Whether you and yours love to eat shaved ice or your kids love to play with snow cones, everyone can appreciate the value of a shaved ice machine in the home.
On hot summer days, a cool, shavable dessert is the perfect reward for children or a treat for cool, refreshing refreshment on a hot, summer day.
The biggest problem with shaving ice or shaving ice treats is the clean-up.
As you probably know, shaving ice is a mess! The key to easily feeding shaved ice treats to your kids/family is to get a great snow cone machine.
Below you will find my reviews of the best shaved ice machines for home use to buy.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Little Snowie Max Snow Cone Machine | Best Overall |  |
| Time for Treats Blue Raspberry Snow Cone Syrup | Budget Pick |  |
| Koval Inc. Heavy Duty | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Little Snowie Max Snow Cone Machine
Pros:
- Best seller on Amazon
- Professional grade shaved ice cones
- Comes with easy pour tap
- 5 Color LED Digital Display
- Extremely easy to clean
- Makes cone or cup snow cones
- Comes with recipe book and video
- Free ice cones!
- Easy to transport
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- A little on the spendy side
- The flipping lid isn’t the highest quality material
- The shaved ice tastes delicious but, once melted, the ice isn’t the best in shakes or drinks
- Not the fastest
Introduced as the world’s best snow cone maker on Kickstarter, Little Snowie is a great home snow cone maker.
If you’ve ever tried making snow cones at home, you know that the process can be a little tricky, but Little Snowie helps you out with the whole thing.
2. ZENY Ice Shaver Machine Electric Snow Cone Maker Stainless Steel Shaved Ice Machine 145lbs Per Hour
If you are not having CO2 line then this machine has no use.
The Zeny Ice Shaver is one of the best shaved ice machines out there. It will work great on soft ice, snow, and ice cream. It’s also great to make fizzy soda and to make snow cones for the kids. It features a stainless steel high-quality round blade.
The stainless steel blade is much easier to clean and higher-quality. It’s also adjustable, so you can easily adjust the shaved ice thickness. It also features a special cone holder and a special handle for removing the shaved ice, which makes it easier to place the ice on a cone.
3. Cuisinart Snow Cone Maker
Pros:
- Creates snow cones in 1 minute
- Can make up to 12 cones at a time
- Cone holder allows for hands-free use
- Cones are made of paper, but also dishwasher safe
- Price
- 700 watts
Cons:
- Too loud
- Water doesn’t freeze perfectly into ice
- Some models don’t freeze well
This shaved ice maker is safe, reliable, and cheap. The Cuisinart Snow Cone Maker can make up to 12 cones at a time. The cones are not made of paper, but rather, durable plastic that can hold the ice in place. It only takes about a minute to make one cone, which is a lot faster than the alternative.
The paper cones can hold the shaved ice, but then you have to get rid of them when you are done. With this machine, you can just stick them in the dishwasher when you are finished.
Each of the cones has a drip channel built into it; this channel allows you to pour the flavoring in without worrying about it spilling out of the bottom. The blades are easy to change out, which is a wonderful feature, and this shaved ice machine is also pretty inexpensive.
4. Nostalgia SCM502 Vintage Snow Cone Maker
Pros:
- Quiet operation
- Excellent price point
- You can prepare a batch of shaved ice quickly
- Relatively easy to clean
- Large shavebox
- The blades are easy to change
The Nostalgia SCM502 Snow Cone Maker is not only beautiful, but is also highly functional and reliable. Whether you like your snow cones sweet or sour, this snow cone maker will make preserving your favorite treat easy for you.
This machine not only makes snow cones, it also makes soft-serve thanks to the soft-serve blade attachment that comes with the shaving box. Its compact, lightweight design offers you the ability to take it with you when you’re camping or simply transporting it to a friend’s party.
The shaving blades are durable and are not expensive to replace. They are easy to assemble and remove. The ice chamber capacity is 3.5 pounds and also has a built-in freezer scoop with a drip tray.
5. Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A Shaved Ice and Snow Cone Machine
Pros:
- Makes shaved ice, snow cones & sorbets
- Can be used 2 ways
- 3 flavor syrups included
- Comes with a 1-year warranty
- Powerful motor makes fast work of ice
- Easy assembly and clean-up
- Takes up to 5lbs of ice
- Instruction booklet and recipes included
- Dimensions: 19 x 3.5 x 13.5 inches
The Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A is a great ice shaving machine for making snow cones or building a custom dessert treat.
