Last summer social media was flooded with videos of brightly coloured slushies pouring from one and the same machine. That machine is the Ninja SLUSHi, a countertop frozen-drink maker from SharkNinja. It was officially unveiled on 11 July 2024, and ever since the launch batches have sold out again and again: in the UK the first Currys shipment vanished in 12 hours, while the waiting list on Ninja's own site swelled past 20,000 people. Let's look at what this gadget actually is and whether it deserves a spot on your counter.
No ice required
An ordinary blender makes slush from ice, and by the bottom of the cup your drink has turned into tinted water. The Ninja works differently. Inside sits a metal cylinder with compressor cooling (Ninja calls the technology RapidChill and WhisperChill): the liquid freezes to the wall in a thin layer while an auger scrapes off the ice crystals and stirs the mixture. No ice, no blades. The flavour never gets watered down, and a finished slush holds its consistency for up to 12 hours — pour it in the morning and keep topping up guests all day.
The European FS301EU version holds 2.5 litres (you can fill it up to 1.9 l). A single cycle yields "7+ servings", and one serving takes roughly 15–30 minutes.
Five modes
The FS301EU has five presets for different drinks:
- Slush — the classic slushie from juice or fizzy drink;
- Frozen Cocktail — frozen cocktails, from margarita to piña colada;
- Frappé — coffee frappés;
- Milkshake — milkshakes;
- Frozen Juice — frozen juice.
The removable parts are dishwasher-safe and there's a rinse cycle. Usually it's the hassle of cleaning that kills gadgets like this after the second use, but that isn't an issue here.
What the TikToks don't mention
There are a few things worth knowing before you buy, or your first attempt will fall flat.
- The machine needs sugar. For the mixture to set into a proper slush it needs to contain roughly 4% sugar or more. Plain water or a fully diet fizzy drink won't give you a decent texture.
- Minimum fill is around 470 ml. This isn't a single-cup machine — you'll be making a batch for the whole group. Tom's Guide reviewers stress this point separately.
- For alcoholic versions the drink's strength should stay within 2.8–16%, and the alcohol itself should not exceed around 120 ml per recipe serving.
What the testers say
TechRadar praises the machine for its quiet operation and for drinks that are "never watered down, unlike blender slushies", but warns that the unit is bulky and tall and may not fit under wall cabinets. Tom's Guide puts it more bluntly: "there's nothing like it on the market", and the machine "lives up to the hype". CNN Underscored called it "a small luxury I didn't know I needed": the control panel removes all guesswork from the process.
One downside recurs in every review — or rather two: the size and the sugar story.
How much it costs
The official EU price hovers around €229.99. In Estonia the machine is available at Euronics: the base tag is €369.99, but a club promotion drops it to the same €229.99. In Ireland, for comparison, it goes for €349.99, and in the UK for £299.99 (about €351). The spread between markets is wide, so it's worth comparing local offers before you buy.
For anyone who finds 2.5 litres too little, Ninja has already released larger versions: the SLUSHi XL, the SLUSHi Max with six programs and a "smart" SlushAssist sensor, and the Twist with two tanks, which makes two flavours at once and blends them.
Who should buy it
You couldn't call the Ninja SLUSHi a kitchen all-rounder. It's a niche piece for people who genuinely love frozen drinks: backyard parties, summer cocktails, weekend frappés. If slush appears in your home a couple of times a year, the €230 tag and the space for a bulky body aren't worth it. But for a family that hosts get-togethers every weekend, this is exactly the rare gadget that won't end up gathering dust in a cupboard after the first week.
