If you are in the market for a Ninja Creami, you are probably wondering which Ninja Creami to buy!
There are a couple of different versions. One is not necessarily better than the other. It is a matter of preference.
The Ninja Creami is like no other ice cream maker out there. But, if you are familiar with the Pacojet, it is very similar to that. The idea behind the Ninja Creami is that you create a base recipe, freeze it in the Ninja Creami containers for 24 hours, and then process it in the Ninja Creami. The Ninja Creami has a creamerizer paddle that basically shaves the frozen base ingredients and then mixes them together to create a smooth and creamy treat. You can make an unlimited number of flavors just by changing the mix-ins that you add in. You can make an endless amount of desserts or meal replacements from simple things like a can of pineapple or protein shakes.
The Ninja Creami is not a blender, does not have regular blades like a blender does, and cannot process ice or water. Doing so can break the machine. In order for the Ninja Creami to process something into a creamy mixture, it needs to have fat, sugar, and/or dairy in it. When I say it needs sugar, it doesn’t need actual sugar. It needs either sugar, a sugar substitute, or a high in sugar ingredient like fruit. The same goes for dairy and fat. You can use substitutes to make dairy-free and sugar-free treats. Although, some substitutes will create a less creamy texture. See the FAQs that I put together to learn more about substitutions.
The most commonly asked question is “which Ninja Creami is the best and which one should I buy?” The answer is simple. Buy whichever one fits your needs the best. What you need and want is not going to be in line with what everyone else wants and needs. There is no one machine that is everything for everyone.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How much ice cream do you want to make at one time? There are 2 options, 16 ounces or 24 ounces. If you want bigger containers of ice cream, get the Ninja Creami Deluxe. The deluxe is the only version that makes bigger containers of ice cream.
- Will you use the extra functions that come with the Ninja Creami Deluxe? See the chart below that compares functions between machines. Most functions can be “replicated” using a different function on another machine with the exception of frozen drinks, slushi, and creamiccino. If you don’t need to have those functions, then one of the other machines will work just fine.
- The original 7-1 and Breeze 7-1 are basically the same. They have the same functions and make the same amount of ice cream. The Breeze is the new “slimmer model.” It looks kind of cool. It’s a little skinnier. But, it does the same thing as the original 7-1. The containers are not interchangeable between the original and the Breeze, so you cannot use containers you already had for one machine in the other machine.
- Do you need the gelato or smoothie bowl functions? Do you want larger amounts of ice cream? If the answer to these two questions is no, then get the Ninja Creami Breeze 5-1. The Original Ninja Creami 5-1 is very rarely available for purchase. The quality of the 5-1 is the same as the 7-1. It just has fewer functions.
- You don’t HAVE TO HAVE a frozen yogurt button to make frozen yogurt. You can use lite ice cream instead. You don’t HAVE TO HAVE a gelato to make a recipe that is similar to gelato. You can achieve that texture with different ingredients, using a different function. In my opinion, the ingredients are more important than the button that you press, in most cases.
- All machines have some issues which is to be expected when so many machines have been sold. No one machine is “safer” to use than another. Read the manual, use recipes that have been tested out first, and don’t process things that are too hard on the machine. Doing these things can help your Ninja Creami last longer.
Original machine: Containers are 16 ounces. You can get either 5 or 7 functions.
The 5 in 1 has the following functions: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Milkshake, Lite Ice Cream, Mix-in
The 7 in 1 has the following functions: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Smoothie Bowl, Lite Ice Cream, Mix-in
800 Watt Motor
Dimensions: 12.07X6.52X15.95 Inches
Cord Length: 30 Inches
BPA Free
Lid, outer bowl, pints, and paddle are dishwasher safe.
The original 7-1 Ninja Creami can be found at the following retailers:
Click the link to see if it’s in stock today!
- Ninja Kitchen
- UK Ninja Kitchen
- Walmart
- Amazon
- Kohls
- HSN
- QVC
- Best Buy
- Target
- Macys
- JcPenney
- Canadian Tire
- Argos UK
- CANADA Amazon
- CANADA Walmart
- CANADA Ninja Kitchen
- UK QVC
The original 5-1 Ninja Creami can be found at the following retailers:
Click the link to see if it’s in stock today!
Ninja Creami Deluxe
Deluxe Machine: Containers are 24 ounces.
