The snow cone machine of the Great Northern popcorn company can make shaved ice for snow cones and slush treats. In 2015, the Great Northern popcorn company updated its snow cone maker.
The old-school-looking 68 pound unit has dimensions of 15.5 x 19.5 x 25 inches. It’s large but not so big that you can’t find space for it. It should work well at events like ice cream socials or birthday parties.
A NOSTALGIC & POWERFUL SNOW CONE MAKER
There are a couple of features that are designed to keep the ice from melting too fast. The blue-tinted windows provide extra shade to keep your slushy in ice form longer. The plastic drain tray is connected to the machine’s body at a diagonal angle to send water away from the ice, which also helps keep the shaved ice from melting too quickly. Powering this snow cone maker is a heavy-duty, powerful motor designed for commercial use.
It spins at 1725 rpm and has 1/3rd horsepower on a 15 amp line. This enables this machine to shave over 500 pounds of ice in just 1 hour. Ice is very tough and can wear down blades relatively quickly. To counter this, the Great Northern Popcorn snow cone machine has heavy-duty powder-coated stainless steel blades. The design of the Great Northern snow cone machine is attractive.
Although this machine has been overhauled for the new 2015 model, it has a nostalgic look that will remind people of yesteryear. The sign is backlit to grab your customer’s attention, perhaps.
The stainless steel (and cast aluminum) construction with blue-tinted glass also works to bring more eyes to your snow cone machine, which of course means more snow cone sales.
This snow cone maker is easy to use. Attached to the left side of the machine is a cup holder for easily accessible serving. The on and off switch is located conveniently at the top of the device.
Clean up is pretty easy, too, just discard new shaved ice and wipe off excess liquid. Anyone can learn how to use this snow cone/slush maker quickly, which is important when training new employees or users for this machine.
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Features/Specs.
- About 70 pounds
- 15.5 x 19.5 x 25 inches
- 1725 RPMs
- Slanted drain tray
- Stainless steel scoop
- 8 plastic serving cups
- 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
Compared to Gold Medal Sno-King Sno-Kone 1888
Compared to other snow cone makers, this one compares favorably to the competition. First of all, the Great Northern snow cone maker boast a motor that is more powerful than its peers (1725 rotations per minute). The Gold Medal Sno-King Sno-Kone 1888 Ice Shaver is another highly rated snow cone/slush maker.
Like the Great Northern machine, the Sno-King 1888 can shave over 500 pounds of ice an hour. It is about 25 pounds lighter in weight and has the same horsepower ( 1/3rd hp). Despite this, however, the Great Northern snow cone maker is superior in my opinion.
While the Sno-King looks cool, most people would think it is more attractive than the Great Northern (see pic of the Sno-King on Amazon), its mostly plastic body construction is a bit of a turn-off for me. If a mostly plastic body isn’t a deal-breaker for you, then the Sno-King might be a good alternative.
Summary
The Great Northern Popcorn Company’s “Polar Cones” shaved ice machine is one of the best in its class. It has a cool old-school look that easily gets customers’ attention. It’s great for fundraisers, businesses, schools, and parties. The unit is built well: sturdy stainless steel construction and thick window panes. You shouldn’t be disappointed.
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