Consumer Brand Names Snow Machines Facts, Reviews and Comparison to Snowmasters Pro Series Snow Machines

As a Snowmasters authorized factory trained repair service center, a repair service vendor for Theme parks, snow FX design consultant, advisor for Hollywood Studios Theme Parks we've processed more repairs, designed more shows, worked shows with more machines than any other company. We done snow effects in movies, TV commercials, Superbowl events, MLB events, Malls and 1000's of rental events. We have a greater working knowledge of snow machines and the working parts, as well as working knowledge of how the largest snow displays are done, because I am involved with them like for the snow for Disney Frozen. I have been train by my friend Francisco Guerra the owner of snowmasters and the inventor, designer of the snow machine and I have taken his place in the field as an authority on snow machine effects.

No body does more Snow for Malls, Shopping Centers, TV Commercials, Corporate, Theme Parks, Parties and Events than Zigmont Magic FX, the most trusted name in the FX Business.

Look at these 4 snowmasters T 1000's to the left, look at the Volume, compare other machines to this photo. To the right are 8 T 1000's in 2000 at Disney roof tops. The T 1000's some are 18 years old and produce professional result in 2000 as they do today, while other brands claim to be new and improved and still not at the standards of 15 years ago.

I understand how all the parts come together to produce great snow and how to tweak any machine to gain better results, as well as how not so good snow happens . We own every Brand snow machine in the world today and have working knowledge of each machine. With machines seen from $ 67.00 - $850.00 on line and professional series snowmasters cost 1500.00 - 3500.00 the old phrase "you get what you pay for" applies here. We offer the best most realistic professional series snow machines for rent and sale. The Snow Machines Disney uses and has used for 15 years. Snowmasters brand is the only snow machine that can be adjusted in many ways, like we do for Disney, to adjust the snow. To us if its not a Snowmasters its not a pro series snow machine. If your a Theme Park Attraction, party planner, have a corporate conference, a Mall Marketing campaign, a stage Theater company, doing the Nutcracker Ballet, Church needing snow for Christmas or a Resort Destination here's why you need to distinguish consumer machine from professional result machines before they arrive at your venue.

All the machines make snow (foam product making 1000's of bubbles) but it's the level of realism, evaporative qualities, volume and flake size and control that make it look like the illusion of real snow. Note- Just because a name, advertising slogan or label says, outdoor use, a silent machine or professional doesn't mean it so, must look to the facts.. educate yourself!

Many people call and say they seen a show machine for a few hundred dollars and other who bought a $ 800.00 machine and say they have a "car wash look" or snow mess on the stage deck in their venue and then rents from us to gain a professional evaporative realistic snow fall. A lot of venues not allowing snow machines for the foamy mess these consumer machines can make. Most recently we see every one claiming that their snow machines are professional models, No matter the cost, results, brand even a consumer machine even at 89.00 being called professional which I can laugh out loud with these claims. The term Professional is place on every model of snow machines to confuse the marketplace.

All Machines have their place in the free market place, but if you are indoors in a professional setting or outdoors and need, require or want the snow to look real with small flakes and full volume and fall with an evaporative quality snow with no foamly mess than you need the true Evaporative Snow ® Patented Technology Fluid.. These cheap consumer machines will not evaporate in a minute and will disappear eventually that will take many minutes some leaving behind signs that snow have fallen.

The term "Professional" describes the standards of equipment within the top level of the FX industry ( like Hollywood, Broadway, Theme Parks Productions) and training and experience that members of the FX profession like Disney, Touring Shows, Broadway Designers and the industry people that uses snow machines in the field and the equipment that they employ. The sales people that calls a 100.00 machine or will call a Chauvet , Antari, Vivid , Flurry, Silent Storm machines professional just don't have any pro experience using these machines or choose to use gear that cost less and like a used car salesman sells it as the best machine ever. Some will say and sell anything to gain your business. So you must look to the companies and people who set the standards and rate the machines and that would be people like Zigmont and companies like Disney. We show the full range of machines Consumer, Professional series and commercial machines. We have over 200 you tube videos on the our channel to show you the difference in machines and professional results in the field.