The Deluxe has the following 11 functions: Italian Ice, Slushi, Creamiccino, Frozen Yogurt, Frozen Drinks, Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Mix-ins, Milkshake
The Deluxe version is said to be quieter than the original version.
800 Watt Motor
Dimensions: 12.01X8.42X16.69 Inches.
Weight: 14.44 Pounds
Cord Length: 31.5 inches
BPA Free
Lid, outer bowl, pints, and paddle are dishwasher safe.
Depending on where you purchase the machine, it will have a different number of containers and different colors available. The product number will also vary based on the retailer and the containers that come with it.
The Deluxe Ninja Creami can be found at the following retailers:
Click the link to see if it’s in stock today!
Ninja Creami Breeze
Breeze Machine: Containers are 16 ounces.
The Breeze comes in either a 5-1 or 7-1 model. The 5-1 has the following 5 functions: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Milkshake, Lite Ice Cream, and Mix-in. The 7-1 has the following 7 functions: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Smoothie Bowl, Lite Ice Cream, Mix-in
Dimensions: 12.21 in L x 6.3 in W x 15.75 in H
Weight:
Cord Length: 30 inches
BPA Free
Pints, lids, and paddle are top-rack dishwasher safe.
Depending on where you purchase the machine, it may have a different number of containers and different colors available. The product number will also vary based on the retailer and the containers that come with it.
The Ninja Creami Breeze 5-1 can be found at the following retailers:
Click the link to see if it’s in stock today!
The Ninja Creami Breeze 7-1 can be found at the following retailers:
Click the link to see if it’s in stock today!
Where to buy the Ninja Creami?
The best place to purchase the machines is usually at Sams, Costco, Kohls (if there is a 40% off coupon), or on HSN or QVC. HSN and QVC usually have extra containers sold with the machine.
KOHLS:
Deluxe: https://rstyle.me/+ZxQLGzgMzwk0wN8HXjbYEA
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+I7nX2RSRpS16_INuqYQmYA
Breeze 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+z2_viwv7cFrCQONaTJSx_w
HSN:
Deluxe:https://rstyle.me/+8b_YUVRRfIdBV0cNJOmZyA
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+ZDq2UPf4m_UiZyfmS5cntA
QVC:
Deluxe: https://rstyle.me/+oQ9wQ_448i29rV2oBOvUng
Original 7-1:https://rstyle.me/+eYeetgjQqjcTyzFlSmMQ-w
NINJA KITCHEN:
Breeze 7-1: https://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/xkrGb5
Breeze 5-1: http://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/0ZnLvV
Deluxe: http://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/9geEP3
Original 7-1: https://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/vNQjo3
AMAZON:
Deluxe: https://amzn.to/3rAIjOl
Original 7-1: https://amzn.to/3EZvYq5
Breeze 7-1: https://amzn.to/3RD2nub
BEST BUY:
Deluxe: https://rstyle.me/+YoMN8JR6cjgI7sa0M0zM-g
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+Mkx4TKA4lFALVYt3yxTmhA
TARGET:
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+ssS1uRNBrLEK2IzgxxgrTw
Breeze 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+I9GG5cw7yEE-gN594Rkn6w
WALMART:
Original 5 in 1: https://rstyle.me/+yekC0XOZ05hpa7KuH8rPMQ
Breeze 5-1: https://rstyle.me/+kA-WQM3lSbW2l1nCh4nnhg
SAMS CLUB:
Breeze 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+mCL5QSZMhkrp-qEG9hJWpw
MACYS:
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+IaSWZlOCq8HNZxImGVbLGw
JCPENNEY:
Original 7-1: https://rstyle.me/+2r-DegVFqlfEmu7m99tRVg
What’s the difference between the Ninja Creami models?
All of the original versions, regardless of how many functions they have, use pint containers that are 16 ounces big. The Ninja Creami Deluxe machine uses 24-ounce containers. While Ninja calls the deluxe containers pints, they are not actually pints. They hold 1.5 times as much ice cream as the original containers.
No, they are not. The original Ninja Creami containers are 16 ounces and the Deluxe containers are 24 ounces. They cannot be used interchangeably.
