On a blazing hot summer’s day, there’s nothing better than a cold, refreshing treat to cool you and your family down.
A snow cone machine is a game-changer! Nothing screams funfair more than a snow cone, and even better still is making them in the comfort of your own home.
Not only is it a fun activity for the whole family to get involved in, but your kids will also become obsessed with the nostalgic taste of snow cones that you enjoyed as a kid yourself!
Say hello to delicious snow cones this summer!
Keep reading to find out more.
OUR TOP PICK
The Little Snowie Max Snow Cone Machine is designed for durability and convenience with 1000-watts and 2.7 peak horsepower!
The Little Snowie Max makes perfect, deliciously fluffy snow in 3 seconds with a professional-grade high-speed motor and hardened stainless-steel blade.
This snow cone machine offers commercial precision as the blade boasts 10 edges (14 total linear inches of ice shaving edge) and is made from 301 stainless steel, extra hard temper.
Pros
- Low maintenance - This snow cone machine is easy to carry, easy to clean, and easy to store for your convenience!
- Variety of flavors - The Little Snowie Standard Kit comes with 6 flavor powder sticks that make 6 pints of liquid flavor syrup for you to try with your family!
- Safety feature - This snow cone machine will only operate when the lid is fully pressed down, meaning that even the tiniest of fingers can never get near the blade or spin paddle when in use.
Cons
- One customer claimed that they struggled to get this particular snow cone machine to shave small chunks of ice.
EDITORS CHOICE
The Nostalgia RSM602 Countertop Snow Cone Maker is a crowd pleaser and is the perfect addition to any and every event!
The precision-cut stainless steel cutting blades equipped with this machine work quickly and efficiently to shave ice cubes into delicious, fluffy snow-like ice.
Get the whole family involved! This snow cone machine is sure to impress as the blades transform regular ice cubes into frozen treats that the whole family will love.
Pros
- Safety - A safety switch is built into the shaving mechanism to keep hands safe, which is great if you have little ones around.
- 360-degree views - With a chamber that's completely transparent, it's easy to shave ice and watch it pile up from any angle.
- Versatile - Whether you’re planning a birthday party or a fun day in the summer, this snow cone machine is perfect for all occasions.
Cons
- A few customers claimed that the packaging of this particular snow cone maker could be improved.
BEST VALUE
The Cuisinart Snow Cone Maker creates real shaved ice for snow cones, slushies, frozen lemonades, or alcoholic adult drinks!
Great for parties! This snow cone machine efficiently makes 4-5 snow cones in less than a minute for your convenience!
This snow cone machine features a professional motor and blade mechanism with an interlock safety feature to ensure that your family is safe if you have kids running around the place.
Pros
- Versatile - Create a variety of your favorite recipes, including snow cones, with this versatile snow cone maker.
- Easy to use - This snow cone machine is simple to put together and use, simply flip a switch to start shaving ice, and it easily folds away so it doesn’t take up much space to store.
- BPA-free - The Cuisinart snow cone machine comes with 4 BPA-free cones and all parts that come into contact with food are BPA-free.
Cons
- One customer noted that they received a faulty machine when they ordered this particular snow cone machine.
RUNNER UP
The Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A Shaved Ice and Snow Cone Machine is premium and designed to impress the whole party.
This kit features everything needed to get the party going including the snow cone machine, snow cone cups, spoon straws, black bottle pourers, and round block ice molds for your convenience!
The precision-cut stainless steel blade combined with cylindrical ice blocks ensures fine and fluffy snow for every serving.
Pros
- Good quality - Hawaiian Shaved Ice brand syrups are thicker, more true to taste than other watered-down, cheaper varieties.
- Versatile - This ice cone machine is perfect for a variety of your favorite recipes including ice cones, cocktails, and more!
- Flavored syrups - This snow cone machine comes with 3 delicious flavored syrups to choose from that your guests won’t be able to get enough of grape, cherry, and blue raspberry!
Cons
- A few customers noted that this particular snow cone machine arrived damaged.
RUNNER UP
The Nostalgia SCM525BL Vintage Countertop Snow Cone Maker allows you to impress your guests and make delicious snow cones from the comfort of your own home!
The Nostalgia snow cone machine features stainless steel cutting blades that ensure this machine works quickly and efficiently to shave ice cubes into delicious, fluffy snow-like ice.
This snow cone machine features a transparent chamber that makes it easy to shave ice and monitor how much you need for every event that you host!
Pros
- Party capacity - Whether you’re hosting a party or it’s simply snack time, this unit can hold up to 20 (8 ounces) of snow cones at a time.
- Side shelf - This snow cone machine comes with a useful side shelf that you can use as a prepping station to hold 2 snow cones and add your favorite syrups.
- Included accessories - The Nostalgia snow cone machine includes 2 (8 ounces) reusable plastic snow cones, along with an ice scoop to easily serve snow cones for your convenience.
Cons
- One customer noted that this particular snow cone machine had a tendency to lock up in the process of shaving ice.
Best Snow Cone Machine Buying Guide
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a snow cone machine, but it mainly comes down to the type of machine, the size, and the design.
Although you can get snow cone machines relatively cheaply, you want to ensure that you’re investing in a good quality machine. Crushing or shaving ice can be tough, and getting the right consistency will be a challenge if your snow cone machine isn’t up to the challenge.
You need a machine that is durable and can withstand turning ice into snow time and time again! That being said, make sure that you do your own research and ensure that your snow cone machine is of good quality before you buy it.
Check out the following factors before going ahead with your purchase.
Type
Another factor you’ll want to take into mind is the type of snow cone machine that you want.
