Testing the Ninja Slushi by making a frozen model of each drink I can consider

Desk of Contents

The quintessential little deal with is subjective. Some will say iced espresso, others will argue ice cream.

However we are able to all in all probability agree that most of the greatest little treats of all of them are the elusive ones — those that are not accessible at your fingertips year-round, or those that may’t precisely be introduced dwelling and saved for a later time. Think about the Shamrock Shake or the $16 frosé that one bar solely has in the summertime.

After the success of the ice cream and different frozen dessert-making Creami, Ninja is exploring the frozen drink facet of little deal with tradition. The Ninja Slushi is an expert frozen drink maker that has offered out greater than as soon as since its debut in July 2024. The Slushi will not be solely a vessel for making a home made Slurpee with out leaving the home however can also be a chance to treat-ify mundane drinks, like a morning protein shake or afternoon pre-workout electrolyte combine. A slushy in hand simply looks like an acceptable accent to brat summer time.

TikTok, a large neighborhood of little deal with enablers, naturally ate this shit up. I needed to get my fingers on one, too.

How does the Ninja Slushi work?

Although they each can finally whip up frozen drinks, the Ninja Slushi is way completely different than a blender as a result of the Slushi would not require ice.

Slightly, the Slushi achieves that chef’s kiss chilled consistency through Ninja’s RapidChill Expertise, which includes an auger spinning round a cooling cylinder. This method can take room temperature substances from liquid to, nicely, slushy, in beneath an hour (give or take a couple of minutes, relying on the alcohol and sugar content material, in addition to the scale of the batch).

And even in the event you can obtain that with a blender, it is ephemeral; frozen margs go to melted margs in a matter of minutes after they’re simply hanging out in a blender pitcher. The Slushi, nonetheless, retains drinks frozen. As soon as it hits optimum temperature for the recipe in query, the Slushi beeps and switches from a blinking gentle to a gentle gentle, however continues spinning and cooling, holding your recipe completely slushied for as much as 12 hours. Simply thoughts the condensation.

What are you able to make within the Ninja Slushi?

Formally, there are buttons on the entrance for slush, spiked slush, frappé, milkshake, and frozen juice. I hesitate to say that you may make actually any frozen drink that pops into your mind, but it surely principally looks like that. And in the event you hatched the thought for one thing however aren’t certain of the precise substances, somebody has in all probability already tried to make it on TikTok.

My first endeavor was frosé following the precise recipe within the Ninja booklet: actually simply rosé, juice, and a bit bit of straightforward syrup. It was really easy, so fast, and so rattling good — identical to the overpriced ones on the bar.

Different enjoyable experiments included Slushi’d White Claws plus easy syrup (which turned out to style extremely bland and decarbonated after being frozen), a humble can of Pepsi to play out my roommate’s dream of an on-demand cola slushy, a blueberry vanilla protein milkshake I noticed on TikTok, and a slushy model of my pre-workout electrolyte powder drink. Previous this week of testing, I might completely see the Slushi getting weekly use in my family.

When trying frappé mode, I noticed that I am personally form of turned off by the thought of espresso in that thick consistency. After the primary batch was executed however I nonetheless hadn’t emptied something, I simply added extra almond milk and a few chocolate protein powder to show it right into a café mocha milkshake.

The Slushi must be cleaned after each use to stop sticky, rotted residue buildup. After utilizing the rinse cycle button on the machine itself, there are 4 tremendous fundamental components to disassemble and wash — both by hand or within the dishwasher if there’s room. After coping with the removable components, wipe down the metallic base and inside of the machine, after which click on the components again on.

Ninja Slushi vs. Ninja Creami

Earlier than there was the Slushi, there was the Creami. Ninja’s 7-in-1 ice cream maker blew up on TikTok when it first got here out in 2021 — seemingly the factor that tipped Ninja off to how profitable the Little Deal with Pattern could possibly be.

Whereas many drinks with that solid-but-not-solid consistency will be made in each machines, the primary distinction between the 2 lies in preparation. The Creami can solely begin with strong bases that you just freeze for twenty-four hours forward of time, whereas the Slushi can solely begin with liquids. These liquids do not have to begin frozen, giving the Slushi the leg up in terms of spontaneity.

Downsides: What cannot the Ninja Slushi do?

A profitable slush relies on a couple of important ingredient parts, one in all them being sugar. Although I usually like to trash directions earlier than studying a single phrase, I’ll say that the Slushi booklet is one that you’re going to positively really must learn. Any Slushi recipe wants a sure ratio of sugar to coagulate — if there’s not sufficient within the substances you have dumped in, the machine will beep at you and cease transferring.

On the flip facet, a stoppage additionally happens if the Slushi senses that the alcohol content material is just too excessive in comparison with the opposite substances. In any case, the lights on the entrance will flash in a method that coincides with every error so to make a fast repair.

I want you possibly can all see the defeat on my roommate’s face once we realized you really cannot merely pour Food regimen Coke into the Slushi as a result of Food regimen clearly has no sugar. The booklet does present a workaround for this, together with methods to subtly add sugar and the suitable measurements. Nonetheless, there’s far more math concerned than I’d have anticipated — keep in mind when third grade me cursed fractions as a result of “I would never use them in real life?”

As a result of the Slushi would not have blades, it can not crush strong substances. To make some type of wholesome frozen smoothie from complete substances like frozen berries or kale, they’d must be in puree type first. I blended these up in our blender forward of transferring the contents to the Slushi afterward, however at that time, it’s possible you’ll as nicely simply add ice to the blender and keep away from washing each machines by hand.

Is the Ninja Slushi value it?

The Ninja Slushi’s splurge-worthiness relies on how a lot of a frozen drink fanatic you is likely to be. I imply, individuals drop double the coin to carry a flowery espresso machine dwelling, so spending a couple of hundred {dollars} on a distinct segment kitchen equipment positively is not unparalleled. For those who’re somebody who must have three drinks inside attain at any given second, absolutely the 2 that are not plain water could possibly be slushed, and would not that simply open up a world of prospects? Plus, anybody who struggles with getting their fruits or veggies or protein may keep on prime of it extra with a drink extra appetizing than a room-temperature chalky combination. Is it too far to dub the Slushi a wellness hack?

The Slushi would even be a assured hit in a house with children who’re far more more likely to drink their wholesome fruit juice if it principally looks like a Slurpee. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles, that is positively the best way to turn into the favourite.

At any fee, the serotonin increase of one in all life’s most straightforward treasures — a enjoyable little drink — is priceless, as is the bonding (and cash saving) that would include staying in with buddies and having a frozen marg get together in your PJs.