Slush and Smoothie Makers

Best Commercial Frozen Drink & Slush Machine Reviews – 2021

Consider this situation: You own a shop that sells the best (or even the only) Frozen Drink and slushy based drinks or smoothies in town.

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Thousands of people shop there daily to where the volume gets so out of control that it can be difficult to make enough slush drinks and smoothies for everybody who comes in.

This results in people waiting and getting frustrated.

Slushie machine
Four commercial slush machines lined up in a row.

All of a sudden your shop gets bad reviews. People still come in, but they only do so out of obligation.

The second they know of a better place, they are gone.

How can you prevent this from happening?

By possessing a device that is as optimized as it can be when it comes to making frozen drinks and slushies.

Editorā€™s Recommendation: Top 5 Commercial Frozen Drink & Slushie Machines

Commercial Slushy MachineĀ And Smoothie Makers – A Buying Guide

Ordering just any smoothie and slushie machine because it is in-style or because it can do a lot of things is not a good idea.

If you do something like that, youā€™ll likely be faced with needing to get another slush and smoothie maker sometime in the future.

Slushy maker
This slushy maker allows for easy dispensing.

When you purchase one of these devices and get it put in, you need to be aware of a few things and keep them in mind.

Will you be making slush drinks, smoothies, or both?

Not everything is equal when it comes to these machines, and certain machines specialize in slush drinks and other machines specialize in making Frozen Drink.

The best thing you can do is determine which of these two beverages you will be making when choosing your machine.

If you intend to make both slush drinks as well as smoothies, youā€™ll want to obviously choose a machine that can make both beverages well.

But what if you make one kind of beverage more than the other? In that case, youā€™ll still want a machine that can make both smoothies and slush drinks.

Will the Commercial machine be easy to clean?

Frozen Drink or Slush type drinks and smoothies take a certain amount of sugar to make.

When sugar dries up and hardens, it can be very, very difficult to clean.

Sugar can also ferment when it dries up, and even worse, it can create mold.

When sugar it is inside small corners that are difficult to clean, bad things can happen.

When you select a slush and smoothie maker, you need to ask yourself if it will be easy to clean the machine after using it.

This is especially true if you will be using it regularly and often.

What kind of capacities are best for you?

Different slushy makers have different capacities, and it is important to know what kinds of capacities you need in your slushy maker.

You might think that more is better when it comes to this kind of thing, but you would be wrong. If you are not planning on serving a lot of beverages through your slushy maker and you get one that has too large a capacity, and youā€™ll wind up throwing out a lot of the ingredients that go into the slushy maker.

If you get a slushy maker that does not have a large enough capacity, and youā€™ll need to refill it constantly.

The best thing to do is to look for a slushy maker that has just enough capacity to be able to be used for long periods of time, but not too much to where you find yourself throwing away excess ingredients.
Something like this may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how much it is overlooked.

Top 10 Best Commercial Frozen Drink or Slushie Machine Reviews

1. Happybuy 110V Commercial Slushy Machine, 1600W Frozen Drink Machine, 24L Double Tank Stainless Steel...

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If you want a slushie machine that is designed for commercial use, look no further than Happybuyā€™s slushy maker. Containing a wide margin of variable temperatures, youā€™ll be able to use it to make any kind of frozen drink. It reaches temperatures as low as 28.4 degrees to 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes for a solid amount of versatility.

You will also not need to worry about capacity at all with Happybuyā€™s machine. Containing two 12 liter tanks, youā€™ll be able to place any kind of mix into these tanks and not worry about refilling them for the entire day. It is perfect if you only intend on serving particular cold drinks.

Happybuy 110V Commercial Slushy Machine, 1600W Frozen Drink Machine, 24L Double Tank Stainless Steel...
  • Sushy Machine with 24L/6.34Gal: Capacity: 12LX2 Tanks; Cold Power: 400W; Cold Temperature: -2ā„ƒ TO 3ā„ƒ(28.4ā„‰ TO 37.4ā„‰); slush comes during 30min-45min.
  • High Efficiency for Your Business or Family Party: Double-sided refrigeration system lead to the fast refrigeration and high efficiency of producing slush,perfect for your summer frozen drink business.

Although it is well constructed, Happybuyā€™s machine will not be easy to clean. The drip pans will need to be emptied constantly if it gets regular use, as they are not deep enough compared to the capacities of the tanks.

