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If you're a soft-serve ice cream aficionado, you may lament that you can only get your fix from a Dairy Queen, McDonald's, or the like this time of year. But there is a way to get delicious soft-serve ice cream, frozen yogurt, or fruit whip from the comfort of your kitchen: the Ninja Creami Swirl, a countertop ice cream maker with a pull-handle to dispense your own soft serve.
I got the chance to try out the Ninja Creami Swirl, and I'd highly recommend it -- especially for 20% off for Black Friday at QVC. , bringing the price down to $279 from $349, the lowest price it's been. If you're a new customer, you can get an additional $30 off with promo code JOLLYQ20. With taxes, that brought my final price to $265 (prior to this sale, the lowest price on Amazon was $300).
Also: The best Black Friday deals live now
The Creami Swirl was easier to set up than I expected. I appreciated that the instructions were easy to follow, and there were also stickers on each piece reminding you how to use them as you go. You get a recipe book and two pint-sized ice cream containers to make your creation in, which then need to freeze for 24 hours before you can put them in the machine.
You have the option to make either classic scooped ice cream or soft-serve, with 13 programs, including Soft Serve, Frozen Custard, Fruit Whip, Milkshake, Swirled Frozen Yogurt, and the new CreamiFit, which is intended for low-sugar, high-protein recipes. The recipe book includes over 30 options to try out.
There's even a cheat code: You can put store-bought ice cream into one of the pints, and instantly turn it into soft serve in the Creami. I tried this with the Tillamook Vanilla Bean that was sitting in my freezer, and the results were excellent, and did mimic soft-serve. It's not an exact match (the soft-serve machines they use in restaurants use a different type of technology and more power), but it's as close as you're going to get at home.
The pros: The ice cream was delicious, and every part is dishwasher safe. But the biggest reason why I'd recommend the Creami Swirl is simply: It's fun. It's delightful and satisfying to get to pull the lever and dispense your own soft-serve, and a fun element to add to your dessert routine with kids or while entertaining.
The cons: The machine is large, and loud when it's churning or dispensing the ice cream (however, this usually only lasts a few minutes). It's also expensive. Is it necessary? Of course not. But if you're in the market for a luxury kitchen gadget, I'd recommend taking advantage of this Black Friday deal.
How I rated this deal
At 20% off and the lowest price to date, I rate this deal a 3/5 on the ZDNET deal rating scale. If you're interested in picking one up for yourself or as a gift this holiday season, this is a good time to buy.
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