You can use it two ways: first in the traditional fashion, where you fill the cone with ice (or ice cream) and syrup and slide the ice shaver together with the ice. The second use is to build your custom dessert or snow cone treat by pouring whatever you want in the cup, then adding shaved ice on top. The shaver’s standard twelve-inch fixed bar is now your handle with the ice shaver on top.
The Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. If there is any defect or malfunction in the machine caused by faulty workmanship, the manufacturer will replace or fix it for free within the first year of ownership.
6. Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A Shaved Ice and Snow Cone Machine
Pros:
- Great for soft, fluffy shaved ice
- Excellent value for the money
We found the Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A snow cone and shaved ice machine to be the best shaved ice machine on the market for most customers. With some easy assembly (no tools required) and a non-skid surface, this snow cone eatery machine can provide soft, fluffy snow cones and shaved ice for a party, carnival or tailgate event.
People who have purchased this shaved ice machine absolutely love it. They say it creates beautiful, fluffy, shaved ice for a fraction of the cost of snow cones from a snow cone stand. It’s also far better, more tasty and fun than using a hand-held shaver machine.
Users say this is a very quiet machine, but it does take a few minutes to make a batch of snow cones or shaved ice, so it’s best to make up a large batch at once, if you’re planning to make snow cones or shaved ice for a large crowd.
7. Nostalgia SCK3 Premium Syrup Party Kit Snow Cones
Pros:
- Great quality
- Small enough to fit in mid-sized kitchens
- Large enough to make snow cones for 10 people
- Makes lots of ice for varying situations
- Easy to wash and store
Cons:
- Cone holder design might feel flimsy
- Too large to store in a smaller kitchen cabinet
- Can be loud and expensive
- Cone holder can be difficult to lift
Our top pick is the nostalgia sck3 premium syrup party kit snow cones, 20 spoons/straws, blue raspberry, cherry, cotton candy, multi-colored machine.
Nostalgia sck3 is an affordable product for home use. It cuts 10 pounds of ice per hour into bite-sized snow cones. Once you put in the amount of ice you need, place the crank handle in the middle position, pull the snow cone lever, and the ice and flavors will come together perfectly.
The best part is that the Nostalgia sck3 comes with a 20-piece snow cone spoon/straw set. It’s designed in an exciting red and white color scheme that is bright and fun.
8. Time for Treats VKP1125 Snow Cone Cups and Straws
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Can make snow cones in just seconds
- Convenient
- Easy to clean
- Very simple design
- Multiple colors available
- Compact design
- Silent operation
- Rubber feet on the base
Cons:
- Ice is not as fluffy as people would like
- It’s great for slower styles (rhythm) of music
- Doesn’t turn when you’re trying to shave the ice
- It’s a little loud
- The steel blade inside rusts over time
Time For Treat: VKP1125 Snow Cone Cups and Straws, Small, Multicolor
9. Time for Treats SnowFlake Snow Cone Maker
Pros:
- Quick and easy to use
- One of the best priced snow cone makers
- Very efficient with ice and shaved ice production
- Entrepreneurial product from reputable company
- Easy to clean and store
- Unique design lets you make cones directly over a cup
The Snowflake is the best shaved ice machine on the market for soft and fluffy snow cones. The unique design allows the snow cone machine to be placed directly into the cup.
No electricity or batteries are required. Simply fill the blender cup with ice and place under the blade, crank the handle with one hand, and pass your cone to the other hand. In just a minute, you'll have a fluffy cone of snow.
The Snowflake makes it easy for kids to make their own snow cones or soft ice. Perfect for parties, picnics, and sporting events.
10. Hawaiian Shaved Ice Blade and Mold Accessory Kit
Here at BestReviews, it’s important to us that we provide our readers with unbiased recommendations. That means there’s no sugarcoating here. So, with that in mind, when we considered the Snowie 2 shaved ice machine, it wasn’t close to winning our top spot. Instead, the Hawaiian shaved ice machine by Avaline Living came out on top.
Despite being smaller, the Hawaiian shaved ice machine is a bit more powerful and makes significantly better snow ice. Reviewers seem to agree that it also runs more efficiently, with fewer parts that need to be cleaned or maintained. The Hawaiian machine also holds a bit more shaved ice before overflowing, making it easier to hit the maximum capacity of 25 cups of shaved ice. Plus, the Hawaiian has a wider and softer mouth that makes scooping more convenient.
Another prominent factor that we considered in selecting our top pick is the price. Not only is the Avaline Hawaiian much less expensive, it’s also a higher quality machine. The Hawaiian should last you over 10 years, or even 20, if you take good care of it. In addition, it’s inexpensive replacement parts means you won’t have to replace the entire machine when something breaks.
