This is the perfect accessory when making margaritas. I actually leave the salt in the tray using the cover which allows me to use the salt over again. The small size of the tray, cutting board for limes & cover works just right. There is no mess on the shelf when putting the salt rim on the margarita glasses. I would recommend this to everyone as it is just the right size, very convenient to use and priced right.

I purchased the margaritaville machine, & now with the rimmer set, I am set. Great addition.

The combination is nice and a welcome addition to our rita maker… It is not the cheapest product available but it works. It is larger than most salt rimmers and that works great for our collection of glasses.

The rimmer and serving set is the perfect accent to the Margaritaville Machine. Constructed of heavy plastic, it can withstand the typical mishaps that accompany prolonged usage of the machine. The cutting board is ideal and a nice touch.

This thing is great. We rented a cottage this summer and had friends come and go. All of them looked at this thing like it came from the future and it put a smile on everyones face. Yes, it’s pricey but after using it day and night for two weeks it was well worth it.

Shipping was very fast – The Ultimate Drink Machine! – Only drawback is this thing is huge and heavy. I have yet to find a carring case for it as everyone wants me to bring it to their party! You will not be dissapointed!

Most amazing & fun machine!!!The kids were screaming when the ice starting shaving!!Great smoothies & RITAS

I love this product!!! I had a party in July 2010 with approximatly 70 people.

The machine works beautifully. So easy to use. Makes wonderful drinks and a

great coversational piece. We had a lot of fun with the blender trying different

drinks and people really enjoyed working the machine.

When my wife saw this item she said we’d be the party masters and she was right. Everyone we have used it with loves to watch the machine in action. They are amazed at the sequence of events which leads to frosty adult beverages. With three pitchers, you can create two adult beverages and one kiddy beverage to make the children feel included in the party as well. One word of caution, excessive use of this machine may cause dizziness, upset stomach and a nasty headache the morning after.

Makes a great drink, but it is vey heavy and it takes up alot of room. If you’re tailgating and staying in one place, it’s great. A little cumbersome for the boat.

In the search for a good 12 volt blender for the boat (there isn’t any), I come across the Margaritaville Explorer. While more than I wanted to spend, it has lived up to it’s expectations.

You simply pour the mix, for 1 to 3 drinks, in the picture, put the ice up top, turn the knob to how many drinks you want, and push the button. It does the rest for you. A perfectly blended margarita.

This machine is loud, but not a bunch louder than any other quality blender.

Also, if you don’t put in enough mix, the blender/mixer may not pull down the ice on the top requiring you to spoon mix it. This is not a problem if you mix properly.

I’ve made 7 pitchers over the course of 4 days so far with no re-charge and it is just as powerful on the 7th pitcher as on the 1st.

For the price, the should have included the optional carrying case.

Not only does this product have a WOW factor, but it works hard all day mixing everyones favorite drinks on just on charge! Self contained and easy to clean, make this a must have for boaters.

This product is great. We bought one for the office so we could make frozen drinks on Fridays. The machine is easy to clean and works well. It was nice to have a bunch of recipes included with the machine to help us get started. Build quality is quite high, for the price.

I bought this machine to make non-alcoholic versions of daiquiris and margaritias and discovred that this is one heck of a slush maker as well! The consistency of the drinks that this machine makes is like a frozen coke consistency and the machine works very quickly and easily. The machine is also very easy to clean after use. I am able to get three full batches of drinks from one batch of ice from my refrigerator’s automatic ice maker. The automatic feature shaves ice and blends perfectly. This is the third “smoothie” type machine that I have had and the only one that works like it is supposed to. The battery charges well and so far I have made 15 batches of drinks without a recharge.

This will definitely be nice on hot summer nights on the deck!

Bought this for a Fourth of July party and it was an immediate hit! How fun to make three types of perfect frozen drinks at once. Have even adapted other recipes – including some great non-alcoholic ones. Keeping bags of ice on hand in the freezer makes the best tasting drinks. I love this thing!

My husband is always the bartender at our parties and cookouts. I purchased the Margaritaville DM3000 for his birthday and it has turned out to be the best gift I have given him in 17 years! All of our friends have been impressed with the DM3000 and have enjoyed the frozen drinks he makes every weekend. Joe makes a mean Bushwacker and the DM3000 makes it easy to keep them flowing.

