IFA: Ninja announces slush machine for the home

Slush drinks (English for "slush") are a hit with children. The semi-frozen drinkable ice cream can be bought at the cinema, at parties or at holiday resorts. The American manufacturer SharkNinja has now developed a slush machine for home use. It will soon be available in Europe too.

The highlight: you only have to pour in liquids and not additional ice as with other models. The original consistency is therefore not watered down. The Ninja Slushi was launched in the USA a few weeks ago at a price of 300 dollars - and has been on sale ever since.

According to the US website, it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. In the press documents for Europe, the manufacturer is more cautious and speaks of 30 minutes. For larger quantities, the second value is certainly more realistic. The result is then circulated and remains cool for up to 12 hours. Different programmes can be selected for slush, drinks with alcohol, iced coffee or milkshakes.

Perfect consistency for the test drink

At the IFA tech fair in Berlin, I was able to try an exotic fruit slush that was prepared directly on site. The consistency is particularly impressive: like liquid ice cream, nice and smooth. I can't feel any frozen chunks, as is sometimes the case with poorly adjusted machines or when preparing with crushed ice.

As an insider tip, the product manager tells me that I should definitely try a rosé slush. It tastes delicious. In the USA, ready-made margarita or daiquiri mixes are often used. But it also works with fruit juices, soft drinks, syrup or mixed cocktails.

Important to know: The Ninja only works with sugary drinks, otherwise the vaporiser will ice up and the machine will switch off. Four per cent sugar is the minimum. Too much alcohol does not work either. A sensor measures the content and indicates if there are too many per cent.

The parts can all be easily dismantled and washed in the dishwasher. This is important, as sugary and sticky drinks are usually prepared in the machine.

Despite the fact that it can be used twice - in the afternoon at a children's birthday party and in the evening at a garden party - the question naturally arises: will the not-so-cheap slushi really be used very often? Or will it soon gather dust in the cellar next to the chocolate fountain and mini pizza table grill?