Every week it seems another kitchen appliance goes viral on social media, and influencers are quick to recommend the latest must-have gadget. Most of the time those gadgets either fail to deliver or end up gathering dust. That is why I was skeptical about the Ninja Creami.
The Creami is not a traditional ice cream maker. Instead of churning a liquid base while it freezes, it shaves and whips a frozen block you prepare ahead of time. That means you have to put your ingredients in the freezer 24 hours before you want to use the machine.
Why it went viral
I love ice cream, but I am also trying to get fit and pay more attention to what I eat, so I have had to cut back on sweet treats. When I saw a TikTok video suggesting the Creami was the perfect weight loss tool, it seemed like the ideal solution. The gadget has become popular with fitness fans because it lets you make high-protein ice cream that is low in fat and calories.
I had doubts about whether it would actually work and whether it would taste any good. After using the Creami for a few weeks, I am happy to say I was wrong on both counts.
Setting up and first impressions
The appliance is relatively easy to set up, although it does take up a lot of space in my small kitchen. It comes with a guide and a recipe book, both of which I found really helpful. The book is easy to follow and includes plenty of recipes. The first one I tried was a basic vanilla chocolate chip, and it turned out great.
My favourite thing about the Creami is how creative you can be. You can customise every aspect of the flavour. My go-to vanilla ice cream base uses protein milk, a scoop of protein powder, a tablespoon of sweetener, and a pinch of xanthan gum. From there, I have been experimenting with mix-ins such as dark chocolate and nuts.
Healthy treats and indulgences
For relatively little effort, it is an amazing way to enjoy tasty sweet treats that are packed with protein and much lower in calories and unhealthy additives than supermarket ice cream. In that sense, the Creami feels like a weight loss cheat code, and I cannot wait to keep using it.
Another favourite creation has actually been the simplest. I made a refreshing orange sorbet from a single bag of oranges and a splash of orange liqueur. All you have to do is peel the oranges, mash them, and stick them in the freezer. As well as being tasty and easy to make, a frozen treat made entirely of fruit is a great way to quell a sweet tooth without overindulging.
But life is too short to completely deprive yourself of your favourite treats. So I have also used the Creami to make decidedly unhealthy ice cream, and it is great at that too, and even yummier than the healthier desserts. My favourite so far is pistachio gelato, which tastes incredible.
The drawbacks
It is not all perfect. My main gripe is just how loud the machine gets when in use. It only takes a couple of minutes, but those are long and loud minutes. As someone who lives in a tenement block, the noise is something I am painfully aware of every time I use it. I cannot use it late at night if a craving hits, so I have to make my ice cream in advance and put it back in the freezer earlier in the evening.
Another gripe is the 24-hour wait time to freeze ingredients. It is not as simple as turning the machine on and having instant ice cream whenever I want it. But this is not an issue if you plan ahead, and I have started keeping a couple of frozen pints in my freezer that are always ready to go.
Something else I find slightly annoying is that unfinished tubs that go back in the freezer often need another run through the machine because they form into a solid block of ice. That means another two minutes of noise and the worry that neighbours will come banging on my door.
Verdict
Overall, I have had a lot of fun with my Ninja Creami, and I can hardly believe it lets me eat ice cream every day that is actually healthy. There are a couple of issues I have had to work around, but it is a great little gadget.