Ok, so like almost everyone who is reading this review…my first thought was “Why am I going to pay THAT kind of money for a hyped up blender!” I can sum it up in two words…snowball fight!

Seriously though, I took the plunge and am not upset that I did. This makes a great addition to any party, whether it’s a couple of friends, or a crowd. And nobody’s walking around chewing on ice chips from their blender drinks! My kids love the shaved ice to play with, and it makes great snowcones/slushies.

Setup is easy, cleanup is easy (seriously), the only problem that I have found so far is creating the right recipes for the drinks. It comes with some standards…but I like to play!

Originally, my wife wanted to get a professional maker, but we found they were thousands of dollars. After buying the DM3000, we could care less about the profession model anymore…this one makes 3 different drinks in a cycle, is fun to watch, and easier to maintain! It is quick and effortless, especially if you pre-mix your drink ingredients and have them on standby.

In my opinion, if you have the extra money to spare, and you like to have friends over or have kids, this is a great product!

The prooduct works great. It is the perfect addition to an outdoor living area by a pool or any back yard bbq. We had a big party and it worked well and it was fun to be able to make three separate drink mixes at a time.

I actually purchased the Margarita Frozen Concoction Maker DM2100 which is the exact same as the DM2000 model except that the trim color is white instead of red. I purchased the DM2100 at Williams-Sonoma (the only place I could find it). I liked the appearance of the white trim much better and when the sales clerk told me that it came with a free extra container, I was sold.

Upon unpacking the FCM (Frozen Concoction Maker), I was impressed by how nice it looked. The FCM has sleek lines and with the brushed metal finish, you can easily leave it on the counter and it is not an eyesore.

Inside the box, there was the FCM, a shot glass (to measure portions I guess), an aluminum tin that is used for salting glass rims, 4 cardboard coasters and an instruction manual.

I took the top assembly apart to clean it before the first use. First the top ice bin lid is popped off. It removes completely from the base of the ice bin. Next, the bottom portion of the clear ice bin was removed. This left the ice shaving mechanism exposed. One of the key differences in this model over the DM1000 is that the three pronged ice rotator is metal whereas the DM1000 has a plastic one. Next the plastic bowl is removed that contains the blade assembly.

It was all easy to remove and reassemble. They do recommend that you remove, clean and dry the assembly after use. I’m not sure if this is to help keep the blade in tip-top shape or for overall cleanliness of the machine but I think it would be prudent to clean the FCM each day that it is used. When I use the FCM, the liquid sometimes splashes back up the ice chute so make sure you clean up there.

Another key difference between the 1000 and 2000 series is that the base of the DM2000 is metal whereas the base of the DM100 is plastic.

The motor of the DM2000 & DM2100 is rated at 550 watts. This is a bit more powerful than the 500 watts of the DM1000. I have seen some reviews say that the DM2000 has a 700 watt motor but everywhere I checked, the DM2000 motors are 550 watts.

The FMC comes with a nice glass container (blender portion). The free one from Williams-Sonoma was a plastic version which is okay because if I want to take it down by the pool…the plastic one is perfect since I don’t want to have any broken glass around. You can buy an additional glass container online for around $45.

The power cord is stored and concealed in the bottom rear of the machine. A small door is popped off revealing the cord.

If you will store the FCM on your counter under cabinets, keep in mind of the height. With the ice bin attached, the height is around 19.5″. With the ice bin removed, it is approximately 16″ tall. I think I will store it on the counter with the ice bin removed so that I can use it as a blender. When I want to make some drinks or use the shaving feature, I will just pull it out and attach the ice bin.

A side note on the DM1000. If you don’t want to spend the $380.00 on the DM2000. You can purchase the DM1000 and later add a larger ice bin and get and extra container (blender) for around $65. I believe it ends up being the same capacity as the DM2000. The only thing you won’t get is the more powerful motor and metal parts.

There is also a carrying case available for this model. The one that is usually offered out there will only fit the DM1000. I found a case specifically for the DM2000 (Fiji model) at margaritavillecargo.com for $39.95. I just received the case and reviewed it separately so check that out if you want more information. I would highly recommend the bag if will store or transport the FCM.

