If you’re anything like me, you’ll be the first in the sun when it makes an appearance in the UK. But with the weather being so unpredictable, who can say they’re actually prepared? Well, now you can have a frozen daiquiri, creamy iced coffee, thirst-quenching juice or sweet-treat milkshake all from the comfort of your own home, and in minutes. I put the new Ninja SLUSHi to the test. No ice needed, no sharp blades, and no blending. Here’s everything you need to know.

It can make a frozen version of all your favourite drinks – a frappé, slushie, milkshake, juice, cocktail – in minutes. And it’s foolproof. It arrives fully assembled, with the only instruction being to leave it upright for two hours before use. Plus, it’s cleverly designed to not hog all the kitchen counter space. Simply plug in, turn on, add your liquid, set the mode and wait for your dream drink to pour.

Once all the drinks have been slurped, there’s a super-easy rinse cycle to clean up – you fill the vessel with cold or warm water, hit the ‘rinse’ button and immediately dispense the liquid, repeating until the condenser is clear. Plus, all parts are dishwasher safe (except the motor base, of course).

Unlike a blender, the Ninja SLUSHi is completely ice-free. It uses Rapid Chill technology, which means your frozen drink is as smooth and flavoursome as they come – no dilution, no sharp shards, no watery dribbles. And it’s temperature-controlled to your liking.  Happy days. 

The Ninja SLUSHi is also designed with a motorbase with a WhisperChill compressor, so there’s no loud and irritating blender-like whirr as it whips up your frozen drink. And if you are entertaining, the contents can stay cold and at the right consistency for up to 12 hours. 

The Ninja SLUSHi comes with an inspiration booklet, which offers a step-by-step guide to a series of drinks but you can, of course, create your own. I rushed straight out to buy my favourite super berry smoothie and, 12 minutes later, there she was, frozen in my hands! I was also delighted to find a recipe for a dairy-free vanilla milkshake (almond milk, vanilla and sugar) and wow, it did not disappoint. 

In order to form the perfect slush consistency, the Ninja SLUSHi has a minimum sugar-content-to-liquid ratio and it cleverly detects this – alerting you if it is insufficient. That said, do not let this put you off. If you are following a low-sugar diet, certain sweeteners can be used to substitute caster sugar or top up sugar-free soft drinks, allowing the liquid to freeze smoothly. My dairy-free vanilla milkshake became a sugar-free, dairy-free, coffee-infused milkshake very simply. Who knows what I’ll be concocting next!

It can hold up to 2.5l of liquid and serve up to 7 people per batch. And even serving at that volume, it’s still suitable for small kitchens (like mine in south west London), as well as big ones!

15 to 60 minutes, depending on ingredients, volume and starting liquid temperature.

If you love frozen drinks, you will adore this gadget. With a one-touch button and zero ice requirements, I can say Ninja’s SLUSHi easily beats my traditional blender. It makes my morning iced frappé in minutes, and I love whipping up a creamy milkshake or frozen bellini for a boozy brunch. My flat will be top of the list for hosting this summer – bring on the sunshine.

★★★★★