 

We had a client that wanted our snowmasters T-1500 maxs, we sent them to look at a venue that had 4 T 1500's and they love it. They found a website that sold a look a like model at 1/5 of the price. They ordered these models (below)set them up and called us and said they nothing like your T 1500 and we cant use them. They had the event that day and want to rent snow masters models that day. It was that different.

Snow Machines that look like snowmasters T 1500's but don't perform like them.

To Rent Snow Machines

While some of our competitors are using the lastest consumer machines offerings, some features on these machines sounds good, DMX, Wireless contoll and others are saying silent operation (never true)and claiming that the one machine are good for all applications, but they don't talk about made for outdoors, they don't talk about the Flake control , they don't talk about the 6 different Realistic flakes sizes, they dont claim evaporate with in or under 90 seconds.

Everyone says their have Professional machines, Professional machines is where professional like at Disney uses professional grade Snowmasters Brand , which is the standard of Professional Brands

Some offer cheaper toy like machine and some are offering 2015 models consumer machines which we review here that produces large flakes that do not evaporate with in or under 90 seconds, but disappear in many minutes. Look for the Snowmasters Evaporative Snow ® Patented Technology Fluid name. Many of these machine not rated for outdoor use and to messy for indoor use. We are offering you choices and solutions to fit of your exact needs. We offer a Pro Series of machines, from Instead of forcing a client to cope with one model and making his event work around its capacities, we tailor the capacities to the event. We understand that each client seeks to provide a unique snow experience only through our varied line of Snowmasters Snow Machines, SNOWboy, Universal Effects, do you have choices and this can be truly achieved. We have have 18 snow machines and offer 8 options and models.

Make sure you're comparing machines and fluid equally. Beware of the cheap machines and fluid and compare Apples to apples so to speak, top professional machine to consumer machines is not comparing equally.
Snowmasters Evaporating snow fluid or snow juice that evaporates after floating for 30 feet dry, making a superior looking flake with the smaller 1/6 -1/8 - 1/4 sizes. Dry and fluffy! No-slip formula. Disney Tested. Not harmful to plants, skin or eyes. An extremely dry flakes after its floats over long distances. Our Evaporating Snow fluid is timely as it drys out in time instead of feet, 30 - 90 seconds. The water content evaporates leaving a beautiful falling flake that is dry when you touch it and disappears on contact without residue or mess.

There are many fluids on the market, this can be confusing as some the snow fluid can be wetter and takes minutes before it"disappears like magic". Use the Machine that the Theme Parks uses which is SnowMasters and don't the cheap fluid or consumer machines in professional settings. The combo of snowmasters machines and Evaporative Snow ® Patented Technology Fluid is the dream team.

All Snow machines snow, like anything else in this world has different grades, standards and levels of the machinery. As in lighting you have the entry level like American DJ and professional brands like High End Systems and Altman Lighting. I hope you will see the differences in the gear as explained.

You can use the same snow machine used by DISNEY and UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, SEA WORLD, PARAMOUNT STUDIOS at your event. With one of our machines, the other COMPANIES need 3.5 consumer machines to a snowmasters machine.

Identifying a consumer brand machine look at the snow in the air, if you see very large pieces of flying foam and very empty spaces right in the same space it's a consumer snow machine. These machines have a great tendency to produce larger agglomerates, which in turn lead to excessive moisture buildup in the surrounding area while the larger flakes looking more like soap suds falling. For those who need a consumer machine we do rent the Little Blizzard Model.

Here is my review and opinions of a bunch of machines that are advertised as professional but are consumer machine as no Professional Touring groups, Theme Parks or Theatrical Shows are using American DJ, Antari or Chauvet Gear. This is made for churches, DJ's, school, magicians and community theaters.

Chauvet : Antari : Vivid : Flurry : Snow Flurry : Silent Storm : True North : Evolution : Soundlab : Skytec : Starlight and Magic Pro : Omnisistem : The Dragon : Snow Jet : Elation : The Santa : The Professional Motion Picture Snow Machine

Here is a photo of a Le Maitre /ultra tec Silent Storm snow machine one without the Logo and painted over (so you don't know the Brand) and one with the Label on, but its a telltale shape.

