Are the Squishy Maker’s slime-based stress balls any good?
26/5/2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Video: Valentina Sproge-Werndli
Pictures: Valentina Sproge-Werndli
With the Squishy Maker, you can supposedly turn goop into stress balls. So, does it work? Or will I just end up making a huge mess? Read on to find out.
If the word «slime» hasn’t been part of your vocabulary lately, you’ve probably been living under a rock. For several years now, millions of people have been watching social media influencers flaunt their slime-based creations or simply let goop run through their fingers on screen.
And naturally, the trend has ushered in a whole load of apparently essential paraphernalia. One such gadget is the Squishy Maker from Boti, a device that allows you to turn slime into a stress ball that you can squish all day long. It seems to be really popular on Galaxus at the moment.
I’ve tested the Squishy Maker to find out why it’s in such high demand, whether it actually works and whether it can revive a primary school memory buried deep in my psyche.
The slime pouches of yesteryear
Back in the day, brightly coloured, glittery, squishable balls that smelled suspiciously of petrol were all the rage. Not that they were around for long. As it turns out, they were apparently carcinogenic. What they left behind, however, was the memory of that unbeatably satisfying feeling of kneading the ball with both hands until it almost burst. Will these squishies be able to compete with that?
Here’s what’s inside
The Squishy Maker comes with eight clips and balloons as standard. These can be filled slime powder, paper confetti and glitter stars, which are also included. To fill the balloons, all you need is water, a spoon, a cloth and any other decorative bits and bobs you want to put in. And patience. A lot of patience.
My first squishy
The principle is straightforward. The device creates a vacuum, helping you open the balloons, fill them with all kinds of stuff, then tie them up. Nothing more, nothing less. So, I grab a balloon and start pulling it over the opening of the Squishy Maker. At this point, it dawns on me that it’s not quite that simple after all. Five attempts and a flurry of swear words later, I finally have the balloon in place and am ready to pour in the white powder.
Time for the fun part. I pump on the side lever, creating a vacuum that makes the balloon double in size. With the stopper in, my squishy soon reaches maximum volume. Without the clip, it’d be even bigger.
I fill the balloon with a generous helping of confetti and glitter stars, then pour in some water. The powder reacts immediately with the liquid, forming small, clear lumps. I mix the rest of the powder into the water with a good old stir, causing a gooey mass to form. It looks like a ground-up slab of jelly.
Once I can’t fit any more into the squishy, I pop a lid over the balloon so that the contents don’t spill out. After that, I try to twist the neck of the squishy neck to attach the clip. While that might sound pretty easy in theory, it’s another story in practice. It’s impossible without skill and a little strength. As recommended in the description, I definitely should’ve had a damp cloth to hand – this squishy-making malarkey is a messy business.
What my first squishy feels like
The results are sobering. The gel in the ball is really lumpy, so it doesn’t seem to squelch to and fro inside the ball. Not only that, but the confetti and stars aren’t quite as easy to push around as I’d imagined. Sadly, it feels less satisfying than I’d expected – and not as smooth as the petrol-smelling squeezy balloons of yesteryear. Looks like I won’t get to relive my childhood after all.
Using my own ingredients is more successful
Deciding to give it a go with my own ingredients, I add sensory beads, food colouring and differently sized glass marbles to the second ball.
This squishy feels a lot more interesting than the first one. I can squeeze the marbles, push them past each other or press them into the wall of the balloon. This one definitely has anti-stress qualities.
I fill two more squishies with glitter powder, Pokémon figurines and kinetic sand, but they don’t look or feel particularly nice. The goo is simply too solid for the contents to move around smoothly inside. What people probably enjoy about the Squishy Maker is experimenting with as many different materials as possible. That’s what I’d recommend you do.
The toughness test
Although the balloons don’t look particularly sturdy at first glance, they can withstand a lot. Nothing happens if I hit the ball with full force or pull on it. It’s only when I press a figurine against the balloon wall with all my strength that the squishy bursts open, leaving a hole. The goop begins to trickle out, but doesn’t flood everywhere.
In a nutshell
Does what it says on the tin
If you fancy using slimy goop to make eight stress balls, the Squishy Maker is just the thing for you. Filling and sealing the balls will put your patience to the test, but it’s fine once you’ve had a bit of practice. Unfortunately, the slime powder included with the Squishy Maker is a little too lumpy for my taste and not as liquid as it appears in the product photo.
Pro
- The device works
- There’s enough material for eight squishies
Contra
- Slime lumpier than expected
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
