Ninja's getting pretty good at this whole soft-launch thing, because the Ninja Creami Swirl isn't even out yet and it's already divided the internet.
While Ninja's new soft-serve ice cream maker won't be available to buy until early February, fitness influencers are already hyping it up on TikTok with low-calorie, high-protein recipes and satisfying shots of them pulling the perfect soft-serve swirl. But among the thousands of commenters who can't wait to get their hands on the new Swirl, there's also a sizeable group who are mad at how fast Ninja turns around new and improved versions of their favorite appliances.
In a TikTok post responding to some of the biggest Ninja Creami Swirl FAQs on his launch video, which racked up over 1.5 million views, influencer @j_jungy addresses comments asking why the Swirl couldn't have just been an attachment to pre-existing Creami machines, allowing shoppers to buy add-ons to their existing gadgets over being forced to buy a whole new machine.
@j_jungy ♬ original sound - John
One comment with over 1,000 likes reads: "Can they just figure out how to make one mega-appliance with attachments already? We don't have enough counter or cabinet space." Another commented, "I’m so annoyed, I just got the Ninja Creami!"
But responding to the comments, Swirl user @j_jungy insists "there's no way they could've made it into an attachment like a KitchenAid", adding "you'll see why once you get the Ninja Swirl yourself." And while I'm yet to test the Creami Swirl for myself, I'm inclined to agree.
Why couldn't the Creami Swirl have been an attachment?
When you consider how expensive some of Ninja's top-selling gadgets are, you can see why those who bought their Ninja Creami only a few months ago would be annoyed that there's a newer, shinier option in the works. Some commenters suggest that Ninja needs to start a trade-in program, and there's no denying that releasing sellout product after sellout product won't do any favors to Ninja fans' wallets, or to the environment.
But having tested both the Ninja Creami and the Ninja Creami Deluxe, I've got a pretty good idea of why Ninja couldn't have simply made a soft-serve attachment for its existing line.
For a start, as @j_jungy mentions, the Swirl comes with its own dedicated line of cups which are designed to fit into the soft serve dispenser. Sure, these could always be included with a soft-serve add-on bundle, but there's also the wider issue of the dedicated soft serve setting on the Creami Swirl, which you won't find on any of Ninja's pre-existing Creami machines.
Unlike a gelato, which you'll want to be sturdy enough to scoop into a cup or cone, your soft serve will probably require its own dedicated recipes, and a tailor-made processing cycle in the form of Ninja's new soft-serve setting.
Ice cream needs to be a softer and much less solid texture to pour in thick, creamy swirls. Unlike a gelato, which you'll want to be sturdy enough to scoop into a cup or cone, your soft serve will probably require its own dedicated recipes, and a tailor-made processing cycle in the form of Ninja's new soft-serve setting.
It's pretty innovative to make a machine that can do both ice cream and soft-serve, which is why there are virtually no home soft-serve machines on the market at present.
So sorry folks, if you want soft-serve homemade ice cream, you might just have to sign up to the waitlist, which is live at NinjaKitchen. According to Ninja, the Swirl be out in early February, although there's no news on the price as of yet.
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