The Breville Smart Scoop and the Ninja Creami both create delicious frozen desserts at home, but they operate on entirely different principles. The premium Breville is a traditional compressor-style machine that automatically chills and churns a liquid base into classic ice cream, while the budget-friendly Ninja takes a pre-frozen solid base and uses a high-speed blade to shave it into a creamy texture.
Here’s everything you need to know to choose the right frozen dessert maker from Breville or Ninja for your kitchen.
Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Compressor
The Breville Smart Scoop is a high-end, self-refrigerating ice cream maker designed for enthusiasts who want professional-quality results with minimal effort. Its built-in compressor means there's no need to pre-freeze a bowl - you just pour in your ingredients, select a setting, and let it do the work. It's built for consistency and control, offering a truly automated ice cream making experience.
- What it is: A fully automatic ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt maker with a built-in compressor.
- Key features: 12 hardness settings (from soft-serve to hard-packed), 1.5-quart capacity, a "Keep Cool" function that holds your dessert at the right temperature for up to 3 hours, and a pre-cool function to speed up the process.
- Price: $399 - $499
- Materials/Construction: Features a durable and sleek brushed stainless steel housing, quality plastic components, and a robust internal compressor system built for longevity.
- Style: Modern, professional aesthetic that looks like a serious countertop appliance. It fits well in kitchens with other stainless steel appliances.
- Pros: No pre-freezing required saves time and freezer space. Consistent, predictable results every time. "Keep Cool" feature is great for impromptu serving. High-quality construction feels sturdy and durable. Adjustable hardness settings offer total control.
- Cons: A significant investment at over twice the price of the Ninja. Heavy and bulky, taking up considerable counter space. Churning process can take 40-60 minutes.
The Smart Scoop is for the home chef who values precision and convenience and wants to make traditional ice cream with the best possible texture right out of the machine.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/ice-cream/bci600.html
Ninja CREAMI Frozen Treat Maker
The Ninja Creami is an innovative and versatile machine that transforms almost any frozen liquid into a creamy dessert. Instead of churning, it uses a unique "Creamerizer" paddle to micro-shave a frozen solid base into ice cream, sorbet, smoothie bowls, or milkshakes. Its compact size, affordable price, and ability to handle non-traditional bases have made it a viral sensation.
- What it is: A frozen treat maker that processes frozen bases into creamy desserts using a high-speed spinning blade system.
- Key features: Multiple one-touch programs for Ice Cream, Sorbet, Lite Ice Cream, Milkshake, Gelato, Smoothie Bowl, and Mix-in. Comes with one-pint containers for freezing bases.
- Price: $179 - $249
- Materials/Construction: Built primarily from durable, lightweight plastics with a powerful motor in the base. The processing pints are BPA-free and come with storage lids.
- Style: Bold, upright, and functional design with a modern, appliance-like aesthetic. Available in various colors to fit different kitchen styles.
- Pros: Extremely versatile - can make dessert out of protein shakes, canned fruit, or simple cream-and-sugar bases. The process takes less than 2 minutes once the base is frozen. Very affordable price point. Compact footprint makes it easy to store.
- Cons: Requires you to pre-freeze the entire pint container of your base for a full 24 hours. The machine is very loud during operation. Results sometimes come out powdery and need a "re-spin."
The Creami is made for creative and health-conscious users, families, and anyone with a small kitchen who wants an easy, fast way to make a huge variety of frozen treats.
Shop this product: ninjakitchen.com/pages/creami-series
Breville Smart Scoop vs. Ninja Creami Comparison
Process & Technology
The core difference between these two machines lies in how they create the final product. The Breville Smart Scoop is a classic churn-and-freeze machine. Its built-in compressor chills the metal bowl to sub-freezing temperatures while a paddle continuously churns the liquid base, preventing large ice crystals from forming and resulting in a smooth, rich texture straight from the machine.
The Ninja Creami works backwards. You first freeze your base into a solid block in one of its special pints for 24 hours. Then, you place the pint into the machine, where a powerful blade spins down, shaving and mixing the frozen block into a creamy texture in under two minutes. This process allows for incredible versatility with different ingredients, as it doesn't rely on the precise sugar and fat ratios that conventional churning often requires.
Dimensions & Footprint
There is a significant size difference here. The Breville Smart Scoop is a substantial countertop appliance, measuring approximately 16" deep x 11" wide x 10.5" high and weighing over 30 pounds due to its internal compressor. It's designed to live on your counter.
