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A year ago, Ninja debuted the latest iteration of the Ninja Creami, the Swirl, which brought soft-serve home. Initially, I loved the ice cream maker, reviving the fervor of the 2000s frozen yogurt craze that I didn’t know I still had in me. Now, a full year later, how do I feel about the ice cream maker?

In the past year, the ice cream maker has gone through some minor updates. It has a new name, the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl, and comes in new colors, including stone & gold and sage green. It hasn’t changed in price, still $349.99, though usually you can find it on sale for just $299.99.

But how has the Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl made itself at home in my kitchen? Here are my thoughts a year later.

I got a sneak peek of the Ninja Scoop & Swirl at the brand’s event in February 2025 and was reliving the froyo craze.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

A year later — do I still use the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl?

Testing products for a living, there’s a lot of tech coming in and out of my house, some more memorable than others. The best earn a permanent spot in my rotation, like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Bose QuietComfort headphones, and the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine. But what about the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl?

The Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl was a staple on my counter through last summer. I loved using it when we had friends over on a sweltering summer evening. Not only was it a delicious post-dinner treat, but a fun activity for everyone to take a turn swirling their own soft serve. But once summer turned to fall, I packed the Scoop & Swirl away for the winter, and I probably won’t be bringing it back out this year, unless it’s for a special occasion.

For me, it’s about counter space. The Scoop & Swirl takes up about twice the space as the original Creami, which just makes it too impractical for my apartment kitchen. If I had a bigger kitchen with a lot more storage, it might earn a permanent spot, but it isn’t practical enough to be a kitchen staple for me.

I still think the Creami Scoop & Swirl is a delightful gadget for ice cream lovers, especially if you have the space for it. Read on for my complete thoughts on the ice cream maker.

How does the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl work?

Place the pint on the left side of the machine, and you’ll have fresh soft serve within seconds.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl builds off of the original Creami technology. Each Scoop & Swirl comes with two pints to mix up your concoctions. Once filled, the pints must be frozen for 24 hours before you can “spin” them. You can think of the spinning process as a reverse blender. Instead of the blade sitting at the bottom, it comes down from the top, cutting and spinning through the ice cream until it’s as creamy as what you buy from the store.

Each Creami has a variety of settings, including ice cream, lite ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, gelato, and milkshake. Plus, there are settings to re-spin if your mix is not the right texture or you want to add mix-ins.

The Scoop & Swirl adds a new feature for dispensing soft serve. The pints that come with the Scoop & Swirl all have a dispensing feature, which is utilized when you place them in the left-hand dispenser. Then, you pull the lever, and the machine pushes the ice cream out.

How is the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl different than the regular Creami?

The most significant difference between the Scoop & Swirl and the standard Creami is the ability to make soft serve. The regular and deluxe Ninja Creami produce scoopable ice cream or frozen drinks, and the Scoop & Swirl can do all of that, plus make soft serve. Part of the soft serve process is the inclusion of a soft serve dispenser that feels like you’re working at an ice cream shop, with a handle to pull and everything.

The biggest difference between soft serve and regular ice cream is air. Soft serve adds more air to achieve a light and fluffy texture compared to denser ice cream. In standard ice cream making, air is added during the churning and freezing process; however, the Ninja Creami brings air into play during the spinning process.

The Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl features a setting that adds more air to the product so it’s ready to dispense as soft serve.

It’s creamier than ever

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl (right) spins pints to creamy perfection compared to the standard Ninja Creami (left).
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

When I was first introduced to the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I was intrigued by the brand’s claim that this new device added more air to the spinning process to replicate classic soft serve or froyo. I was cautiously optimistic about this but still hesitant. My previous experience with the Ninja Creami was that getting the right texture, one that’s genuinely creamy and easy to scoop, requires at least one re-spin, but often more.

