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If you’ve ever tried making a frozen margarita at home, chances are it didn’t turn out like the ones you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
While pouring mixture and tequila over ice usually has the same result, if you’re adding margarita ingredients to a traditional blender and hoping it turns out like a smoothly slushed margarita, you’ll probably be disappointed. What you need is margarita machine, like this Margaritaville Key West Frozen Concoction Maker.
Regularly $400, the Margaritaville machine is currently on sale for $281 on Amazon, a savings of $119. Unlike a typical blender, this gadget features a large ice reservoir on top and creates finely shaved ice instead of crushed ice, which means it won’t leave chunks that get stuck in a straw. With an automatic shave-and-blend cycle along with options for just blending or shaving, the machine makes up to 2.5 pitchers of frozen concoctions.
The easy-pour jar allows you to mix your drinks, then just pop open the hatch and pour it into your glasses. Of course, you don’t have to make margaritas with the machine, as it can whip up any frozen treat, like piña coladas, daiquiris and mudslides.
With over 2,000 reviews so far, the margarita maker has a total average rating of 4.8 stars out of 5, with 87% of customers giving it a full 5 stars. Reviewers say the machine is easy to use and makes the perfect margarita, and clean-up is a breeze.
One reviewer who bought it for their husband’s birthday gave it 5 stars, said it was “worth every penny” and even offered up a recipe they use to cut calories by not using margarita mix.
“So, so, so easy to use!! Makes perfect frozen margaritas! You can make them thick or on the thinner side,” they wrote. “We do a skinny margarita recipe – you don’t need to use a mixer if you want to save on calories!!”
Another 5-star review warns that the machine is heavy, so it’s not best for moving around often or taking on the go, but other than the weight, they love it.
“It works great and makes drinks just like you buy at restaurants or bars,” they wrote. “It’s easy to use and no trouble to clean. A little expensive, but I’m sure I will get my money’s worth this summer.”
If the price tag is a bit much for you, Amazon has lower-priced margarita machines, like this Nostalgia 64-Ounce Margarita Maker & Slushie Machine that’s currently on sale for $50.
With 792 5-star reviews, the machine finely shaves whatever beverage you’re making into a slushy, chunk-free drink. Simply fill it up with ice, liquor, fruit or drink mix, place the lid on top and blend.
For those days when you want something other than a margarita, you can also find cocktail machines that make all sorts of drinks.
This Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine is priced at $370 and has 2,508 5-star reviews. This device makes a wide variety of drinks using pre-made capsules — sort of like a Keurig machine for cocktails. You pour your favorite liquors into the reservoirs and then select your cocktail capsule (capsule options include drinks like whiskey sour, cosmopolitan, rum breeze and more), insert it into the machine and select your strength level. The “intelligent” gadget then draws from the proper spirit reservoir and mixes the cocktail.
Of course, this means that you’ll need to buy specific cocktail capsules that work with the machine and you’ll still need to stock up on your favorite alcohol, but it takes the guesswork out of making drinks.
Could your summer parties use a fun margarita machine?
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