Homemade ice cream has plenty of appeal: flavor control, ingredient quality, dietary customization, but cheaper? It depends. Let’s walk through the factors that determine cost, and how an ice cream maker for home, like the Ninja CREAMi, stacks up.
Up-Front Investment vs Per-Serving Cost
Buying an ice cream maker is a fixed cost. The Ninja Creami, ice cream maker for home (NC300) in the Philippines, is priced at ₱19,995.
If you make ice cream occasionally, the upfront cost will never be recovered. If you make it often, the price per serving drops significantly.
Ingredients & Supplies
Store-bought ice cream includes manufacturing, packaging, transport, and economies of scale. That can keep per-unit costs lower in many cases.
But when you make your own, you can opt for cheaper base ingredients (milk, sugar, cream, flavors) or more premium ones, depending on your preferences.
With the CREAMi, you also need storage tubs, lids, and mix-ins, but some are reusable. The package with the CREAMi includes 3 dessert tubs with lids, an outer bowl and lid, plus paddle and blades.
Energy, Time, & Waste
Electricity costs for freezing, running the machine, etc., add up.
The Ninja CREAMi ice cream maker for home has an 800-watt motor. Frequent use of "Re-Spin" or multiple functions raises energy use. Time is a cost too: you have to prep mix, freeze base, and clean up. If your time is valuable, you may not consider those hours “free.”
Homemade batches may sometimes fail in texture or flavor, leading to waste, which increases cost.
Customization & Value
A major advantage: you can tailor recipes (e.g. lower sugar, dairy-free, keto, etc.), avoid additives, and use quality or local ingredients. Many people value this and might be willing to pay more per pint for those benefits.
The Ninja CREAMi supports multiple programs (Ice Cream, Sorbet, Gelato, Milkshake, Lite Ice Cream, Smoothie Bowl, Mix-In) and is BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, etc., increasing convenience and value.
Is it Cheaper?
If you make ice cream only occasionally, buying ready-made will likely be cheaper when you factor in upfront cost, energy, time, and waste.
If you make it regularly (say once a week or more), especially with cheaper base ingredients, reuse of equipment, and maximized usage of a machine like the Ninja CREAMi, then over time, making your own can be cheaper and more satisfying.
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