Slushie machines are very popular right now and there are many different models on the market and come in all different price ranges. I first saw one in action at a graduation party for a family friend and thought we needed one. However, my wife did not think we would get much use out of it. When I had the opportunity to test out the new VFS001 slushie machine by Vibvrofrost, I jumped at the chance to not only drink some slushies, but also determine if a slushie machine is really worth having in the home.

The Vibrofrost VFS001 Slushie Machine comes with the following:

Using the VFS001 is very easy. Just follow the quick start guide which explains how to clean and prepare the slushie machine for its first use. After that, you basically just pour in the liquid mixture, select a setting, and then press start. Within about 15 -20 minutes, you are ready to enjoy your slushie. The machine comes with 5 presets: slushie, milkshake, wine, frappe, and cocktail. The slushie setting is used for soda, soft drinks, and juices while dairy and cream based beverages use the milkshake setting. Frappe is for coffee based drinks while wine and cocktail are used for drinks with alcohol. In order to get a slushie texture, drink mixtures should have at least 5% sugar or between 2% and 16% alcohol. Less sugar and the final product will freeze and too high of alcohol level will prevent the drink from freezing into a slushie mixture. You can make diet or sugar free drinks. However, you will need to add liquid allulose as directed in the recipe book. Once you select your setting, just press the start/stop button to start the process. 

In addition to the presets, you can also adjust the thickness level of your slushie. While running, press the start/stop button to pause the process and then press the ‘-‘ or ‘+’ buttons to decrease or increase the thickness level respectively. Usually start off with the lower thickness and then increase as needed to obtain the desired result. You can also select the thickness right at the start by adjusting it before pressing start.  When the slushie machine has reached its set temperature, the display will show ‘COOL’ to let you know that it is switched to the keep cold mode. The Preset button lets you set an auto start time for a delayed start. To use this, select the menu and thickness, then tap the Preset button. Use the ‘-‘ or ‘+’ buttons to set a time from 0 to 24 hours and then press start. The slushie machine will begin operation after the set time has passed. Finally, the control panel also had a child lock. This feature automatically turns on after 1 minute of operation. If you need to make any changes or stop the machine, hold down the child lock button until the light turns off and then you can use the other controls. 

Cleaning the VFS001 is also easy. After dispensing all of the slushie, stop the machine and poor in cool or room temperature water into the machine. Then select the Clean button on the control panel. The slushie machine will run a cycle for about 4 minutes without any cooling. This helps get all of the mixture out and off of the cooling cylinder and mixer. When the cycle is complete, just dispense the water. For more thorough cleaning, pull the container locks on either side and remove the container as well as the stirrer blade and the condensation catch tray. These can be hand washed or washed in a dishwasher. Be sure to NOT use a heated dry cycle or you may damage the parts. 

The VFS001 Slushie Machine comes in three different colors: space gray, antique bronze, or white. It is  available from the Vibrofrost store on Amazon for around $195. 

 My family has really enjoyed using the VFS001 slushie machine. While we don’t drink alcohol, we have been very impressed with the results. We have made all types of drinks including soda right out of the 2 liter bottle as well as fruit juices and ciders. We have even make delicious milkshakes. Part of the fun is experimenting with different things. Now when we go to the grocery store, we look for soda on sale or different varieties of juices. POG (pineapple, orange, guava) is a favorite as is POC (pineapple, orange, coconut) which has the taste of a pina colada. However, our all-time favorite is apple cider. After dispensing the slushie, we mix in a bit of Torani caramel or salted caramel syrup and make a caramel apple slushie. If I can offer a few suggestions, I recommend putting the liquids in the refrigerator to cool them down before putting them in the slushie machine. This can save a bit of time in making the slushie and for carbonated beverages such as sodas, starting off cold helps keep in more of the carbonation. However, slushies made with room temperature liquids also come out great and don’t take much longer to freeze. 

I have used other slushie machines and while they worked well, I actually like the Vibrofrost better. My adult son agrees with me and he has additional experience using slushie machines. One feature that really impressed me was that the gasket that seals the container to the machine it built into the machine. Other brands of slushie machines have an O-ring gasket that comes off. There is nothing more frustrating than pouring in a sugary liquid and having it leak all over the counter because the gasket was not seated correctly. (I know this from experience.) I also like the control lock. Having grandkids staying with us for a couple weeks, I was grateful that the lock prevented them from shutting off the machine or changing settings since they love to press buttons. While some other types of machines have more default settings, I found I rarely need all of them. Furthermore, the Vibrofrost machine lets you adjust the thickness of your slushie so you can customize to your liking. Finally, I found the VFS001 does a better job of dispensing a slushie. The shape and design of the dispenser slot just works better and there is not a lot of melted liquid that dispenses at first like with some other machines. 

After having used the Vibrofrost VFS001 slushie machine for several weeks including some family gatherings, I am very impressed with it. Our family uses it at least twice a week and because it is so simple to use and clean up, it can be used on a regular basis and not just for special occasions. In fact, we just keep it on one of the kitchen counters which also makes it more accessible and likely to be used such as by our teenagers who want something to drink afterschool. Now for the final recommendation. When I received the VFS001 slushie machine and began unboxing it, my wife asked when we were going to use it. She was very skeptical about having a kitchen appliance that was rarely used. Now she is often the one wanting to have slushies to go along with meals or just for an icy beverage. If you have ever thought about getting a slushie machine, I highly recommend the Vibrofrost VFS001 slushie machine. It is not as expensive as some popular brands of slushie machines, but it does just as good of job if not better. Not only will it be popular at your parties or other events, but will be fun for regular use. Your family will have fun experimenting with different beverages and even coming up with some of your own mixtures. 

Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample of this item for review purposes.

Source: geekdad.com