Ninja Creami Deluxe: NC501 vs NC601, Tested

The Ninja Creami Deluxe is the large-tub branch of the Creami range. Two models carry the name: the Gen 1 NC501, which we tested on 2026-08-05, and the Gen 2 NC601, which we tested on 2026-09-01. Both take 24 oz XL tubs, both list 11 programs, both draw 800 W and both ship with two tubs. We ran both through our standard four bases frozen 24 hours at 0 F, then used each for 30 days. This page covers what the Gen 2 changed, what both share, and which one belongs in your kitchen. The full write-ups are in our NC501 review and NC601 review, and the head-to-head is in our NC501 vs NC601 comparison.

What changed in Gen 2

The program list changed more than the count suggests. Both machines list 11 programs and share seven of them: Ice Cream, Lite Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Mix-In and Frozen Yogurt. The NC501’s other four are Creamiccino, Slushi, Italian Ice and Frozen Drink. The NC601 dropped all four and added CreamiFit, Dairy-Free, Frappe and Smoothie Bowl.

Two of those additions changed our test results. CreamiFit processed our protein base, Fairlife skim milk with whey isolate and sugar-free pudding mix, to a 5/5 creamy texture in 158 seconds with no re-spin. The NC501 ran the same base on Lite Ice Cream for 165 seconds, came out crumbly in the top inch, and needed one 85 second re-spin to reach 4/5. Dairy-Free processed our oat base to a 4/5 first spin in 160 seconds; the NC501 needed two re-spins on Lite Ice Cream and finished at 3/5, icy at the base of the tub.

Noise dropped by three decibels. From 1 m during the Ice Cream program the NC501 peaked at 86 dB, the loudest reading in our Creami tests, and the NC601 peaked at 83 dB. Cycle times shortened at the same time: Ice Cream 182 s to 175 s, Lite Ice Cream 165 s to 158 s, Sorbet 170 s to 164 s, re-spin 85 s to 80 s.

The housing shrank by fractions and changed finish. The NC501 is 6.9 in wide, 12.6 in deep, 17.6 in tall and 14.5 lb in gloss Silver. The NC601 is 7.0 in wide, 12.5 in deep, 17.4 in tall and 14.2 lb in matte Navy, Mocha or Purple. After 30 days the matte finish showed fewer fingerprints and the NC601 lid lock clicked more positively.

The scores moved accordingly. Texture went from 8.3 to 9.0, programs from 8.5 to 9.5, noise from 6.0 to 7.0, ease from 8.0 to 9.0 and value from 8.0 to 8.5. Capacity stayed at 9.0 because the tub is the same. Overall: 8.2 for the NC501, 8.9 for the NC601.

Shared strengths

Capacity is the reason to buy either Deluxe. Each 24 oz XL tub gave us about six scoops against four from a 16 oz Creami pint. For a household of three or four that is one tub per dessert rather than two pints, and it halves the number of containers in the freezer for the same servings.

Both machines handled the easy bases identically. Full-fat vanilla scored 5/5 with no re-spin on both: dense and scoopable across the full 24 oz on the NC501, dense and glossy on the NC601. Mango sorbet scored 5/5 with no re-spin on both. If your rotation is vanilla, gelato and sorbet, the two machines are interchangeable in the bowl.

Both can process half a tub. The Deluxe tub is tall enough that the paddle can work the top or bottom half separately, which lets you hold two flavors in one tub or add mix-ins to half. We used this weekly on both machines for a plain half and a cookie half for the children.

Both share the same tub system, so spare tubs and lids are a single purchase that works across the family. The paddle, outer bowl and outer bowl lid are all top-rack dishwasher safe on both, and after 20 cycles both sets of tubs were clear and both sets of lids still sealed.

Both run Frozen Yogurt as a dedicated cycle, which the 16 oz Creami NC301 and NC351 lack. Our Greek yogurt frozen yogurt recipe uses it and carried the weekly rotation on the NC501 for the whole 30 days.

Shared weaknesses

Both are loud. At 86 dB and 83 dB they are the two loudest scooped Creamis we have measured, and the cycle runs about three minutes, so a Deluxe is not a machine you run during a phone call or while a child naps in the next room. The larger frozen mass in the XL tub is the cause, and no program setting reduces it.

Both are tall. Neither opens under a standard 18 in upper cabinet; the NC501 needs 20.3 in of clearance with the lid open and the NC601 needs 20.1 in. We ended up giving both a permanent spot on an open stretch of counter rather than pulling them forward each time.

Both need the full 24 hour freeze. A tub we pulled at 18 hours on the NC601 spun soft and icy at the center, and the XL tub’s extra 8 oz means the middle freezes last. The flat-top rule also matters more on a wider tub: a base that freezes tilted leaves one side under-processed on the first spin.

Both have a long cycle. At 175 to 182 seconds for Ice Cream, the Deluxe takes about 30 seconds longer per tub than a 16 oz Creami, and a re-spin adds 80 to 85 seconds. The NC601 claws that back by needing no re-spins on our bases, but the base cycle is still the longest in the scooped range.

Both ship with two tubs and nothing spare. Daily users will want at least two more; see the tubs section below.

Who should buy which

Buy the NC601 if any of these apply:

• You make protein ice cream most days. CreamiFit gave 5/5 on the first spin, no re-spin, in 158 seconds.
• You make oat, coconut or other dairy-free bases. Dairy-Free is the only program of its kind in the range and gave 4/5 with no re-spin.
• You want the quieter Deluxe at 83 dB.
• You want Navy, Mocha or Purple and a matte finish.
• You are buying your first Deluxe and the two are close in price.

Buy the NC501 if any of these apply:

• You want Italian Ice, Slushi, Frozen Drink or Creamiccino as dedicated programs. The NC601 has none of them.
• Your rotation is vanilla, gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt, where both machines scored 5/5 with no re-spins.
• You want a Silver Deluxe.
• You already own NC501 tubs and want a second machine on the same system.
• The NC501 is clearly cheaper on the day and you do not make protein or dairy-free bases.

If you are deciding between a Deluxe and the rest of the range, our which Ninja Creami guide walks through household size, soft serve and counter space, and the Creami vs Deluxe comparison puts the NC601 against the 16 oz NC351.

XL tubs for the Deluxe

Both Deluxe models ship with two 24 oz XL tubs and both use the same tub system, so one 2-pack covers either machine. Two tubs is enough to try the machine; daily users will want four so that two can be freezing while two are in use. Original 16 oz pints and Swirl pints do not fit, and the Deluxe tub does not fit any other Creami; our pint compatibility guide has the full table and our Deluxe tubs page covers what to look for in a spare set.

After 20 top-rack dishwasher cycles both sets of tubs were clear, the NC501 set with one faint scratch from a utensil. Lids still sealed on both. The NC501 lids developed a small flat spot where they rested on the freezer shelf, so store tubs upright rather than stacked on their lids.

Deluxe recipes

These four recipes carried the 30 day rotation on both Deluxe machines. Each lists quantities for the 24 oz XL tub as well as the 16 oz pint, and the program column tells you which cycle to use on the NC501 and the NC601. The protein and oat recipes are where the NC601’s CreamiFit and Dairy-Free programs save a re-spin; the frozen yogurt and vanilla bean recipes produced the same result on both.

Frequently asked questions