Ninja has become synonymous with fun in the American home kitchen—whether slushies or ice cream makers or improbably multi-purpose devices or air fryers that didn’t used to look like that. But underneath all that novelty is a hive of engineering and invention. Ninja often manages to take devices once reserved for professional kitchens and make them accessible to the broader public.
But as with all novel things, mileage can vary. Here are deals on Ninja devices that the WIRED team has tested, loves, and can vouch for heartily.
A $150 Deal on Ninja’s Best Espresso Machine
Ninja came out of the gate strong with its first line of semiautomatic, grinder-inclusive espresso machines designed for people who want both ease of use and the rich crema and intense, take-you-for-a-ride taste of actual espresso made with a non-pressurized portafilter. The Luxe Cafe Pro is Ninja’s answer to Breville’s wildly popular semi-automatic Barista Express (also on sale for a terrific $500 price for Black Friday). The Express has the edge on tried-and-tested durability. But Ninja’s milk frother, with a whisk in its carafe, is better than any automatic milk frothing I’ve used from Breville—and the bean assist to help you dial in grinder settings is as good as anything I’ve seen in the price range. A cold foam option is also best-in-class. If you’re an espresso purist, I’d roll with Breville. But milk lovers may have reason to choose Ninja.
The Viral Slushie Maker at a Record Low Price
I can’t help it; I love cold, boozy, slushy drinks. I have liked them for many years. But in darker times, before last year, it actually wasn’t very easy to make them at home. Now it is. This Slushi machine is why. It’s at its lowest price since the month it was released—more than 25 percent off. It kinda changed my summer this year, but it’s just as good for an indoor holiday party. Houseguests will line up for homegrown slushies like Taylor Swift fans at the merch table. I haven’t tested it yet, but a new, mega-sized 150-fluid-ounce Ninja Slushi Max XL is also on sale at an improbably large discount, $150 off. That’s one dollar off for each ounce of slushie.
My Favorite Portable Air Fryer is $20 Off
Speaking of devices that surprised me this year, this Ninja Crispi (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the few truly terrific new ideas I’ve seen in air fryers recently. This is now my favorite device for re-crisping leftovers, and it’s definitely the one I’d take to the office. The air fryer basket doubles as a glass serving dish. Pop on the lid, and it’s also a storage device for your fridge or to take leftovers to work. And wonder of wonders, the basket is dishwasher-safe and the whole thing is PFAS-free. The whole thing is also so small it’s easy to stow away when you’re not using it at home. My liking for this Crispi has only grown over time. This isn’t a huge price break, but it’s an oddly wonderful device, especially for those who value counter and cabinet space.
The Upgrade to the Crispi Is on a $50 Discount
I’m still testing this “Pro” follow-up to the Crispi, which is like a deluxe home edition for the portable air fryer device. Same PFAS-free glass-basket design. Same ability to switch basket sizes. But this one has more temperature stability, more options, more ability to control the timer, and theoretically room for a whole chicken in its 6-quart glass basket. It’s a bit louder than the wee Crispi, and not as portable. But in early testing, it’s quite a powerful air fryer, it re-crisps pizza like an absolute champion, and I do love the glass baskets. And surprisingly, for a brand new device, it’s on an even better discount than the previous generation.
A Magical Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine at a Decent Discount
I am not sure I’ve ever seen my colleague Adrienne So get as immediately excited about a device as she did when she got the Ninja Creami Swirl (previously known, weirdly, as the “Swirl by Creami”). She called the thing “magical” in print, and privately rejoiced in her newfound popularity among her children and her children’s friends—not to mention her ability to make her own tart frozen yogurt with mochi on top. Basically, this thing works by paddling and fluffing up already-frozen ice cream or froyo (or eating-restricted this-or-that) into lovely and airy soft-serve swirls. Any flavor you like! Any combos you’d like! The world is your oyster—including, theoretically, the oyster ice cream that first lady Dolly Madison reputedly (though kinda spuriously) loved. Let me know how that goes.
Hard-Serve Ice Cream Is Also Cheap for Black Friday
Ninja’s OG ice cream maker, the non-soft-serve Creami, is also on sale at $50 off right now. It’s not quite a $7,000 professional Pacojet, wrote WIRED reviewer Joe Ray, but at $170 you can make a lot of fun ice cream using Ninja’s online stash of recipes.
A Great, Low-Cost Blender-Chopper Set for $70 Off
The 1,400-watt Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System is a classic Ninja device, in that it kinda does everything. It slices, dices, crushes, chops, and mixes—and it does it at a price that’s nice even when it’s not discounted. In fact, it’s WIRED’s favorite reasonably priced blender system, based on WIRED reviewer Emily Peck’s testing. At just $150 for the whole setup, this is a bit of a steal: you can puree sauce, make a smoothie, or crush ice for cocktails all using the same motorized base. Just note that all the jars do take up a lot of space in your cabinet.
