Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 68010 Snowman Ice Shaver

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I bought this machine before any description or reviews were posted and hoped for the best. I was pleasantly surprised in what this machine can do. One trick to this machine though, is to definately freeze the liquid that you want to use in the machine first. Conveniently, this shaver comes with two round freezing containers which fit the shaver compartment exactly. I have tried shaving just plain ice first and then adding liquids, but because this machine generates snow, the snow tends to melt before you get a chance to enjoy it. If you freeze it first, the snow cones last a long time and are much better. All that you have to do is put ice into the shaving compartment and push down on the top. You do not have to push for very long or very hard and the entire ice block will be shaved. If you are looking for a manual snow cone machine, I would highly recommend this one as an inexpensive, reliable candidate.

My family has been using the Hamilton Beach Snowman Ice Shaver for a couple weeks now and we love it. I think it's one of the best things to get kids for the summer. When kids are hot, it's a great way to cool them off with something fun and healthy. Just freeze some grape juice or other yummy, healthy drink, and turn it into a shave ice!

Pros:
--Great price
--Easy operation and cleaning
--Works with both ice molds (included) and any ice cubes
--Compact, vertical, space-saving design
--Comes with a good recipe suggestion booklet

Cons (these are all very minor):
--Sharp blade exposed on underside, so do not let kids operate or clean without close supervision
--The manual needs to be updated to reflect the newer design, which actually has fewer pieces that need to be cleaned; this model no longer has a "nut" holding the metal wheel in place, although the manual refers to it.
--When I called Hamilton Toll-free support about the "nut", they were clueless about the product in general and had a very old model to refer to

It's very quick and easy to use! Just plug it in, put the ice in the holder (which has one sharp blade), set the top on it, and press down. It takes less than a minute to make a bowl full of fine-textured ice. The texture is closer to snow than the little ice balls you get with a lot of snow shavers. The molds have lids, so you can stack them in the freezer. It's easy to clean the ice holder and molds, but to clean the top part (which holds the motor) you must remove a bolt and wash the bolt and a metal disc by hand. It's quieter than your average blender crushing ice. I love cold treats, and this is perfect for that-- a bowl of shaved ice with a little fruit juice poured over it is VERY refreshing!

This ice shaver went above and beyond my expectations for a manual low priced shaver! The ice, whether from the included tubs or ice cubes, is shaved very fine - more like a soft snow (although, being ice, it hardens after a few minutes). It is fairly easy to clean - the ice holder and blade can be rinsed off, but the top part (which pushes the ice down) has to be unscrewed so as to not damage the motor (but if you're using regular and not flavored ice you can just leave it to dry). It is not dishwasher safe.

I recommend that you freeze flavored water versus pouring the syrup on after the ice has been shaved - since the ice is shaved very finely, it tends to melt pretty quickly whenever something else is added to it. The added couple of tubs, although small, provide the best mold for ice shaving, and one can fill a regular-size bowl full of shavings (about 2-3 sno cones, depending on the size). You can create a little stockpile of ice molds from the tubs, and make quite a few snow cones for a weekend treat!

Overall, this is an awesome little home shaver, a great value for the price. If you're looking for a small ice shaver to satisfy a snow cone craving that makes excellent ice shavings for a small price, this is your product!

I love this ice shaver.
I've used mine way more than 200 times over the last 3 years. Just had the blade professionally sharpened for the first time. Looked it up on Amazon because I'm concerned about its eventual demise. What would replace it? Very happy it's still available. Naturally, I'll just buy another. But for the present, the motor is still going strong.
On the other hand, what if it lasts another 10 years? Hamilton Beach better not discontinue it. Maybe I should just buy another one now. I'll think about it.
I suggest any of the Torani fruit-flavored syrups -- and especially their "orgeat" (almond flavored) -- with a lot of fresh lemon juice on top, in a giant, clear glass mug. Hold it by the handle so your body heat doesn't rush melting. The colder and harder your ice is to start with, the better your final product will be.
I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this machine. A pleasure to tell you about it.

I bought one of these about a month ago, and i use it about every other day (i'm not kidding) it makes awesome snow, and is really easy to use. I bought the rival brand strawberry daquri flavored syrup at a wal mart, and that, some plain shaved ice, and some strawberry yogurt makes an awesome real strawberry daquri

We got the Hamilton Ice Shaver for my parents for Christmas! They loved it! The motor is powerful yet quiet, and it sure beats the hand crank model my parents had before. It is easy to operate, just drop the ice block in the top, close the lid and push the button. It makes great, finely shaved ice with no mess and hardly any work at all. It could not be easier!

Having great fun with this. As other reviewers have written, it is not for major snowball making. For my 2 kids the 2 chunks are enuff. As previously recommended, try freezing juices because sweeteners do melt the shaved ice fast. I have some sliced strawberries in juice now. I'll update the review and letcha know how it worked!

We have been very happy with this ice shaver. It is very easy to use, and the ice comes out very finely shaven. It is a great deal.

I have bought this item and it works excellent. I used the mold to freeze orange juice, then i put the mold in and pressed the button. Out came perfectly shaved ice, just like snow.