Bear in mind that the type of snow cone machine that you choose will largely come down to what you intend to use it for.
Whether you plan to host a party or simply want it for family fun, there’s a snow cone machine out there that’s perfect for you and your preferences!
Generally speaking, the most popular, affordable, and accessible type of snow cone machine is a manual one. The majority of manual models allow you to make snow cones wherever you go provided that you have ice available to you.
This is incredibly convenient as it gives you more freedom, as there’s no need to plug your machine into an electric outlet. This is great for garden parties when you’re less likely to have an outlet close by.
However, you will need to bear in mind that this uses hand power and elbow grease to crank through the ice, so can be pretty tiring if there’s a large group of you. That being said, if you simply need to make a few snow cones for a small group, this is an excellent, budget-friendly choice.
However, if you’d prefer to let a machine do all the hard work for you, an electric snow cone maker is a better choice.
Electric snow cone machines tend to vary in capacity, wattage, and speed, but their main benefit is that you don’t have to waste any time or effort hand-cranking your way through multiple blocks of ice to satiate your guests.
That being said, commercial electric snow cone makers can be heavy and loud to operate. However, if you need to make a lot of cones in a short period of time, then this might be the right choice for you.
Whichever choice you make, remember that your safety is the most important thing. The majority, if not all of snow cone machines use sharp blades to turn the ice into snow.
Make sure that you either choose a machine with safety features or keep the machine away from your little one’s hands to ensure your children are safe.
Before making your choice, weigh up what you think you’ll be using your snow cone machine for and the number of people you’ll need to cater for. Size also comes into play, which I go into below.
Size & Capacity
Something you’ll need to take into account when purchasing a snow cone machine is the size and capacity.
Snow cone machines come in a wide variety of sizes, from a countertop appliance to a standalone cart with wheels for events such as festivals and parties.
What you’re planning to use the machine for, how frequently you plan to use it, and how much space you have to store it when it’s not in use are all important considerations.
To figure out which size and capacity you’ll need, consider what you intend to be using the snow cone machine for. For instance, if it’s just for your family you might need a smaller one than if you were to be using the snow cone machine to impress at a party or gathering for your friends and family!
As I’ve briefly mentioned, you’ll also need to measure the space that you have to store the snow cone machine. This might not be a problem if you have a tonne of space going spare but will matter more if you’re going to struggle to store it somewhere in the house.
Design
When looking for the perfect snow cone machine for you, you will also want to consider the design of the machine before purchasing.
Some models are plain whereas others are party-ready and are perfect for events like festivals as they're brightly colored, have fun designs, and a few even resemble an old-fashioned cart with two wheels that you’d expect to see at a fair.
Although the design of the machine doesn’t affect its performance, it’s definitely something to take into account if you’re shopping to entertain or host a party!
Your guests are sure to remember the star of the show if your snow cone machine has a remarkable design! After all, you want your snow cone machine to contribute, not ruin the aesthetics of the event.
Durability
Something you’ll need to consider when purchasing a snow cone machine is how durable it is, after all, you don’t want your secret weapon in summer to break within the first few uses!
A good indication of whether a product is durable or not is to check the product reviews section. Product reviews allow customers to leave feedback, good or bad and give you a better idea and understanding of the brand and product without you having to actually buy the product.
Alongside this, the product reviews highlight any good or bad experiences that they have had with the brand in question.
Although problems can occur that are out of the brand’s control, such as products being damaged in transit, how they deal with the problem can reveal a lot about them.
Someone is much more likely to leave a positive review of a brand despite there being a problem with the product if the brand has worked hard to rectify the issue.
Before going ahead with your purchase, always do your own research and make sure that you’re happy with the customer feedback before clicking ‘buy’.
Accessories
Another thing you might want to consider is the accessories that come with a snow cone machine.
A lot of snow cone machines come with an array of accessories, from flavored sugar syrups to flavor your snow cones and the cones themselves. Alongside this, accessories can include ice scoops, spoons, and handy syrup pourers.
Although it wouldn’t be too much trouble to buy these accessories separately, it is worth bearing in mind if the snow cone machine doesn’t come as a kit.
If you’re keen to get started, you might find it much more convenient to buy a snow cone machine that comes with everything so you can start making your icy treats straight away!
FAQ's
How do you clean and maintain a snow cone machine?
It is crucial that you maintain your snow cone machine properly to ensure that it lasts for years to come.
To ensure that you give your machine a thorough clean, you should make a vinegar and water solution and apply it with a spray bottle, being careful to spray the shaving plate, ice chamber, and ice chute to make sure there’s no residual ice or sugar in the machine.
It is important that you should never immerse the snow cone machine fully in water unless the care instructions state otherwise and avoid using soap, as you don’t want any residual soap suds affecting the flavor.
It is worth mentioning that you need to always take care and be cautious when cleaning near the blade and the dispensing chute. To be safe, when it’s time to clean the machine, always unplug it and let it cool down before you attempt to start the cleaning process.
It is natural for your machine to become less efficient as it gets older, but cleaning and maintaining it sufficiently will ensure that you get the most out of your purchase.
What is the difference between shaved ice and snow cones?
The main difference between shaved ice and snow cones is the texture. Whereas shaved ice’s main characteristic is its finely shaved, snow-like texture, snow cones are more like ice.
The crushed ice creates a crunchier treat that is traditionally coated in sweet syrups and doesn't absorb the flavoring in the same way as shaved ice.
Whereas shaved ice leaves you with a more even distribution of syrup, the crunchy texture of snow cones leaves you with a sweet treat at the bottom!
This difference between the two is also affected by the type of appliance that you buy and is important to bear in mind when choosing the best snow cone machine for you.