In the art of making snow look real you need 5-6 different flake sizes as seen in the real snow falling street photo, you really need small flakes to look real. Sometimes blowing too much snow or pumping too much snow fluid through the sock is not such a good thing and machines that claims they have 50 % more snow, that's just too much snow juice pumping with a 750 watt blower. Its not an improvement really as it makes for that foamy mess. Plus does not produce the illusion of real falling snow. When you don't have smaller 1/6 - 1/8 to 1/2 " flakes in the volume and all you have are larger wetter flakes this is not evaporative snow. The larger flakes as seen above Can make a mess and make an odor. The machines have a great tendency to produce larger agglomerates, which in turn lead to excessive moisture buildup in the surrounding. Snowmaster snow machines evaporates snow in 30 - 90 Seconds (no one else can claim) because of the very real small flake size and control of flake size. In recent times machines are improving the pumps that increases fluid flow but not the blowers and socks/nets can't handle that much fluid that really makes the snow look like foam look and give the illusion of real snow real. Some of my hybred T 1000's which are a combo of T 1000's and T 1100 parts can make this large flake volume, but in the snowmasters brand you can dail back the volume and get the smaller flakes beacuse of the powerfull 1000 watt or 1400 watt blowers, yoiu can see the Osborne Light show install night photo that the snow looks real.

Disney in 2006 - 2008 was given 72 of these Le Maitre machines and True North machines to use in Hollywood Studios and they did create a Foamy mess on the streets as these machine were on the roof tops as large flakes does. Now we replaced those with 33 snowmasters T 1500's for the best snow they cliamed they ever had.

We have design and install Snowmasters Pro series T 1500's and the results are stunning as seen below in the Disney Osborne Family show. A photo I snapped on the testing after installing

The two photos above are snow machines that have a similar look in appearance with small flakes and great volume with machine that has been worked on and tweak by Zigmont. The difference in snow is obvious. Snowmasters builds a snow machine that allows fine adjustments, no other brand does that.

We tested this Brand with Disney in a Comparison test with 5 Brands, the criteria was the best looking realistic flakes, evaporative dispersal sound level, residue, output/volume of number of flakes, fluid consumption ,cost, warranty and overall reliability. Snowmasters Brand wins out over and over with the price tag of Snowmasters more than Double of Silent Storm. We Embrace the brand Snowmasters the Only Professional Series evaporative offered from the people who invented the Technology.

Ratings; #1 Snowmasters far outrank the rest,in a far distance #2 Silent Storm # 3 CITC Little Blizzard

 

They all spray snow, they all look OK as its sprays out of the machine, but results is less than snowmasters brands whether for outdoor streets or indoor parties.

Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine with W-1 Wireless Control, too big of flakes for indoor, not enough snow on a 50% setting and not designed for outdoor.

The term professional is used in advertising this machine which means worthy of or appropriate to a professional person which it's not, that would be a Snowmasters Brand Standard of snow machines as use by Aerosmith, Kenny Rogers, Broadway Mary Poppins uses snowmasters shows. Radio City music Hall/ Square Gardens (Owns 15 T 1500's), Disney owners more snowmaster than anyone in the word today and operates the world largest fake snow events which I and invloved with.. Snowmasters is the Brand of means worthy of or appropriate to a professional person.

Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine Is not rated pro series, not rated for outdoor use, is not splash or mositure proof. They never talk about flake size or evaporative control of snow.

The Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine and OmniSistem Consumer Snow Machine sprayed the below results.

 

This is what clients write us asking us how to help.....We do a big “after-party” for our Christmas production at our church and one of the things included is snow. Last year, we rented an Antari snow machine which was a totally insufficient for our desire. We have a 50x100 foot area that needs to be “snowed” heavily.

 

Look at the snow coming out of the machine for the first 8 feet heavy and dropping to the ground, look how like the snow is 12-15 out as seen in the video below. The other reason this is happening is the snow pump and fluid consumption is approximately 1 gallon per 16 minutes at 100% output or 1 gallon per 40 minutes of use at 60% - 65% output to much snow Overwhelming what the sock can process and that way the snow is very heavy and large flakes for the first 8 feet.. The machine is pumping too much fluid for any evaporative control of snow.

