Oprah Loves the Ninja Creami — Why We Swear By It, Too

Just like us, celebrities seemingly prefer their sweet treats to be customizable. Case in point: One of Oprah’s favorite things, highlighted in her highly anticipated annual gift guide, is among our most trusted finds for making frozen treats.

The viral Ninja Creami Deluxe, a powerful 11-program ice cream maker that miraculously creates custom pints at home, took over our social feeds this year and falls on the trusted host’s Favorite Things List for 2024. Food & Wine gave this investment appliance a spin earlier this year, and we can affirm that it’s a truly solid investment — and out of the 30 ice cream machines our team tested, this one came out on top. Even better, you can snag this modestly priced (yet top-notch) model on sale for a limited time.

Ninja Creami Deluxe Set

Amazon

If you’re looking for a durable, long-lasting machine that creates creamery-quality treats at home, consider this one your best bet. The Ninja Creami Deluxe scored top marks with our testing team for its simple approach and versatility (not to mention you’ll walk away with a dang delicious pint of ice cream). The concept is straightforward: You’ll fill one of the Deluxe’s extra-large containers with the base mix before freezing for 24 hours. Then, click the frozen tub onto the machine’s base to give it a quick spin that aerates the concoction, bringing it to a smooth texture and eliminating any ice particles. At that point, you can mix in candy pieces, cookie chunks, or swirls of syrup to your heart’s content.

As for shoppers’ Ninja Creami reviews, Amazon visitors largely say they love the opportunity for endless creativity and, ultimately, the ability to create their own unique spins on frozen treats (a major plus for this machine). From high-protein ice cream to sweet Italian ices and simple fruit sorbets, the Ninja’s beauty lies in its innovation. This particular set — which we’d readily select for holiday gatherings and gift-giving — includes two 24-ounce freezer tubs to ensure there’s more than enough ice cream to go around.

This appliance impressed our testing team with its powerful blades, which thoroughly blended mix-ins and cookie bits — a little too well. It might warrant some trial and error to reach the right consistency, especially if you strive for a balanced chunky-cookie-to-ice-cream ratio. The ice cream base’s overnight freeze does require some planning ahead.

You’ll also want to be on the lookout for a powdery consistency during that initial blend cycle. Food & Wine’s associate commerce editor, Mary Claire Lagroue, advises adjusting the settings since Ninja notes this happens when your freezer gets a bit too cold. “Pressing the re-spin button makes it creamier, but you may have to add a little liquid to the pint and then re-spin to get the right consistency.”

All in all, we’d call this one a fantastic investment — no matter whether you’re eyeing it for yourself or planning to surprise a loved one this holiday season. We’re just left wondering what combinations Oprah is spinning up with this powerful machine.