Ninja brings an innovative and accessible approach to homemade frozen desserts with its popular Creami, which transforms pre-frozen bases into treats, while Breville offers a premium, traditional ice cream-making experience with high-end compressor machines for the serious dessert enthusiast. The core difference lies in their process and price point: Ninja focuses on versatility and affordability with a unique "creamify" technology, whereas Breville prioritizes precision, premium materials, and professional-grade churning at a higher cost.
Let's compare everything you need to know to choose the right frozen dessert maker for your kitchen.
Ninja: The Accessible Frozen Dessert Innovator
Ninja has built a strong reputation for creating powerful, user-friendly kitchen gadgets, and the Ninja Creami is no exception. It reimagines how ice cream is made at home, appealing to families, beginners, and creative cooks. Instead of churning a liquid base, users freeze a solid puck of ingredients in a special pint container for 24 hours, then the Creami uses a high-speed paddle to shave and blend it into a smooth, creamy dessert in minutes.
- Product mix: Known for its vast lineup of blenders, air fryers, and multicookers, Ninja's frozen dessert offering is centered on the Creami family of products. These dedicated machines can create ice cream, sorbet, gelato, milkshakes, and smoothie bowls.
- Process/Technology: The Creami uses a unique "Creamify Technology" where a paddle spins down through a frozen block of ingredients, turning it into a scoopable treat. This differs from traditional models that churn a liquid base as it freezes.
- Style/vibe: Functional, modern, and sturdy. Ninja appliances feature sleek plastic bodies with metallic accents and user-friendly control panels, designed to be approachable and practical.
- Price point: Mid-range and accessible. The popular Ninja Creami models typically cost between $200 and $250.
- Quality: Built with durable plastics and strong motors designed for repetitive, high-intensity use. The pint containers and components are sturdy and generally dishwasher-safe.
- Ease of Use: The machine's operation is incredibly simple, with one-touch programs for different types of desserts. The main requirement is planning ahead, as the pint base must be frozen for a full 24 hours before processing.
- Fit & Sizing: With a tall but narrow profile, the Creami has a relatively small footprint that works well on most kitchen counters. The pint-sized containers are ideal for making small batches or individual flavors.
- Availability: Ninja products are widely sold online and at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.
The Ninja Creami is an excellent choice for those who love experimenting with custom flavors and want a fun, versatile dessert maker without a premium price tag.
Shop Ninja: ninjakitchen.com
Breville: The Premium Countertop Creamery
Breville is a global brand recognized for its high-performance, premium kitchen appliances that combine thoughtful design with professional-grade functionality. Their ice cream makers, like the popular Smart Scoop, are built for the discerning home chef who wants ultimate control and consistent, high-quality results. These are traditional self-refrigerating compressor models, meaning they chill and churn the ice cream base simultaneously without needing to pre-freeze a bowl.
- Product mix: While famous for espresso machines, smart ovens, and high-end juicers, Breville’s offerings include sophisticated frozen dessert machines like the Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker.
- Process/Technology: Breville uses powerful built-in compressors to chill the mixture while churning. The Smart Scoop features 12 hardness settings, automatically sensing when the dessert reaches the desired consistency for gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, or ice cream.
- Style/vibe: Sophisticated and high-end. Breville devices feature a signature brushed stainless steel finish and minimalist, intuitive interfaces that look impressive in any kitchen.
- Price point: Premium. Breville's ice cream makers are an investment, typically ranging from $350 to $500.
- Quality: Exceptional build quality is a hallmark of the Breville brand. The Smart Scoop is constructed with high-grade stainless steel and feels solid, durable, and built to last for many years.
- Ease of Use: Despite its advanced features, the Smart Scoop is very straightforward. You simply pour your liquid base into the machine, select your dessert type and hardness, and press start. There is no need to plan ahead and freeze components.
- Fit & Sizing: Breville ice cream makers are larger and heavier than the Creami, requiring more dedicated countertop or storage space. Their 1.5-quart capacity is suitable for serving families or making larger batches for guests.
- Availability: Sold through the Breville website, as well as high-end retailers like Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, and Amazon.
Breville is designed for the dessert connoisseur who values precision, spontaneity, and is willing to invest in a machine that delivers a truly professional creamery experience at home.
Shop Breville: breville.com
Ninja vs. Breville Comparison
Price Comparison
There is a significant price gap between these two brands. The Ninja Creami is positioned as an affordable appliance, typically costing $200-$250. This makes it a great entry point for those curious about making frozen treats at home.
Breville operates in the premium segment, with models like the Smart Scoop priced around $450-$500. This higher price gets you a self-refrigerating compressor, more robust construction, and advanced features, targeting serious home chefs who view it as a long-term kitchen investment.
Core Technology & Process
This is the most critical difference. The Ninja Creami requires you to freeze your ingredients into a solid block for 24 hours. The machine then acts as a processor, shaving the ice crystals and blending them into a creamy texture. This unique process allows for amazing creativity with low-fat or unconventional bases.
