NinjaCreamer.com is an independent review site about one product line, the Ninja Creami, written and tested by one person, Mike Lala, in one home kitchen. We are not connected to SharkNinja in any way. We buy every machine we review on Amazon with the site’s own money, run each one through the same four test bases, keep using it for at least 30 days, and publish the measurements. This page explains who does the testing, which machines we own, how the scores are built, how the affiliate links pay for the work and how to reach us.
Who tests
Mike Lala tests every machine and writes every page. The testing happens in a home kitchen with a standard upright freezer set to 0 F, a phone dB meter, a stopwatch, a tape measure and a kitchen scale. There is no lab, no sponsored product and no second site to feed. The reason the site exists is simple: when we bought our first Creami, the reviews we found were either four bullets and a spec table or marketing copy, and none of them told us how many re-spins a protein base would need or whether the pints from one model would fit another. We decided to measure those things and publish them.
How the machines are bought
Every Ninja Creami on this site was bought on Amazon at the listed price on the day, with the site’s own money, through the same product pages we link to. We do not request review units, we do not accept them when offered, and we do not return a machine after testing. This matters because a machine you have paid for and intend to keep gets judged the way a reader would judge it. Each review states the date testing began.
The machines we own
We own all six current Ninja Creami models and keep them in use.
- Ninja Creami 7-in-1 (NC301), tested from August 12, 2026
- Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Amazon Exclusive (NC299AMZ), tested from August 20, 2026
- Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Gen 2 (NC351), tested from September 8, 2026
- Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 (NC501), tested from August 5, 2026
- Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Gen 2 (NC601), tested from September 1, 2026
- Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl 13-in-1 (NC701), tested from September 15, 2026
We also own the accessory pint packs for each of the three pint systems, which is how we can say with certainty that Original 16 oz pints, Deluxe 24 oz XL tubs and Swirl pints do not interchange.
How we test
Each machine gets the same four bases: a full-fat vanilla made with heavy cream, whole milk, sugar and vanilla; a protein base made with Fairlife skim milk, whey isolate and sugar-free pudding mix; a mango sorbet made from canned mango in syrup; and a dairy-free oat base made with full-fat oat milk, coconut cream, sugar and guar gum. Every base is frozen for 24 hours at 0 F on a level shelf so that the top freezes flat. We spin each base on the program the machine’s own guide recommends, score the texture from 1 to 5, and apply one rule for re-spins: re-spin once if the result is crumbly, and add 1 tbsp of liquid before any second re-spin. We record the cycle time with a stopwatch and the peak noise with a phone dB meter 1 m from the machine during the Ice Cream program. The pints, lids, paddle and outer bowl go through 20 top-rack dishwasher cycles. After 30 days we update the review with what wore, what broke and what we stopped using. The full protocol is on our editorial policy page.
How the scores work
Each machine gets a score out of 10 built from six weighted criteria.
- Texture, 30 percent: average texture score across the four test bases after the standard re-spin rule.
- Programs, 20 percent: number of useful programs and how well each matched its base.
- Capacity, 15 percent: servings per pint and pints included.
- Noise, 10 percent: measured dB at 1 m; under 80 scores high.
- Ease and cleaning, 15 percent: lid lock, button clarity, dishwasher results, paddle removal.
- Value, 10 percent: position relative to its siblings for what it adds, with no prices stated.
Texture carries the most weight because it is the reason anyone buys the machine. Value is scored on what a model adds relative to its siblings, never on a price, because prices change weekly and we do not print them. The current scores are 8.9 for the NC601, 8.6 for the NC701, 8.4 for the NC351, 8.2 for the NC501, 7.9 for the NC301 and 7.8 for the NC299AMZ. A score can move after the 30 day update, and when it does the review says why.
How the affiliate links work
NinjaCreamer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. When you click a Check price button or a product link and buy something on Amazon, we receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. That commission is how the machines, pints and test ingredients are paid for. It does not change which model we recommend: the NC601 sits at the top of our table because our protein base came out creamy on its first spin, not because of how its listing pays. We link only to Amazon, we never print prices or stock levels, and every product link is marked as sponsored. Our disclosure page has the full statement.
What we do not do
We do not use SharkNinja product renders, lifestyle photos or logos; every image on the site is a photo we took of a machine we own. We do not run display advertising, popups or sponsored posts. We do not accept payment for placement in a comparison table. We do not write about products we have not used. Where we have made a mistake, we correct the page and note the correction at the bottom.
How to contact us
Email hello@ninjacreamer.com or use the form on our contact page. We read every message. Corrections to a measurement get priority, followed by questions about pint compatibility, which is the subject readers ask about most. We do not offer repair support for machines; for a fault under warranty the manual for your model, linked from our manuals page, gives the route to SharkNinja.
Where to start
If you are choosing a machine, the products hub compares all six on one table and the five question guide walks through the decision. If you already own one, the support hub covers the first spin, pint compatibility and the crumbly result that almost everyone hits once. The recipes hub sorts our tested bases by style.