A cotton candy machine is the perfect addition to a children’s party, a family reunion, a wedding, or any other festive event. You could even set up shop at a local fair or carnival and make some money serving cotton candy. People of all ages love candy floss, and they’ll be thrilled to see your machine. A poor-quality machine will affect the taste and texture of the cotton candy, though. To make the cotton candy that everyone knows and loves, you need to buy a reliable machine. Here are five of the best cotton candy machines:

1. Vortex Candy Machine 6303 – Editor’s Choice Best Home Cotton Candy Machine

The Vortex Candy Machine is one of the most popular cotton candy makers. It has a vintage design that’s reminiscent of old-fashioned fairs and carnivals. The kettle is made of stainless steel, which is durable and easy to clean. The base has rubber feet, so the machine can stand securely on most surfaces. It has a 950W heating element, which is higher than most cotton candy machines. The machine includes a large storage drawer with grids for storing cones, sugar, floss, or other supplies. It comes with a stainless steel scoop and two spare ribbon belts.

The Vortex has a simple and intuitive design. All you have to do is turn on the motor, let it warm up for a couple minutes, and pour in the floss. It consistently makes one cone in about 30 seconds. This probably isn’t powerful enough for industrial use in high-traffic areas, but it’s perfect for a party or just for individual use.

Safety is an important feature with any type of machinery, and the Vortex has a safety switch that will prevent accidents. The machine will only turn on when the pan is locked into the base with four clips. These clips keep the machine securely attached and prevent it from vibrating.

The manufacturer sells a plastic cover for the machine, but this model doesn’t come with it. Users recommend purchasing it separately, though, especially if you plan on using the machine outside. The cotton candy may spill out of the bowl, and the dome keeps it clean and contained. It also doesn’t come with a cart, and the manufacturer only sells their cart with a different machine model. Unfortunately, you can’t purchase this model and buy the cart separately, so the machine’s mobility will be limited.

The Vortex Candy Machine is the perfect cotton candy machine for children’s parties or large family gatherings. It works quickly and consistently, and it’s easy to maintain. As long as you’re okay with the lack of mobility without a cart, the Vortex is a great option.

2. Clevr Candy Floss Machine – Best Reliable Cotton Candy Machine

The Clevr Candy Floss Machine is a high-quality cotton candy maker at a mid-range price. It’s pretty easy to use, even for beginners. Simply turn it on, wait a couple minutes for it to warm up, pour in the sugar, and twirl the cotton candy. Users say that the cotton candy tastes great and has a good texture.

The machine has a stainless steel bowl with a diameter of 20.5 inches, which is wide enough to make a fairly large amount of cotton candy. It consistently makes two to four servings of cotton candy every minute. In the base of the machine is a three bin storage drawer where you can keep sugar, cones, and extra supplies. To prevent accidents or injuries, the Clevr machine is designed with a safety feature, so it won’t turn on until it’s securely attached to the base. It comes with a stainless steel scoop and extra drive belts.

You’ll have to be careful when using the machine because cotton candy tends to spill out of the bowl. It doesn’t come with a cover, but you can buy one separately. You’ll also have to shut down the machine for about 20 minutes every hour. If you use it too much without taking a break, the machine may clog up or wear out. If you need a cotton candy machine that you can use for long hours with no problem, you may need to buy a heavier-duty one than the Clevr. A few users have also mentioned that the manual that comes with the machine isn’t very helpful. It should be easy to figure it out after a few tries, though, or you can find videos online that demonstrate how to use the machine.

Overall, the Clevr Candy Floss Machine is a high-quality, reliable candy maker. It might not be the best option for intense commercial use, but it’s a great option for parties or get-togethers. As long as you take good care of the machine, it should consistently make delicious cotton candy.