A Breville ice cream maker is a traditional compressor model. It functions like a commercial machine, with a built-in freezer that chills the bowl while a paddle churns the liquid base. This process, which takes 20-40 minutes, can be started on a whim - no advance planning needed. It creates a classic, smooth ice cream texture trusted by professionals.
Ease of Use & Convenience
Which is more convenient depends on your habits. The Ninja Creami is simple to operate with its one-touch buttons, but it forces you to plan ahead. If you want ice cream, you need to have made and frozen your base the day before. The actual blending process is fast, taking only a few minutes.
The Breville Smart Scoop offers true spontaneity. You can decide to make ice cream and have a fresh, churned batch in under an hour, anytime. Set it, forget it, and the machine will play an ice cream truck jingle when it's done. Cleanup for both machines is relatively straightforward.
Style & Quality
Ninja's products are well-built with a modern aesthetic, using high-quality plastics and some metal components. They are durable workhorses designed for frequent home use. The Creami is functional and sleek but does not have the premium feel of a luxury appliance.
Breville's calling card is its high-end design and superior materials. The brushed stainless steel housing is not only beautiful but also durable and easy to clean. Every knob and button feels thoughtfully engineered, giving it a luxury presence on the countertop.
Size & Capacity
The Ninja Creami is taller but has a smaller overall countertop footprint. Its pint-sized containers (16 oz.) are perfect for making single servings, experimenting with multiple unique flavors at once, or for smaller households. Extra pint containers can be purchased to keep different bases ready in the freezer.
Breville's machines are wider and heavier due to the internal compressor, demanding more permanent counter space. The 1.5-quart (48 oz.) bowl is significantly larger, making it a better choice for serving a family or preparing desserts for a dinner party.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both brands produce excellent kitchen appliances, but they cater to very different dessert-making styles and priorities.
Choose Ninja if:
- You're working with a budget under $300.
- You are new to homemade ice cream and want a fun, foolproof device.
- You love experimenting with creative or healthy ingredients (like protein ice cream).
- You have limited counter space and prefer a more compact machine.
- You live in a smaller household and making single servings is ideal.
Choose Breville if:
- You are passionate about making traditional, high-quality ice cream with a classic texture.
- You want the convenience of making dessert spontaneously without 24 hours of prep.
- Premium build quality and a sophisticated, stainless-steel aesthetic are important to you.
- You frequently make larger batches of dessert for your family or for entertaining.
- Your budget allows for a premium, long-lasting kitchen investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ninja Creami or Breville cheaper?
The Ninja Creami is significantly cheaper, typically retailing for $200-$250. Breville's ice cream makers are premium appliances, usually costing between $350 and $500, positioning them as a higher-end option.
Which one makes better ice cream?
This is subjective and depends on your preference. Breville produces a very classic, smooth, dense, and creamy ice cream due to its traditional churn-and-freeze compressor system. The Ninja creates a lighter, almost fluffy texture and excels with unconventional recipes, though sometimes bases need to be "re-spun" to achieve perfect smoothness.
Do you have to pre-freeze the bowl for either machine?
Yes, for the Ninja Creami you must pre-freeze the entire pint of ingredients for at least 24 hours. For the Breville Smart Scoop, you do not need to pre-freeze anything, its built-in compressor handles all the chilling during the churning process.
Is the Ninja or Breville easier to clean?
Both are relatively easy to clean. The Ninja Creami perhaps has a slight edge, as its pint containers, lids, and paddle are all top-rack dishwasher-safe. Breville's churning bowl and paddle must be washed by hand and need to be fully dry before use.
Which is better for making small batches?
The Ninja Creami is much better for small batches. Its pint system is specifically designed for making individual servings, allowing you to easily prepare and store multiple different flavors at once in your freezer.
Can the Breville make different kinds of desserts like the Ninja?
Breville's Smart Scoop is designed primarily for churning smooth desserts and excels at sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato, and ice cream - all of which rely on a similar churning process. The Ninja Creami is a bit more versatile in its outcome textures, easily creating smoothie bowls or thick milkshakes with its "mix-in" and "milkshake" functions.
What is the biggest difference in how they work?
The biggest difference is the process. Breville is an all-in-one system that freezes and churns a liquid base at the same time. The Ninja Creami is a two-step system that processes a base you've already frozen into a solid block, shaving and blending it into a creamy final product.
At Interior Insider, we're dedicated to curating the best in home decor, interior design, and home essentials to help you discover brands we think you'll love. Every brand we feature is independently selected by our editorial team based on quality, design, and craftsmanship. When you make a purchase through our links, Interior Insider may earn a commission - which helps support our small team and allows us to continue bringing you inspiration and expert advice for creating your perfect space.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore our curated design guides to find your next favorite piece.