I have only briefly used the FCM to make a few drinks and it works great. The drinks created are smooth. You can also just shave a lot of ice and make snow cones for the kids. I will be putting the unit to the test this weekend for a family party and will update the review regarding how it performs.

I purchased the FCM for $380.00 which came with a free extra blender. The price is a bit steep but the quality of the machine and the fun I’ll have with it are well worth it.

When the Margaritaville DM2000 Premium Frozen Concoction Maker arrived it was very easy to setup. The instructions were straightforward and in no time the step-by-step instructions had the machine ready to produce some delicious frozen beverages. The craftsmanship and quality were apparent at the onset, and the weight of the machine gave a certain feel of durability. My guests commented that they loved the look of the machine, and the brushed-nickel finish really made it stand out.

I loaded it up with ice, utilizing bagged ice from a local grocery store mixed with ice from my refrigerator ice maker and looked at the instructions to see which drink I wanted to make. I then choose from four preprogrammed drink cycles; margaritas, daiquiris, slides, (mudslides) or smoothies, and then decided whether I wanted one, two or three drink settings. I then flipped the automatic Shave-N-Blend switch, and the machine automatically mixed the right proportion of ice with ingredients and timed it just right. If you decide at the end of the drink cycle that you need more ice or blending simply flip the switch to blend or shave to add what you so desire. I followed the instructions denoting exact amounts of liquids per drink as written in the included recipe book and the first batch of Margaritas came out perfectly.

It is truly a four step machine, add ice, select your drink and size, add your favorite mix, and flip the automatic Shave-n-Blend switch and within seconds your favorite concoction will be ready. The great part about this machine is that if you get guests that prefer thicker or thinner drinks simply flip the switch to blend a little more ice or just blend without adding ice. It’s just that simple, and best of all if you leave the ice sit in the ice bin for an extended period of time the melting runoff collects in a clear reservoir located on the back of the machine. No more thin flavored soupy Margaritas or watered down Mudslides!

The varieties of drinks are endless but the cleanup is not. The glass-blending jar has a unique retro look that lends itself to easy stability when in use with a large glass handle and drip free spout. It’s also great for simply shaving ice for snow cones and adding your favorite syrup and finishing off with a spoon. No matter what the size of your party this machine stands up to mountains of blending action. As long as you have ice to blend and mix to add the Fiji FCM will consistently churn out the proper Margarita, Daiquiri, Mudslide or Smoothie.

When you’ve mastered the Fiji FCM your friends will be asking you to be the Frozen Drink Master at their next party and with the FCM Carrying Bag you can take your machine on the road. The bag is made of water repellent canvas and designed to transport and store the Fiji FCM with straps that hold the pitcher in place during transportation. Simply slide your lost shaker of salt and fresh limes in the side pocket, grasp the nylon carrying handles and head to Margaritaville. You and your friends will have a blast using the Fiji FCM, so get one today, blend up a drink or two and hang on!

Been eying this machine for a while but could never quite justify the cost. Lo and behold I received it as a perfect gift! While the price is high, this Concoction Maker does turn out perfect drinks! In the hot summer here in Vegas this machine will definitely be put through its paces, but judging from early results this baby will be rendering lots of frozen concoctions that will help me hang on.

If you can afford to splurge this is definitely the blender to get!

In the quest for the perfect margarita, I’ve purchased 7 different machines in the past couple of years. The results range from pretty bad to decent. Even with the rental type slushy machines you have to put up with the nasty, syrupy sweet “mix” of chemicals. First batch out of this whomping big drinkerator was perfect. I was a little skeptical, even with very good reviews, that this thing would work as advertised. I do only get two batches out of this thing with the reservoir filled, but I just have a separate ice bucket to “pre-melt” the ice for the subsequent batches. I tried just about everything I could think of to throw the machine a curve, and it just kept making perfect drinks. Just keep in mind the liquid proportions in the drinks you make. As long as you end up with the right amount of liquid, you can make about anything you want and it will turn out right. And you can skip the pre-made mix and use just fresh ingredients. Thanks, Margaritaville (I mean, Cheers!).