You can make two different flavors at the same time if you use the top or bottom function in the DELUXE model. The base recipe will be used to make the entire 24 ounces. But, when you process mix-ins, you can process just the top with your mix-in of choice. Scoop out the top and then add a different mix into the bottom half. So, you’ll end up with two different flavors. Same base but different mix-ins.
It is recommended to freeze your treat for 24 hours before processing with both the original models as well as the deluxe version. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you can make milkshakes with premade ice cream without having to freeze it before processing.
The model number will vary based on the retailer where you purchase the Ninja Creami. The number of containers and the color of the machine will also be different model numbers.
Yes! All you need to do is multiply the Ninja Creami recipe by 1.5 times to make enough to fill the Ninja Creami Deluxe container. All of the Ninja Creami recipes on this blog have the option to automatically change the measurements to the 1.5X size for the deluxe version. In the recipe card, click on the button that says 1.5X and the measurements will automatically change for you!
No, you don’t have to. Although many of the official Ninja Creami recipes in the recipe book that comes with the Ninja Creami do use heavy cream. The problem with using heavy cream in the Ninja Creami is that it gets overmixed and basically starts to turn into butter. A traditional ice cream maker works with heavy cream better than the Ninja Creami does, regardless of which model you have. The functionality of the Ninja Creami overprocesses the heavy cream. So, I’d recommend that you use half and half or a mixture of milk and cream. You still want the creaminess that the fat adds, but you don’t want it to be so high in milkfat that it becomes an almost greasy feeling. And yes, you can make creamy ice cream with half and half instead of heavy cream! It works great!
Looking for Ninja Creami ice cream recipes? Here you go! I’ve got 50+ Ninja Creami recipes for you all in one place! The recipes were made using the original version of the Ninja Creami but you can toggle to1.5X in the recipe card and the measurements will adjust to fit the Ninja Creami Deluxe.
If you’re looking for a good base recipe to start with (you can add in whatever mix-ins you want), check out my vanilla ice cream recipe!
Where to buy Ninja Creami Containers?
Is it okay to use generic pints and lids?
I would not recommend using the generic pints and lids that can be found on Amazon. While they look the same, and some have said they work okay, they may not be the exact same dimensions and the indentations in the bottom may not be the same. Using non-Ninja containers may damage the machine and void the warranty.
Breeze 16-ounce containers:
Ninja Kitchen: ninjakitchen.pxf.io/anjPRW
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3LIwVXJ
Kohls: https://rstyle.me/+zx7AIP-PrjcPHQVQVZr19Q
Original 5-1 and 7-1 16-ounce containers:
They are about $20 for 2 or $30 for 4 (if you can find a 4 pack)
Kohls (4 pack): https://rstyle.me/+kAtSyuXT_-84bNIhN7DZWA
Kohls:https://rstyle.me/+ba0ZXzYPa2Yalt3Rp7G0bg
Amazon (4 pack): https://amzn.to/46rzp4o
Amazon 2 pack:https://amzn.to/3RzvuMz
Target: https://rstyle.me/+341IxE7ieuEewNTP_astCw
Office Depot: https://rstyle.me/+AYb4wyHxtxo09C37Mxgosw
Ninja Kitchen 4 pack: https://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/Wq9m7M
Ninja Kitchen 2 pack: ninjakitchen.pxf.io/EKxo74
HSN: https://rstyle.me/+rKkX8g6ZHtrRh_N2_In1jw
Best Buy: https://rstyle.me/+6yLgcLd6v60Obd2JrYgGzw
Deluxe 24-ounce containers:
They are about $30 for 2
HSN $19.99: https://rstyle.me/+QhIDg8o1lDtBGBv2aNyKFw
Ninja Kitchen $29.99: ninjakitchen.pxf.io/oqGEY9
Best Buy $29.99: https://rstyle.me/+5CNzcpVn1rQGykaY9vTlbg
Amazon $29.99: https://amzn.to/45ewH1n
Kohls $29.99: https://rstyle.me/+vozbJs_1vYt3DE0GJr_Xgw
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Looking for more recipes?
I’ve created a post with 59+ Ninja Creami recipes all in one place! Here’s the link to the BEST Ninja Creami Recipes!
I’ve also pulled together 100 of the BEST Ninja Foodi recipes! You’ll find Ninja Foodi recipes to make appetizers, side dishes, main courses, and even desserts! Here’s the link to 100 recipes!
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