I finally got my hands on the Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker, and I couldn’t wait to put it to the test! As someone who loves icy, refreshing drinks—whether it’s a classic slushie, a creamy frappé, or a frozen cocktail—I was curious to see if this machine could live up to the hype.
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With its promise of smooth, ice-free frozen drinks and no need for ice cubes, I was eager to see how well it worked and whether it’s truly worth the investment. I bought the product on my own. In this review, I’ll share my initial thoughts, first impressions, and an honest breakdown of its performance, ease of use, and whether it’s a must-have kitchen gadget. Let’s dive in.
Quick Pros
Here’s what I love:
- Makes smooth and consistent frozen drinks much better than high-powered blenders.
- You don’t need ice. In fact, you should not add ice to the machine.
- Can handle dairy-based and alcoholic beverages.
- Customizable thickness settings. So far I have been sticking to the default thickness. I found that adjusting it, made the slushi too thick to sip through a straw and I would have to let it melt down some to enjoy. The thicker settings will probably work great during the summer when you’re outside and don’t want the slush to melt quickly.
- You don’t need tons of ingredients. You can use just 1 ingredient (like soda, juice) for lots of drinks.
- Self-cleaning function for easy maintenance – yep, you read that right. There’s a rinse function on this thing!
Quick Cons
Here’s what is a little annoying.
- It’s big! I have the counterspace to fit and store this machine, yet I still probably won’t. It’s very bulky and isn’t very aesthetically pleasing. I see myself leaving it in the pantry or garage and taking it out when I use it.
- Drinks must contain a minimum of 4% sugar to achieve the desired slush consistency and prevent the machine from freezing solid. I have tested a few hacks around this! Be sure to check out my Ninja Slushi Coffee Frappe and Ninja Slushi Strawberry Lemonade Slush recipes.
- Processing time varies and can take up to 60 minutes. So far, I don’t really know how long each drink will take until I make it and test it out. My first drink (a slushie) took about 25 minutes. Thankfully, I will be sharing all of my recipes along with how long the drink takes! I will do a lot of the testing for you.
Where to Buy
Click here to grab the machine.
Sugar Requirements
The 4% sugar requirement means that any beverage you use in the Ninja SLUSHi must contain at least 4 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters (or 40 grams per liter). This is essential for the freezing process because sugar affects the freezing point of the liquid, preventing it from turning into a solid block of ice.
Sugar acts as an antifreeze, preventing the drink from freezing into a solid block of ice. If the sugar content is too low, the machine will flash a warning (or shut down), indicating that you need to add more sugar. If your drink doesn’t meet the minimum sugar requirement, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of a sweetener like flavored syrup, juice, sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, agave, simple syrup, or honey per serving.
Examples of Drinks That Work (Contain 4% Sugar or More)
- Fruit Juices (Apple juice, orange juice, lemonade) – Typically 8-12% sugar
- Regular Soda (Coca-Cola, Sprite, root beer) – Around 10% sugar
- Sweetened Iced Tea (Brisk, Arizona, Snapple) – Typically 5-8% sugar
- Energy Drinks (Red Bull, Monster, Gatorade) – 8-12% sugar
- Chocolate Milk – Around 8-10% sugar
- Cocktail Mixers (Margarita mix, daiquiri mix) – Around 20% sugar
- Flavored Syrups + Water (Torani, Monin syrups mixed with water)
Examples of Beverages That May Not Work (Too Low in Sugar)
- Diet Soda & Zero-Sugar Drinks – No sugar means the machine can’t properly freeze them
- Unsweetened Tea or Black Coffee – Sugar content is too low
- Most Alcoholic Drinks (Straight Spirits, Wine, Beer) – Alcohol lowers the freezing point; needs to be mixed with a sugary base
- Flavored Water or Infused Water – Typically less than 1% sugar
- Coconut Water – Around 2-3% sugar (may need added sugar or sweetener)
How to Adjust Low-Sugar Drinks to Work
For every 8 ounces (1 cup) of liquid, add about 2 teaspoons of sugar or sweetener to ensure proper freezing.