In contrast, the Ninja Creami is much more compact and storage-friendly. With an upright design, it stands at roughly 16" high x 6.5" wide x 12" deep and is far lighter. While it is tall, its narrow base makes it easy to slide into a corner or store in a deep cabinet or pantry.
Materials & Construction
The Breville Smart Scoop boasts a premium build with its brushed stainless steel housing and high-quality internal components. It feels like a high-end, durable piece of kitchen equipment designed for years of consistent use, reflecting its higher price tag.
The Ninja Creami is constructed almost entirely of sturdy, durable plastics. While it doesn't feel as luxurious as the Breville, it is well-built for its price point and designed to handle the power of its high-torque motor. The focus is on function and affordability rather than premium materials.
Price & Value
With a price range of $399-$499, the Breville Smart Scoop is a serious investment for dessert purists. Its value comes from its set-and-forget convenience, professional-grade results, and long-term durability. It's a single-purpose appliance that excels at its job.
The Ninja Creami, priced between $179 and $249, offers immense value through its versatility and accessibility. For less than half the price of the Breville, you get a machine that can make ice cream, sorbets, smoothie bowls, and more, making it perfect for families and experimental cooks. The recurring cost may involve buying extra pint containers if you want multiple flavors ready to go.
Who Each One Works Best For
The Breville Smart Scoop is ideal for the dedicated home chef who wants to perfect traditional ice cream recipes. If you value texture and consistency above all else, don't want to plan a full day ahead to freeze a canister, and have the budget and counter space, the Breville is hands-down the superior choice for classic ice cream.
The Ninja Creami is best for busy families, health-conscious individuals, and creative cooks on a budget. If you want to turn a protein shake into ice cream, make sorbet out of a can of peaches, or need a compact machine that can do more than just one thing, the Creami is unbeatable. Its primary requirement is your willingness to plan ahead and freeze your bases.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both machines create excellent frozen treats, but they are built for entirely different users, kitchens, and priorities.
Choose the Breville Smart Scoop if:
- You want the best possible texture for traditional ice cream and gelato without any fuss.
- You value a set-and-forget experience and don't want to deal with pre-freezing anything.
- Your budget is higher, and you view this as a long-term investment in a specialty appliance.
- You have dedicated counter space and appreciate a premium, stainless steel look.
Choose the Ninja Creami if:
- You're on a budget and want a machine that offers outstanding value.
- You love experimenting with unconventional or healthy ingredients (like protein powder or fruit).
- You have limited kitchen storage or counter space.
- You are good at planning ahead and don't mind freezing your mixes 24 hours in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between how the Breville and Ninja work?
The Breville Smart Scoop is a "churner" that uses a built-in compressor to make traditional-style ice cream from a liquid base in about 40-60 minutes. The Ninja Creami is a "processor" that requires you to freeze a base solid for 24 hours, then shaves that solid block into a creamy texture in under 2 minutes.
Do I have to pre-freeze anything with the Breville Smart Scoop?
No. Thanks to its integrated compressor, the machine chills itself. You can make batch after batch without ever having to freeze a bowl, which is one of its biggest advantages.
How long does the Ninja Creami base need to freeze?
The Ninja Creami instruction manual recommends freezing the base in the pint container for a full 24 hours on a level surface. This ensures it's frozen solid enough for the machine to process it correctly.
Which machine is louder?
The Ninja Creami is significantly louder than the Breville, but for a much shorter period. Its powerful motor makes a loud whirring sound for the 1-2 minutes it's processing. The Breville makes a gentler, more consistent churning and compressor noise for 40-60 minutes.
Which is easier to clean?
Both are relatively easy to clean. The Ninja's pint container, lid, and blade are all top-rack dishwasher safe. The Breville's removable bowl and paddle are also easy to wash by hand, though the machine's body requires wiping down.
What can the Ninja Creami make besides ice cream?
It’s extremely versatile. The Ninja Creami can be used to make gelato, sorbet, smoothie bowls, lite ice cream, and milkshakes. People also use it to create desserts from protein shakes, canned fruit, yogurt, and more.
Can I make multiple flavors back-to-back?
You can with the Breville Smart Scoop, since it's ready to go as soon as the previous batch is done. For the Ninja Creami, you would need multiple pint containers frozen for 24 hours in advance to make different flavors one after another.
Which appliance is better for health-conscious users?
The Ninja Creami generally provides more flexibility for healthy or diet-specific recipes. Its processing method works well with low-sugar, low-fat, or high-protein bases that don't churn well in a traditional machine. Creating things like simple fruit sorbet is incredibly easy in the Creami.
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