To clean Happybuyā€™s slush machine, youā€™ll need to do one of two things: Either use some kind of brush to clean the inside parts of the tanks and dispensing spouts, or take the tanks apart somehow and clean them that way. If you choose the latter option, youā€™ll spend a lot of energy taking apart the massive tanks to clean them. And because of its size, youā€™ll want to clean Happybuyā€™s slush machine a lot.

2. Slush Machine- Slushie Machine with Two 15L Tanks, 110V and 60Hz, Make the Perfect Fine Ice Slushies...

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A common issue that slushy machines with a lot of capacity share are that although they do not need to be refilled, it can be difficult for them to be as versatile in their drink making capacity as they should be.

US Solid decisively solves this issue with its slushy maker. Containing settings for both tanks on the side of the machine that controls the temperatures of the mix in the tanks as well as how soft and how hard you want the final product to be. This is really useful if you want to make different kinds of frozen drinks in each tank.

US Solidā€™s machine is also easy to clean. The tanks are removable, which makes cleaning the tanks themselves as well as everything around the tanks much easier than other slush machine tanks that cannot be removed. If you need a slushie machine that does not need to be refilled constantly and that can be easily taken apart and cleaned, you should consider US Solidā€™s machine.

Slush Machine- Slushie Machine with Two 15L Tanks, 110V and 60Hz, Make the Perfect Fine Ice Slushies...
  • SLUSHIE: A slushie is a drink composed mostly of fine ice crystals; It is an uncarbonated beverage that is made by freezing a non-carbonated juice or other liquid; Most commonly made with water and a colorful syrup.
  • SLUSHIE MACHINE: A slushie machine is a piece of equipment that makes fine ice slushies and frozen drinks; The U.S. Solid slushie machine is great to use in your bar, restaurant, or gas station.

The problem with US Solidā€™s slush machine is that youā€™ll need to probably clean it a lot. Why is this? There is a lot of distance between the dispense spout and the drip pan, which means using US Solidā€™s slushie machine will result in a lot of splashing. Prepare to clean around it constantly because of this.

3. Margaritaville Tahiti Margarita Machine-for Margaritas, Smoothies, and Frozen Drinks, 3 24-Ounce...

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Most slushie machines resemble one or more tanks of mix that get emptied into cups, similar to a soda fountain or a regular blender. While something like this is fine for a store or other high-volume establishment, it is less than impressive in a home or low-volume establishment.

Not just a margarita machine. Can create 6 plus different drink types (margarita, daiquiri, colada, mudslide, mojito, smoothie)

Margaritavilleā€™s slush making machine adds a little bit of style to making frozen beverages. Greatly departing from the traditional tank design, three blending jars that resemble mugs are placed on a platform that is connected to one tank which holds the frozen drink mix. The position in the center connects to the one tank where the drink mix is dispensed.
Blade material is stainless-steel construction.

This is much more impressive looking and much more compact than the traditional slushy maker. The blending jars are easy to clean and so is the rest of the maker when compared to other slushy makers.

Margaritaville Tahiti Margarita Machine-for Margaritas, Smoothies, and Frozen Drinks, 3 24-Ounce...
  • Three 24-ounce blending jars automatically creates of 72-ounce of frozen drink per cycle
  • Capability to create 6 plus different drink types (margarita, daiquiri, colada, mudslide, mojito, smoothie)

There are also a lot of settings for Margaritavilleā€™s slush machine. It has settings for six different frozen drinks, so versatility is not sacrificed with Margaritavilleā€™s slush machine in the slightest. Just like most traditional slushie machines, it will be able to make a variety of drinks just the same.

Margaritavilleā€™s slush machine is only really designed for small, low-volume establishments and areas. Only being able to produce 72 ounces of finished frozen drink product, it is not suitable for any high-volume location in the slightest.

4. BRAVO ITALIA 2 BOWLS SLUSHIE MACHINE, 6.4 Gallons

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A lot of slushy makers do not come with fill lines on their tanks or bowls. While it may seem like common sense to know when a tank or bowl is completely full, it does help to know when a tank or a bowl is at its max capacity.

Different than other slushie machines, Bravo Italiaā€™s machine does contain a fill line on their bowls. While this seems like a feature that is less than impressive, it is actually very helpful when determining how much mix to actually put into their bowls.

Bravo Italiaā€™s slushy maker is also very compact and it will not take a lot of effort to clean when compared to other slushy makers. The bowls are easy to take apart and clean. The machine itself is also very small and you will not need to worry about it getting too dirty.

