Are you going to make any chilled recipes? Yes? You have to arrange a bucket full of ice. Whether you use the chopped form or a whole cube, you’ll need it a lot. Therefore, an ice crusher is your trustworthy friend that can provide the ice you demand.
Crushing ice barehanded is quite difficult, so we suggest you look for a range of different ice crushers that best fit your demands. The equipment can give you output in a uniform texture for different recipes like frosty cones and various chilled beverages.
Table of Contents
10 Best Ice Crushers
Little Snowie Max ‒ Best for Quality Components

This product is the fastest machine-producing ice for home use. Its strong built and quick operation will get you ice shavings in under 5 seconds because of its features: high-quality steel alloy blades and a super-fast motor.
We recommend this item because it’s compact, easy to store, and even carry with you at parties if you’d like. Not only that, but it can be used for a variety of drinks, ice creams, and desserts.
Pros and Cons
Yescom ‒ Best for both Commercial and Home

This gadget is the best of both worlds. It’s fit for your small business, frozen lemonade, or fruit stand, as well as just creating beautiful drinks or desserts for your guests at home. It features a stable, non-slip base as well as a waterproof cover that facilitates its operation with wet hands without issues.
We recommend this product because of its versatility and durability and we think it’s one of the best out there on the market. Even cleaning it is super easy. Simply take a wet cloth and wipe it clean and dry.
Pros and Cons
Cuisinart ‒ Easiest to use

This beautifully designed item is made of the highest quality materials that are not only durable but also very good looking at first sight. It’s super simple to use this machine because you have the possibility of crushing normal ice cubes, without having to do any additional work in advance.
We recommend this product because it’s very compact so that you may place it on top of your kitchen counter even if you have a small one as well as lightweight for your easy handling.
Pros and Cons
VivoHome ‒ Best Over-All

For the ones that love to be party hosts especially during hot summer days, these machines are the perfect addition to your appliances team because of its insulation – your ice won’t melt even if you leave it inside for extended periods!
Due to its insulation and refrigeration components, you won’t just have straight-up ice for longer periods of time but also very low noise waves in your kitchen as well as super low power consumption. Also, the intelligent components inside your machine will be able to tell you if by any chance it’s overheating, when the ice tray is full, how to shape your ice cubes as well as provide a longer lifespan for longer enjoyment.
Pros and Cons
Costzon ‒ Best for Value for Money

If you’re looking for an appliance that won’t kill your wallet but one that still allows you to host your favorite parties at home with your friends, then this is perfect! Its durable steel-like components can make a large amount of crushed ice very quickly (more than 25 pounds per hour) without overheating. Therefore, you get to save a lot of your precious time and easily get your drinks ready quicker than you anticipate.
The ice container comes with a capacity of 12 cups and it’s see-through; therefore, you will easily know how much ice the equipment has produced and how many drinks or deserts you can quickly offer to your guests.
Pros and Cons
VIVOHOME Electric Snow Cone Machine ‒ Best for Ice Shaving Speed

This item is great if you need a product that has a bunch of safety features. Its water-resistant construction lets you use it with wet hands if needed as well as lets you turn it on or off the same way due to the waterproof on/off button. If it’s handled incorrectly, the automatic shut-off system will prevent any damage to your house or yourself.
We recommend this item as the sturdy base and the very stable workstation will minimize the expected vibrations or crushing noises, but keep in mind that it only creates shaved ice without any crushing. If you know this tiny detail and know what to expect, you’re good to go!
Pros and Cons
Zeny ‒ Best for Durability

If you need budget-friendliness and performance, then this equipment is a good option for you to consider. It’s the perfect heavy-duty item, with steel components for the ice holding and crushing, but with a quite beautiful and colorful plastic outline that meets the beauty and quality standards.
We recommend the Zeny because it’s effortless to clean and operate, it has a lot of features of other more expensive ice crusher but without the hassle. However, a significant portion of this item is made of plastic therefore, it’s not going to last for long years when you are planning to use it every day.
Pros and Cons
Nostalgia ‒ Best for Esthetics