3. VIVO CANDY-V001 – Best Commercial Cotton Candy Machine

The VIVO CANDY-V001 machine is designed either for commercial or personal use. It has a 20-inch stainless steel bowl that’s durable and easy to clean, and it comes with a wheeled truck and a cotton candy scoop. You can use hard candy or cotton candy sugar in the machine, and it can make two to three servings of cotton candy per minute. Taking the machine apart for cleaning is easy, but it’s important to disassemble it fully when cleaning to make sure bacteria doesn’t build up around the screws. If you clean it carefully after each use, the machine should last a long time without any problems.

The VIVO CANDY-V001 can produce fluffy cotton candy as quickly as you can collect and serve it. It’s fast, sturdy, and durable, so it’s good for commercial or home use. You can use a wide variety of hard candy or candy floss to make different flavors and textures, but most reviewers agree that hard candy cracked into larger pieces makes the best cotton candy with this machine. One user recommends using Jolly Ranchers, root beer barrels, or butterscotch candy for the best flavors.

Like with most cotton candy machines, it will be helpful to use a plastic dome or cover to contain the cotton candy. It tends to fly out of the machine, which can be messy and wasteful. The product doesn’t come with a cover, though, so you’ll have to pay for one separately. The only other reported issue with the VIVO CANDY-V001 is that it rattles around a bit while in use. It does have a safety feature that holds the bowl down onto the machine, but the bowl is still a little unsteady.

The VIVO CANDY-V001 is overall an excellent commercial cotton candy machine, especially when considering the price. You’ll probably need to buy a plastic cover to avoid wasting sugar, but the extra purchase is worth it for such a durable machine.

4. The Candery – Best Fastest Cotton Candy Machine

The Candery can produce six servings of cotton candy every minute, so it’s a good option for fairs or other high-traffic events. The motor can run for hours without any problems, but the machine is still very quiet. It has a heating element of 1030W, which makes it one of the most powerful cotton candy machines on the market. It also includes a heat switch and wattage meter that tells you how much energy the machine is using.

Even though the machine is fairly lightweight for a commercial cotton candy maker, it’s surprisingly durable. One reviewer even mentioned that it fell several feet down onto concrete and was undamaged. The base has handles for easy transportation, too. The stainless steel bowl measures about 20.5 inches, and the machine comes with a sugar scoop and 10 candy cones to help you get started.

You can use hard candy, sugar floss, or sugar-free cotton candy mix to make fluffy, wooly cotton candy. The manufacturer sells their own sugar that’s designed to work well with the machine, but any type of sugar will be just fine. Assembling and disassembling the machine is quick and easy, so you don’t have to spend too much time cleaning up after each use. To clean the Candery, all you have to do is pour water into the applicator while the machine is running. It takes less than a minute to clean the applicator, and the stainless steel bowl is easy to clean and resistant to bacteria buildup.

Because the machine works so quickly, it has a tendency to spit cotton candy out into the air. You’ll have to collect all the candy floss quickly or buy a plastic cover to contain it all. A few reviewers have mentioned problems with parts of the machine breaking or overheating, but the company has excellent customer service and will send you replacement parts or a replacement machine if you have problems.

5. Hawk Cotton Candy Machine – Best Durable Cotton Candy Machine

The Hawk Cotton Candy Machine is good for personal use or for light commercial use. It has a 1080W heating element, which makes it one of the most powerful cotton candy machines available. The voltage is displayed on the machine, so you can see how much power you’re using. The bowl has a diameter of 20.5 inches, and it uses premium grade steel, which is much thicker than standard stainless steel. The base is pink and has a nostalgic and old-fashioned design. It has a built-in gridded drawer for storage. You’ll also get an extra long handle scoop for placing sugar into the kettle without spilling any.

To make delicious cotton candy, you just have to flip the switch, let the Hawk warm up for two minutes, and add the sugar. As soon as you put the sugar in the kettle, the machine will start spitting out cotton candy, so you’ll have to be ready right away to collect it. The machine produces a serving of cotton candy in 30 seconds or less. To clean out the machine, turn the motor on for a couple minutes to let it heat up. Then, add water into the motor while it’s running to clear away any candy debris.