However, Bravo Italiaā€™s slushie machine does not have the capacity that other machines of its type contains. The maximum capacity for each bowl is only 3.2 gallons, which is a lot lower than the capacities of the average slush machine that contains two bowls.

Bravo Italiaā€™s slushie machine has settings for each bowl, but these settings also fall short of the settings that are seen on other slush machines of its kind. On/off switches are located on the side of the machine and on the front of it, but there are no other settings for it.

5. Margaritaville Mixed Drink Maker

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Slushy makers tend to struggle when making alcoholic drinks. While it is possible for you to add alcohol to whatever mix you want and place that in any given slushy maker tank or bowl, the trouble begins when situations call for multiple alcoholic drinks need to be made.

Margaritavilleā€™s mixed drink maker addresses this in two ways. First, it contains four small tanks for mixers for whatever liquor you want to mix it with. This results in nearly hundreds of different options when it comes to mixing drinks. The mixed drink maker is perfect for small social events that call for a very quick way to make cocktails. Itā€™s very close to having an automated bartender.

If you donā€™t know what kinds of cocktails you can make, have no fear. The mixed drink maker comes with a comprehensive list of cocktail recipes.

Margaritaville Mixed Drink Maker
  • Now your party guests can be their own bartender with the margaritaville mixed drink maker featuring 48 recipe options created by margaritaville bartenders.
  • At the press of a button, watch drink recipes come to life as this, first-of-its-kind innovation dispenses perfectly proportioned cocktails fast

The mixed drink maker only has one specific purpose: Making cocktails. It is not really designed for anything else. If you are looking for a slushy maker that can make smoothies or beverages like it, youā€™ll need to look elsewhere.

Also, the mixed drink maker does not really make significantly large cocktails. The bottom part of the maker is designed to only fit glasses that are right around 5 inches in height. If you need to make a lot of drinks with it, prepare to have a lot of small glasses on hand.

6. ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker, Compact Make and Serve Cup with Freezer Core Creates...

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There are hardly any slushy makers that can be taken on the go. If they donā€™t resemble giant bowls or tanks that pump out mixtures for many people to consume, they usually come in the form of smaller station type contraptions that specialize in making certain frozen drinks.

Zokuā€™s slush and shake maker changes all this. Resembling a cup, its freezer core will literally transform any mix that is placed into it into a frozen beverage. Accomplishing this requires nothing more than stirring whatever mix that is put inside of it with a spoon. Zokuā€™s slushy maker is perfect for anybody who wants to enjoy a slush type beverage on the go without needing to go to a place that contains its machine type counterparts.

ZOKU Original Slush and Shake Maker, Compact Make and Serve Cup with Freezer Core Creates...
  • FROZEN TREATS FAST: The Zoku Slush & Shake Maker can make refreshing slushies, milkshakes, frozen alcoholic drinks and healthy fruit smoothies in as little 7 minutes right on your countertop
  • COMPACT AND CONVENIENT: Make and enjoy your slush right from the 8-ounce container; the Slush and Shake Maker takes up as much space as a regular cup, no bulky equipment or electrical outlet needed

However, as you can imagine, Zokuā€™s shake maker cup is literally only for personal use. There is no way youā€™ll be able to serve multiple slush type beverages from it at all. If you are looking for a slushy maker that can make slush type beverages for more than one person, do not even bother with Zokuā€™s shake and slushy maker.

Additionally, Zokuā€™s shake maker takes some time to ā€œcharge.ā€ in order for its freezer core to work properly, youā€™ll need to leave it in the freezer for at least 8 hours. This means you actually need to plan when you want to make your frozen beverage.

7. Nostalgia RSM650COKE 32- Ounce Slush Drink Maker, 32 oz, Coke Red

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Itā€™s no secret that most slushy makers are not impressive to look at. Whenever anybody thinks of a slushy maker, they think of nothing more than a boring looking machine that has next to nothing to offer in the aesthetics department.

Nostalgiaā€™s slushy maker changes all of this. True to its brand name, it looks like what most smoothie dispensers may have looked like in the days of old. Adorned with the Coca-Cola logo and containing a retro looking sign that reads ā€œdelicious and refreshingā€ at the top, Nostalgiaā€™s slushy maker will turn eyes whenever anybody sees it.

Cleaning up Nostalgiaā€™s slushy maker is also much easier than it is to clean most other slushy makers. The tank directly detaches from the base, making it very easy to clean.

