Every comparison on this page comes from the same test kitchen, the same freezer at 0 F and the same four bases, so the numbers can be set against each other directly. We have tested all five current Ninja Creami models and the Amazon exclusive NC299AMZ, bought each one with the site’s own money, and logged cycle times, re-spins, texture scores, noise at 1 m and footprint for each. The comparison pages below take two machines at a time and work through the five differences that actually change the result in the bowl. If you want the short version, the which Ninja Creami guide gives a pick by household in under five minutes, and the products hub lists every model and variant.
Every comparison
The four head-to-heads cover the decisions readers ask about most: the 16 oz Creami against the 24 oz Deluxe, each Gen 1 against its Gen 2 replacement, and the Deluxe against the Scoop and Swirl. Each page has a quick answer, the 12-row side-by-side table, five measured differences with photos, both machines’ four-base test results, buy lists and a verdict with both scores.
Two shortcuts. If you own an NC301 or NC501 and want to know whether the Gen 2 is worth it, the NC301 vs NC351 and NC501 vs NC601 pages answer that directly, and the answer is no for the NC301 and yes for protein and oat users on the NC501. If you are buying a first Creami, start with Creami vs Deluxe to settle the pint size, then read Deluxe vs Scoop and Swirl only if soft serve is on the list. The Deluxe family page covers both XL tub machines together.
All five current models
The table below puts the five current machines side by side on the rows that decided our scores. Three pint systems appear in it and none of them interchange: Original 16 oz pints for the NC301 and NC351, 24 oz XL tubs for the NC501 and NC601, and Swirl pints for the NC701. Our pint compatibility guide covers the detail.
| Feature | NC301Creami NC301Review | NC351Creami NC351Review | NC501Creami Deluxe NC501Review | NC601Creami Deluxe NC601Review | NC701Scoop and Swirl NC701Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | One or two people who want the original Creami and the widest choice of colors | One or two people who want the 2026 design, quieter housing and the same proven 7 programs | Families of three or four who want XL tubs and the Italian Ice and Slushi programs | Families and daily protein users who want the largest tubs plus the CreamiFit and Dairy-Free programs | Anyone who wants real soft serve from a dispenser plus every scooped program |
| Generation | Gen 1 | Gen 2 | Gen 1 | Gen 2 | Gen 1 |
| Programs | 7 Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Smoothie Bowl, Mix-In | 7 Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Smoothie Bowl, Mix-In | 11 Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Mix-In, Frozen Yogurt, Creamiccino, Slushi, Italian Ice, Frozen Drink | 11 Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Smoothie Bowl, Mix-In, Frozen Yogurt, CreamiFit, Frappe, Dairy-Free | 13 Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Mix-In, Frozen Yogurt, CreamiFit, Fruit Whip, Frozen Custard, Soft Serve, Soft Serve Lite, Scoop |
| Pints included | 2 x 16 oz | 2 x 16 oz | 2 x 24 oz | 2 x 24 oz | 2 x 16 oz |
| Capacity per pint | 16 oz, about 4 scoops | 16 oz, about 4 scoops | 24 oz, about 6 scoops | 24 oz, about 6 scoops | 16 oz, about 4 scoops |
| Soft serve | – | – | – | – | Yes |
| Dairy-free program | – | – | – | Yes | – |
| Noise measured | 84 dB at 1 m | 82 dB at 1 m | 86 dB at 1 m | 83 dB at 1 m | 85 dB at 1 m |
| Our score | 7.9/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.6/10 |
| Check price | Check price on AmazonPrice and delivery shown on Amazon | Check price on AmazonPrice and delivery shown on Amazon | Check price on AmazonPrice and delivery shown on Amazon | Check price on AmazonPrice and delivery shown on Amazon | Check price on AmazonPrice and delivery shown on Amazon |
The score spread runs from 7.9 on the NC301 to 8.9 on the NC601, and the gaps are explained by three measurements. Capacity: 24 oz tubs score 9.0, 16 oz pints score 7.0 to 7.5. Noise: 82 dB on the NC351 scores 7.5, 86 dB on the NC501 scores 6.0. Re-spins: the NC601 and NC701 needed zero or one across four bases because of CreamiFit, and the NC301 and NC501 needed three each on Lite Ice Cream. Full individual results are in the NC301, NC351, NC501, NC601 and Scoop and Swirl reviews.
How we compare machines
Every machine runs the same four bases. Full-fat vanilla is heavy cream, whole milk, sugar and vanilla on the Ice Cream program. Protein is Fairlife skim milk, whey isolate and sugar-free pudding mix on Lite Ice Cream, or on CreamiFit where the machine has it. Mango sorbet is canned mango in syrup, blended, on the Sorbet program. Dairy-free oat is full-fat oat milk, coconut cream, sugar and guar gum on Lite Ice Cream, or on Dairy-Free where the machine has it. The base recipes are in our base ratios guide.
Every base freezes for 24 hours in the same freezer, checked at 0 F with a fridge thermometer, with the top level so it freezes flat. We then apply one re-spin rule across all machines: re-spin once if the result is crumbly, and add 1 tbsp of liquid before any second re-spin. The count of re-spins to reach a scoopable texture is recorded per base, along with a texture score from 1 to 5. Our re-spin guide explains the rule.
