Ninja’s SLUSHi Is the Perfect Kitchen Appliance for Any Season

The Ninja SLUSHi is the newest kitchen appliance that everyone has been trying to get their hands on. The brand's first-ever slushie machine, it has been going viral on social media—so much so that it is currently sold out online and can only be found in select stores.

Ninja was kind enough to send me my own SLUSHi machine, and after using it, I have some thoughts. Find them all, and whether or not I recommend it, below.

The Setup

On arrival, the machine came inside of a large box, fully assembled. It is fairly heavy, so I would suggest having a friend help you hoist it onto your kitchen surface. As soon as it was moved to its proper place, though, the preparation process was extremely simple, thanks to the helpful guides that were provided. The machine comes with a quick start guide and a general instructions manual, as well as a recipe book filled with over a dozen walkthroughs that utilize the different modes.

The main compartment that holds the liquid is supposed to be removed to be washed before use, which I did. It was simple and easy to reattach it back to the machine. I figured, because the machine wasn't pre-chilled, that I would have to take off some portion of the machine and put it in the freezer in order for it get to the proper temperature needed for the cold beverages. To my surprise and delight, pre-freezing isn't necessary. Depending on the proposed drink option, it only takes a few minutes for the machine to get to from room temp to the right temperature.

(via Sharkninja)

Also read about: Rocco Co-Founder Alyse Borkan on The Super Smart Fridge and Creating Community With Every Sip

The Review

Now, onto the fun part: making the first slushie. I followed the very-helpful recipe guide that the machine came with and decided to make a soda slushie. The only ingredient needed was a soda of my choice, which was a two-liter of Coca-Cola. After selecting the SLUSH preset mode, it only took around 10 minutes for the machine to let off a beeping noise, letting me know that the slushie had reached the optimum consistency. And it was delicious! The texture was exactly what I wanted it to be, and even if I wanted it to be thicker, all I would have to do is choose a different temperature setting and let it continue to spin.

Even after the machine has beeped, you must keep it on to ensure that it doesn't begin returning to room temperature before you finish pouring out the drink. The best suggestion I can give when using this machine is to turn it off as soon as you've poured your first or only glass, depending on what serving size you're going for. What I've found when testing out many modes, including the slushie and coffee instructions, is that the longer you keep it on, the machine tends to churn it to a completely different texture.

To ensure that your milkshake or slushie doesn't become too smooth by the time you get up to pour it into a glass, make sure you're only turning on the machine and clicking on a setting when you are prepared to drink it as soon as it's done churning.

It's also important to note that only liquids can go inside the machine, so no frozen fruits can be added to your milkshake or frozen drink creations, unless you add them in after you've poured it into a glass.

Aside from that, there are no rules in terms of what liquids you can use, and that is what I appreciate about this machine the most. There's no Ninja-specific beverage products that you have to purchase at an extra cost in order to use the machine. Any soda, juice or even iced coffee you find in the drinks aisle at the grocery store is fair game to use, which means the possibilities are endless.

(via Sharkninja)

Also read about: A Definitive Ranking of Fruit Juices

Is It Worth It?

Overall, the Ninja SLUSHi is deserving of its online hype. Not only is it versatile, but the fact that it can supply anything from a refreshing frozen juice to a chocolate milkshake in a matter of minutes is a complete game changer. Want to make an caramel coffee? Go for it! Want to make slushies for you and your friends? It will take you less than 30 minutes! Of course, the suggested retail price of $299.99 won't be in everyone's budget, but if you ask me, it's worth every penny. Now if you'll excuse me, I've been craving a Pepsi slushie all day.

Want to pair your frozen beverage with something sweet? Click HERE to see some beginner-friendly dessert recipes to give a try.