So when I first used the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I wanted to try my go-to Creami recipe for chocolate hazelnut froyo. I mixed plain Greek yogurt with a chocolate hazelnut spread and let it freeze for over 24 hours. When it came time to spin the pint, my jaw was on the floor when, after one spin, it turned out to be the smoothest ice cream (pictured above, right) I’d ever seen from a Creami. Usually, getting anywhere near that consistency requires multiple spins, and even then, it’s still a little too thick (pictured above, left).

Ninja has clearly improved the technology between models and has struck gold. The spinning process is more powerful than ever on the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, regardless of whether you’re making soft serve or scoopable ice cream.

You never have to leave the house for soft serve again

There’s nothing I love more than leaving the house on a late summer evening to indulge in a cone of soft serve. It’s something you can’t get at home, unlike a pint of ice cream you buy at the grocery store. But now, with the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I don’t have to leave the house for soft serve.

Using the Ninja Scoop & Swirl’s soft serve feature is impossibly easy. After spinning your pint on the soft serve setting, install the soft serve lid attachment and install the whole pint into the dispensing portion. Then, using the lever on the right side of the machine, release the ice cream.

Despite being non-dairy, the pineapple whip I made was exceptionally creamy.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I tried a couple of different recipes for the soft serve mechanism, both dairy and non-dairy. The creamiest was, unsurprisingly, the dairy-based froyo, which dispensed evenly without any air pockets to disrupt the flow of dispensing. The fruit whip I made, an ode to a Dole whip, still faired pretty well in the machine. It looked really smooth and silky after spinning, so I had high hopes when I went to dispense it.

It had a less consistent flow than the dairy recipe I made. Ninja warns users that they might hear some popping during the soft serve dispensing, just air pockets getting pushed out. I definitely experienced quite a lot of popping with the fruit whip, which resulted in a less consistent flow. My swirls weren’t as pretty as they were with the froyo, but the ice cream’s texture was fine while eating it. It just might not look as Instagrammable as other recipes.

That being said, using the soft serve dispenser is just straight-up fun. Pulling the lever and swirling the ice cream feels like you’re back in the froyo shop.

It’s made for meal preppers and protein maxxers

The Ninja Creami became an internet sensation through creators in the health and fitness space. Users see the device as a way to enjoy ice cream while still hitting their daily macros. At the Ninja event I attended, the brand doubled down on the Scoop & Swirl’s spot in the health space, collaborating with health and fitness creator John Jung to highlight the new Creamifit setting.

Creamifit is designed to work best with recipes that include protein powders or shakes, which is a huge draw for users already tapping the Creami to make protein-focused desserts.

I had an issue with the Creami in my first review: the pints require 24 hours of freezing before use, so it’s not like you can just have some ice cream on a whim. That remains the case for the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, so it’s best fit for meal preppers who want to prep a few pints at the beginning of the week so they’re ready to go when the mood strikes.

It isn’t great for single servings — or a crowd

The only real drawback I’ve found to the Ninja Scoop & Swirl soft-serve feature is that it’s not great for single servings or a crowd. At 16 oz, it’s best used to produce four four-ounce servings. At the Ninja event, I noticed the Ninja team needed to swap out the pints after about four people served themselves. So, if you’re planning on serving a crowd, prepare to have some backup pints ready.

If it’s just you enjoying the soft serve, you’ll have leftovers. The issue here is that the ice cream dispenses directly from the pint in which it’s frozen. It gets pretty messy during dispensing, so it’s not great to throw it back in the freezer like I would with the pints I used in the standard Creami.

That being the case, I found myself reaching for the Scoop & Swirl a lot less during the week. When it’s just me and my partner, we don’t want to polish off a pint, just the two of us, and we don’t want to deal with the messy leftover pint. So, I waited until we had a couple more people over before using the soft serve function.

If you want to enjoy the soft serve in single servings, I recommend having a clean pint on hand and moving your leftovers there after use.

It’s still way too loud — and even bigger than before

The number one complaint you will hear about the Ninja Creami is its volume. Imagine a powerful vacuum and then crank it up a couple of notches — that’s how loud the Ninja Creami is. This makes it less than ideal for parents looking to sneak in a late-night snack when the kids are asleep, apartment dwellers sharing a wall with their neighbors, or pet owners. My cat seriously hates the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, even if he begs me for the fruits of its labor.

