We always find ways to cool down. Aside from the frequent visits to the beach, there are also desserts to enjoy during this season that will serve as our sweet escape from the heat. Shaved ice is one of the most traditional desserts that everybody craves during hot weather. Nothing is better than to enjoy it with your family and friends while having fun under the sun.
Nowadays, you can make shaved ice at home easily and quickly with a shaved ice machine (in case, you don’t have a shaved ice machine, you can use a blender instead.)
Admittedly, the market offers the many shaved ice machine to do the job for you, but do you know how to pick the one that suits you? This article will serve as your quick guide to best shaved ice machine in the market now.
Our Top 5 Best Shaved Ice Machines
1. Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A Electric Shaved Ice Machine
The Hawaiian Shaved Ice S900A Electric Shaved Ice Machine produces fine, fluffy, and powdery snow ice. It’s best for shaved ice desserts, snow cones, slushies, and even party or cocktail drinks. It offers a one year warranty and comes in with dimensions of 6.5 inches W x 8 inches D x 14 inches H. It features an adjustable blade and works best for cubed ice.
What We Like:
- Easy to use
- Includes ice molds
- Offers a one year warranty
- Perfect as a countertop kitchen appliance
- Can be easily stored away
What We Don’t Like:
- Shaved ice melts fast
- Non-slip mat does not stick to the bottom of the machine
2. Time for Treats Avalanche Electric Ice Shaver by VICTORIO VKP1100
An easy-to-use with a fresh, attractive design, the Time for Treats VKP1100 is perfect for home use. It features a semi-transparent and see-through plastic top that allows you to see how it works.
It is best used for ice cubes and produces fluffy, snow-like ice. In addition to that, it also has a wide base and rubber feet to maintain its stable position while being used. A safety switch feature is also built-in to this machine which will only allow the motor to start running once the lid is completely closed. Lastly, it also comes in with a one year warranty.
What We Like:
- Straightforward and easy to use
- Semi-transparent and see-through plastic top for easy viewing of its ice shaving process
- Offers a one year warranty
- Stainless steel blade
- Built-in safety switch that allows the motor to run when lid is closed
What We Don’t Like:
- A bit noisy compared to other brands
- Takes a little bit longer to produce shaved ice
3. Great Northern Premium Quality Ice Cub Shaved Ice Machine Commercial Ice Shaver
The next contender is the Great Northern Premium Quality Ice Cub Shaved Ice Machine. It comes in with a one year warranty and features a premium finish made of brass and stainless steel.
It is powered by a heavy-duty motor with 1725 rpm. The Great Northern Premium can produce around 6 pounds of shaved ice per minute. Its blade is made of stainless steel and is adjustable and replaceable.
What We Like:
- Premium finish made of brass and stainless steel
- Offers a one year warranty
- Powered by heavy-duty motor
- Adjustable and replaceable stainless steel blade
- Produces 6 pounds of shaved ice per minute
What We Don’t Like:
- Does not fit under the cupboards over a counter
- Block of ice tends to come loose; no safety shield
4. Hamilton Beach 68050 Icy Treats Ice Shaver, White
The Hamilton Beach 68050 Icy Treats Ice Shaver comes in with the dimensions of 9.84 inches H x 10.43 inches W x 7.32 inches D. You can use cubed ice from your freezer to make shaved ice in minutes using this machine. It has simple but attractive design and is easy to use. The parts are removable or can be taken apart. Moreover, it is dishwasher safe.
What We Like:
- Simple and attractive design
- Easy to operate
- Removable parts
- Dishwasher-safe
- Includes a bowl
What We Don’t Like:
- Shaved ice produced is not very consistent
- Receiving bowl tends to move a little in place while the machine operates
5. Margaritaville Key West Frozen Concoction Maker with Easy Pour Jar and XL Ice Reservoir, DM1900
We have the Margaritaville Key West Frozen Concoction Maker for our last entry. Unlike the typical look of an ice shaving machine, this one is as unique as the features it offers. It not only works for shaving ice, but it can also be used to make smoothies, slushies, and cocktail drinks. It comes with an easy pour jar and has four programmable drink settings to choose from.
