Southern Snow or Snowizard
Grand Tiki
I have three machines, two from Snowizard and one from Southern Snow.
The machines are very simillar -- in fact the blades, belts, and
motors are directly interchangeable.
There are some differences between the machines though. It boils down
to this:
Snowizard has better craftsmanship.
Southern Snow has some better (and some not better) design features.
*** Snowizard Pro's and Con's:
Pro: The fit and finish of the machine is significantly higher than
Southern Snow's machine. Even areas not immediately visible to the
end user have quality machining and fabrication. (This may or may not
translate into longevity or improved functionality.) The pushbar, ice
tension wheel, and handle all operate like velvet, and the ratchet is
far less likely to "skip" when pushed hard. The Snowizard machine
runs quieter (it purrs), the Southern Snow Machine machine rumbles
slightly louder. If you use compressed ice, the smaller slots for the
blades shaves a finer product -- it also clogs easier when you're busy
(not an issue of you have running water to blast up the chute though).
Con: The switches (I have 12 volt *and* 120 volt versions) on the
motors are a weak point. Heavy use with wet hands will cause the 120
volt rocker switch to fail (4 in 3 years). The 12 volt switch is also
cheap and breaks off (3 in first year). Because these switches are
incorportated into the body of the motor, it is very difficult to get
replacements locally and a real pain in the butt to fix because of
limited space and slack in the wires. (They always seem to break at
the worst times too -- like Friday afternoon with 100 degree temps!)
Draw: The open motor in the Snowizard runs cooler when under a heavy
rush of customers, but (though I've never been shocked), touching a
motor with wet hands makes me nervous. I have a GFCI outlet on the
machine because of this.
*** Southern Snow Pro's and Con's:
Pros: The wider blade slots are less likely to clog, (but also "tear
out" bigger chunks when using compressed ice). The tapered chute does
not clog as frequently. The deeper grooves in the bottom of the ice
chamber and curved pressure plate on top holds the ice from wobbling
better if you have off-square blocks. The switch is wired away from
the motor and is a standard 30amp double pole switch available at any
Home Depot. The plastic cover keeps you from having to touch the
motor, but the motor runs hotter and the plastic cover is not as
elegant as the Stainless Steel belt cover on SW.
Cons: Cheap tack welds, less craftsmanship in fabrication and lower
quality castings all save money during manufacture. (Most of this is
not visible though, and doesn't affect operation.) Push bar more
likely to "skip" when overloaded. Pressure wheel and handle are
"gritty" when operated (but you wouldn't notice it without a
side-by-side comparison). Significantly louder when operated versus
the Snowizard. The drip pan for Snowizard is much nicer than Southern
Snow's -- the hose threads on the Southern Snow pan "strip" easy too.
Ice chamber door doesn't stay closed as well -- even has a little
cheezy red toggle to keep it closed. (They should have used better
magnets instead.) Plastic motor cover is annoying to get on and off
(granted, not a daily operation.) Shaving head is not as finely
balanced as Snowizard's (spin it without the belt and it will stop and
reverse just before it stops spinning).
Draw: Though the Southern Snow has a 3/4 hp motor versus the
Snowizard's 1/2 hp motor, I've never noticed any difference in their
ability to make shaved ice -- both fling it out as fast as you can
push the handle. (12 volt versions use the same motor.)
*******
Bottom Line: If you're buying used off eBay, either will work fine.
If you're buying new, Southern Snow is cheaper, includes an extra $30
set of blades and doesn't charge you $45 for the cardboard box it
ships in. Southern Snow also relabels their machines for FlavorSnow,
Kavern, and a few others I can't think of just now. (Tip off is the
little red toggle above the ice chamber door -- if you see it, chances
are Southern Snow made it.)
Customer service at both companies has been excellent in my opinion.
(Switches at Snowizard, new pulley I broke for Southern Snow.)
Note: If not for the (I feel) switch design flaw, I wouldn't HAVE to
use Snowizard's Customer Service!
If you have the extra few bucks, the Snow Wizard is a pleasant machine
that just feels "nicer" when operated. Since I use compressed ice, it
also shaves a finer product (but if you use true block ice, the end
product is identical - if you don't push too fast).