'I tried the viral slushi machine that’s all over your feed. Here are my thoughts.'

Thanks to our brand partner, SHARKNINJA

I'm not usually one for novelty kitchen appliances. My blender lives on the top shelf, my stand mixer has been relegated to the attic and I haven't spiralised since 2021. But when I started seeing videos of the Ninja Slushi Professional Frozen Drink Maker all over my TikTok, I was intrigued.

It promised something simple: turn almost any drink — juice, soft drink, iced tea even cocktails — into a proper thick slushie. No blender noise, no chunks of ice and no watery mess halfway through. Just the sort of frozen treat you normally have to line up for at the movies or a petrol station.

I decided to give it a go and see if it lived up to the hype.

First impressions

The machine itself is surprisingly compact; if you're thinking of the giant ATM-like things taking up half of the local corner store… this is not it. It was so easy to set up and came with a handy guide and recipe ideas.

To get started, you pour your drink into the inner container, lock it into place, press one button to select the drink type and the machine chills and spins it until it becomes slush. Timing varied between 15 to 60 minutes depending on what I was making and how much liquid I used.

There's very little to do once it's going, which is exactly the level of effort I like. I tried a mix of options to see how well it handled different liquids, textures and levels of sweetness. Here's what made the cut.

Frozen Diet Coke

I've been known to visit multiple drive-thrus in search of a frozen Coke Zero. It's one of my favourite mid-afternoon pick-me-ups and I don't want the full sugar version or a fluro coloured substitute.

The Ninja Slushi doesn't love sugar-free drinks on their own — a tiny bit of sugar is required to freeze — but with half a teaspoon of monk fruit sweetener the Coke Zero froze well. The carbonation wasn't quite the same as the takeaway version (you do lose some fizz during freezing and I think the fast food places add a bunch of chemicals to replicate that tingly sensation) but the flavour was there and the texture was bang-on.

Overall it's an excellent replacement for the servo-style one, without the queue or the soggy paper straw.

Image: Supplied.

Juice slushie

To test how it handles basic drinks, I tried a bottle of peach and orange juice. It froze quickly (about 20 minutes) and turned into a bright icy slush. You don't have to make a big batch every time, so there's no waste and you can control portions. I did 500ml to go with afternoon tea. The girls loved it and I loved that they were incredibly well behaved for the full 20 minutes, mesmerised by the swirling machine.

Pro tip: buy some reusable silicone straws. Slushies are most fun when slurped.

Image: Supplied.

Peach Iced Tea

News of my new gadget travelled fast via the family WhatsApp group. On Saturday, my sister arrived with her kids and a big bottle of peach iced tea ready to put it to the test.

This one was a hit with everyone. Fun to drink with a spoon or a straw. I poured this one into my fancy glasses and vibe-wise it felt a bit more elevated than just pouring the drink over ice. This would be a good party trick for a brunch or BBQ — memorable without actually needing to do anything fancy.

Image: Supplied.

Protein shake slushie

My husband and I are both in our protein era, which means we've tried it all. Protein milk, protein yoghurt, protein ice cream. Obviously there's the standard shake but seven days a week is a bit boring. Fine, functional but not something you look forward to. So we figured we'd try turning one into a slushie to make it more fun.

We added a bit of monk fruit sweetener (thanks for the tip ChatGPT) to help it freeze properly and poured in our usual chocolate shake.

It actually worked surprisingly well. The result was a foamy frozen frappe. Absolutely a dupe for something you'd pay $15 for at a café. I don't think it would replace anyone's normal shake routine entirely, as it takes about 30 minutes but it's a nice change — definitely something for the weekend or even dessert.

Image: Supplied.

Frozen Margarita

I had my first frozen margarita by the pool on my honeymoon in Hawaii. It was love at first sip. Since then, I've ordered them anytime I see them on a menu, but they're weirdly hard to come by in Australia. And when I do find one, they're usually poorly blended or halfway melted by the time they hit the table.

So I was curious to see how the Slushi would handle it.

I used store-bought margarita mix and ran it through the machine. I added a splash of tequila to mine. My mum prefers a mocktail, so I made her version without the alcohol.

Both turned out excellent: thick, frosty and Hawaiian-restaurant-worthy texture right to the bottom of the glass. Best of all, I didn't have to go and buy (and store) one of those massive bags of servo ice just to make a casual Saturday evening cocktail.

Image: Supplied.

So… is the Ninja Slushi worth buying?

If you love frozen drinks, enjoy hosting or just want a low-effort way to upgrade your iced tea or mocktail, this is a very fun addition to your kitchen. It's not an everyday essential, but it does exactly what it promises — and it does it well.

Here's what stood out for me:

• It works with almost any drink (sugar-free or high-alcohol options just need a bit of help).

• The texture is consistently good if you follow the guidelines — no half-melted slop, no crunchy ice.

• It's easy to use and easy to clean.

• The novelty doesn't wear off quickly — it made everyday drinks feel a bit special.

• It's a nice middle ground between a blender and a soft-serve machine.

It's not just a kids' gadget. And it's not just a party trick. It's a nice little upgrade for anyone who likes their drinks cold and their effort minimal.

Craving a Slushi? Shop the Ninja Slushi Professional Frozen Drink Maker online.

Feature Image: Supplied.

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