Ninja SLUSHi Review: New viral frozen drink machine
Finally, the wait is over! The much-anticipated Ninja SLUSHi is back in stock – but does it live up to its incredible hype?
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Imagine owning a single appliance that turns liquid into slush at the press of a button, providing endless icy beverages with no mess and no fuss? Luckily, you don’t have to because it very much exists. It’s called the Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker and it’s back in stock.
Shoppers nationwide have been waiting patiently (and some not so patiently) for the arrival of the Ninja SLUSHi. Some even pre-ordered it back in 2024. You only have to checkout TikTok to gauge the popularity of this magic appliance and the many different drinks you can achieve with one in your possession. And now the wait is over. This highly coveted appliance is available once again and Australians are rejoicing.
But despite its growing viral status, is the Ninja SLUSHi worth the purchase?
Here at checkout, we were desperate to find out, and I put my hand up faster than you can say ‘frozen margarita’. Apart from all the cocktails I could make, I have two teenage daughters who consume a lot of KFC slushies. If anyone is a judge of a good slushie maker, it’s them.
So now the Ninja SLUSHi has pride of place on out not-so-big benchtop, and my family and I have got busy testing to see if it’s as amazing as the thousands of Ninja SLUSHi owners report it to be.
Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker, $499.99 at Myer
Ninja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink Maker
UNBOXING THE NINJA SLUSHI
I can’t lie, the Ninja SLUSHi is large (and quite heavy). However, while it arrived in a huge box, it was straightforward to unpack and place on the bench. It comes with only four removable parts which fit together easily: the Vessel, which holds the liquids, the Auger (which is like a mixer), Condensation Catch and the two-part Drip Tray. These four items needed to be washed in soapy water, which I did by hand. I also had to wipe down the main machine with a soft cloth and allow to dry completely.
Another important step before firing the appliance up was to leave it for two hours on the bench. This allows everything to settle so it’s safe to use. I would choose where you want to place it first, ensuring the surface is level and dry, then leave it for the required time.
Also in the box were clear instructions, a Quick Start Guide and a comprehensive booklet of recipes and ideas that listed ingredients, the time it takes to create each beverage and the amounts you will produce.
SIZE AND DESIGN
As I said, the Ninja SLUSHi is a sizeable appliance and you need some decent benchspace to use it. In saying that, it’s not something that you would keep on the bench for everyday use, rather you’d bring out in summer or for entertaining. Still, you need somewhere to use it on those occasions, and then to store it in between times.
HOW DO YOU USE THE NINJA SLUSHI?
I was prepared for lengthy instruction reading – and perhaps running off to the servo for bags of ice – but that wasn’t the case at all. The Ninja SLUSHi is really the simplest of appliances, considering what it achieves. Basically, you plug it in, turn on the switch at the back, add your choice of beverage, select the preference of drink and press start.
You need a minium of 475 litres, which for me made about two or three slushies – and it’s maximum capacity is 2.6 litres, which makes up to nine servings (depending on the size of drink you serve).
When your drink is ready, the Ninja SLUSHi beeps and all you do is pull down on the handle and serve it up. You just have to remember to keep the machine running while you dispense your drink.
NO ICE NEEDED
Maybe it’s just me, but I thought I’d be freezing trays of ice all afternoon before I got started with this appliance. But no, this clever machine DOES IT ALL, thanks to RapidChill Technology.
As long as there’s adequate sugar, or in some cases, alcohol, then the liquid you place in the appliance will transform to slush in under an hour. No ice required. Unbelievable!
WHAT CAN YOU MAKE?
The Ninja SLUSHi features an easy-to-read control panel with four preselect buttons that cover most needs:
- Slush
- Frozen Cocktail
- Milkshake
- Frozen Juice
Simply pour in your drink of choice, select a button and press start. And that’s it.
You can customise the chill factor depending on your drink. The machine will offer a level for you, but if you want a sippable frozen drink you can decrease the temperature, while for a thicker more frozen drink, turn up the chill.
Apart from that, the Ninja SLUSHi does the rest. It even gives you an alert if there is too little sugar or too much alcohol for slush making. If there’s not enough sugar, you simply add a couple of tablespoons extra and if there’s too much alcohol, just add a quarter of a cup of water.
When your drink is ready, the Ninja SLUSHi beeps to let you know and then keeps the beverage frozen for up to 12 hours.
WHAT DID I TRY?
We made a lot of slushies and I was so amazed at how easy it was. We added soft drinks – mostly Coke, lemonade and Mountain Dew – which all took about 15 to 20 minutes for the minimum amount of 475L. According to the instructions, it takes longer to make more, so if you want six to eight serves, they would be ready in about 45 minutes.