11. Koval Inc. Heavy Duty
Pros:
- Quiet operation
- Very easy to clean and maintain
- Stainless steel blades for superior performance
- Solves the frequent problems of motor burnouts or expensive repairs
- Easy to use and clean
- Doesn’t require any special cleaning solutions
- Budget-friendly and a good bang for the buck
- Very affordable
Cons:
- Requires an external drain to catch the shavings
- Doesn’t come with a factory-direct warranty
If you want to purchase the best ice shaver for making snow cones or soft ice, then you should consider purchasing the Koval Inc. Heavy Duty, Stainless Steel Ice Shaver, Snow Cone Machine, Electric Shaved Ice Machine (143 lbs/hr 200W Ice Shaver). The perfect choice for any home, restaurant or business, this particular ice shaver machine is highly versatile and durable.
Giving you the convenience of making shaved ice as well as fresh fruit drinks and smoothies, this product is great for keeping up with a variety of customers. It has adjustable cones and a wide tube that allows you to review and control the amount of ice shavings effectively.
This machine is also very safe to use and doesn’t take much time to clean. You can clean it with water to keep it germ-free for the health of your customers.
12. Koval Inc. Heavy Duty
Pros:
- Makes smooth & tasty snow cones
- Refreshing slushy drink
- Makes both hard and soft shaved ice
- Extra-long power cord
- Made in the USA
- Allows you to choose your shaving size and cone size
- Makes snowy treats quickly
- Simple to use and operate
- Easy to clean
- Makes shaved ice anywhere
For Snow Cones, Slush, Green Tea, Crushed Ice, Sandwiches, Gelato, Mixed Drinks, & Restaurant Shaved Ice.
The Koval Heavy Duty, Stainless Steel Ice Shaver is the top pick in its category thanks to its ability to shave ice at a rate of 440 pounds per hour. The stainless steel housing is resistant to corrosion and rust. The blades have self-sharpening rotors that automatically align to reduce jamming.
The built-in freezable shaving chamber comes with a handle that allows you to move the machine easily from one place to another. The included instructions provide you with helpful information. With its three-deck design, the shaver can produce different sizes of shaved ice.
13. Time for Treats Blue Raspberry Snow Cone Syrup
Pros:
- Top Rated Blue Raspberry Flavor Snow Cone Syrup
- Natural Flavor with No Preservatives
- Each Bottle is 22 Ounces
Cons:
- Some customers with taste buds of a dog might find it too sweet
- Hard to find in smaller retail stores
Red, white, and blue berry are all flavors of snow cone syrup that you can purchase for your shaved ice machine. If you want to find out more about the different kinds of snow cone syrup, check out this helpful blog post by The Daily Connoisseur.
The blue raspberry flavor by Time for Treats is an extremely popular one. It has a great taste and aroma, and it comes in a bottle that is 22 fluid ounces in size. Though the color is very blue, it still blends well with the flavor of other juices.
The product is 100% natural and is also free of any preservatives.
14. Time for Treats Avalanche Electric Ice Shaver Snow Cone Maker VKP1100
Pros:
- Affordable price
- Lightweight and great for home use
- Easy to clean
- Comes with extra ice shaving blades
Cons:
- Can be a little noisy
- Doesn’t shave small ice chunks easily
The Time for Treats Avalanche Electric Ice Shaver comes with some features that make it an ideal shaved ice machine for personal use. It’s an affordable shaved ice machine that’s lightweight and has a compact design for easy storage. It also features an electric motor so you don’t need to plug it into the wall when you want to shave ice.
The Time for Treats Avalanche Electric Ice Shaver is easy to use and clean and comes with its own set of ice shaving blades. The shaft is made of stainless steel, so it’s durable and rust resistant.
Another plus with this shaved ice machine is that it comes with a cleaning brush and spare blades, so you can replace the blades as you need to. It can also be a bit noisy, so you may not want to take it with you when you go to a picnic or the park and want to ensure that you won’t disturb people.
Conclusion
Finding the best shaved ice machine for snow cones, soft serve ice cream, or other frozen treats can be a tricky process. We hope that after reading through this page, it's much easier for you to choose a great machine for yourself, your business or a friend. Our reviews will give you all the information you need about speed, consistency, service, and durability. You can even see full product reviews and a compilation of customers' favorite snow cone machine and ice cream maker.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Little Snowie Max Snow Cone Machine | Best Overall | |
| Time for Treats Blue Raspberry Snow Cone Syrup | Budget Pick | |
| Koval Inc. Heavy Duty | Upgrade Pick | |