As an engineer and gadget guy I finally got the big Kahuna Margaritaville model.

When you follow the directions – ie keep the right amount of liquid per the number of drinks – it is fantastic. The 12OZ per drink measurement is dead on.

The different drinks it makes – Rita’s, Daq’s, Colada’s and Smoothies are set on one knob. This basically tells the blender how much blending to do and when to shave the ice. The Rita’s assume all liquid ingredients. The Daq’s assume frozen fruit and the Smoothies assume fresh fruit so the timing and frequecy of the blending is based on that. For example the blender doesn’t start on a Rita until the ice shaving is well underway while a Daq starts blending well before the shaving starts.

The machine breaks down nicely for easy cleaning and the shaving blade is easy to replace if it comes to that. It’s a pretty beefy blade so I am not worried.

Do note that the machine is tall and will not fit under a cabinet that is over a normal counter without removing the ice hopper. We just break it down and put a decorative towel over it.

An extra blender jar will probably be on most peoples wanted list.

Hands down, this is the hit at any party and worth the price! A beach party in a machine! I originally bought the Key West DM1000 version last year and it made better margaritas I could buy in bars. When this new Fiji model DM2000 came out, I had to buy it and give the other one to my sister. I love this machine! Anyone saying that its a glorified blender does not know what they are talking about. The ice is shaved and it makes a big difference. I use to make margaritas with my Kitchenaid blender. I’d get “old maids” and uneven ice chips. The ice would melt and the drink would be watered down. Nothing like a bar drink. If you like other mixed drinks other than margaritas, then this upgraded machine is for you! Its a bulky machine, but since I use it almost everyday, its worth the counterspace. Since the margaritas are so fantastic with this machine, I’ve found that I search for different flavored margarita mixes when I’m in stores. I also buy any frozen drink cookbooks I can find. Buy the carrying case. Once you serve people drinks from this machine, people will want you to bring it to their parties. I only wish this machine came with 2 pitchers!

A pet peeve of ours is poor margaritas in “good” restaurants, and this brings the best of them right to our kitchen. We didn’t have to “play around” with the controls because the first batch (3) was perfect. The machine is surprisingly fast so you can turn out a lot of batches quickly. While the machine has many pieces, cleanup is quick. After shaving the left-over ice, all that’s needed is to dry the ice bin and rinse/wash the pitcher.

I received this blender as a gift and was intially a bit surprised by its’ bulk given what it actually does; shave ice and blend. However, trying it out with a few different recipes convinced me that this blender is the only way to go to make frozen drinks and smoothies. I have been looking for an ideal blender for making smoothies and just could not find the “sweet spot” between chunks of ice and runny liquid but this device hits it right on the nail. I was very impressed by the ice consistency and the blending and will put up with its’ size because it works as advertised. Its’ also fun to use and my kids and guests all have a really good time playing around with it. It also justifies its’ cost and size by allowing quite a variety of experimentation with different recipes and drinks so you are likely to use it frequently. The ice is key so do as the instructions say and let it “warm” for about 15 minutes in the ice hopper, use “fresh” ice; if it’s been in the freezer too long it can lend a slight “freezer burn” taste to the drink and finally those half moon shaped ice “cubes” seem to shave a bit more evenly than true cubes. And smaller cubes are better than bigger ones. Just some things I’ve discovered while experimenting. I was intially skeptical about this blender but I am now a convert. This is one Christmas gift that’s NOT going back!

This isn’t just a blender, it’s a wonderful drink maker. You do need to read the instructions, unlike a blender. But once you do, this this cranks out the most wonderful margaritas and frozen drinks you can imagine. Unlike what some of the other reviewers said, it has adjustments to make your drinks as thick aas a snow cone or thin with just a touch snowy ice as you like. It of course shaves the ice so you get a snow like texture not hard ground ice like a blender makes. Our big test was a party of around 150 people. During the course of the evening we causally made around 500 all perfect margaritas . Everyone was very impressed and I bet at least 20 of those people ended up buying one within a month. Everywhere we go now our friends have these makers. Truely the bomb ! Can’t imagine a world without them any longer. Our Kitchen Aid and top of the line Warning blenders, we love them too .. but they are out of the frozen drink making business now.

