I received this product as a way to make a fun treat for my kids. It works, although we could not for the life of us find the holder for the plastic cone where the ice was to drop. Our "no assembly comes ready to use" product had it hidden on the bottom of the machine, and it took us a full day to find it, then it wouldn't stay up at first. We ended up removing it because the ice sprayed everywhere and we just held bowls under the dispenser anyway. That was also the only cheap looking part, so in a way I'm glad we aren't using it.
The ice ground quickly, but you have to let the ice heat up until it's clear (10-15 minutes sitting in a cup) which is a pain. Trying to use the machine before this results in jams. The granules are also larger than I was hoping, but not a big deal.
It does work quickly - and I love the suction feet to keep it from slipping and the safety of not being able to turn it on unless the lid is locked into place (fully locking it is what turns the motor on). That was smart on both counts.
This is fun, it's a beautiful piece, and it's cheap. It works quickly once your ice is pre-melted, but I could probably get the same results without melting ice (with smaller granules) from my Vita-Mix blender.
That said, my kids love the product and are begging for snow cones every night, which I'm not opposed to. It's a fun present and a unique looking piece, which I like - just not my favorite kitchen gadget.
In full disclosure, I received my snow cone maker from Wayfair for review purposes. I received no other compensation."..." Read more
- Michelle at Honest & Truly! in Chicago