It also has an extra large ice chopper with a customizable shave and blend settings. It comes with a one year warranty, and all parts are dishwasher safe.
What We Like:
- Extra large ice chopper
- Easy-pour jar
- One year warranty
- Four programmable drinks settings
- Dishwasher-safe
What We Don’t Like:
- It is heavier compared to other brands
- A bit larger compared to other brands
What Is A Shaved Ice Machine?
Instead of manually shaving ice to prepare that well-loved shaved ice dessert, the shaved ice machine does the job for you. It is a plugin mechanism that can be operated from your kitchen, at home, or in some cases, can also be used commercially.
Shaved ice machine can process either cubed ice pieces or blocks of ice and crush it down into a fine consistency. The first motorized ice shaving machines were introduced in the 1930s and eventually gain popularity after World War II.
There are two types of shaved ice machine available in the market. There is the cube ice shaver machine and the block ice shaver machine. They have the same purpose but can have different functions. The cube ice shaver machine can be used at home or for small batches to produce shaved ice.
And given the name, it works best with cube ice. On the other hand, the block ice shaver machines can be used commercially and for larger portions of produce. Also, it works perfectly for block ice.
How Does A Shaved Ice Machine Work?
The shaved ice machine is basic and straightforward to operate. All you need to do is plug it in and place a block of ice on the shaving disk. Make certain though that it is centered. Next is to lower the ice holder to lock the block of ice in place. Then you turn on the machine so its blade can start shaving the ice.
Via ululanishawaiianshaveice.com
Things To Consider When Buying A Shaved Ice Machine
Before purchasing your shaved ice machine, you must look into a few things to make sure that you find the best machine that suits you. Here are some of the things that you need to consider in buying a shaved ice machine.
The Use and The User
You must take into consideration what the machine is going to be used for. Shaved ice machines can either be for home use or commercial. It’ll determine which particular type of shaved ice machine you need to purchase.
Cube ice shaver machines can be operated easily by anyone and can be perfect for home use. With a little of syrup, some chopping cut fruits such as strawberry, berries, banana, watermelon, kiwi…, even some kinds of beverage like coffee, juice…, you can choose anything you like to flavour your shaved ice.
Making shaved ice at home has never been easier. Meanwhile, the block ice shaver machine requires a bit of training for proper operation and can be used commercially.
Availability of Ice For Shaver Machine
The ice availability is another important factor to look into. Cubed ice are readily available in all parts of the country. Moreover, you can find them being sold at convenience stores, grocery stores, and ice houses. Unlike cubed ice, block ice is not always available. Unless you make them yourselves, block ice can only be purchased from an ice wholesaler.
Via galmeetsglam.com
Size Of Ice Produced
As for the consistency of the ice that is produced, the cube ice shaver machine can produce fine and fluffy ice. On the other hand, the block ice shaver gives you a finer, softer and snow-like results.
The Advantage Of A Best Shaved Ice Machine
During the summer season, there a lot of options for desserts and drinks such as juice, ice cream… that you can prepare to help you cool down. The most common are the shaved ice desserts. Traditional hand ice crushers can be a bit of a hassle to operate as it is done manually. Shaved ice machines, at present, can be easily operated across all ages and give the consistency of a shaved ice that you want.
The Drawback
The disadvantage that we can think of regarding the ice shaving machine is that it can be a challenge on deciding which particular device to purchase. Since we know that there are cube ice shaving machines and block ice shaving machines, it can be quite confusing which type to go to without considering the important points first.
Final Thoughts
With all these fantastic ice shaver machines that you can avail in the market, it may have been difficult to zero in on the best one. However, if you’ll apply the tips that we have discussed on what to consider before making your purchase, this task should be a lot easier for you.
For our verdict, the Hamilton Beach 68050 Icy Treats Ice Shaver is the one we can recommend as the best among its competition. It may be a surprise to many, but its offers, features, and simplicity have won us over to make it be the best choice. It is very easy to use, and even your kids can operate it.
However, if you do have other ideas or you feel you have other suggestions that can be included in this topic, feel free to let us know. You can leave your comments and feedback below.