(Image credit: Gourmia)
If you're anything like me, you've probably been scouring the Prime Day sales ever since you first heard about the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl. The idea of making your own soft-serve ice cream at home is very exciting, but the prospect of actually paying Ninja's heavy price tag is not that appealing. But what if I told you there was a cheaper option, capable of dispensing homemade soft-serve and slushies?I'm talking about the Gourmia Soft Serve Ice Cream and Frozen Drink Maker, which is exclusively sold at Costco for $200. While it lacks some of the feature's you'll find on a Ninja Creami, it makes up for that by essentially throwing in most of the capabilities of the Ninja Slushi. All for a fraction of the price (and space) of buying both those machines yourself.That's what I did, and so far I have no regrets.Ninja's appliances are regularly on sale, and both the Ninja Slushi and Creami Scoop & Swirl are enjoying early Prime Day discounts right now. But, even with those discounts, they're still both rather expensive machines. The Ninja Slushi will currently set you back $199 at Amazon, while the Ninja Scoop & Swirl is $279.Not only will that cost a combined total of $478, but you'll also need to find double the counter space if you plan on using them regularly. This is a lot less of an issue when everything has been mashed together in a single appliance. And buying one online means you don't even need a Costco membership.The main benefit that Gourmia's frozen treat machine has is that it actually has its own built-in cooler. This means that making ice cream is as simple as pouring in the mixture and letting the machine get to work. That's in contrast to the Ninja Creami, which requires you freeze everything for at least 24 hours before you can enjoy the fruits of its labor.The main benefit that Gourmia's frozen treat machine has is that it actually has its own built-in cooler.Naturally, this also means you can dispense your soft serve directly from the mixing area, rather than having to move your finished mix to a different part of the machine. The finished mixture will also stay frozen for around three hours after you finish, which means you don't have to consume the entire batch in one sitting.The six one-touch presets let you make soft serve, slush, frozen cocktails, milkshakes, frappés and sorbet, depending on what takes your fancy — in as little as 30 minutes.However, my choice from Costco lacks a bunch of the specialized programs that you'll find on a Creami — like the CreamiFit mode that can freeze protein shakes into a frozen dessert. There's also no dedicated ice cream maker, which means you're only able to make and dispense soft-serve.You do get some extra features, though, including a built-in stand to store ice cream cones, a warming pad to melt your own previously-made sauces, and a sprinkle dispenser. Gourmia's frozen treat machine also takes up a similar amount of space to the Creami Scoop & Swirl, with a little more length but slightly less height.There are a few downsides, though. In my brief experience with the Gourmia machine, I found that things can get a little messy due to the slight gap between the machine and the drip tray. This did cause a small puddle of water to form under my unit after I ran a cleaning cycle. The parts are all removable and dishwasher safe, if you prefer.Anyone with a preference for sugar-free slushies also needs to be aware that they don't slush properly. They will freeze, but you don't get that slushie consistency due to the way a lot of common sugar substitutes crystallize when frozen.Still, with the heat really ramping up this year, it helps to be able to make your own frozen treats at home — rather than overpaying to get them somewhere like a coffee shop. That's certainly what I'm going to do, now that I have the Gourmia Soft Serve Ice Cream and Frozen Drink Maker on my kitchen counter.