Nostalgia RSM650COKE 32- Ounce Slush Drink Maker, 32 oz, Coke Red
  • Makes up to 32 ounces of your favorite slush drinks
  • Easy flow spout dispenses consistently smooth frozen drinks

Youā€™ll be limited to only being able to make 32 ounces of slush type beverages with Nostalgiaā€™s slushy maker, however. While it is a good choice for the home or maybe a very small establishment, it is ineffective in the environment of a larger establishment.

Even worse, Nostalgiaā€™s slushy maker does not contain the amount of options that other slushy makers possess. There are no temperature controls or anything else that can alter the kinds of slush type beverages you can make with it.

8. Omega OFS30 Commercial 1/2-Horsepower 980-Watt Granita Machine with 3 3-Gallon Bowls

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Most slushy makers that are designed for large establishments usually have two tanks or bowls.

While this provides some kind of variety among the kinds of slush and smoothie type beverages that can be served from these machines, there is always room for more variety, especially in establishments that see a lot of volumes.

The kind of slushy maker that Omega Juicers offers contains not two bowls, but three. This greatly improves the different types of beverages that can be served from the machine. Having one more option for a beverage may not seem like much, but anybody who owns any kind of establishment that serves frozen beverages knows how valuable options are.

Omega OFS30 Commercial 1/2-Horsepower 980-Watt Granita Machine with 3 3-Gallon Bowls
  • Commercial-grade granita machine with 1/2-horsepower, 980-watt motor
  • 3 separate 3-gallon containers; rotating blades create perfect slushy consistency

There are also plenty of necessary settings on Omega Juicersā€™ slush machine. With options to either stir the mix inside of the tanks or slow down the stir and freeze it a little more, it is possible to serve all kinds of frozen beverages in it. This is very useful if you are hosting a crowd who enjoys a diverse amount of frozen beverages.

The only real drawback to Omega Juicersā€™ slushy maker is that the three tanks are less than optimal in their capacity. Each tank only holds three gallons of mix, so you will likely need to refill it very often if many people are being served.

9. Margarita Girl Double-Bowl Mini Size Frozen Slushy Drink Machine - Versatile High-Capacity Model...

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Serving margaritas just does not feel right when the slush from the mix comes from an unimpressive looking slushie machine. Serving margaritas is a much better experience when the appearance of the machine that makes the drinks actually matches the festive mood.

The problem with most of the more appealing margarita machines is that they have next to nothing to offer in terms of capacity. Many of them can only make a few drinks at a time, making it stressful to serve drinks to many people.

Margarita Girlā€™s frozen drink machine combines the utility of the bigger slush drink machines with the appearance of slush drink machines that are designed for special occasions. It is designed like most of the bigger slush drink machines, but its solid black exterior adorned with the logo on the front makes it look a little more impressive than most other machines of its kind.

Something else that Margarita Girlā€™s slush machine possesses is an air compression that protects the mix inside of the bowls from freezing too much. There is nothing more inconvenient than frozen drinks that are too frozen when they are dispensed, and Margarita Girlā€™s frozen drink machine prevents this from happening.

Margarita Girlā€™s frozen drink machine can only make margarita-type drinks, however. It does not have the kinds of options that other frozen drink machines possess, which can be inconvenient.

10. BUNN 34000.0001 ULTRA-2 120V LITED Black Finish/Stainless Steel Finish Ultra Gourmet Ice Systems...

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A lot of slushie machines have options for adjusting the thickness of the beverages that they make, but most of the time these options do not adjust this kind of thickness very effectively.

Thickness adjustment settings for most slushy makers are negligible with no noticeable differences in the thickness. And if the settings do yield a difference, the settings affect all of the tanks in the machine.

Bunnā€™s slush machine addresses this issue in two ways. First, it has thickness settings for each of its two tanks. This is very nice if you want to make two different beverages. It also has an LCD display next to each tank that will tell you how cold each tank is. This will give you an objective measure as to how cold and thick the mix in each tank is, which you can then adjust accordingly.

Each tank of Bunnā€™s slushie machine holds 3 gallons. While this is an average capacity, this means it can only serve medium sized crowds. If you are looking for a slushy maker that is ideal for large crowds, youā€™ll probably want to select a machine with larger tanks.

Bunnā€™s slush machine is also a little louder than other slush machines. While some see this as negligible, this can be annoying to others.

More Things To Consider When Choosing A Slushy Maker

More Things To Consider When Choosing A Slush Maker

What kinds of thickness levels will you need?

Not all frozen beverages are created equal, and nothing sets them apart more than different thickness levels of the beverage.

