We Tried the New Ninja Swirl Soft Serve Machine, and Here's Our Honest Review

Tested by Chelsea Collier

When Ninja launched its first countertop ice cream maker, the original Creami, on National Ice Cream Day in 2021, it didn't take long to go viral. The Creami's ability to turn almost anything into ice cream with just the push of a button made it a fast favorite. TikTok videos featuring DIY ice cream pints, fruit sorbets and gelato racked up millions of views, and soon the machine was impossible to keep in stock.

It was another hit for the brand known for specialty appliances that bring restaurant-style capabilities into the home. Want crispy drive-thru-style nuggets? There's a Ninja air fryer for that. Craving a convenience store-style slushie? The Ninja Slushi's got you covered. The company has a knack for making kitchen tools that lean into nostalgia, function and fun.

Now they're expanding the lineup with the Swirl by Creami — a model that keeps the scoopable ice cream function of the original but adds soft serve functions. Soft serve is a summer classic, and Ninja is betting that people want to bring that creamy, swirled magic into their own kitchens.

So, to swirl or not to swirl? We put the newest Ninja Creami to the test to find out.

What Is the Ninja Swirl by Creami?

The Ninja Swirl by Creami is the newest machine from Ninja, and it builds on the brand's original Creami technology. Unlike traditional ice cream machines that churn mixtures continuously in real-time until frozen, Ninja's Creami machines use a unique approach where pre-frozen ingredients in pint containers are finely shaved and blended by a powerful creamizer paddle to process them into ice cream. This method produces ultra-smooth, creamy textures and allows users to reduce in-machine processing time and hands-on effort by freezing recipes for 24 hours beforehand.

This upgraded Swirl model adds in a soft serve dispenser. It also features six new Creami Swirl settings: Soft Serve, Fruit Whip, Frozen Custard, Swirled Lite Ice cream, Frozen Yogurt and Creamifit, a setting that allows users to create low-calorie protein ice cream. With a total of 13 preset functions, including settings for gelato, milkshakes and sorbet, this machine offers more versatility than most home ice cream makers. It includes two swirl pints for freezing ingredients, a touch interface and dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleanup.

How Is the Ninja Swirl Different from the Ninja Creami?

The key difference between other Ninja Creami machines and the new Swirl model is the addition of soft serve functionality. While other Creami machines focus solely on traditional scoopable desserts, the Swirl expands possibilities with six new soft-serve specific processing presets and allows users to dispense directly from the machine into bowls or cones. The Swirl also introduces the new CreamiFit setting, which caters specifically to those seeking lower-calorie or protein-rich dessert options.

The right side of the Swirl by Creami is like that of the original, where users can load pre-frozen pints into the machine to be processed using the creamizer paddle at the touch of a button. After processing, pints can be loaded directly onto the Swirl-specific left side of the machine, which, at the pull of a lever, presses frozen treats through built-in nozzles on the pints to create a swirled soft serve consistency.

How We Tested the Ninja Swirl

We tested the Ninja Swirl by making several recipes across different categories: soft-serve ice cream, fruit whip, CreamiFit ice cream, frozen yogurt and mix-ins. We began by thoroughly reviewing the included quick-start guide, which made initial setup intuitive and straightforward. The Swirl comes out of the box with sticker labels on all its key parts, which we found helpful. The machine came fully assembled and ready to go.

Soft-Serve Ice Cream Test: To test the machine's classic soft serve capabilities, we prepared a classic vanilla ice cream base following Food Network Kitchen's recipe and froze it in the provided pint for a full 24 hours as recommended by Ninja. We then loaded the pint and processed it on the soft-serve ice cream function, running the machine through a single two-minute cycle. The soft serve came out smooth after processing.

When loaded into the soft serve press, dispensing was smooth, but the ice cream was slightly softer than desired and melted quickly. We noted that the soft serve press can take a second to fully press all the ice cream through, giving dairy recipes in particular time to melt when being dispensed into multiple cones. We tested again by processing on the scoop ice cream setting, which yielded a much firmer and more desirable texture when dispensed through the soft serve press.

Soft-Serve Fruit Whip Test: We tested the fruit whip using Ninja's tropical fruit recipe. We mixed together banana, pineapple, coconut milk and honey in the pint. Prep time was less than five minutes, and we froze it for 24 hours before processing. (Ninja recommends all recipes be frozen for 24 hours prior to processing to ensure they are frozen solid, though we noticed some recipes freeze faster.)