Unfortunately, the Scoop & Swirl is just as loud as the Creami, as you can hear from the video above. While it’s a total pain hearing it go on for six minutes, it’s an unavoidable part of the Creami experience.

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl takes up valuable counter space.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Because of the addition of the soft serve dispenser, the Ninja Scoop & Swirl is a lot bigger than the Creami. As an apartment dweller with already limited counter space, I may not be able to justify making the Scoop & Swirl a permanent fixture in my kitchen. However, if you have endless counter or storage space or just really love ice cream, making room for it is a worthy sacrifice.

Is the Ninja Scoop & Swirl worth it?

Should you indulge in soft serve at home?
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Yes, the Ninja Scoop & Swirl is worth it as long as you have the counter space. Having tested both the standard Ninja Creami and the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, the Scoop & Swirl is the better investment as an ice cream maker. It has improved performance, requiring fewer re-spins to achieve a creamy consistency. Soft serve or froyo fiends will love the new dispensing feature, which is exceptionally easy to use and, not to mention, really fun.

There are certainly drawbacks, such as its size and how loud it is to use, but if you’re prepared for both, there’s no reason that it will inhibit your experience using it.

It will cost you $349.99; however, with the capability to make both soft serve and scoopable ice cream, it’s the best-valued Creami device yet.

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Every year, Apple reveals a big new iOS update at WWDC that brings tons of new features to your iPhone. And we’re fully expecting to learn about iOS 27 at WWDC 2026, the final Apple developers conference of the Tim Cook era.

When the iPhone 18 launches in September, it’s widely expected that it’ll ship alongside iOS 27, as is usually the case with every new iPhone and every new iOS iteration. Apple still hasn’t officially shown off iOS 27 yet, but there have been plenty of reports and leaks about what to expect from the mobile OS update. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 27 right now.

iOS 27: Which iPhones will support it?

To start, we should establish which iPhones will actually be able to run iOS 27. Every year, Apple phases out an older generation of devices, and a recent leak suggested that the following phones will be phased out this year:

That means anything older than an iPhone 12 is probably not going to be able to run iOS 27. It’s a tough business, but that’s just how it works. Apple can’t keep everyone happy forever.

In addition, iOS 27 is sure to bring updates to Apple Intelligence, including a new AI Siri. Keep in mind that not all iPhones support Apple Intelligence, which is only compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, and newer Apple smartphones.

iOS 27: All about AI Siri

Easily the biggest feature coming to iOS 27 that we know of right now is the long-awaited AI-powered overhaul of Siri, Apple’s iconic voice assistant. It was supposed to happen a long time ago, but internal delays have pushed its most likely debut timeline to the launch of iOS 27.

On a basic level, what’s changing here is that Siri is going to be turned into an AI chatbot with its own standalone app and with the ability to incorporate what’s on the screen and personal context into responses, with the additional ability to perform actions between and within apps themselves. It’ll be powered primarily by Google’s Gemini model, though rumor has it that users will be able to use third-party models for Siri and other Apple Intelligence features, too, if they so desire.

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While Siri is getting its own app, that doesn’t mean the way you interface with Siri will change that much, necessarily. A report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicated that Siri in iOS 27 can still be activated by a wake word or by holding down the power button, same as ever, but there will also be a new interface built into the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. You’ll be able to make queries by swiping down from the top of the screen, and an additional swipe will bring you straight to the new chatbot interface for Siri.

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Gurman’s report included some more tidbits about how Siri will play with the Photos and Camera apps, too. For instance, Photos will get the ability to use generative AI to add elements to photos that aren’t already there, while the users will be able to snap a photo in Camera and instantly reverse image search it on Google. In summary, Apple is looking to catch up to the competition when it comes to having a sophisticated AI chatbot that lives in your phone, and it sounds like iOS 27 might finally bring us to that point.

iOS 27: Other AI features

Apple’s new iOS revision might focus largely on integrating Siri into the Apple Intelligence ecosystem, but what about the already existing Apple Intelligence features in iOS? It turns out some of those will be improved with iOS 27, too.