We love our Margaritaville machine! It has eliminated two blenders and a snow cone maker in our own kitchen. No telling what more. My husband loves a good ‘rita, and I like to drink health shakes in the morning for breakfast. This machine is perfect for our needs. You can also just shave a little ice to make a snowy soft snow cone for the kids or enlist the blender element solely. It’s a large machine, so if a blender is a daily necessity in your house and you have plenty of counter space to accomodate it, then this is great for you. Now, this is not going to chop frozen strawberries w/o compromising the integrity, per the saleswoman’s instructions at the Williams-Sonoma that we bought it at. By the way, we bought ours there for the same price, but also have the Williams-Sonoma guarantee that covers the Margaritaville for life. If you have a WS in your area, I would suggest this route. If not, at least Amazon has their 1 yr. warranty on it.

I ordered mine in February. I received it within 3 days using the free shipping.

I fired it up that night with my fiance and friends.

We made 3 different types of “freezy” drinks.

The machine is so worth it!

I was considering buying the full size Parrot-Ice machine for 2k, but decided to be a little frugal. I’m glad I did!

This machine will keep a party of 2-15 people happy as long as you have TONS of ice on hand.

I set it up on a table with 3, or 4 different types of mixes and a big cooler of ice.

We have thrown 2 pool parties, and 2 crawfish boils with this machine kicking out drinks. Not once has there been a problem, except for XXXXXXX getting her bikini top ripped off by the ice hooper lid…..but that was NOT the machines fault! (mostly not)

Cleaning the machine is just like cleaning your blender, but with a few more parts. It is a drag, but it is worth it. It takes about 5 minutes to clean and dry all the parts.

We discovered a low calorie freezy drink you should try.

Crystal Lite made with 1 part water, 2 parts vodka, and ice.

Set the machine for 3 servings and add the liquid to the 3cup measure on the side.

Give the blended mixture a little more shaved ice and viola!

Seriously buy the machine, or you will hate yourself and stub your toe.

Doug.

I distinctly remember making fun of the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker when I first saw it advertised in the Front Gate catalog. (“Who’s going to buy a three hundred dollar blender on steroids?!? Hah-hah-hah…”) Imagine my horror when my wife announced that she wanted one for her birthday. Looks like that “who” was going to be “me”.

The vast majority of positive reviews on Amazon calmed my fears a bit and I ordered one up. As usual, Amazon delivered quickly and it was unpacked and setup in a couple minutes.

Exactly true to its claims, the thing actually makes perfect consistency margaritas and any other frozen drinks you can think of. I think I like it more than my wife. It has a “power tool” vibe to it that guys appreciate. Spinning blades and high speed motors. What could possibly go wrong?

There’s a few things/tips to be aware of:

1) It’s BIG. It just barely clears the front of our kitchen cabinets and is too tall to go under them. Pretty heavy to lift onto a high shelf too.

2) It does a more consistent job making a “full” pitcher than just a single drink. Having a lot of ice in the hopper works best; putting a single glass full of ice in will be too watery if you use the automatic cycle. To compensate, for a single drink I manually hold the “shave” switch on for ~4-5 seconds prior to starting the automatic mix cycle. Works great.

3) The shaved ice melts faster than cubes when it touches glass, so I’ve taken to icing the pitcher to keep the glass cool (or at least filling it with cold water for a few seconds) before adding the liquid ingredients. Unlike plastic pitchers on commercial drink makers, the glass (thick glass at that) can transfer a lot of heat. Popping it straight out of a hot dishwasher onto the stand will give you a mighty runny margarita.

4) Although “dishwasher safe” the lid to our pitcher turned a funny mottled brown/green color after one cycle in the wash. Not sure if it was the heat or the detergent or what, but after that it was slightly brittle and generally “weird”. A call to the 800 customer service number yielded a free replacement which we just hand wash now.

All in all, it works as advertised and is a real crowd pleaser at parties. A good gizmo.

Other reviews go into the details of how easy this machine is to use and how awesome the shaved ice drinks are, so I won’t duplicate. But I have to say, being a pina colada connoisseur, this thing makes better drinks than most restaurants and bars! I am thrilled with it! I bought it for a big margarita party I was throwing and it was quite the conversation piece! It was certainly a splurge, but is so well made I know I will be using it for years to come.

