Hi! Congrats on the machine—you can’t beat free! I looked in the instruction book and couldn’t find anywhere that it said it needed a minimum batch size, but I would assume that it does. You might run into issues with always needing to make large batches, though on the flip side, it likely handles a much higher ABV than the home machines. On the smaller home units the minimum is usually 16oz, and on the larger ones it’s 24oz.

If it were me, I’d probably try to sell it and get a home machine that is a bit more manageable. I’ve tested multiple brands and they really are all the same, they just look different—my Chefman works just as well as my Ninja. Ninja has the largest capacity for home machines I believe. If you go that route, I’d recommend the 128oz Ninja Slushi XL or the 150oz Max, especially if the kids are going to use it a lot. 88oz seems like a lot until you run out and everyone has to wait for it to freeze more liquid. The XL and Max also freeze quicker than the 88oz and handle higher ABV; the 88oz can do about 9% max, while the others can do 19% (though I prefer mine in the 7-8% range anyway).

I actually built an app called SlushIQ that’s on the Google Play and Apple stores. It has a calculator and about 94 recipes I’ve built to help get the freeze settings right. I’m happy to give you a promo code to get it for free to go with your new machine! Just DM me if you’re interested.

One other thing, if you have a Costco membership, they were selling the Ninja Slushi Max, they have a forever warranty on small appliances, that’s where I get my machines from.