Back
How Much Do Cotton Candy Machines Cost? A Guide on How to Choose One

Jul 13th 2022 - Monica Cunanan

How Much Do Cotton Candy Machines Cost? A Guide on How to Choose One

There's no better way to bring back childhood memories than with a cone of freshly made, airy, and bright pink cotton candy. Whether you're hosting an elementary school birthday celebration or just love to treat your customers to gauzy spun sugar, having your very own cotton candy maker is a simple way to delight and satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. Cotton candy machines cost anywhere from $50 for small machines and up to $2000 for large, commercial ones.

Cotton Candy Machines are pretty popular so they come in many models that produce a different number of servings of cotton candy. Their price range also varies depending on how much cotton candy per minute it can produce. Make sure to read on If you want to know more details about the features and benefits before buying one.

How Much are Cotton Candy Machines?

Cotton candy machines cost anywhere from $50 for small machines and up to $2000 for large, commercial ones. Just as with any commercial purchase, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. The price of a cotton candy machine is determined by the number of servings of cotton candy it makes, the type of cotton candy maker, and brand quality. You need to decide which one suits you best.

This Pink commercial Cotton Candy Machine is the: Winco CCM-28M Showtime Cotton Candy Machine

How to find the best Cotton Candy Machine

Before anything else, you must first consider the occasion and number of consumers. There are different types of cotton candy machines that are ranging from large, heavy-performing models for your food business to smaller, portable ones that you can use at home.

Compact Cotton Candy Machine

The compact cotton candy makers offer close to 480 watts of power, meaning that they take longer to warm up and won't be as efficient at churning out as many cones as a commercial version. On the other hand, they're cheaper than their commercial counterparts.

Fun, cute, and small, the compact design of the cotton candy maker is what you'll need for an elementary school birthday party or family movie night! This compactly designed device will fit on your countertop or table to make cotton candy treats from your favorite hard candies or sugar floss. You can even use sugar-­free candies, so anyone can enjoy them.

Want to know how to make a cotton candy serving using a machine? Check this out!

Commercial Cotton Candy Maker

If you own a food establishment in any setting such as movie theaters and would like to serve these childhood delights, you would know that you would need one with a heavy-duty motor that would serve more than 1 serving of cotton candy per minute.

These commercial machines come in various sizes and their key components are constructed from different materials. They would all typically compromise on the following:

  • Usually, the metal bowl, the part where the cotton candy floss is spun, is either made of plastic or stainless steel.
  • A floss head or spinner head
  • Heating elements

Pro-tip: If you want your machine to last for a long time, make sure to clean and maintain it. For tips and instructions, check this guide. If you need more detailed information, check out the manual

Different types of Commercial Cotton Candy Machines

There are two different ways in which the floss sugar is melted to produce fluffy cotton candy. There are ribbon elements and there are tubular elements. After getting an idea of how many cones per hour you would need by calculating how many people would order a candy floss. You'll need to have an idea about how much cones per minute your cotton candy machine will produce. Here is a short guide for you.

Type of Heating Element Pros & Cons Application Servings per Minute
Ribbon Element
  • Pros: heats up and adjusts more rapidly,
  • Cons: it can be a little fragile.
  • Mostly used in commercial cotton candy machines
  • 15 amps: 2 servings per minute
  • 20 amps: 5 servings per minute
  • 30 amps: 6-8 servings per minute
Tubular Element
  • Pros: More durable
  • Cons: heats up slower
  • Mostly used in commercial cotton candy machines
  • Rental places
  • 15 amps: 2-4 servings per minute

Ribbon elements heat up and adjust more quickly, but they can be a bit delicate. However, this heating element option seems to be the default choice for most professional users. It can be found on some high-end machines.

On the other hand, even though the tubular element is a bit slower, it is very hard to damage. These types of cotton candy machines are often used by the occasional user and rental service providers who rent their equipment to inexperienced users.

Things you need to Make these Sweet Treats

After you've narrowed down which machine will be best for you, remember these additional items you'll need to operate your commercial quality machine.

These are the few things you need:

  • Jars of floss sugar
  • Adaptor. Even though all of the machines plug into a standard 120v outlet, larger machines draw more amperage and need to run on a circuit with a higher capacity so make sure to have the right accessories for that.
  • Candy Sticks or Cotton Candy Cones
  • Pro-tip: If you are hosting a small party, opt for reusable cones. If you want faster rates of cotton candy production, the disposable cones will be ideal especially if you have a business selling carnival-style cotton candy.

Thinking of getting a Cotton Candy Machine?

Here at Culinary Depot, we carry different types of fun cotton candy makers and cotton candy machine accessories that are perfect for any occasion. Keeping consistent candy floss production can be daunting at times. If you need help maintaining this machine, check out this article!

Contact us or visit our online store for more information about any commercial machines to serve that delicious cotton candy for your kids birthday party use, family and various party, or even customers!