Noise is the peak reading from a phone dB meter at 1 m during the Ice Cream program. Cycle time is seconds from button press to stop, by stopwatch. Footprint is width, depth, height closed and height with the lid open, by tape measure; weight is the base unit on a kitchen scale. After the base tests each machine goes into daily use for 30 days and its removable parts go through 20 top-rack dishwasher cycles, and we note cloudiness, warping, lid seal and paddle wear.
Scores are weighted: texture 30 percent, programs 20, capacity 15, ease and cleaning 15, noise 10 and value 10. Value is the machine’s position relative to its siblings for what it adds; we never state prices and we never copy star ratings. The comparison pages only claim differences that appear in those measurements. If two machines produced the same result on a base, the page says so.
The NC351 gives one or two people the full set of seven programs in the quietest Creami housing we measured, at 82 dB.
Creami · Gen 2
Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Gen 2 (NC351)
Model NC351 · Our score 8.4/10
- Same 7 programs as the NC301 in the 2026 housing
- Measured 82 dB, two decibels quieter than Gen 1
- Uses the same 16 oz pints as the NC301
The NC601 Deluxe holds two 24 oz XL tubs, about six scoops each, so a family gets through a tub in one sitting.
Creami Deluxe · Gen 2
Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Gen 2 (NC601)
Model NC601 · Our score 8.9/10
- 11 programs including CreamiFit and the only Dairy-Free program
- Two 24 oz XL tubs, about 6 scoops each
- Oat base needed zero re-spins on the Dairy-Free program
Only the NC701 Scoop and Swirl has a dispenser, and its Soft Serve program produced a true swirl on our vanilla base.
Scoop and Swirl · Gen 1
Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl 13-in-1 (NC701)
Model NC701 · Our score 8.6/10
- 13 programs, the only Creami with a soft serve dispenser
- Two 16 oz Swirl pints, a separate pint system
- Measured 85 dB; tallest and widest Creami at 10.1 in wide
The NC601 CreamiFit program turned our protein base creamy on the first spin with zero re-spins, the only machine to do so with XL tubs.
Creami Deluxe · Gen 2
Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Gen 2 (NC601)
Model NC601 · Our score 8.9/10
- 11 programs including CreamiFit and the only Dairy-Free program
- Two 24 oz XL tubs, about 6 scoops each
- Oat base needed zero re-spins on the Dairy-Free program
At 6.4 by 12.0 inches the NC351 has the smallest footprint of any full-size Creami we have measured.
Creami · Gen 2
Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Gen 2 (NC351)
Model NC351 · Our score 8.4/10
- Same 7 programs as the NC301 in the 2026 housing
- Measured 82 dB, two decibels quieter than Gen 1
- Uses the same 16 oz pints as the NC301
Frequently asked questions
The Creami Deluxe NC601, with our highest score of 8.9. It needed zero re-spins across all four test bases, holds about six scoops per 24 oz XL tub and has the only Dairy-Free program in the range. The Scoop and Swirl NC701 scored 8.6 and is the pick if you want soft serve; the Creami NC351 scored 8.4 and is the pick for one or two people.
Gen 2 means the 2026 housing: the NC351 replaces the NC301 and the NC601 replaces the NC501. In our tests Gen 2 was 2 to 3 dB quieter, ran each cycle 7 to 8 seconds shorter, and needed fewer re-spins. The NC351 keeps the same seven programs as the NC301; the NC601 swaps four programs, adding CreamiFit and Dairy-Free. Pint systems did not change within a line.
No. There are three pint systems that never interchange. The NC299AMZ, NC301 and NC351 use Original 16 oz pints. The Deluxe NC501 and NC601 use 24 oz XL tubs. The Scoop and Swirl NC701 uses its own 16 oz Swirl pints. Spare containers must match your machine’s series; our pint compatibility guide lists every one.
Only the Scoop and Swirl NC701. It has a dispenser with a star tip and Soft Serve, Soft Serve Lite and Fruit Whip programs that extrude the base into a cone or bowl. The Creami NC301 and NC351 and the Deluxe NC501 and NC601 all make scooped ice cream only. The NC701 is also the widest Creami at 10.1 in and the heaviest at 19.2 lb.
The Creami NC351, at 82 dB measured from 1 m during the Ice Cream program. The Deluxe NC601 measured 83 dB, the NC301 84 dB, the NC701 85 dB and the Deluxe NC501 86 dB. All five are loud enough to stop conversation for the length of the cycle, which runs from 142 seconds on the NC351 to 182 seconds on the NC501.
Every machine gets the same four bases: full-fat vanilla, protein on the Lite or CreamiFit program, mango sorbet and dairy-free oat. Each base freezes 24 hours at 0 F with a flat top. We log the program, cycle time, re-spins needed and a texture score out of 5, measure noise at 1 m, measure the footprint with the lid open, then use the machine for 30 days and run the parts through 20 dishwasher cycles.