Alcohol Requirements
Alcohol has a lower freezing point than water, which means it won’t freeze on its own. To make frozen cocktails with the Ninja SLUSHi, you need to mix alcohol with a sugary base (or substitute/add in something like, allulose) to ensure it reaches the right slushy consistency.
- Use a Pre-Sweetened Mixer – Margarita mix, daiquiri mix, or piña colada mix work best
- Keep Alcohol Content Below 20% – Too much alcohol prevents freezing
- Balance with Sugar – Ensure the total mix has at least 4% sugar
- Use the “Spiked Slush” Setting – Designed for alcohol-based drinks
How to Use the Ninja Slushi
I’m actually shocked by how easy it was. I own lots of appliances and I feel like this one was the easiest in terms of getting started. It came already assembled. I just needed to remove it from the box and attach the drip pan.
- Setup: Place the machine on a flat, stable surface. Ensure it’s been upright for at least two hours before first use to allow the refrigerant to settle.
- Filling the Vessel:
- Lift the bail handle to remove the vessel.
- Pour your chosen beverage into the vessel. The machine accommodates between 16 to 64 ounces of liquid.
- Ensure the beverage contains at least 4% sugar; the machine will tap out on you without it.
- Reattach the vessel and secure it by lowering the bail handle.
- Selecting a Program:
- Power on the machine.
- Choose from five preset functions: Slush, Spiked Slush, Frappé, Milkshake, or Frozen Juice.
- Adjust the temperature control to achieve your preferred thickness.
- Processing:
- Press the start button.
- The machine will begin the freezing process, which can take between 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the drink’s composition and starting temperature. My first slushi took around 25 minutes.
- It does leak small amounts of liquid from the spout as it processes. This is what the drip pan is for!
- Serving:
- Once the cycle is complete, place a cup under the pour spout.
- Use the self-serve handle to dispense your frozen drink.
- Cleaning:
- Activate the Rinse function by filling the vessel with warm water and running the rinse cycle. For a thorough cleaning, remove detachable parts and wash them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
No, beverages must contain at least 4% sugar for the freezing process to work correctly. So far, allulose is the only sugar-free option I have tested and it works.
The time varies based on the liquid used, but most drinks take 15–60 minutes. Pre-chilling your drink/ingredients can help reduce the time. For example, I used ice cold water (I chilled in the fridge) along with lemonade packets for my first slushie.
Yes! The Spiked Slush setting is designed for alcoholic beverages. However, drinks with higher alcohol content (above 20%) may not freeze properly.
No, the machine freezes your liquid without requiring ice, creating a smoother texture than traditional blenders.
It can hold 16 to 64 ounces of liquid.
Use the Rinse function by adding warm water and running a rinse cycle. For deep cleaning, remove the vessel and other detachable parts to wash separately. I’ve found most drinks will need deep cleaning. Shucks! I thought this was going to work better and I wouldn’t need to remove the vessel much. It’s easy to do though! If you run the rinse first, you’re mostly just cleaning off hard to reach areas of it.
The removable parts, like the vessel and lid, are top-rack dishwasher safe. The base should only be wiped clean with a damp cloth.
It’s best to serve immediately (or keep the machine running). If left too long, the drink may melt, requiring another freezing cycle.
The machine is 16.3 x 6.5 x 17 inches, so it requires some storage space. If counter space is limited, ensure you have room in a cabinet or pantry for storage.
My Final Thoughts and Review
If you love homemade slushies, frappés, and frozen cocktails, the Ninja SLUSHi is an excellent investment. It offers bar-quality frozen drinks at home, making it a great choice for families and party hosts. Just keep in mind that it the sugar requirements and any potential adjustments that have to be made.
It’s very user-friendly and it’s super easy to get started. I will definitely be using it time and time again. If you are low on space, you may not consider this a must-have item. Like I said, it’s pretty big in my opinion.