Coffee Culture

Hamilton Beach Snowman Ice Shaver

On hot summer days nothing beats a scoop of snow–to eat! This delightful Snowman churns out bowlfuls of shaved ice in just seconds. Kids can slurp flavored sno-cones for a birthday party and adults can sip frozen daiquiris for evenings on the deck. Two 4-inch round plastic molds with lids are included for freezing water, syrup-flavored water, or fruit juices. Simply place the frozen round (regular ice cubes will work, too, but not as well) in the blade unit, cover with the motorized top, and press down on the palm-size operating button. A bowl placed underneath (not included) catches the instant snow. For safety the sharp blade is completely internal and not accessible to fingers when the Snowman is operating. The machine measures 13 inches high when assembled, with an 8-inch-square base. A one-year warranty covers the Snowman against defects. –Ann Bieri

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Exceeded my expectations!
Tho, this item has a lotta great reviews, I was still somewhat skeptical about how well it would work. The results went beyond what I was hoping for! It’s quick and effiecient ice shaving, just over sixty seconds is what it took for me to put together a nice refreshing treat. And the sound was no louder than that of a blender or cake mixer. I don’t use it as often, nor do I expect it to last me forever, but at the price I got it for, I think it’s a fair exchange.

1 Star Please Read This Before Purchasing This Item
Please consider other brands of ice shavers rather than this particular item. I have another brand at home and love it. I was purchasing one for the workplace for our staff. Instead of purchasing the type I had at home, I purchased this one since it was about seven dollars cheaper. BIG MISTAKE! First, look at the picture of the item. The two legs suspending the motor allow for only a very small bowel to collect the ice. (The one I have at home is suspended on one arm and allows for any size bowl.) Second, if you fill the receptacle with regular ice cubes, the motor does not have a way to sit squarely on top of the ice. It will only sit flat if you have used the tiny round cups provided to freeze two small circles of ice – not nearly enough ice for most purposes. Using regular cubes will require you to stand holding the motor/shaver in place as it shaves the ice, and it moves around in your hands! You do not need this hassle. Spend a few more dollars and get an ice shaver that does the work – not one that makes YOU work.

5 Stars Amazingly Works, but slow
It is hard to get a snow maker that is shaved thinly like snow. This does it. But don’t expect to make 20 or 30 of these for a large group. But if you plan on making just 1 or 2 it is fine.

Don’t put too much ice in as it won’t start (took me a bit trying to figure that out as I went to 4 plugs).

So for the price, it works.

Also make sure your cones aren’t too tall as the clearance underneath is limited. You might even need to bend your cup a little at the bottom tip to fit it underneath.

5 Stars excellent — with one caveat
Yumm!! This inexpensive, compact ice shaver works a treat and effortlessly offers up delicious fluffy shaved ice in a matter of seconds! You can either use the two included forms and fill them with whatever liquid you prefer, or you can just put ice cubes in the hopper (though ice shavings from the round forms are more fluffy). You can freeze liquids such as orange juice, root beer or kool-aid, or you can shave plain ice and add syrups later. This is a fine product and works like a dream.

The only problem is that the sharp blade inside the hopper is exposed and you need to be VERY careful when cleaning.

5 Stars Great consistency
I just received mine today and used it right away. I haven’t made any flavored things yet but the shaver takes any premade ice and shaves to a nice, soft texture which I love. Most of the ice cones I’ve had at stands have always had hard little chunks of ice which I’ve never liked but this shaver does it better. I tried it with semi-crushed ice first from my refrigerator door and it worked fine with that. Its easy to use and easy to clean but like others have mentioned, beware of the somewhat exposed blade.

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