For example, a separate Mark Gurman report claimed that Image Playground and Genmoji will both get significant boosts to image quality in iOS 27. There will even be a new feature allowing users to generate custom phone wallpapers with AI. Outside of image generation, it sounds like there will also be a way for users to create custom app shortcuts using natural language prompts with Siri.

Beyond that, Writing Tools will apparently be infused with more AI juice. It’ll supposedly be better at offering feedback for things like syntax errors, not just basic spelling mistakes. We’ll need to see this in action to truly judge how well it works, though.

iOS 27: What about Liquid Glass?

Last year, the Liquid Glass design language introduced in iOS 26 really ruffled some feathers. That said, you should probably not expect any major changes on that front.

This information comes, once again, from Gurman at Bloomberg. He says Apple is not planning on making any sweeping changes to Liquid Glass, which isn’t terribly surprising. While plenty of folks may not be huge fans of the design language, that fact doesn’t appear to be driving people away from iPhones to any significant degree. In fact, the opposite is happening; iPhone sales are better than ever right now.

All of that is to say that Apple might add some more customization options to Liquid Glass, but don’t expect to be able to turn it off or anything like that.

iOS 27: App changes

As always, iOS 27 is certainly going to bring some other miscellaneous changes to various first-party apps. We don’t yet have a comprehensive list of every change to expect, but there are a couple of intriguing reports out there.

For instance, users will apparently be able to create custom widgets within the Camera app, giving them more fine control over which buttons appear on screen by default when opening the app. Weather is also getting a “Conditions” panel when looking at a page for a specific location. You’ll be able to flip between information panels on things like wind and rain there.

The Wallet app is also reportedly getting a pretty interesting new feature that will allow users to create custom passes. It’s called “Create a Pass,” and it will allegedly be able to scan photos of things like movie tickets and gym memberships in order to create a digital pass that lives in the Wallet app. While lots of services have built-in support for the Wallet app, there are also plenty that don’t, and this feature could help bridge that gap.

iOS 27: Don’t forget about the iPhone Fold

Lastly, we’d be remiss not to mention the iPhone Fold. There isn’t a lot of concrete information yet about how iOS will adapt to the long-rumored device, but one has to assume that iOS 27 will, to some extent, work a little differently on the foldable iPhone. Actions like app multi-tasking, for example, will probably be possible on the iPhone Fold, meaning iOS 27 will need to natively support that sort of thing.

Not every iOS revision is a big overhaul, but if nothing else, it sounds like iOS 27 will drastically change how users interact with Siri. In that sense, this could be one of the biggest iOS updates in a while.

DJI officially launched the Avata 360 this March, expanding its camera drone lineup with the company’s first 360-degree offering. The latest addition to DJI’s popular Avata series, the Avata 360 is a direct rival to the Antigravity A1 360-degree drone released last December. Yet while Antigravity was first off the launch pad, it’s still the new kid on the block. DJI has been a favourite of drone enthusiasts for years, with many having eagerly awaited the brand’s first 360 drone.

Now that the DJI Avata 360 has finally arrived, the question is whether the wait was worth it. 

DJI Avata 360: Build

Credit: A. Yeo

At first glance, the Avata 360’s build bears strong similarities to the DJI Avata 2 released in 2024. Both sport solid, lightweight bodies made from high-quality grey plastic, with few moving parts aside from their camera gimbals and four propellers. Guards around these propellers help to protect them from damage, adding another layer of security on top of the Avata 360’s obstacle avoidance system. Measuring 246 millimetres x 199 millimetres x 55.5 millimetres, the Avata 360 is longer but slimmer than the Avata 2, with three anchor points attaching its propellers to its body instead of two. 

