Nostalgia Snow Cone Shaved Ice Machine - Makes 20 Icy Treats - Includes 1 Reusable Plastic Cup - Retro Red

I've been looking for a Snow Cone machine for quite a while now. I've read many reviews on several machines and decided to try this one. Am glad I did.First I want to say if you're looking for a machine to use for several people, say a party - this isn't the machine for you. This machine puts out enough ice for ONE snow cone at a time. This is just fine for me, I have no issues with one cone.Second - I used ice out of the ice machine in my fridge. They are the perfect size. 5 to 6 ice make up one cone <depending on what you use for a cup anyway>. I took the advice of one reviewer and wet the ice <ran under water from my sink> and had no issues or problems with the ice not shaving.The machine is about the size of my Keurig so it sits just fine on my countertop. I like the suction cups on the bottom as they help keep the machine from bouncing when in use. The machine doesn't bounce but it does move a little bit, as expected.The only issue I had was the snow cone cup holder. I knew by the review I read that it is located under the machine. It took quite a bit of yanking to get it out from the under storage and put it in position, but it's not a deal breaker. Since I forgot to purchase the cups, I used some really big tumble cups with handles, and they fit just fine in the space under the ice spout. When shaving the ice, there was some ice throw - but not enough to get me wet or anything outrageous that would make me mad. It is just water afterall! And it took under a minute to get enough ice to make a cone.All in all - this is a great machine for your family. You can make one cone at a time, flavor it and enjoy. Cleanup is simple since it's only water.Great machine - I'd recommend it!

The media could not be loaded. First and foremost, this is a really cool looking machine and will not just look cool on your counter top, but it will BEG people who come over to actually want a sno-cone. So if you're inclined to leave this out for use, be prepared, because use it you will.Second, the machine is very sturdy and well built. The suction cups on the bottom are thoughtful, they work and a good addition because once it starts going you'll see how important they really are.Third, this machine actually makes sno-cones, as in snow ... and not just regular shaved ice like other machines which really adds to the wow factor of this thing. We're talking edible material the actual consistency of snow. No kidding. If you rinse the ice in a bowl real quick, the grinding will all occur within 15 seconds. Dryer ice will take longer to grind but I like the snow a bit better like that as it's lighter and lasts longer.I don't know what the beef is with some of the other reviewers, but I can understand that sometimes people just aren't happy and will have a different experience. You have to wait about 60 seconds for a full sno-cone, but if you can't invest one minute in something you paid for, then I don't know what to tell you. My experience with this device is completely positive and I will continue to use it for some time as my son LOVES snow cones.I've posted several pictures of the machine above so you can see the actual size of this bad boy. Hope you like.As an end note, I didn't buy any of the flavoring, because seriously, what kid needs more sugar, lol?

I found comparing the various models available on the site a bit overwhelming, and ended up getting this "RSM702" in May 2017 mostly on it's seemingly small footprint and the excellent video another purchaser provided.May write a long/boring explanation later, but here are some of the highlights.==============================================================DOES IT WORK: Yes! (RSM702 circa May 2017.. Cannot speak for past or future revisions)DOES IT MAKE FLUFFY SNOW: No, not really. It is thicker than snow you find blowing about in drifts, etc.WHAT DOES IT MAKE: Large-ish snow "crystals" like you might find on your windshield by the wipers. Thicker than "fluffy drift-snow".DOES IT TAKE "FREEZER" ICE CUBES: Yes. But you are supposed to "let them sit" a bit to "melt/soften" them first.HOW MANY CUBES CAN FIT INSIDE: Instructions say 4-5 but can hold more. I was using 6, but was still room for more in the bowl.HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO "CUT UP" THE ICE: Less than 30 seconds, but there is always some "ice residue" left behind.HOW DOES IT PROCESS ICE: There are 3 plastic "fins" in the bowl that spin and force the cubes over a small blade located in the front of the unit. This cuts the ice into little bits which fall down a hole near the blade and out the nozzle in the front.DOES IT HAVE AN ON/OFF SWITCH: No. You "turn the lid" to lock the lid in place which starts the plastic fins spinning. Unlock to turn off.IS THE "CONE HOLDER" REMOVABLE: Yes. It is held on by plastic pegs and comes "reversed" inside the bottom of the unit for shipping. You can leave it there if you want and just use a glass or something to hold the cones. Or use a bowl, etc.IS IT "LOUD": Depends on the person, but I would say yes. Inexpensive item = no sound insulation.DIMENSIONS: 7 3/4" depth; 7" width; 12" height.CORD LENGTH: About 31" not counting the plug.POWER: Varies. Says 30w on the unit. Kill-o-Watt showed it "peaked" at 27w as it began to grind into six cubes, but quickly dropped down to the mid-teens as the ice was processed away. If you let the blades spin while it's empty, the unit whirs along at 7.8 watts.WHAT IS IT MADE OF: Mostly plastic and phillips-head screws, along with the metal cutting blade of course. It has rubber suction cups on the bottom to "hold it" to a surface. Unfortunately the cups don't hold to the glass tray I am using, so will have to improvise.WHY IS CLEANUP A DOWNSIDE: There is a gap between the Plastic Fins and the surface of the bowl where the ice cubes sit. It is not a tight contact like between windshield wipers and a winshield, so a small amount of ice will always be left behind in the bowl since the fins cannot force all the crystals down the hole by the blade. Additionally some leftover ice may be found clumped inside the nozzle itself, but this can be knocked down with a sppon or something. The fins may also shoot bits-o-ice up between the lid and the top of the bowl, so there might be bit-o-ice clustered just under the lid.The trick is this - as this unit is All One Piece you cannot take it apart (without a screwdriver) so there will be bits-o-ice left inside the top of the unit after each use. Best way to cope with this is to place a bowl or something under the nozzle and let the remaining ice melt/drip it's way out. Once the ice residue has melted, you can dry what water is left in the bowl/lid area with a cloth/towel/etc. Just always be careful of where the blade is. The instructions say that there will be some water dripping out the nozzle after each use, and states "this is normal".Note: If you move the unit while water is still around the top, it could shift and drip inside the rest of the unit. So try to make sure the top area is dry before moving/tilting it. "Cleaning" is just moving a cloth around the fins and such. Unless you have at it with a screwdriver, looks like no way to clean the individual parts.Unrelated: There are some more expensive "all metal" units that appear to be able to grind up over a hundred pounds of ice without a care, and these have a blade which can be adjusted (screwdriver?) to allow thinner cuts and I guess, make "fluffy snow ice". These units are also All One Piece so cleaning is still just moving a cloth around. The all metal unit is also larger and I went with the RSM702 to save on countertop space. Finally I have just a regular freezer for making ice cubes, so unless I buy bags-and-bags of ice from a store, would never have over a hundred pounds of ice to process. I did process three groups of six-cubes-each to make a bowl full of ice, and all seemed well. I left another small bowl under the nozzle to catch the drips and came by later with a cloth after the ice residue had melted.Back Story: For two years I had been using a 2008-era Model X hand blender with chopper attachment to crush ice. I would stuff the chopper attachment with ice cubes and grind away. It would make "fluffy snow" ice but would also leave sizable pieces of ice untouched. Then the plastic gears in the chopper and blender itself started to fail, and finally died. Did some reading after the fact and learned that "can crush ice" translates in English to "can crush ice THAT HAS BEEN PRE-CRUSHED BY SOMETHING ELSE FIRST." So opted to get something that alleged to crush non-precrushed ice, and ended up getting the RSM702. Also ended up getting a low tech hand blender for simple mixing as the more sophisticated 2017-era models all have an annoying safety switch on top.