As you know, you can find slushies at convenience stores, cinemas, and theme parks but not everyone wants to leave their house every time they fancy a delicious icy beverage. If you want a slush puppie machine for home use, this article is for you.
The history of Slush Puppie
We have to go back to 1970 for the invention of the Slush Puppie. A smart fellow named Will Radcliff came up with the idea and his vision was that the brand would feature a cartoon dog as the logo. Mr. Radcliff invested all of his savings to found the company – a grand total of $970!
At the time, there were other iced drinks on the market but his Slush Puppie was different in that it was a non-carbonated drink created flavored with syrups and mixed in a machine before being frozen.
On its release, there were only four flavors available: cherry, grape, orange, and lemon-lime. Fast forward to 2018 and there are over 40 flavors on offer and the drinks are available in 62 different countries.
Not content with his huge success, Mr. Radcliff started a second company in 1986 called Lanikai Frozen Cocktails which made frozen daiquiris. The companies made him so much cash that he was able to buy 2 private jets before reaching the age of 40!
In 2000, Will sold his company to Cadbury Schweppes, and in 2006 Cadbury sold it to J & J Snack Foods. The sale of his company was big enough for him to retire and live on his ranch on 3,000 acres of Florida wetlands.
Best top-end Slush Puppie machine for home use
Margarita Girl Single-Bowl Slush Frozen Drink Machine
Our pick of the top-end Slush Puppie machines for use in your home is made by a company called Margarita Girl. Based in Houston, Texas, they have a reputation for selling extremely high-quality frozen drink machines together with soft serve machines which make ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, and sorbet.
Margarita Girl Single-Bowl Mini Size Margarita Slush Frozen Drink Machine
- High-capacity machine makes 25 CUPS of frozen margaritas and more!
- Industry-leading 2-year parts warranty backed by a U.S. service center
- Durable construction with high-impact plastic and stainless steel panels
- High-capacity machine makes 25 CUPS of frozen margaritas and more!
- Industry-leading 2-year parts warranty backed by a U.S. service center
- Durable construction with high-impact plastic and stainless steel panels
- 1/5 HP air-cooled compressor, consistency control, freeze-up protection
- 20" high x 10" wide x 12" deep; NOT INTENDED FOR COMMERCIAL USE
Margarita Girl makes machines with 25-cup, 50-cup, and 100-cup capacities but for most homes, the 25-cup version is perfectly adequate. The 50-cup and 100-cup models are more suited to commercial use and are often favored by restaurants, food trucks, and for large events that need an easy way to make single-flavor slushies.
The Margarita Girl Single-Bowl Machine is extremely easy to set up and use and is also pretty versatile, too. In addition to its slushie-making function, it can also be used to make frozen cocktails such as margaritas (hence the name).
The single-batch size of 25 cups works out at around 6 liters which should be more than enough but if you have a massive family or need a Slush Puppie machine for light commercial use, you can opt for the 50-cup or 100-cup versions.
As we mentioned already, you can make any kind of frozen drink you can think of with this machine. The only thing to keep in mind is that you must have a minimum of 15 percent sugar content to ensure the correct consistency.
When you’re finished with your machine, it’s simple to disassemble so you can wash each of the individual components to keep the machine hygienic.
The machine is extremely durable and is made to stand the test of time without any decline in performance. The exterior panels are made from easy-to-clean stainless steel and high-impact plastic but if there are any issues, it comes with a 3-year warranty on the compressor parts and a 2-year warranty on all its other parts.
Regarding the technical stuff, it’s fitted with a 1/5 HP air-cooled compressor which is very powerful for a non-commercial machine. It measures 20″ x 10″ x 12″ and weighs 40 pounds.
Best mid-range Slush Puppie machine for home use
Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker with No Brainer Mixer (DM0700)
If you don’t need a super-high-capacity machine, this slush puppie machine for home use from Margaritaville is a wonderful product and has proven to be extremely popular.
Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker with No Brainer Mixer, DM0700
- FROZEN DRINK MAKER: Nothing captures island-inspired delight like this versatile frozen beverage maker
- PRECISE MEASUREMENTS: No-brainer mixer is designed with markings up the side for precise measurements
- FROZEN DRINK MAKER: Nothing captures island-inspired delight like this versatile frozen beverage maker
- PRECISE MEASUREMENTS: No-brainer mixer is designed with markings up the side for precise measurements
- EASY TO USE: Easy to use with automatic and manual controls that shaves and blends, blends only, or shaves only; automatic shave and blend cycle mixes the perfect amounts of ice with ingredients; manual features allow you to choose between blend or shave only
- EASY TO POUR JAR: Features easy-pour jar for a quick, clean pour without the hassle of removing/replacing the lid
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: Bahamas margarita machine includes 1 36-ounce pitcher and 1 no-brainer measuring cup; (L x W x H): 14 x 9 x 18 inches
It is designed to make slushies but it certainly doesn’t end there! It can make frozen cocktails, frozen juices, and Slurpees and it can even shave the ice to produce snow cones.
The Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker is fitted with a 450-watt motor which does a grand job of shaving the ice and mixing the ingredients. The company no longer makes battery-powered models but they can still be used for tailgating when plugged into the cigarette lighter adapter of your car.
At the time of writing, the DM0700 comes with 4 containers and 2 lids. They are all made from a shatterproof material that can easily withstand the occasional accident. The four jars are a 36 oz blender jar (with an easy-pour hatch, a No-Brainer mixing jar (with exact measurements to make drinks), an ice reservoir (with a secure locking mechanism), and a rear ice-melt reservoir (to channel away melted ice).
One of the most important parts of slushie makers is the cutting blades and the DM0700 definitely ticks that box. It has 2 sets which are made from the best quality stainless steel which stay sharp and shouldn’t need replacing for many years.
The Margaritaville Bahamas measures 18″ x 14″ x 9″ and weighs 18 pounds and has a jar capacity of 36 oz. It comes with a 1-year limited warranty but you shouldn’t need this as the machine should easily last for 4 or 5 years with normal usage.
For the money, the DM0700 is the best value Slush Puppie maker available today and if you don’t believe us, then check out the reviews from hundreds of happy customers on Amazon.
You may also like to know that Margaritaville has 3 other models currently: the DM1900 (Key West), the DM3500 (Bali), and the DM3000 (Tahiti). These machines also have very high ratings on Amazon but the DM0700 (Bahamas) is the cheapest.
Best budget Slush Puppie machine for home use
Nostalgia RSM650 COKE 32-Ounce Slush Drink Maker
If you are on a budget or do not intend to use your Slush Puppie maker very often, the cheapest option is the Nostalgia RSM650. In addition to making slushy Coca-Cola, it can make any type of slushie beverage.
Nostalgia RSM650COKE Coca-Cola 32-Ounce Slush Drink Maker
- Makes up to 32 ounces of your favorite slush drinks
- Easy flow spout dispenses consistently smooth frozen drinks
- Tank detached from base for easy cleanup
- Includes detachable cup rest and drip tray
- Uses crushed ice and salt to freeze your favorite sugar based drinks and juices
- Makes up to 32 ounces of your favorite slush drinks
- Easy flow spout dispenses consistently smooth frozen drinks
- Tank detached from base for easy cleanup
- Includes detachable cup rest and drip tray
- Uses crushed ice and salt to freeze your favorite sugar based drinks and juices
- Convenient cord storage
The Nostalgia is a great machine for the tiny price and features an easy flow spout (to dispense icy drinks perfectly every time), and a detachable tank (which makes it very easy to clean).
This mini slushy maker has a capacity of 32 ounces. It is not equipped with a condenser as it uses crushed ice to freeze your drinks. It is made from BPA-free material and comes with a detachable cup rest and drip tray.
This RSM650 is the smallest Slush Puppie maker on our list, so is a great choice if you don’t have much room. It’s really easy to clean and maintain, measures 8″ x 9″ x 17″ and weighs a mere 5.25 pounds.
For the money, the Nostalgia RSM650 COKE is a steal and a great option to make all kinds of frozen drinks including cocktails and fruity slushies without breaking the bank!
A big thanks for our featured image Refreshing Slush Puppie Flickr photo by Paultons Park shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license and for Slush Puppies Flickr photo by subherwal shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license.
If you liked this article, you may also enjoy reading about the best coffee makers for the money from our gear section.
