that we high-five in the kitchen like we just won a baking show.

There’s a sense of empowerment in being able to take control of what goes into your dessert. Whether you’re counting macros, avoiding dairy, cutting sugar, or just like weird combos (hello, tahini and honey), the Creami gives you a platform to play. It’s not just a kitchen gadget—it’s a creativity engine.

The Verdict: A Gadget Worth the Hype

I came in skeptical. Another appliance? Please. But after a month with the Ninja Creami, I’m sold. It’s not just hype. It’s a genuinely fun, flexible, and addicting way to make frozen treats that cater to your diet, mood, or caffeine addiction. It has its flaws, sure. It demands a little patience and a willingness to respin. But the payoff? Glorious.

Just don’t forget to freeze your base first. Or you’ll be stuck watching Creami TikToks while eating a warm protein shake and reevaluating your life choices.