Can this cheaper Slushie machine match the Ninja SLUSHi?

[@JK-ig6sk]

I really like how much you talk about the recipes and the difficulty different recipes can bring and how the two machines differed there. Thanks!

[@modestcody123]

Been wondering about this, thanks for making this. I've had the Slushi for 4 months and couldn't be happier.

[@yaya2k7]

I have two iceman, they are great. As you stated they are not calibrate the same. With the iceman you can make it thicker with the cocktail setting. By default it's in the middle. I've made many cocktails with no issues.

[@LastNameTom]

I got my wife the Ninja slushi for christmas, and shes been drunk off of margaritas since then!

[@candicewilliams3996]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@dontbscured]

I bought the ICEMAN on New Year Eve. When my sister sent me a pic of it and said it was $199 I ran to Costco to buy it and it works great!!! We made alcohol drinks in it and guess what... If you pour the alcohol in last after you get the thickness you want the drink is perfect!!!! I don't drink alcohol. I discovered this when I saw the alcohol drinkers trying to decide how much to put in to get it to freeze... Just put it in last... duh LOL!!! I love the ICEMAN! I've never used the Ninja so I can't compare but the $200+ in my pocket (I've never seen the Ninja for less than $379! I've even seen it for as much as $479... which is why I hesitated to buy one), Costco return policy, ability to customize the thickness of your drinks and the small amount of space it takes up on my counter... I am very happy with my ICEMAN and use it several times a week. My frappuccinos are crazy goodt!!!!

[@marcmonge3704]

I went with the Iceman mainly because I couldn't find the Ninja at MSRP. Haven't had any issues yet but I also don't make the craft cocktails. Mostly drinks for the kids with the occasional adult beverage. Like you said, if I need too I can always take it back and get a Ninja

[@jarrod-smith]

Thanks for doing this, it’s a big help. Guess I’m still on the hunt for a Ninja at Target although ours appear to have stopped carrying it. Tried to snag one from remaining stock at two different locations but the online inventory was incorrect and I missed out.

[@nickmartin8495]

just got the Ninja.. wanted to recreate a Chevys slushy margarita since most have closed their doors.. mission accomplished. 👍🏽

[@Cmama420]

My step dad was the regional manager for Chevys when I was a kid, I haven’t thought about that restaurant in so long 🥹

[@Bosslady_Nocap]

Where did you find it at? There sold out everywhere.

[@introvertswag6494]

I'm not a big fan of slushie drinks, but even I like the occasional slushie in the summer. Disappointed about the Slush-Ease not working great, but I would never use it enough anyways to justify the purchase. Good review as always!

[@chaddee8455]

I had the iceman before taking it back. My reason I took it back cause it couldn't make milkshake. The ninja does make everything I wanted so far

[@makeanddrink]

Good to know!

[@Cmon_Nah123]

Did you try the custom setting? I find the presets don’t work as well as custom. And you need to be sure the sugar level is high enough and fat content in the milk. I put egg nog into the slush ease and it turned out great!

[@dontbscured]

I made a milkshake when I didn't want to. I set it at 21º to make my drink thicker and it turned into a milkshake.

[@vvvprince9487]

It can make milkshakes, you just have to do the custom setting, it doesn’t have a preset setting

[@khiaraslaw]

The Ninja is 199.00 at Costco as of Jan 14 2025

[@Kidd-nq4fg]

The compressor might just be a little stronger in the ninja, I just bought the iceman and I will update when I make alcoholic slushies, for now very happy with its performance

[@makeanddrink]

Most likely. And it might not be an issue for all of this machine and might just be mine. But overall, these machines do lie. I don’t think I’ve ever got anything over 12% ABV to slush and they both say they can do 16%

[@Kidd-nq4fg]

@ I shall run the same test! Will report back with results!

[@jimpickens1449]

How did it go ​@@Kidd-nq4fg

[@Kidd-nq4fg]

@@jimpickens1449 oh it went great, we actually put a lot of alcohol in there, not sure the exact percentage compared to our mix drink but I definitely know it preforms great with almost any mixed drink at least from what I’ve done so far.

[@adamhenninger1282]

where is he finding a ninja for that price? Just looked it up cheapest i can find is 570

[@makeanddrink]

Directly from Ninja. It’s $299 and has been that price since they released it.

[@Mildern]

The presets aren't that great on the Iceman. You have to manually turn the temp down to get it to the thickness you want.

[@makeanddrink]

That’s what I did. Max setting and it did not work. Presents on the machines are irrelevant they simply set a temp.

