Protractor Check if Element Does Not Exist

Another option that worked a bit better for me, and uses protractor 'way' of doing things http://angular.github.io/protractor/#/api?view=ElementArrayFinder.prototype.all

element.all(by.css('.k-loading-image')).then(function(items) {
    expect(items.length).toBe(0);
});

(I wanted to check that a loading indicator had disappeared)

Got the thing working by using something I found in the docs:

expect(element(by.css('.switch')).isPresent()).to.become(false).and.notify(next);

Also uses assertions, so it doesn't break cucumberjs.