Beautiful By Drew Barrymore SlushCrush Frozen Drink Maker Review

Design and features

• Gorgeous colors
• Touch-activated control panel
• Dispense spout 

The Beautiful By Drew Barrymore SlushCrush Frozen Drink Maker arrived in a brown cardboard box, and inside of that, a branded box. In my reviews, I often note how an item was packaged and shipped, because occasionally, deliveries arrive crushed, broken, or otherwise damaged. This shipment arrived in perfect condition.

The box’s contents include the motor base, blender jar, jar cover, measuring cap, instructions, and a quick start guide.

I have the drink maker in the black sesame color with gold accents, which is gorgeous. However, there are several other colors to choose from, including cornflower blue, sage green, white icing, and lavender. 

The motor base is strong and sturdy, and the Tritan blender jar has a generous 60oz capacity. Inside of the jar are the stainless-steel blades at the bottom. 

The jar cover is also sturdy, and has a measuring cap, which is helpful for adding additional liquids and other items without removing the lid. 

The jar has measurements in cups and ounces on the front, and liters and milliliters on the back. The jar also has a handle, a dispenser, and a dispenser spout that can be opened or closed. Although the jar, motor base, and blades appear to be of a high quality, the gold finish on the handle and dispenser spout looks rather cheap. But, considering that the SlushCrush is under $100, I’m pleased with the overall look and feel of the appliance. 

The touch-activated display control panel is large and user-friendly. It includes the power button, and presets for Frozen Drink, Smoothie, Snow Cone, Pulse, and Dispense. 

The company recommends placing a non-plastic coaster or mat between the appliance and the finish of the countertop or table top, and states, “failure to do so may cause the finish to darken, permanent blemishes may occur, or stains can appear.” So, for the rest of the review, you’ll see a black mat under the SlushCrush.

Performance

• Easy to use
• Works quickly
• Drinks are delicious

I was required to scan a bar code to register the SlushCrush and access recipes. As someone who tests dozens upon dozens of products each year, I refuse to register most products, and then be subjected to endless unsolicited (junk) emails. I logged onto the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore website and found various recipes for the company’s many products (ranging from recipes for pan-roasted chicken, to air-fried shrimp, to chocolate chip cookies). However, there were only two SlushCrush recipes: one for a green smoothie, and another for a strawberry smoothie, so I relied on my old friend, Google, to find other appropriate recipes and ideas for testing.

My first test was to make a smoothie. I sliced some pears, and then added a cup of pineapples, a banana, a container of blueberry yogurt, and some milk. I put these items in the jar, and pressed Smoothie. 

There’s a fixed cycle time – which lasted for 71 seconds. During this time frame, the SlushCrush briefly stopped 3 times (for a second or two), and each time I thought it had finished, but then it started again. Fortunately, the SlushCrush actually beeps when it’s finished, which removes all of the guesswork.

The finished result was delicious. The smoothie’s consistency was thick and creamy, and it tasted yummy. The smoothie was too thick to pour through the dispenser, so I took the jar off of the base, and poured the contents into a glass. The appliance does indeed move around a few inches during operation, so I can see why the company recommends putting a mat underneath to avoid potentially damaging your countertops.

For my second test, I made a snow cone. I added ice to the container and pressed Snow Cone. 

The appliance finely crushed the ice. 

I scooped it out of the jar, then added some berry raspberry-flavored Bug Juice (kid’s drink) to the finished product. It was delicious, and reminiscent of the snow cones I used to purchase at the State Fair when I was a child (sans the cone-shaped paper cups).

In my third test, I made a frozen drink. I mixed some Giesen Non-Alcoholic New Zealand Rosé Wine with Ocean Spray Cranberry Splash, and added ice. Then I pressed the Frozen Drink setting.

The result was delicious and refreshing, and I could taste the various flavors of the wine and cranberry drink.

In another test, I made a chocolate milkshake. I love chocolate, so I used chocolate ice cream, milk, and then added chocolate milk. 

It was also delicious – and no surprise, quite chocolatey, as well. The milkshake was thick and creamy, but I was able to drink it with a straw.

On another day, I mixed Tropicana Orange Juice, Martelli Sparkling Apple Cider, and ice. And then, I pressed the Frozen Drink setting. 

It was also refreshing and frothy, with a unique but delicious taste, along with plenty of foam.  

In another test, I made another smoothie with black plumcots, a banana, a cup of yogurt, and milk. It was also tasty – thick and creamy. The plumcots were sweet and juicy, and I felt healthy as they’re low in calories and high in fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.

Another time, I used coconut pineapple-flavored Sparkling Ice (zero sugar drink with vitamins and antioxidants) and added some ice. It had an excellent, refreshing taste. 

Honestly, I was expecting some hits and misses, and I was surprised that the drinks always came out fine – mind you, I was eyeballing the measurements instead of using precise quantities. It’s reassuring to know that whether I added too much or not enough of an ingredient, the SlushCrush always seemed to make everything work out fine.

Once, after making a beverage, I cleaned the jar and went directly into making something else. However, I forgot to ensure the dispenser spout handle was in the locked position (90 degrees), and as I poured milk into the jar, it, in turn, poured out of the machine and onto the counter. It was a mess, and I only needed to make that mistake one time to be diligent in checking the position of the spout handle every time afterwards.

An explanation about the Pulse feature: it blends ingredients using short bursts of power. The Pulse feature can also be used when you need to remove items that are trapped either around the blade or stuck at the bottom of the jar. Fortunately, I never needed to dislodge anything during my tests.

Maintenance

Maintenance is incredibly easy. I rinsed the jar, along with the cover and measuring cup after each use. For a full clean, I filled the container with water up to the maximum fill line, and added a drop of dishwashing liquid. Then I chose the Smoothie preset, and let the cycle run as normal. 

After pouring the contents out into the sink and rinsing the container, I repeated this process – this time, without dishwashing liquid – then turned the container upside down to dry. However, the jar is also dishwasher safe. Regarding the base motor, I just used a damp cloth to wipe it.

Should you buy it?