Make delicious snow cones at home any time you feel like with this beautiful princess-like outlined device. The equipment features superior blades made of steel that can precisely crush ice into uniform pieces. Furthermore, it provides a 360-degree view and will be the center of attention of any gatherings with its vintage look.
Even as this item is super for preparing snow cones with the syrup of your liking by putting its side shelf to use, we don’t recommend it if you need a quieter operation or finely shaved ice. It tends to crush the ice rather than shave it, so you’ll get some bulky pieces to chew.
Pros and Cons
Hawaiian ‒ Best for Compactness

We recommend this device because it’s flawless operation. It creates the softest and most delicious powdery snow for you to enjoy in your deserts. It’s lightweight therefore easily portable, takes very little counter space and it’s the easiest piece of equipment to use.
Pros and Cons
Nostalgia Retro Beverage Station ‒ Best for Making Drinks

The large pitcher, the steering paddle, and the versatility of drinks you can make with this product, make it the perfect addition to your party equipment. One small note is that it won’t do a great job only with ice shaving or crushing in its pure form because it’s specifically made to combine fruits and herbs with your ice which makes it easier to operate.
Pros and Cons
Best Ice Crusher
Ice crushers can become the star of your summer parties and friend gathering because it’s so easy to make a dessert, a drink, or even raw seafood platters by adding ice shavings or chunks to each.
As easy as it sounds, you still need to take some things into account when buying your perfect ice crusher. Those are:
- Materials
Consider the materials of an ice crusher seriously. If you are going to use your equipment a lot, then it’s going to take a toll on your choice. You should choose a steel alloy instead of plastic. On the other hand, a piece of plastic equipment will be a real cost saver.
- Capacity
This feature will depend upon how many parties you have at your place. If you host a lot of gatherings, then you will need an ice crushing equipment with a large capacity that will allow you to keep your cones or drinks going for all the guests. If you or a few others are the only ones whom you are going to serve frequently, then equipment with a smaller batch capacity would be suitable.
- Footprint
Also, make sure that you have enough space to place your equipment. For that, you will have to choose equipment with a footprint that matches the space available. Too large and the equipment won’t fit, too small and you will need to bring in something else to fill the cups with ice.
- Cleaning
The equipment needs to be effortless to clean. Of course, it is going to produce ice that you ingest; therefore, the equipment needs to be cleaned properly before you use it. Go for equipment that is effortless to clean and maintain.
FAQ
Q: Can you tell the difference between a commercial shaver and a household one?
A: With today’s technologies, you won’t be able to tell the difference in ice shaved by one or another. The only notable difference we experienced while testing is that the commercial machines tend to last longer to due the heavy-duty components.
Q: Can I add syrup or flavors straight into my shaver?
A: It’s not recommended to do that because the sugar and stickiness of the syrups will get stuck on the components of your machine and get it to failure.
Q: Can I cut fruit or vegetable with an ice crusher?
A: Not really. As the name suggests, it crushes ice so unless you want crushed fruits or veggies, we don’t recommend using it for this purpose.
Conclusion
There are a lot of items on the market and choosing the right one could turn out to be confusing.
Ice crushers have come a long way since the time they first appeared back in the late 1800s. Nowadays, you can find ice crushers equipped with Wifi and Bluetooth technologies allowing you to use the appliance through your smartphone.
The capacities of these ice crushers have grown as well. Some equipment allows you to crush and shave ice while others come with water reservoirs to make ice as well. You won’t have to feed them with ice cubes. Some equipment comes with insulated layers to store the ice for you for longer periods.
So, which of these ice crushers are you going to use for your next gathering? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below!
We have been using Cuisinart for a long time, everyone is happy. Especially children
I see myself as if I’m Poppy Adams from Kingsman with my Retro Beverage crusher))) Anyway, despite retro design, it works great
We took Cuisinart to the beach and to a birthday party and it was a huge hit. I love the crushed ice all day long. It’s pretty addictive. I like to use True lemon and lime (crystalized citrus) on the ice for the extra sour. And this machine does the best!