The Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl ice-cream maker delivers soft serve, gelato, sorbet and other frozen treats at home using a freeze-first method, according to consumer reviews journalist Danielle Amato, who tested the machine for The Guardian. Priced at £369.99, it offers ten functions and two 480ml tubs, but Amato noted it is one of the priciest models she has tested and produces noise levels between 80 and 90dB during operation.
How the Scoop and Swirl works and what it offers
The Scoop and Swirl operates in two stages. First, a blade-churning mechanism processes a frozen mixture into smooth ice-cream, similar to the original Ninja Creami. Then a soft-serve attachment pushes the churned mixture through a silicone nozzle via a dispensing handle on the side, allowing users to enjoy it straight from the bowl or with a swirled texture.
The machine includes ten functions: Ice Cream, Gelato, Soft-serve Gelato, Sorbet, Lite Ice Cream, Fruiti, CreamiFit, Frozen Yoghurt, Milkshake, and Mix-In. Each setting churns at varying speeds and times, between three and five minutes, to achieve the right texture. A re-spin option restores creaminess after freezer storage, and a Mix-In button adds extras like chocolate chips with a slower secondary pass.
Specifications include dimensions of 25.5 x 48.5 x 44.5cm (WDH), a maximum capacity of 480ml to the fill line, and a weight of 9.45kg. Spare parts and additional tubs are available from SharkNinja's website. The machine comes with a two-year warranty upon registration, covering free repairs or replacements, but not wear and tear, misuse, or third-party repairs.
Testing results: vanilla, sorbet, and soft serve
Amato tested the machine with Felicity Cloake's perfect vanilla ice-cream, lemon sorbet, Ninja's soft-serve recipe, a lower-calorie option from the booklet, and a dairy-free version. She assessed each recipe immediately after churning and again after two days in the freezer.
The vanilla ice-cream came out very creamy, she reported. The sorbet required some manual mixing to finesse the texture, though Amato noted that achieving perfectly smooth results is tricky with any machine and the sorbet was still good to serve. The soft serve impressed her, with a firmer texture than slushie-style compressor machines because the mixture is already frozen.
Ninja's provided soft-serve recipe uses a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum, which Amato found significantly improved the stability and shape of the soft serve. This was true for both dairy and vegan versions. Dairy-free milks and creams often contain thickeners, so extra xanthan gum is unnecessary for those. The dairy version can be made without it, but the soft serve may not hold its shape long in a wafer cone.
Ease of use, cleaning, and drawbacks
The Scoop and Swirl is surprisingly easy to clean, Amato said. Containers and soft-serve chambers can be flushed with soapy water, though dried-on ice-cream may need soaking. The tubs are dishwasher-safe, and the rest of the machine can be wiped with a damp cloth.
However, Amato identified several drawbacks. The price of £369.99 makes it one of the priciest ice-cream makers she has tested, and she questioned whether the soft-serve function justifies an upgrade for owners of the original Creami. The 480ml tubs, she said, feel stingy for a soft-serve machine, producing just six small cones from two tubs, with some unprocessed soft serve left at the bottom. She suggested an XL option with 710ml tubs, similar to the Creami XL.
Noise is another issue. Amato measured between 80 and 90dB depending on the setting, comparable to a power tool at the top end, sustained for three to five minutes. She called it an unavoidable side-effect of blade-based machines.
Amato concluded that the Scoop and Swirl is a worthwhile investment for those wanting more than traditional ice-cream, especially for lighter, lower-sugar, or dairy-free treats. She noted most quality compressor models cost over £200 but lack the feature set. She would not recommend it as a necessary upgrade for existing ice-cream machine owners, but for first-time buyers who love soft serve, it is a competent, well-thought-out, and easy-to-use machine.