The Avata 360 feels sturdier than the significantly smaller Antigravity A1 as well, with the latter featuring foldable arms and unshielded propeller blades. While the A1 isn’t flimsy, the Avata 360 certainly seems more likely to hold up in a collision if the two were to go head-to-head. It even has a removable lens protector to shield it during storage.

Credit: A. Yeo

However, this superior durability comes at a cost to the Avata 360’s weight and classification. Unlike the Antigravity A1, DJI’s 360-degree drone requires registration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly, as it weighs in at around 455 grams. Meanwhile, the A1 just squeaks in under the FAA’s 250-gram limit — no doubt an intentional design choice to make life easier for budding drone pilots.

The Avata 360 is still lightweight enough that it isn’t more burdensome to carry about than the portable A1. Each drone can be bundled with a padded sling bag, though the Avata 360’s isn’t quite large enough to comfortably fit both its folded landing pad and the optional DJI Goggles N3 (more on this below). 

Even so, having to register the Avata 360 is a nuisance. Whether the hassle is worth it will depend on what you want out of your drone. Newcomers and hobbyists may not want to bother with such matters, while serious drone users are less likely to be put off by the extra step needed to fly the Avata 360.

DJI Avata 360: Image quality

Credit: A. Yeo

The Avata 360’s allure is clearly its 360-degree video capability, with a top resolution of 8K at 60fps (though reduced to 4K once reframed to 2D in the DJI Fly app). The drone also allows you to switch to a single-lens mode for more traditional filming, which reaches up to 4K at 60fps.  For comparison, the Antigravity A1’s highest 360-degree video resolution is 8K at 30fps — half the Avata 360’s frame rate. DJI’s higher frame rate is particularly attractive for producing smooth, beautiful slow motion footage, which is a notable strength for a camera drone shooting wide landscapes.

Both drones use two lenses and two sensors to achieve their 360-degree recordings. However, the Avata 360 has slightly larger 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensors compared to the A1’s 1/1.28, enabling greater dynamic range and low-light performance.

The Antigravity A1’s video quality is already impressive enough for the average person, and certainly nothing to complain about. However, for professionals and prosumers who are looking to squeeze the most out of their footage, the DJI Avata 360 offers a welcome little upgrade. 

A screenshot from DJI Avata 360 footage.
Credit: A. Yeo

As always, 360-degree video is a double-edged sword. It allows you to frame and edit after the fact, meaning you don’t have to decide exactly what to focus on while filming. However, this also makes editing the footage more complex and time-consuming. The Avata 360 aims to streamline this process through the DJI Fly app, which enables you to trim, add keyframes, apply filters, and otherwise edit your footage. 

DJI Fly also includes an in-app tracking feature, which will allow you to draw a box around a subject and have the frame automatically follow it. Though it did lose track of a bird when it flew directly above the Avata 360, Mashable found that the DJI Fly app’s tracking largely does a good job of keeping the subject centred. It isn’t exactly the eye of an auteur, but it gets the job done with minimal fuss, leaving you free to finesse other aspects of your footage.

DJI Avata 360: Controls and performance

Credit: A. Yeo

While the Antigravity A1 can only be operated using its included headset and motion controller, the DJI Avata 360 offers two control options. Pilots can use either the DJI RC 2 remote controller, which features two joysticks and a screen that displays the drone’s point of view, or connect the Avata 360 to the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Released a few years ago, both options can be purchased separately or in a bundle with the Avata 360. They are also compatible with previous DJI drones, offering added versatility for those interested in building a fleet.

Flying the DJI Avata 360 with the RC 2 controller is fairly straightforward. Touchscreen options allow you to automatically launch and land the drone, while buttons on either side enable quick recording. Two joysticks control the Avata 360’s elevation, orientation, and flight direction, enabling a smooth flight. 

