What Is The Best Frozen Drink Machine?

Looking to find the best frozen drink machine?  There are a lot of different options available out there to you and it maybe hard to make a decision.  Following are some things that you need to look for in both home and commercial models.  Finding quality unbiased reviews can be difficult, but armed with the right information you can weed out the best from all the rest.

The Basics Of Frozen Drink Machines

There are two main kinds, commercial and home appliances.  The commercial units are aimed at bars, restaurants, party rentals, and stores that sell large quantities of margaritas, daquiries, slushies, or other frozen cocktails.  The home frozen drink machines are aimed at…well the home kitchen.  They are not you typical kitchen blender, and are built exclusively to make frozen drinks at home.  They won’t whip up a smoothie for you, but they will make a heck of a frozen margarita.

Best Commercial Frozen Drink Machines – What To Look For

If you are running a bar or restaurant, then you need a heavy duty machine that will take the wear and tear of running 365 days a year.  You also want a machine that can produce large quantities are drinks in a short order, and in large quantities – say 3 gallons plus at a time.  Having multiple types of frozen cocktails on offer at the same time may also be a requirement.

For sturdiness you will want to look for a machine that has stainless steel construction.  Some prefer the whole machine to be made of this material, while other like to have the clear plastic hoppers.   The units made out of all stainless steel are usually most durable.

It should have a good warranty – usually between 3 -5 years.  If you can get onsite repair service that is a good option as well.  The motors should be industrial strength and have a long MTBF.  Most good commercial frozen drink machines use this and is especially important for frozen drink machine rentals.

Most machines in this market will have large hoppers as well as units that can make more than one frozen drink mix at a time.  The dual hopper are nice as they typically take up less room than if you put two single hopper machines side by side.

Two of the most popular brands of frozen drink machines are Bunn and Granita.  You can find suppliers online that carry their models, and often at a discounted price from the local distributors.

Best Home Frozen Drink Machines – Things To Look For

First thing – ditch the idea of buying a kitchen blender and using it for frozen drinks.  They are not good at crushing ice which makes the consistency of your drinks wrong.  They also have cheap motors that have a tendency to burn out after trying to make too many pitchers of margaritas.  Go with a frozen drink maker – that is what they are designed to do.

The nice part of these machines is the ease of use.  You add the ice, mix, alcohol, set it and you are done.  Most of the good machines have settings that allow you to change the consistency of your frozen drink so that you can get it just right, whether you are making margaritas, daiquiris, mudslides, pina coladas, or whatever your frozen cocktail of choice is.

There are a few brands out there, but really only one stands out.  The Jimmy Buffet Frozen Concoction Maker or Margaritaville Frozen Drink Maker products is it.  There are several different models to choose from depending on the number of bells and whistles you are looking for.  They are really the innovator in this market and produce a high quality good product.

The best place to find them is online.  You can price them out at several retailers and will usually find a great deal – some even offer free shipping.

Well there you have it.  What to look for when choosing the best frozen drink machine.  I hope you found this information helpful and you are well on your way to making your favorite cocktails.