The 7 Best Snow Machines
Special Honors
Snow Makers Inc. This Michigan-based company specializes in all sorts of snow-making equipment, offering massive units with industrial fans that draw as much as 18 kilowatts. Just note that these machines are the real deal, and are intended for use at ski resorts... not raves. So be prepared for some mixed reactions if you bust one of these out at your next house party. snowmakers.com
Backyard Snowstorm Many people in cold climates spend much of the year shovelling snow off their property, but if you want your kids to have the best fort or toboggan hill, you may want just the opposite. This company sells backyard snow generators that can help you create some precipitation, and they also offer a couple artificial-snow options for users in warm climates. backyardsnowstorm.com
Editor's Notes
February 17, 2021:
We removed the Froggys Fog due to availability issues, and found two new selections to bolster our rankings.
Our first choice, the Antari S-500, shot right to the top of our list, with a 20-liter capacity that dwarfs most others in this category. The company’s claim that the unit runs silently also caught our eye, but at the time of this writing there weren’t enough user reviews to safely substantiate it. Nonetheless, this pick has no trouble standing out from the crowd, coming in a sturdy, wheeled road case, and equipped with a 33-foot air hose that makes it possible to keep the machine out of sight and out of mind. However, it should be noted that its price also doesn't have any trouble standing out — and not in the good way.
Our second choice, the Tengchang Snowflake Maker, is a bit of a hybrid device, as it comes with 12-integrated RGB LEDs that allow it to double as a stage light. Granted, if you take a few minutes to peruse our list of Best DJ Lights, it won’t take long to figure out that this unit really can’t compete with the visual effects created by some of the top picks in that category, but for venues on a budget – not to mention homeowners who’d like to up the stage show at their next house party without needing to buy a bunch of separate machines – we thought this option was well worth including.
If you’re looking to purchase this machine to up the ante at your next party, don’t stop there, make sure you checkout our lists of bubble machines, fog machines and DJ controllers, too.
November 01, 2018:
The choices in this category were limited specifically to machines that provide snow effects, which is a small and niche category. Many people planning parties or school productions may also be looking at fog machines, but those provide a much different experience. The main difference in many of these items is the consistency of the snow and the sound generated by the machine. Weight is also an issue, as consumers will want something easily portable, while those with professional setups will be interested in things like DMX light board control.