NinjaNC301 CREAMi Ice Cream Maker + 2 Pint Containers and Lids Bundle

I purchased this to make desserts that are "healthy". I've done keto and low-carb on and off and currently am not following any particular diet. This would have worked for any of them though.The ninja machine works great. The resulting texture and flavor is the biggest variable and depends completely on your ingredients. At first I tried using regular ingredients I thought tasted good together (like coffee and milk or low carb chocolate milk). Everything came out bland. I tried using just almond milk and a chocolate protein powder and that also tasted bad even though I like them when mixed as a regular liquid. So, I had to really experiment with new ingredients. I couldn't just make an "ice cream" version of my regular concoctions.The biggest game changer for me has been mixing in whey protein. Specifically vanilla whey protein powder. I'm finally getting a sweet flavor (without a ton of sugar/carbs). Also, the texture is finally creamy instead of dry and powdery.The best thing I've made, which I'm hooked on now, is getting frozen fruit, blending orange juice with vanilla whey protein powder, and pouring the liquid over the frozen fruit. Then freezing for 24 hours.My fav Jamba Juice is the c-boost smoothie and I found that you can get that flavor by using bananas and peaches for the solid fruit and then pouring the orange juice vanilla protein powder mixture over them.The only problem is the fruit and juice have a lot of carbs. I think to achieve a low-carb dessert you need more processed ingredients like sugar free pudding powder and things like that.Long story short - you can't just mix anything and expect it to work. You will probably have to experiment to get what you want to make actually work. The recipes out there have random ingredients like pudding mix and erythritol for a reason.I highly recommend buying some extra containers and lids. I like making batches, and not having to immediately clean my container after eating and make a new one for tomorrow.I also recommend trying the different settings. I read a lot of recipes that recommended other settings, but my fav is "Smoothie Bowl".The mix-ins setting has been... weird. I've used it to try adding hard things like peanut m&ms. It works fine, but for some reason doesn't taste incorporated the way ice cream with added ingredients would taste. I don't really use the mix-ins option anymore.Yes, it's loud. There's no way you'd turn this on with a sleeping baby in the house. But it's not a deal breaker by any means. I just warn the fam before turning it on the way I'd warn them if I was turning a vacuum on if they're watching tv. You can't hear over it.Super easy to clean. Not like a complicated juicer. Easier to clean than a blender.You don't have to fill to the max fill line. I usually eat about half that amount.I've had success refreezing and reblending but people warn that this won't work for many recipes.Overall, if you're not married to some vision of a recipe you want to make and you're willing to experiment, this thing is awesome. I really wouldn't bother getting out ice and trying to make a smoothie every night if I didn't have this, so it really has converted my night time sweets snacking to something healthier. The ice cream texture is way more satisfying than a smoothie anyway.Last recommendation - get a plastic spoon! This is colder than ice cream and I get a cold-burn when I eat a whole creami with a metal spoon.

I've had this Ninja Creami for a few weeks now and have made about two dozen recipes with it - sorbet, lite ice cream, ice cream (I haven't tried gelato or milkshakes). So far, I have no complaints at all. I'm not understanding the negative reviews, other than to assume that people aren't following the recipes, tips and instructions from Ninja, or they are expecting a perfect commercial-like appearance. Anything I've made that came out "crumbly", as most of the recipes I've made did on the first spin, instantly became smooth just by waiting for a minute and then stirring it up a bit. Doing a re-spin will make it 'creamy' 99% of the time. Even if it's "crumbly" it instantly feels like 'silk' and melts in your mouth, and in this case the texture doesn't affect the taste at all. To be honest, this stuff is good no matter how it looks.I started with the basic recipes in the book that came with the unit, and followed them to the letter before exploring substitutions/additions or other adjustments. Chocolate ice cream was the first one I tried. I have to say, it makes the best chocolate ice cream I've ever eaten in 60+ years, hands down, no kidding. My husband, an ice cream fanatic, agreed. Although he isn't wild about chocolate anything, he said it was the best ice cream he's ever had and would eat it anytime.The sorbets are a breeze to prepare and come out great. They're even better if you take the time to chop up the ingredients/fruit first, but it's not necessary. I use a blender if I feel like going to the trouble, and blending say canned pineapple with a touch of coconut cream is worth doing. It's worth making that combo even if you don't blend it first, trust me. If you're using canned fruit you don't have to chop or blend anything (I guess there could be a rare recipe that specifically calls for it), but I find it makes it even better if you do. If your fruit has any pulp, the Ninja does a really good job of pulverizing 99.9% of it.Everything about the specific ingredients you use determines the outcome regarding texture - for example, a can of pineapple or mandarin orange slices by themselves will be more icy/sorbet-like than creamy, and canned pineapple tidbits with coconut cream or heavy cream will be extra creamy and not icy. I think it's of key importance to follow the instructions & recipes from Ninja first, not 'the internet', until you know what works, what can be substituted (successfully) for what, etc.As far as quantity and leftovers: Clearly, this processes one pint of ice cream at a time - you mix your ingredients, pour them into the Ninja pint and freeze for 24 hours. Yes, you have to freeze it for 24 hours, but you can prep and freeze multiple pints (I recommend buying extra Ninja pints) and have them ready. After 24 hours (or days/weeks later) you take it out of the freezer and process it in literally 2 minutes and it's ready to eat. If you should have any leftover, you can either let it melt in the pint container (so it will refreeze evenly), refreeze, and then reprocess it in the machine whenever you want, or, you can put it into any container you have, refreeze, and just let it sit out for a minute or two before eating it with no need to use the machine. It may not 'look' as good, but it certainly will taste as good (**note that if you do this you should do it in individual serving sizes because when it refreezes it's hard as a rock and probably won't scoop out of your container like commercial ice cream will). Just be certain that if you refreeze the recipe in the Ninja pint container that it refreezes such that the top of it is level (as all recipes should be). Otherwise you can damage the blade of the machine.As far as cleaning, I get what people say about the lid. It doesn't come apart to clean and has working parts inside that can be exposed to the ingredients. I haven't had it happen that I can tell, and I just don't see it as a big issue, unless you're letting the lid sit around for hours with stuff drying up on it. I immediately rinse mine, and after eating I soak the lid for a bit, rinse it well and let it dry. It's definitely not a deal breaker for me, and I'm pretty sure if any microscopic bits do get in there I'll survive it just fine. That said, I think Ninja could create a sealed unit that would make everyone happier. Otherwise, cleaning is a breeze. The pint container and lid/blade are the only things that need washing; I think they're dishwasher safe but I hand wash mine.If the machine holds up over time, I give it 5+ stars. Follow the instructions & recipes from Ninja kitchen before you experiment on your own and I think you'll be happy with this purchase.