Nostalgia PCM805 Retro Hard and Sugar Free Candy Countertop Cotton Candy Maker, Includes 2 Reusable Cones And Sugar Scoop – White/Pink

I can't believe the quality of this little machine for only $40. It is so easy to set-up and use and works very well. The Cotton candy mixes that you can buy taste better than the hard candies in my opinion, but they are both easy to use. We bought this for our daughter for Christmas and she loves it.

I bought this on request of my 7yr old as a Christmas present so had no preconceptions about making cotton candy on an itty-bitty toy. I read dozens of these reviews before I bought, to make sure I wasn't going to have a mess on my hands (and much dissapointment) on Christmas Day. We were not dissapointed at all! Okay first I'll say that the item was shipped complete. I read more than a few reviews where parts were missing, and that wasn't the case with me I am glad to say. What I learned from the reviews is that THIS THING TAKES A LITTLE PRACTICE, but once you've done that it's fantastic. Here is what I learned and I hope it helps, especially those of you who are having such a hard time using this and getting rightly frustrated: 1) The first load (of sugar or hard candy) will produce little or no cotton candy....don't worry. Just let it spin for awhile and when it stops producing (or just doesn't start), turn it off and add another load. that second load, and especially the third, will produce a full sized cotton candy. Just add the scoop (or two hard candies), let it spin for a few minutes. 2) The best way to make the candy is to hold the cone parallel with the spinning pan, and just keep it spinning with your fingers while waving it slowly across the top of the machine. This is a tiny machine and you can't hold the cone perpendicular to the pan and swirl it around the inside of the machine like you would with a full sized one at a carnival. 3) You have to use at least three loads (about one scoop of sugar or two candies) to get it going, don't get frustrated it will produce! You can tell the pan can't accept any new loads (remember that it is releasing most of it's contents as waste or cotton candy each time, but retains some sugar no matter what and eventually clogs) when the waste sugar that collects along the edge of the machine starts to get "glassy" looking. You CAN REUSE the waste sugar (it gets stronger flavor though!) 4) ANY sugar will work, but some are better than others. Flossing sugar is good, I had the best luck for flavor and texture with lifesaver hard candies. dum dum pops make beautiful candy but the taste is too strong. Candy canes are my kid's favorite, but that sugar has already been melted and worked so the the candy comes out very heavy and grainy. Table sugar makes heavy, flavorless candy but is fun to try, and fine granulated table sugar makes nicer candy that is also flavorless! 5) When it's done (four loads or so), I take oven mitts and pull the hot hot hot pan off and put it right into the sink. Don't worry about any burned on sugar, just wash it and shake it out until it's clean, let it mostly dry and put it back on. I don't know how long it takes to cool off, probably less than 5 minutes, but you can keep it moving along if you can get that pan off right away (and especially if it starts smoking!). Sometimes as it heats up, the newly cleaned pan will puff out a tiny wisp of candy (whatever sugar i didn't get out of there I suppose) and you know you're ready for the next batch! Note - if you plan on having family fun with this it's perfect. If you plan on entertaining a kids birthday party it is perfect ONLY if you have less than 5 kids, or two machines, or something else for them to do while you spin up cotton candy - you will have a horrible time trying to organize ten kids watching each other spin up a treat one at a time!