The entire machine weighs about 30 pounds, so it may be heavy and bulky to carry. The base doesn’t have any handles, so this machine may not be the best option if you want an easy-to-maneuver cotton candy maker. You can buy a similar model that comes with a wheeled cart, but you can’t buy the cart separately. Like the other machines, cotton candy will fly out of the bowl, so it’s wise to buy a plastic cover.

If you’re okay with a slightly heavier machine, the Hawk Cotton Candy Machine will probably be a good option. It’s not the fastest machine on this list, but the motor can run for a long time without tiring out. The base and the bowl are both tough and durable. Your cotton candy will be consistently high-quality, and you can get plenty of use out of the machine without experiencing any problems.

Best Cotton Candy Machine – Buyer’s Guide

You can find cotton candy machines across a vast price range, but most of them work in a similar way. When you put sugar inside the kettle, the machine heats it up and spits it out of the cone as a sugary liquid. As soon as it hits the air, it forms light and fiber-like crystals, which you can catch on a stick or cone.

The specific features of the cotton candy machine make a big difference in the quality of the product, though. A cheap machine may not heat up the sugar enough, or it might not spin the sugar fast enough to make small and light fibers. Even if you only need it for one event, it’s better to buy a high-quality machine that actually works properly than waste money on one that doesn’t give you good cotton candy.

Size, Speed, and Mobility

How often do you plan on using the machine? How many servings do you want to make in a given time period? Your first decision is whether to buy a home or commercial cotton candy maker. High-quality home machines can still work quickly, but they won’t be quite as efficient as commercial machines. Home machines are good for smaller parties or for personal use. If you’ll need to constantly be handing out cotton candy, though, you should find a machine that’s meant for commercial use. These will be a little more expensive, but they’ll work faster without wearing out.

You can find some machines that make five or six servings of cotton candy every minute. For a smaller event, this might be way too much. You don’t want to overproduce cotton candy and let the sugar go to waste. Other machines make one or two servings per minute, which is more reasonable for home use.

Depending on how you plan to use the machine, mobility may be an important consideration, too. If you’re going to set up shop on a table and stay stationary, you won’t really have to worry about mobility. However, if you want to sell cotton candy at parks, carnivals, or other events, it will be helpful to be able to move the cart around. Some machines come with a wheeled cart, and some manufacturers sell carts separately. Some will only sell carts along with specific machine models, though, so you should be careful when researching different products.

Maintenance and Cleaning

Making your own cotton candy can be a blast, but cleaning out the machine at the end of the day isn’t as fun. You should choose a machine that has easy maintenance and cleaning. Most machines use stainless steel bowls, which are fast and easy to clean. It’s typically wise to steer clear of machines that don’t use some type of steel.

Machines with lots of parts and components can easily get sugar stuck in the small crevices, which can cause bacteria to build up. Look for machines that are as simple to assemble and disassemble as possible. When you clean them, loosen any screws or bolts to make sure no sugar has gotten trapped.

Best Cotton Candy Machine

You can find cotton candy machines for less than $50, but they’ll probably work slowly and inconsistently and break down after a few uses. If you want a machine that will make delicious cotton candy for more than just one party, you have to do your research. All five machines on this list have positive reviews and use high-quality materials.

The Vortex Candy Machine is one of the best cotton candy makers for smaller events or family parties, and the VIVO CANDY-V001 is better for commercial use. If speed is your priority, the Candery machine might be your best options. If you care more about consistency and reliability, the Clevr Candy Floss Machine is a good choice. For a heavy-duty machine that can withstand wear and tear, you should go with the Hawk Cotton Candy Machine. You can experiment with different flavors of sugar to figure out what makes the best candy floss, but all of these machines should make fluffy and tasty cotton candy with any type of sugar.