Is there anything more refreshing than a blended alcoholic beverage on a hot summer day? We don’t think so! And these days you don’t even have to hit up the local cantina to get a delicious margarita — you can make one at home with a margarita machine.
Though you can absolutely use a blender to create margaritas, daiquiris, and other blended beverages, margarita machines are designed for frozen beverages, so they typically have a better consistency in the drink. Plus, most are designed to hold multiple drinks and keep them cold, so they are excellent for summer entertaining. Here are some of our favorites.
Margaritaville Key West Frozen Concoction Maker: Best Overall
Margaritaville margarita makers are great for frozen drinks because they are designed explicitly for them. We like the Key West best because of its large capacity (the ice reservoir holds ice for up to 3 jars) and the pre-programmed drink settings that make drink creation simple.
These drink makers from Margaritaville shave the ice rather than blend it, so your drinks have the consistency you want for margaritas, daiquiris, and more. You can also use it for just shaved ice, making barbecues and kids’ birthday parties extra fun.
Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker: Less Expensive Option
If you want to save about $100, or you don’t need the larger capacity of the Key West, the Bahamas is a great alternative. The 36 oz jar and mixing tool make it perfect for drinks on the patio, and the automatic + manual settings give you freedom to make a variety of drinks and shaved ices.
The jar is smartly designed, too, with an easy-pour spout that won’t make a mess or waste valuable margs. Like the Key West, you can have restaurant-style blended beverages at home whenever your heart desires.
Other Options from Margaritaville
Margaritaville offers the best home-use frozen beverage machines, hands-down. In fact, we’re not comfortable recommending any other brand under $1000 — those higher priced machines, most of them by Margarita Girl, are excellent but have huge capacities and are probably best for weddings or small restaurants.
Nostalgia is the other top selling brand online, but it has consistently negative reviews, with many customers only able to use the device once and other customers experiencing leaking.
With that in mind, here are a few other Margaritaville machines you might check out.
- Tahiti: The Tahiti has 6 drinks pre-programmed and features three 24 oz blending jars
- Bali: With a 60oz jar and 4 programs, this has a self-dispensing lever for easy serving
- Jimmy Buffet Signature: This is the Key West but with Jimmy’s signature
Be sure to head to Margaritaville for a huge selection of delicious recipes, perfect for your new margarita machine!