Just back from a week at Cape Hatteras with the crew. We have a total of 9 couples who have shared a house in Sept/Oct for many years now. This was the first true test of the Frozen Concoction Maker and it passed with flying colors. Probably had about a years worth of normal usage in a week and amazed everyone (and we are very serious about our margaritas – we even have a gas powered blender for making frozen drinks on the beach)

Makes fabulous drinks, easy to use, and a snap to clean up. What more could you want. OK, one suggestion would be to be able to buy extra jars so that you can be pouring one while the next is in the machine. Other than that it was perfect.

This is how my boyfriend described this machine and although that may be a little extreme, it sure is a purchase I’m glad I made! It seems very well-designed and sturdy. I expect to be enjoying delicious frozen concoctions from it for a long, long time! It’s so cool, it’s even fun to watch it do it’s thing! The price is a bit steep, but I seemed to forget all about that when I got to sit down and enjoy a delicious pina colada! I looked at this item on other sites, but saved over $30.00 in S&H and tax by ordering it from Amazon with their free shipping! That’s a plus!

When I saw this item for sale I just had to buy one for my husband as a college graduation gift. Margaritas are his favorite drink and he just couldn’t duplicate that restaurant quality consistancy with a blender. This Margaritaville machine actually shaves the ice instead of chopping it like a blender would do. This creates that nice smooth consistancy of the drink instead of a lumpy texture.

It’s very easy to operate. All you do is fill the ice chamber with ice, pour the correct amout of your drink mixture into the pitcher (it will make 1-3 servings at a time), set the machine to how many servings you would like, then turn it on. The machine automatically measure,shaves and blend the perfect amount of ice according to the amount of servings. No more watery drinks.

When my kids have friends over for pool parties they love me to make them alcohol free strawberry daiquiris or pina coladas or fruit smoothies.

One nice feature about this machine is that as the ice in the ice chamber melts, the water is channeled into a collection reservoir, that is easily removeable to dump out. The water never mixes with the drink mix.

Clean-up is simple. Whatever ice remains in the ice chamber can be left to melt and drain into the reservoir then discard it or you can have the machine shave the remaining ice into the pitcher. We put our pitcher and pitcher parts into the dishwasher for a good cleaning.

If you are a frozen drink lover, like my husband and I are you have to own one of these. It’s pricey but worth it!

I also, highly recommend the canvas carrying case that can be purchased separately. It’s very nicely made.

This thing ROCKS! First batch was PERFECT right out of the box. Just follow the simple directions and you cannot go wrong. I have been making “blender” margaritas for a long time and this machine just takes all the guess work out. Perfect drinks time after time. (No matter how many YOU have had.) This thing should get 6 stars.

Tikidaddy

OK, If you can’t love this machine, your mother did you major damage in your formative years. I would suggest a trip to Dr. Phil for some intensive therapy. This machine produces the best shaved ice in the world. No mere blender can compete. You might say it is overpriced but you probably drive a Hyundai and tell people it is just as good as a BMW. Plus it comes with a great recipe book to help you change your latitude and change your attitude. I find myself humming boat songs about 4:30 every day! Ditch your therapist and buy one of these!

This item definitely lived up to our expectations! It is easy to use, fast and will be a fun addition to our pool parties this summer. Making a Pina Colada or a Margarita is simple and the machine makes the drink perfectly. The three drink maximum is not even a problem as it works so quickly, you can please any number of people in short time! The design is attractive and looks wonderful amid our assortment of tropical palm trees and, of course, pink flamingos!

I have been looking for a blender that would make perfect margaritas or daiquiris and this is the one. It makes 1, 2 or 3 drinks at a time, and perfect everytime, as long as you read and follow the directions and put in the right amount of mix. Easy to use and clean. I had been looking for an Island Oasis Blender on Ebay, but the Margaritaville Frozen Conconction Maker is so much smaller and priced well below what a used Island Oasis was going for. This is perfect for travel and I plan on taking it to many Jimmy Buffett concerts. The only downside is the ice storage on top, they need to have an attachment that will hold a bag of ice so you don’t have to refill as often.