This article provides a first-glance comparison between the Pacojet and Ninja CREAMi ice cream maker with pint containers; two pieces of kitchen equipment that appear to be built and operate in a similar manner. I am hoping to provide a thorough Ninja CREAMi review once I get my hands on a unit.
I first learned about the Pacojet while reading Modernist Cuisine, which lists it as a top-ten “must-have tool for the modernist kitchen.”
The Pacojet is an expensive Swiss manufactured piece of commercial kitchen equipment, coveted by many professional chefs and food enthusiasts, that will quickly make incredibly smooth ice cream, sorbet, mousses, and sauces from frozen food. It works by freezing ingredients in a stainless steel canister; the canister is then attached to the machine and a very powerful blade spins at a 2,000 RPM and works its way to the bottom of the canister—a process that Pacojet calls “micro-pureeing” and “pacotizing”. This differs from traditional ice cream machines that rely on the churning method.
A big obstacle to obtaining the Pacojet for the home kitchen is the price tag of several thousand dollars, which is out of reach for many home cooks. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I learned about the Ninja CREAMi which appears to operate in a very similar way to the Pacojet.
The Ninja CREAMi advertises itself as an ice cream, sorbet, and milkshake maker and is reasonably priced. The Ninja CREAMi uses the same process as the Pacojet to turn canisters of frozen food into smooth and creamy creations. Ninja says the CREAMi can turn almost anything into an ice cream, sorbet, or milkshake; enabling you to make low sugar, keto, dairy-free, and vegan versions of your favorite frozen treats.
- NINJA CREAMI: With the Ninja CREAMi, you can transform everyday ingredients into ice cream, gelato, smoothie bowls, milkshakes, and more.
- FROM HEALTHY TO INDULGENT: Easily enjoy a wide array of frozen treats like decadent gelato, lite ice cream, dairy-free, gluten-free and much more. The Ninja CREAMi makes delicious treats that fit your lifestyle.
- COMPACT FOR YOUR COUNTERTOP: The CREAMi is compact in size allowing for seamless storage and fitting easily on your countertop.
- FUN FOR ALL AGES: Easy-to-use functionality allows for the whole family to enjoy making frozen treats together.
- MIX-INS: Customize your flavor and texture by mixing in your favorite chocolate, nuts, candy, fruit, and more to personalize any CREAMi treat.
Pricing last updated on April 1, 2023 - 4:00 MDT. Pricing and images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
NEW: Ninja CREAMi Deluxe
- NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Make brand new CREAMi scoopable and drinkable treats with the addition of the Slushi, Italian Ice, Frozen Drink, Creamiccino, and Frozen Yogurt functions.
- CAPACITY: Make more treats for the whole family to enjoy. New larger CREAMi Deluxe Pints hold 50% more ice cream than the original Ninja CREAMi.
- FLEXIBILITY: With two flavors, one base, you can turn every frozen base into two finished flavors with different mix-ins, one on top & one on the bottom. You can also process the top half to enjoy now and save the rest for later.
- CUSTOMIZATION: Create completely customizable treats. With the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe, you can have total control of your ingredients for low sugar, keto, dairy-free, and vegan options.
- EASY TO USE: Create a CREAMi treat in three simple steps. Simply prepare your base, freeze overnight, process, and enjoy!
Pricing last updated on April 1, 2023 - 13:00 MDT. Pricing and images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Ninja CREAMi vs. Pacojet
When you look at the blade system on the Ninja CREAMi and compare it to the blade on the Pacojet, you can see that they are very similar. Ninja labels one of their blades as a “smoothing blade” and another one of their blades as a “shaving blade”. When you compare this to Pacojet’s blades in the picture below, you can see that they are designed in a very similar way.
One has to wonder about the durability of Ninja’s blades compared to Pacojet’s blades because the Pacojet is built for the commercial kitchen while the Ninja is made for home kitchens.
Commercial quality can also be seen in Pacojet’s stainless steel containers, while the Ninja has plastic containers. Additionally, the Pacojet’s blades are advertised to spin at 2,000 RPM; I can’t find a published blade speed for the Ninja CREAMi. While these quality differences are obvious, I’m left wondering if the difference in quality is worth thousands of more dollars.
The Ninja CREAMi comes with 3 pint sized containers and lids. The containers, lids, and paddle are all dishwasher safe.
- NINJA CREAMI: With the Ninja CREAMi, you can transform everyday ingredients into ice cream, gelato, smoothie bowls, milkshakes, and more.
- FROM HEALTHY TO INDULGENT: Easily enjoy a wide array of frozen treats like decadent gelato, lite ice cream, dairy-free, gluten-free and much more. The Ninja CREAMi makes delicious treats that fit your lifestyle.
- COMPACT FOR YOUR COUNTERTOP: The CREAMi is compact in size allowing for seamless storage and fitting easily on your countertop.
- FUN FOR ALL AGES: Easy-to-use functionality allows for the whole family to enjoy making frozen treats together.
- MIX-INS: Customize your flavor and texture by mixing in your favorite chocolate, nuts, candy, fruit, and more to personalize any CREAMi treat.
Pricing last updated on April 1, 2023 - 4:00 MDT. Pricing and images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
NEW: Ninja CREAMi Deluxe
- NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Make brand new CREAMi scoopable and drinkable treats with the addition of the Slushi, Italian Ice, Frozen Drink, Creamiccino, and Frozen Yogurt functions.
- CAPACITY: Make more treats for the whole family to enjoy. New larger CREAMi Deluxe Pints hold 50% more ice cream than the original Ninja CREAMi.
- FLEXIBILITY: With two flavors, one base, you can turn every frozen base into two finished flavors with different mix-ins, one on top & one on the bottom. You can also process the top half to enjoy now and save the rest for later.
- CUSTOMIZATION: Create completely customizable treats. With the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe, you can have total control of your ingredients for low sugar, keto, dairy-free, and vegan options.
- EASY TO USE: Create a CREAMi treat in three simple steps. Simply prepare your base, freeze overnight, process, and enjoy!
Pricing last updated on April 1, 2023 - 13:00 MDT. Pricing and images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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December 2022 Update: Did you enjoy this comparison between the Ninja CREAMi and the Pacojet? Since writing this, I’ve gotten my hands on a Ninja CREAMi and have been thoroughly enjoying it! Be sure to read my detailed in-depth review of the Ninja CREAMi.
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