[@maraya41979]

Do you have a post of their sounds?

[@DizzyTipsy]

Soooo… if someone doesn’t care about making alcoholic drinks, there’s no real difference between the two besides price?

[@makeanddrink]

Sugar also works as an antifreeze. So the more sugar the more difficulty you’d have with a machine that is not as powerful.

[@theripepper5015]

I just have a question. The Hurricane cocktail did you already have that recipe or did you make that recipe using the Ninja Slushi?

[@makeanddrink]

Neither. It's an adapted recipe to be a specific ABV and Brix

[@fxeditor1138]

Would that just be a case of the Iceman needing more time to complete the hurricane slushy, or will it never achieve the proper consistency?

[@makeanddrink]

It never will. If you set it to the top temp it goes there and stays there. Now I have had instances where a machine said it was ready and it was still loose and I let it run and that helped. I’ve also had a machine turn off because of too much sugar or ABV, and then turned it back on it get it to work. But this was running on its highest setting for a good 15+ minutes after it said it’s ready. And in retrospect, each round of drinks it was a little behind the Ninja on consistency. Not a problem if you can adjust it higher, but when it maxes out on a basic cocktail and won’t slush there’s no options left to fix that other than more water.

[@robborz6729]

I heard by people 25 to 30 on higher alcohol will slush up. We will see​@@makeanddrink

[@dontbscured]

The Iceman probably needed a few more minutes to achieve the thickness he wanted. It works great and I found that putting the alcohol in last is the best/fastest way to get the consistency you desire.

[@laytonjones5779]

My iceman isn’t freezing/ making slushy it’s just stays room temp and mixes

[@Cmon_Nah123]

I think most people have recommended adding the alcohol at the end of the slush cycle when it’s reached the consistency you want.

[@makeanddrink]

You never want to do that. That just melts everything.

[@WaylonTheGreat]

When making the Hurricane, what setting/temp did you have the Iceman set to? I found the cocktail setting, even at its thickest not cold/long enough.

[@makeanddrink]

Lowest temp possible. -10

[@WaylonTheGreat]

Damn, a part of me was hoping that you tested on the cocktail setting giving me hope I wouldn’t have to return the Iceman. 😂

[@makeanddrink]

They don’t appear to all be equal. If yours works I’d keep it. I’ve had several Ninja owners tell me their machines couldn’t make recipes I’ve shared that worked in my machine.

[@Kastrius]

one thing you only glossed over was the Iceman was only at Costco, and if you don't Costco membership, they are actually pretty close in price.

[@makeanddrink]

I mentioned more than once about being available at Costco for this price, and that the only reason to consider it would be Costco’s return policy. Since I ultimately did not think it was worth it for $199 with a lifetime return policy at Costco, the fact that you can buy it for more money elsewhere seems irrelevant, IMO at least.

[@dougheathcote-i6o]

Also at London drugs in Bc

[@Mildern]

For the Hurricane did you put the Iceman all the way to the lowest temperature setting? I'm curious if that would work or not. I was able to get a mudslide and tequila sunrise to both slush really well when I turned the temp down to 14 F.

[@makeanddrink]

Coldest temp was used. It’s not about the cocktail you put in it but the drinks overall ABV and % sugar. I could have added water and it would have worked, but this drink was 10% ABV and 10 degrees brix. That should be easy.

[@Mildern]

@@makeanddrink Ah.. yeah my main reason for buying this is frozen cocktails. I figured I'd buy it and test it out for a few months until I can get a Ninja... best case it works great and I save $100. Worst case, it sucks and I return it.

[@makeanddrink]

I’ve had probably a dozen comments form Ninja owners that recipes I’ve shared that I know work did not work for them. And I know people that have sent them into Ninja for replacements. It doesn’t seem that all machines are equal, and it very well may be the machine I have doesn’t work as well as others.

[@MATRIXXXMATRIXXX-t3b]

I guarantee my slushies are better without that machine. It's a waste of time and money

[@makeanddrink]

Well… you can’t really make slushies without a slushie machine.

[@nickmartin8495]

@@makeanddrinkvery true.. the only other way I’ve made them is with an ice cream maker but you can only make 2 servings at a time and not any easier than the Ninja which can make up to 8 servings at a time.

[@vvvprince9487]

With the issues with the hurricane, did you use the custom setting or the cocktail setting?

[@XRKGX]

Just get the ninja so much better

[@kayleethebabe]

I think most of us would..however it’s chronically sold out lol.