The processing on this cycle lasted around two minutes, producing a mostly smooth texture with minor pineapple chunks. A second cycle on the "re-spin" setting was needed to fully smooth out ice crystals and achieve a consistent, soft texture ideal for dispensing. Dispensing this recipe through the soft serve press yielded a perfect soft serve swirl texture that held shape better than in our vanilla soft serve test.

Scooped CreamiFit Test: CreamiFit is the Swirl's protein ice cream setting. For our recipe, we used a store-bought whey protein shake, though one scoop of any protein powder combined with any milk works for CreamiFit recipes as well. We used Ninja's chocolate recipe from the included recipe booklet, which called for added pudding mix, cocoa powder and vanilla. Prep for this recipe also took less than five minutes.

After freezing it solid for 24 hours, we processed it once on the CreamiFit setting, which took approximately five minutes per cycle. The result was creamy and resembled premium store-bought ice cream, although we noticed slight unevenness and ice crystals around the pint edges. A brief re-spin helped achieve complete smoothness.

Scooped Frozen Yogurt Test: Using store-bought yogurt, we added honey and froze it for 24 hours before running the frozen yogurt setting, which lasts about four minutes. After the first cycle, the texture was crumbly, so we conducted an additional spin, which achieved the desired creamy texture.

Mix-In Test: For mix-ins, we tested crushed Oreos and frozen strawberries. Each mix-in cycle lasted about one minute. While Oreos were evenly distributed after a single cycle, they were overly crushed into a fine dust, lacking the larger cookie chunks a traditional cookies and cream ice cream would have, which we didn't love.

We also mixed in strawberries to a frozen yogurt pint we'd processed on the soft serve setting. Frozen strawberries required two mix-in cycles to achieve a non-crumbly texture. The froyo took on an ombré color, showing the fruit wasn't evenly distributed throughout the pint. That said, when dispensed through the soft serve press afterwards, the strawberry frozen yogurt created picture-perfect firm swirls suitable for cones.

Cleaning: Cleaning the machine after testing was hassle-free. All removable parts on the machine are dishwasher-safe on the top shelf, and there are no intricate pieces to hand wash.

What We Loved About The Ninja Swirl

Versatile Functions

We appreciated the extensive preset options, catering to various dietary needs and creative dessert explorations, including excellent non-dairy and lower-calorie choices. We loved being able to choose to scoop or swirl our frozen treats.

Ease of Use and Cleaning

Clear labeling and intuitive setup made operation uncomplicated, and cleaning was straightforward with dishwasher-safe components.

Great for Small Gatherings

The machine added a fun, interactive element to small parties, creating fresh desserts that guests genuinely enjoyed.

What We Didn't Love About The Ninja Swirl

Size and Noise

This machine is significantly larger and heavier than we anticipated; it's almost double the size of the original Creami, and like its predecessor, it's noisier than most household appliances.

Prep Time

Requiring a full 24-hour pre-freeze for recipes means spontaneous cravings cannot easily be accommodated. Though most recipes require minimal prep, planning ahead is essential.

Limited Pint Size

Each pint's small capacity requires purchasing additional pints for larger groups or continuous use.

Bottom Line: Is the Ninja Swirl Worth Buying?

What we love most about the Swirl by Creami is that it's undeniably fun. With countless recipes to try, making your own ice cream doesn't get old. That said, the Swirl is nearly double the size of the original Creami, making it tough to store and a big commitment for your countertop. Despite its larger size, the Swirl still only makes pint-sized batches, so it's not ideal for large-scale hosting without buying extra pints separately.

Ultimately, the Ninja Swirl delivers on its promise — it allows users to make both scoopable and soft-serve ice cream at home with ease. Still, you can achieve similar soft-serve style results by re-spinning frozen pints using the scoop settings on other models. Even recipes like CreamiFit and fruit whip can be mimicked using lite ice cream or sorbet functions. And while the pull-lever swirl dispenser is charming, it's more for aesthetic than necessity.

For most people, the Swirl may be too large and too specific. But if you're a frozen dessert enthusiast who loves the process of prepping pints and playing with textures, this machine delivers. Think of it like a barista-style coffeemaker — it's for the hobbyist, not the casual user. For smaller kitchens or simpler needs, we'd steer you toward the Ninja Creami or Creami Deluxe. Both deliver fantastic results without taking up as much space.

Why You Should Trust Our Tester

Chelsea Collier is an editorial commerce intern for Food Network. She has hands-on experience teaching and assisting youth cooking classes and is an avid home cook. She writes gift guides, shopping articles and conducts product tests for both Food Network and HGTV. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider. She has covered appliances, bedding, home decor and food products. Chelsea is always on the lookout for the special items that make life a little bit brighter.

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