Pro tips for perfect slush

Sugar controls the texture. Aim for roughly 120–160 g of sugar per litre of mix — too little and it freezes solid, too much and it never sets.

Diet and sugar-free drinks won't slush on their own — sugar is what makes it freeze right. There's a hard minimum of about 10 g of sugar per 250 ml (≈4%) just to get a slush at all; aim higher, toward the 120–160 g/L texture sweet spot, by stirring in syrup or juice.

Alcohol works like antifreeze. Keep the whole batch below about 10% ABV — roughly 1 part spirit to at least 3 parts mixer — or it will never freeze.

Cold in, cold out. Chill juices, milk and syrups in the fridge first — cold ingredients freeze faster and give a smoother texture.

Start with a cold bowl and cold mix. On machines with a pre-chill/pre-cool cycle, run that first; on the Ninja SLUSHi, just pour in well-chilled mix and start — it cools and churns at the same time.

Never fill past the max line — the paddles need room to churn the slush evenly.

Blend chunky ingredients (fruit, candy bars, cookies) into a smooth liquid before adding them — the machine churns, it doesn't crush.

Using fizzy drinks? Let them go flat first (or stir the bubbles out) — carbonation expands and messes with the texture.

Be patient with big batches or warm rooms — the first beep can mean 'frozen enough', not 'as thick as it gets'. Let it churn longer for a firmer slush.

Too thin and never setting? That's usually too much alcohol or too much sugar — or the mix went in warm. Add more unsweetened mixer (or dilute the alcohol), make sure everything's cold, and let it keep churning.

Frozen rock-hard or grainy? It usually needs more sugar. Stir in a little syrup (not plain water, which freezes harder) and lower the freeze level a step.

Always stir the mix well before pouring it in — otherwise syrup can sink to the bottom and freeze unevenly.

Use the temperature arrows to tune the texture — down for a sippable slush, up for a thick, spoonable one.

Keep the program running until every glass is poured — the slush dispenses more easily and cleanup gets much simpler.

Add zest, garnishes and toppings after freezing, straight into the glass — full aroma without watering anything down. Chilled glasses keep it slushy longer.

Rinse and clean right after use — dried residue is stubborn and can affect the taste and texture of the next batch.