Credit: A. Yeo

Mashable was surprised to find that, though we found the Antigravity A1’s motion controls the most intuitive for users without much experience with drones, we actually preferred the RC 2 controller to the DJI’s motion controller and goggles. While headsets have the benefit of providing a clear, glare-free viewing experience, they can be a hassle to put on and take off. Importantly, they can also hinder visual line of sight, which is an FAA requirement when flying drones for recreation. The RC 2 is a quick grab and go option, can be used without a spotter, and at 700 nits the screen is bright enough that it’s clearly visible even in direct sunlight.

It’s also worth noting that the DJI Goggles N3 can’t be adjusted for your glasses prescription, though fortunately it is large enough to fit over glasses. In contrast, Antigravity A1’s headset has diopter adjustment supporting prescriptions ranging from +2.00 to -5.00, as well as interpupillary distance adjustment. 

Both Antigravity and DJI’s goggle designs are comfortable to wear. The A1 goggles’ configuration is admittedly more fussy than DJI’s, requiring you to hang the battery from your neck like a necklace and run a wire up to the headset. However, this setup does make the A1’s headset delightfully light, and is easily forgotten during operation. DJI’s more streamlined design doesn’t look as dorky, mounting its battery on the strap at the back of the head to balance the weight of the front, but is heavier and more likely to slip.

Credit: A. Yeo

At 42GB, the Avata 360 has more than double the A1’s modest 20GB of onboard storage. Both also offer a microSD card slot if you want extra space — which, if you’re shooting a significant amount of 360-degree video, you’ll probably need.

DJI states that the Avata 360’s swappable batteries handle approximately 23 minutes of flight per charge, though Mashable found this to be a generous estimate. Fortunately the drone will automatically return to its launch site to land if its power drops too low, but you’ll likely want spare batteries on hand if you want longer flying time. We swiftly chewed through our spares during testing, ending flying sessions sooner than we’d have liked — though this is also a testament to how much fun it was to fly the Avata 360.

Credit: A. Yeo

Interestingly, the DJI Avata 360 had some trouble sticking the landing during Mashable’s testing. Though placed in the centre of its bright orange landing pad for take off, it repeatedly missed the mark when instructed to return home. Instead, the drone would gently lower itself a few feet from the target, landing in the grass near the landing pad. In contrast, the Antigravity A1’s automatic landing returned it to its much smaller landing pad every time, even deploying adorable landing gear.

It isn’t a reassuring indication regarding the precision of the Avata 360’s navigation, and gives us pause about relying too heavily on its automatic anti-collision or homing features. Even so, the drone’s off-centre landing isn’t a fatal flaw, as you’ll typically want some safe, clear space around your entire launch area regardless. You should be keeping your drone within visual line of sight as well, so you can intervene if it does choose an inappropriate landing spot. 

DJI Avata 360: Pricing 

Credit: A.Yeo

Though the DJI Avata 360 began rolling out globally from April, it still isn’t available on the company’s official U.S. website. The U.S. government’s hostile stance toward DJI has significantly hindered the company’s business, making it difficult for those in the country to get their hands on many of its devices. As such, getting a DJI Avata 360 in the U.S. will require going through an unofficial third party at present.

This availability issue gives the Antigravity A1 a notable edge over the DJI Avata 360 for U.S. consumers. However, the considerable difference in cost does a lot to mitigate this apparent advantage.

Though there is no official U.S. pricing, in Australia the DJI Avata 360 costs $AU799 ($574) for the drone and one battery, and $AU1,159 ($833) for that plus the DJI RC 2. The $AU1,619 ($1,164) Fly More Combo also includes a sling bag, charging hub, and two more batteries, while the Motion Fly More Combo is the same but swaps out the RC 2 for the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Meanwhile, the Antigravity A1’s base bundle with headset, motion controller, and one battery costs $1,599 — several hundred dollars more than the Avata 360’s most expensive bundle. 

The A1 is still a great option particularly for new or casual drone pilots, and its lower weight means it’s subject to fewer flight restrictions than the Avata 360. But if you’re after a more affordable, heavier-duty 360-degree drone that’s suited to prosumers and professionals, hunting down the DJI Avata 360 may be worth it for you.