Ninja NC501 CREAMi XL Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker, with 2 XL Family Size Pint Containers

Why it's worth it

The CREAMi doesn't churn. It shaves a solid frozen block into a smooth base using 11 one-touch programs, from gelato to sorbet to frozen yogurt. The XL Deluxe comes with two 24-ounce tubs, so you can make enough for the table instead of one pint.

Nothing else on your counter does this. Food & Wine describes the CREAMi's method as micro-shaving: a fast-spinning blade drives down through a frozen base and mills it into something scoopable. That's a different process from a churn-style maker, and it means no pre-frozen bowl and no half-hour of churning. You just need freezer space and a little patience.

The appeal is control. You set the sugar, the fat and the protein, so a nightly dessert can be a banana-and-protein-powder base or a full-cream custard. Dairy-free bases work fine. Dual processing splits one tub into two mix-in flavors, which helps when one kid wants chocolate chips and the other absolutely does not.

From our review of 7 ninja kitchen appliances

What we like

• +Nothing else on your counter does this
• +The appeal is control
• +Texture takes a couple of tries

What to know

• –Freeze time is the real cost
• –Reliability is the soft spot in this lineup