This is a machine that does one thing, and the specification that makes it work is the 800 watt motor. It does not churn a frozen mixture the way an ice cream maker does; it shaves a solid block at high speed, which is why the texture comes out closer to a commercial product than anything a domestic churn produces. That is a genuinely different mechanism rather than a marketing distinction, and it is the reason the results do not resemble what a cheaper machine gives you.
The Deluxe difference over the standard model is pint size: 24 ounces against 16. That sounds trivial and is not, because the limiting factor with these machines is the wait, not the run time. A larger pint means fewer batches for the same output, and each batch costs you a full day of freezing beforehand.
That freezing requirement is the specification most people skip and then regret. SharkNinja’s own guide says to freeze the base for at least twenty-four hours, and "at least" is doing real work in that sentence — a base that is not fully solid gives you soup. This is not a machine you use on impulse. Whatever you want to eat tomorrow evening has to go in the freezer today, which turns frozen dessert from a spontaneous thing into a planned one. For some households that is fine; for others it is exactly why the machine ends up in a cupboard.
It is a large appliance for something with one job, and counter space is the real currency in a small kitchen. We are not quoting a footprint here because the dimensions SharkNinja publishes look like carton rather than machine measurements, and a number we cannot stand behind is worse than no number. Measure the gap you have and check it against the box before ordering.
On cleaning, the guide is more precise than the retail page: the containers, lids and paddle are top-rack dishwasher safe, and the motor base is wiped by hand. That is a low bar which a surprising number of machines in this category still fail. The pints are sold separately and you will want several of them, so budget for that rather than being surprised by it.
One naming note, because it will cost you time otherwise: SharkNinja now sells this machine as the CREAMi XL Deluxe. The model number NC501 is the constant, and it is what to search for.