Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The Disney Ice Shaver Snow Cone machine is Cheap Cheap Cheap. I purchased for several reasons:
1. I liked the style.
2. I liked the color.
3. I wanted something cheap to try out before I spent big money on a 'real' snow cone machine
First impressions...
Opening the box, I found that everything was well packaged in formed Styrofoam. The accessories fit into their locations well and are essential to complete the look of 'Mickey'.
The fit and style of this unit are pretty good for a completely plastic appliance. Mickey is light and looks good on the counter with the red/white accents (including the bright red cord - nice touch). This machine is pretty small and compact and can be put in an area 9" x 7" on the counter. I put him in the corner of my island for easy reach since we have snow cones everyday.
Accessories:
1. Snow Cone Cup Holder
2. Two flavor/syrup containers
3. Snow cone shaping cup/snow cone holder
There are two things to consider with these accessories:
1. Will you use 'standard' sized cups for your snow cone treats or another type of cup?
2. Will you make/store the syrup for your dessert in the ear cups?
To answer the first question, you need to understand how large the cup holder actually is. I purchased reusable plastic snow cone cups with an integral straw from Walmart for use with mine. These 'barely' fit in the holder and tilt slightly away from the base because there isn't quite enough room to fit them onto the holder. This is a minor issue since the cup still catches most of the ice. If you want to have a full to overflowing snow cone like my wife, this may bother you.
The size of the snow cone cup/top shaper is also small. This is designed for a small snow cone cup (5 oz or so) and not anything larger. It has styled mickey ears on each side of the cup that interfere with compacting the ice into a nice dome that we all expect when having a snow cone. Also, as a snow cone cup, it is very small (it's use is further diminished by it's lack of fit into the snow cone holder).
To answer the second question, the two syrup/topping 'ears' that sit on perches on either side of the hopper are pointless in my opinion, but do an excellent job 'looking pretty'. these two cups are difficult to work with and quickly become so sticky they must be washed to remove residue from previous snow cones. Though these fit will with the style and location for use, they do not fit into the base very well. As a result, I have sent these things bouncing on the floor many MANY times during use of the machine. Operation:
The Mickey Ice Shaver is a journeyman snow cone maker. It is loud (100dB at the point of use - use ear plugs if you are going to make more than one), it makes shaved ice slowly (about one snow cone per 90 seconds - when it is working correctly), and must be completely full of ice for the machine to work well. This last statement is intended to be a guide since it will technically make ice with less ice in the hopper, but something about the design does not allow the ice to move quickly into position when there is less weight pushing it into position.
The metal blade that does the work on this device is replaceable and can be accessed by taking the hopper screw out. This blade does not wear quickly and should last the life of the machine for the average user. If you are a snow cone fanatic, be prepared to sharpen/replace the blade. It is not a typical razor blade, so think about using a knife sharpener to perform this task.
Speaking of the full hopper required for it to work well, after I have made my last snow cone of the session, I place an empty snow cone cup under the nozzle to catch the dripping water that inevitably comes when the ice inside the hopper melts. (I learned this the hard way after seeing water all over the counter). This is a minor thing and should be expected of a machine that has no basin. The water dripping out of the machine does not fall on the electric parts and shouldn't cause an issue with operation. If you do want to get the ice out of the machine, there is a removable cover to access the hopper. After removing the cover, it is possible to invert the machine and remove the ice or, by unscrewing the hopper retaining screw (plastic wing screw), the ice can be removed by hand. Since the machine is so light and portable, I usually pop the top and pour the ice out if I have time (I usually let it drain into a cup, since I am not sure when the next snow cone will be made and the ice in the hopper may be useful minutes after I think we are done).
After several snow cones...
If you have a large family, you will probably be making more than one snow cone per child per day. If this is something that you only bring out for parties, be prepared to buy another machine. After 4-5 snow cones in a row, the motor is HOT and the mechanism is at it's limit. Although I was unable to get it to overheat with 6 snow cones placed through it continuously (motor never shut off), I have had the machine over heat and stop on me after 3 cones fairly close together.
If you enjoy the style and are an occasional snow cone consumer who wants a cheap, stylish machine that doesn't take up much counter space, this may be the machine for you.
If you have a large group eating multiple snow cones everyday, or if you desire something for parties, spend a bit more money and step up to a machine with better performance.
Style: 5 out of 5 stars
Quality: 3 out of 5 stars
Price: 5 out of 5 stars
Value: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 Stars (mainly because it is so cheap!)
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Disney Mickey Ice Shaver & Snow Cone Machine in Red
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