We also tried the frozen juice, which was equally successful and took around the same length of time as a slushie.
Naturally, we also needed to test out the cocktail option! My husband and I made Elderflower Gin Cocktails, a recipe form the Ninja booklet, which were absolutely delicious. And there are plenty of other options to try, as pretty much any alcohol you like can be turned into a fabulous frozen style cocktail.
I found it straightforward to use and had no issues with sugar or alcohol levels as I followed the recipes and instructions in the booklet.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET MY SLUSHI?
It can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes to make slushie style drinks, depending on which option you choose. Considering you’re getting a frozen drink, this is no time at all. However, if you’re having a party you need to get organised and start slushing well before so the cocktails are ready to go quicker.
Naturally, the more liquid you add, the longer it takes to slush.
IS IT EASY TO CLEAN?
Yes, it is a breeze to clean, as parts remove easily and go in the dishwasher. It also has a wash cycle, which is extremely simple. Simply get rid of any remaining drink in the vessel and stop the current preset by pressing on that preset button. Then press RINSE, fill to the maximum level with warm water and dispense as you would a drink. Word of warning, when you push down on the handle, the water comes out very fast (much faster than a frozen drink) so be prepared with a container or jug to catch it.
I actually skipped this step between drinks, giving it a quick wipe and hand rinse after making a frozen juice, before moving on to a Mountain Dew slushie for my younger daughter. However, she could taste the fruit juice in her slushie and refused to drink it. So a proper wash cycle in between various drinks is probably advisable for the more discerning guests. Plus, if you suffer from ants over summer (like us), you need to make sure the bench is wiped down as there will be a lot of sugary liquid around.
WHO WOULD BUY A NINJA SLUSHI?
Anyone who loves icy cold drinks at the touch of a button would be thrilled to own this machine. It’s the perfect entertainer over summer, not just for adults but also kids and teens. If you love having parties, inviting friends over for drinks or just indulging in a summer cocktail, then this appliance is for you. It’s not a budget purchase, however if you think about what you might spend on money on cocktails or drinks in a bar (or KFC slushies), then you’ll make that back pretty quickly and save money over many summers to come.
The Ninja SLUSHi would appeal to people with large kitchens or entertaining areas, but in saying that, it would work equally well for people living in apartments with little fridge/freezer space for making ice or keeping drinks chilled.
THE FINAL VERDICT
Suffice to say, my family and I are obsessed with the Ninja SLUSHi. It’s fun, easy to use, simple to clean and saves a fortune if you love the occasional (or frequent cocktail).
While I knew my family would love the SLUSHi, particularly my kids who live on store bought slushies – I wasn’t sure if it would do much for me. But I was completely wrong. It is amazing. You pour in the drink of your choice and out comes a frozen cocktail, slushie, smoothie or frappé. Unbelievable.
We will definitely be using the Ninja SLUSHi in the future. It’s perfect for parties, sleepovers, Friday night cocktails or simply when you find a gang of teens ‘hanging out’ in your kitchen.
The only things is if you have a family with different tastes, it can take a while to make a range of different beverages. But if you’re serving one type of drink, it’s fabulous – especially as it keeps it cold and icy for up to 12 hours.
We once made mocktails for one of my daughter’s parties and it wasn’t easy to get large qualities made and served. How I wish we’d had the Ninja SLUSHi, it would have been perfect. We could have pre-made a quantity of frozen mocktail, kept it chilled and ready to go when needed. It would have been so convenient – and totally the summer party vibe my daughter was looking for.
Still, we have many more parties on the horizon, not to mention weekends of cocktails and icy cold drinks. Summer may be coming to an end, but with the Ninja SLUSHi, we get to keep it going for as long as possible. Definitely recommended.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY DOES THE NINJA SLUSHI NEED SUGAR OR ALCOHOL?
These ingredients lower the freezing point of liquid so they ensure you end up with slush, rather than a solid block of ice.
CAN I MAKE SUGAR-FREE BEVERAGES?
While sugar-free recipes will not slush, there are sugar substitutes such as erythritol that will do the trick. The instruction booklet provides suggestions on the amount required for the perfect slush.
CAN I PUT HOT LIQUID INTO THE NINJA SLUSHI?
In a word, no. This machine is not for hot drinks.
CAN I USE FRESH FRUIT TO MAKE COCKTAILS OR DINKS?
Yes you can, however all ingredients must be in liquid form so you need to blend or puree everything before putting in the machine. You cannot add any solid ingredients such as fruit, ice cream or frozen fruit.
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