Margaritaville DM1000 Frozen Concoction Maker
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List Price: Our Price: $237.69 You Save: $187.31 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $189.99 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Margaritaville DM1000 Frozen Concoction Maker
Customer Review: Great At Shaved Ice; Recipe Suggestion Below
Summary: 5 Stars
PROS:
1) Succeeds fabuolously at its primary mission: making the perfect shaved ice margarita, frozen daiquiri, or smoothie. Many drinks taste so much better as a "smoothie". It's interesting how even regular juice tastes so much better and more refreshing as a shaved ice drink.
2) Upscale design: Looks very professional and cool for a party. Seems to be a heavy duty design that would last a long time.
3) Easy clean up. Though I avoid the dishwasher based on other's recommendations, it's still easy to clean up.
CONS:
1) Expensive, though this is a personal choice.
2) Big and heavy makes it not a simple kitchentop blender.
3) Each batch makes 32 oz. This is enough for most parties, but if you're trying to serve to 50+ people, this probably won't be able to make them fast enough.
4) Drinks can taste diluted if you take a standard recipe and add shaved ice. This is not a fault of the unit, of course. After experimenting a lot, I've found this party recipe to work well: 6 oz. Malibu Coconut rum + 4 oz. Pineapple Juice CONCENTRATE (the round cans in the frozen juice section of the grocery store). This is a bit concentrated by itself, but when shaved ice is added, it makes for a perfect blend without being too diluted or too strong.
Overall, though I hesitated at the price, this unit is fun for all ages, and turns any cold drink into a refreshing event. I'm very glad I bought it.
Customer Review: If you make lots of Margaritas, READ THIS
Summary: 1 Stars
As a caveat, I make a lot of margaritas...frozen and on the rocks. I live in TX, and we generally make the margaritas a bit on the strong side.
I plugged this machine in and got started (which was easy to do) and quickly realized:
1. Using a liquid margarita mix and tequila and other ingredients, per the instruction manual, the machine makes a very watery and weak margarita. The problem is when you use a liquid mix, which already contains water, and then add shaved ice to it, you get something really watered down. This was the case using their recommended recipe and default settings for an easy 1,2 or 3 serving margarita.
2. The shaved and blended ice, using the default 'blend & shave' setting is very chippy and lumpy...it is NOT a smooth slurpee-like ice mixture. It's more like what you would get from your run-of-the-mill $30 blender. You can manually shave and blend the ice more than the default setting, and that makes it a bit smoother, but you can also do that with a standard blender.
3. To get a stronger flavor, you can use a frozen concentrate (like a Bacardi mixer), but what you'll end up with is almost exactly the same in taste and consistency that you would get from a standard blender.
Overall, I was very disappointed in the product -- expecting something much easier than my regular blender, and with much superior quality margaritas. Unfortunately, I don't think it delivered on either account.
Customer Review: You Will LOVE It!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
My coastal cottage is named "Margaritaville" so, of course, I had to have the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker. I opted for the DM 1000. For very little more than the DM 500, you get much more pazazz and convenience. And...no matter what anyone tells you - you don't need the DM2000. The ice reservoir is PLENTY big on the 1000. It will make four pitchers (24 drinks in average-sized Margarita glasses before more ice is needed. Also, you don't need the different drink textures. There is no huge difference - so, save yourselve $110. plus dollars and buy the DM1000. There is positively no guess work and your frozen drinks will come out perfectly every time. The ice is shaved and added to the pitcher, your drinks are blended and the machine even shuts itself off when your drinks are ready!
Here's my recipe for excellent Margaritas without those syrupy, fake-y tasting Margarita mixes : You will need one large can of frozen limeade concentrate; Tequila and Triple Sec. Add the entire contents of the limeade can to the pitcher. Using the can, measure 1/2 can of Tequila and 1/3 can of Triple Sec and pour each into the pitcher. A touch more of both the Tequila and the Triple Sec is fine and will ensure your drink glasses will be full. Put the selection switch on "3 drinks". Fill the reservoir to the line with ice cubes, cover and put the pitcher in place. Flip the toggle up. Yum. Six excellent frozen Margaritas, perfectly mixed.
Customer Review: It lives in our kitchen....
Summary: 5 Stars
Like a few other reviewers, I couldn't get up the nerve to spend so much money on a machine that makes something which can essentially be done in a blender. Plus, it seemed so one dimensional. However, having finally made the purchase (and putting up with relentless teasing from my hubby), I want to tell you that I LOVE THE MACHINE! I thought I would store it on the bar downstairs, but I think it's found a permanent home in the kitchen. It's very easy to use and does exactly what you would expect it to do. It has a kick-butt motor to drive the blender blades and it shaves the ice to perfection. I also use it to make nonalhoholic drinks and smoothies. Honestly, you'll find lots of uses for it if you buy it. One thing I learned to do soon after firing it up was to fine-tune my drinks. If they need a little more ice, no worries. I just hit the toggle switch for "ice only" and then give it a couple of bursts of "blend only". Or, if the drink is already poured, you can just hold your glass under the dispenser part and shave ice directly into your glass. Easy as pie.
Finally, there's the entertainment value. It's a lot of fun to use at parties. Everyone wants to play with it. And I am sure you will find lots of creative uses.
If you want a little smoother consistency, make your daquiaris or magaritas ahead of time and put them in your freezer until ready for use. They'll be even better.
Customer Review: Hit of the party - wish I could be a salesperson...but wait, apparently I am!
Summary: 5 Stars
My husband and I have been eyeing up one of these machines for well over a year now. He mentioned about getting me one for my birthday and again as a Christmas gift. I kept telling him that I didn't need one (although a little part of me wanted one). Anyway, it was a very long and hard winter in the Northeast and we just wanted a break. We decided to have a "Mexican" night at our house and during the planning of food and spirits, I decided to give the Key West Margaritaville machine another look. Amazon had it at an unbeatable price and I didn't think again about ordering the DM1000. Shipping and delivery was superb and we were anxious to get blending. We practiced one night for ourselves and it was a breeze. It is great to read others' comments here because you do learn some hints, one of which is to chill the glasses and mixing container to help keep the beverage frozen longer. Party night came at our house and every single person who we invited showed up and they all commented and loved the Margaritaville maker. I feel certain that at least one of the couples is going to be owning their very own in the near future. We are looking forward already to the next party which will be bigger and better (and outside!). The only negative feedback I would give is that it is loud, but fortunately, it doesn't take long to mix the three drinks. However, my husband did blend at least 10-12 batches.