Different thickness levels can greatly affect the overall texture of certain frozen beverages, and youā€™ll need to figure out if you need a slushy maker that has different thickness levels.

This is especially true if you are using a slushy maker to make beverages for large groups. In this case, youā€™ll want a machine that has varying thickness levels.

Youā€™ll also want to know what kinds of frozen beverages youā€™ll need to make. Different thickness levels are optimal for different frozen beverages, and youā€™ll want to be aware of that.

Will you use the slushy maker inside or outside?

Setting up a slushy maker outside is much different than setting one up inside.

If you set one up outside, youā€™ll need to deal with different kinds of elements. Youā€™ll need to deal with heat and humidity levels that you may not witness when using one inside.

This could greatly affect the quality of the frozen beverages you are serving out of it, to where they may lose thickness or not be as cold as they could be.

Youā€™ll also want a machine that can be cleaned easily if you intend to use it outside, as the amounts of sugar involved in making most frozen beverages can attract bugs and other pests if they are not cleaned right away.

More Things To Consider When Choosing A Slush Maker

Can you use one temperature, or will you need to use adjustable temperatures?

Different temperatures can affect the quality of frozen beverages just like different thickness levels do.

In fact, most of the time, these two traits work together. A colder frozen beverage can often appear a lot more thick than those that are not as cold.

Like with most other features, your necessity for adjustable temperatures depends mostly on who you are serving with your slush machine.

If you are only make one type of beverage for yourself and maybe a small group of people, you could probably get away with using a machine with just one temperature.

However, if you believe you need to make many types of frozen beverages for a lot of people, youā€™ll almost need your machine to have adjustable temperatures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • How much does a slush machine cost?

A: The answer to this question largely depends on how big the machine is, what kinds of beverages it can make, and what kinds of features the machine has. A machine that is designed to serve a lot of frozen beverages and that also possesses many features that allow it to serve a very diverse array of beverages can cost upwards of $3000. However, a smaller contraption that can only serve one kind of frozen beverage to a small group will only cost a few hundred.

  • How does a slush machine work?

A: Similar to a soda fountain machine, there are many operations that a slush machine uses to transform frozen drink mix into a frozen drink. In most machines, the mix is stored in a tank or a bowl where it gets processed through a series of piping mechanisms that cools the mix. The mix is then dispensed after it is cooled to whatever temperature the machine yields.

  • Are Icee drinks and slushie drinks the same?

A: Not quite. Think of a slushie drink as a somewhat frozen beverage. If it melts, it will often resemble the liquid that existed before it was frozen. Slushie drinks are also smooth in their texture, being nearly as cold as sherbet ice cream but not quite. Icee drinks, on the other hand, use ice flakes in their recipes, making their texture a little more rough.

  • Is there a difference between ices and slushies?

A: As mentioned earlier, the major difference is in the texture. Both use the same kind of mix, a syrup like substance that is processed with water and ice. The ice materials in slushie drinks are somewhat smoothed out, giving it a smooth texture while also being very cold. Think of a slushie as sherbet ice cream that is not completely frozen. Icee drinks use ice crystals in their processing, which gives it a more crunchy texture.

The Final Word On Slushy Makers – Our Personal Recommendation

Just like no frozen beverages are the same, no two slushy making machines are the same.

Different slushy making machines make different frozen beverages in different ways. Some of them are designed for commercial use, being adorned with giant tanks for the frozen drink mix that rarely needs to be refilled.

Other machines are for personal use, being able to mix specific kinds of frozen beverages.

And along with the different kinds of machines come all kinds of different features. Different thickness levels and temperatures can also affect the quality of the frozen beverages that these machines can create.

If you know what kinds of frozen beverages you need to make and how many people you need to serve, youā€™ll have a much easier time selecting from the very diverse array of slushy making machines that are out there.

And finally, our personal recommendation is:

Happybuy 110V Commercial Slushy Machine, 1600W Frozen Drink Machine, 24L Double Tank Stainless Steel...
  • Sushy Machine with 24L/6.34Gal: Capacity: 12LX2 Tanks; Cold Power: 400W; Cold Temperature: -2ā„ƒ TO 3ā„ƒ(28.4ā„‰ TO 37.4ā„‰); slush comes during 30min-45min.
  • High Efficiency for Your Business or Family Party: Double-sided refrigeration system lead to the fast refrigeration and high efficiency of producing slush,perfect for your summer frozen drink business.

Have fun drinking!

Last update on 2024-03-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. WaterFilterly is user-supported. We might receive a commission on any purchase you make through clicking links on this page.

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