I Tested the Ninja Swirl by CREAMi and the Result? Not Exactly What I Expected

Like everyone else in 2025, I’m in my protein era — I will get it in by any means necessary. So when my FYP flooded with fitness influencers raving about the Ninja Swirl by CREAMi — a supercharged version of the already-viral Ninja CREAMi, a.k.a. the holy grail of high-protein frozen treats — I was intrigued. Soft serve with the same look and texture of what you’d get at an ice cream shop… but with full control over the ingredients? Say no more.

After trying the Ninja Swirl by CREAMi for myself, here's my honest, unfiltered review — everything you need to know before buying.

Overview

In theory, if you can freeze it, you can turn it into ice cream. The Swirl starts with two major settings: soft serve or scoop. From there, you can choose between 13 one-touch programs and six soft serve functions (soft serve, frozen custard, fruit whip, swirled frozen yogurt, lite ice cream, and most notably, CreamiFit, which is specifically designed for protein-based recipes — arguably the biggest selling point). The idea is perfect consistency every time, even when using trickier ingredients like non-dairy milks, which, as anyone who’s ever ordered a disappointing almond milk ice cream knows, is easier said than done. Regardless of what you add, the results promise to be creamy.

First Impressions

The moment it arrived, I had one thought: this thing is massive. At 15” x 10”, it swallowed what little counter space I had in my NYC studio. So much so that I had to buy and build a shelf just to store it. Out of sight wasn’t an option — but to my surprise, I didn’t mind. Its sleek silver design and fluted detailing give it an old-school espresso machine vibe, so if it’s going to stare at me every morning, at least it looks good doing it.

Making the Ice Cream

The machine comes with two containers to freeze your base — worth noting, these are not interchangeable with the OG Ninja CREAMi due to the Swirl’s larger volume and soft serve appendage. The process is simple: blend your ingredients (I went with almond milk, protein powder, vanilla extract, and cinnamon), pour it in, and freeze for exactly 24 hours. Do not try to cut corners — just because it looks frozen doesn’t mean it’s ready. Trust me.

Before spinning, you also need to check that the surface is completely level — uneven freezing can damage the machine. Mine had a small dip, but after letting it sit for 10 minutes (a required step anyway) and rinsing the edges with warm water, I was able to level it with a fork.

The Spin

I locked the frozen container into place and selected my setting: Swirl, obviously, followed by Lite Ice Cream. The cycle lasted four minutes, which felt like forever because — one thing the TikTok influencers failed to mention — this thing is loud. Testing it at 10 PM with no way to stop mid-spin (unless I wanted to risk breaking the machine) was… not ideal for my neighbors.

The result? Not what I expected. Instead of creamy soft serve, I got a grainy, snow cone-like texture. Was it the protein powder? Should I have used the CreamiFit setting (which is specifically designed for high-protein recipes)? Probably. So I did a respin — which, for future reference, is a cure-all solution for unexpected results.

The CreamiFit setting took six minutes — meaning my machine had now been screaming for a full ten minutes. But my guilt subsided when I saw the perfectly whipped texture.

The Swirl

At this point, I could have stopped — this is where the OG Ninja CREAMi would have left off — but now it was time to swirl. I swapped in the soft-serve attachment, pulled the lever, and voilà: perfect, spiraled soft serve.

Granted, I never worked at a fro-yo shop, so my skills were pitiful. But the texture? Spot on. I topped mine with kamut puffs and cereal, took a bite, and delicious. It reminded me of Pressed Juicery’s Vanilla Freeze — creamy, almond milk-based, and free of the usual gums and additives that make high-protein ice creams work.

Is It Worth It?

At $349.99, it depends on how much you really like soft serve. The Ninja Swirl by CREAMi is relatively easy to use, but it’s big — so you either need a dedicated storage spot or be okay with it living on your kitchen counter full-time. There’s also some planning involved — the 24-hour freezing period and making sure the base is perfectly level require a little foresight.

That said, the optionality here is unbeatable. You can recreate your favorite frozen treats — including notoriously tricky nut-milk-based ice creams — with complete control over ingredients. Depending on how often you go out for soft serve, it pays for itself over time. Plus, it makes healthy eating actually fun — and for that, it’s a small price to pay.

Final Verdict

Summer is coming, and NYC will be sweltering. The thought of turning all my favorite foods into frozen, swirlable versions sounds highly appealing. While I won’t be using this machine at night (lesson learned), you can bet I’ll be running it daily for breakfast, lunch, or an early ice cream dinner.

So, swirl lovers: buy it. If you’re indifferent? Stick with the OG Ninja CREAMi.

As for me, I’ll be keeping my Swirl — proudly. I'm already shopping for waffle cones...

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