 

Video shows the snow is not going out far. Consumer machines will not make smaller flakes and you lose in volume by the larger flake created. You can see the snow at the further point has little snow effect. With large gaps or holes with no snow. Meaning Flakes are further apart Snow in video doesn't travel the advertised Coverage is about 25 feet depth and 15 feet wide, depending on machine height and ventilation. Who benchmarks with room air currents.

 

Not a snowmasters professional grade snow machines, but a consumer machine rating. Larger flakes cheaper fluid can create a soap smell odor indoors or even outdoors. it will build up on the floor.

Look at the snow coming out of the machine for the first 8 feet which is heavy large flakes which drops to the ground ( as seen above at the mall with scissor lift), look further out from the snow machine at 12-15 out its light volume. The light really shows whats in the air. The flakes are too heavy to float long distances.

The Antari 200X Blower is the same blower as the 100 and 200 except their foam in the blower to insulate noise, but it interferes with the amount of blowing air needed.

You will find some to say that the S-200x has an Operating Decibels comparable to a quiet home conversation to a dishwasher on rinse cycle (49-66 dB). Few snow machines operate at this dB level given the high output blower which allows the machine to project snow distances over 30 ft. Just not the case. The reason the machine is Quieter (that's all antari says its quieter than the last model) or claim that its the silent, is a the foam that is used it Insulate the nozzle compromises the performance. That's why these machine have bigger flakes. Its either performance of looking like real snow or quieter. We have machine that Disney use in Theaters, Cruise Ships, shows and outdoors. Try place a Antari 200X retails 850.00 outside for 30 days, see what happens. These machine rent for just a little less than a professional model.

Seen in the photo below the grey foam within the holes of the nozzle/blower that is used to Insulate the nozzle for noise compromises the performance.

 

The DB's for a normal conversations and dishwashers are 60- 65 range. Snow machines are like a vacuum cleaners are about 70dB, in the next room. Fact: Decibel numbers from manufacturers are a good way to compare equipment noise levels or loudness.

.Some think that snow from the 200X High Output Snow Machine - Produces abundant amounts of snow as seen here is what you get with snow on the ground and the all over the bench and would be all over people is good, but not going out blowing considerable distances because the size of the flake. This is what you get when the machine can't produce Evaporating Snow, which evaporates in the air as only snowmasters can master the smaller flakes and low noise.

Cheaper machines will have foamy results.

Here is what snow should not look like in my opinion, snow should evaporate in the air in 30 - 90 sec or 7 second on the ground. Snowmaster's fluid, the inventor of falling snow fluid, is the only true evaporative snow on the market. You can also seen bigger flakes are heavier and drops to the ground which means its not for long distances. You can see the distance in the video.

 

Look at the snow coming out of the machine for the first 8 feet which is heavy large flakes which drops to the ground ( as seen above at the mall with scissor lift), look further out from the snow machine at 12-15 out its light volume. We get calls saying the venue will not allow Snow Machines, They experienced the snow build up on the floor as seen here Flakes on the ground. Our machine will evaporate in the air. The reason the machine is Quieter (that's all antari says its quieter than the last model) or claim that its the silent, is a the foam that is used it insult the nozzle compromise is the performance. That's why these machine have bigger flakes. Its either performance of looking like real snow or quieter.

Using pumps like in smoke machines makes the flakes are too heavy to float long distances.You will find some to say that the S-200x has an Operating Decibels comparable to a quiet home conversation to a dishwasher on rinse cycle (49-66 dB). So listen to this video of the antari 200x and its far from silent. The work silent means not making or accompanied by any sound or synonyms: completely quiet, still, hushed,. The machine is a blower and they make noise as heard very well on the video, but you be the judge. To me its just a slogan saying silent. If its not a snowmasters professional grade snow machines, but a consumer machine rating. Larger flakes cheaper fluid can create a soap smell odor indoors or even outdoors. it will build up on the floor, use snowmasters.

 

This is not evaporative snow, seen here is snow foam flakes (large) lasting for many minutes, we are looing k at the large flakes on collected on the truss..

The larger flakes that will buildup and not Dissipate like snowmasters brand snow machines and Fluid. We call this flocking effect. Watch out for those who say this machine has virtually no residue, as the snow substance will remain for a period as evaporating as seen in photo above. No residue is tricky and in compared to what snowmasters snow evaporates in 30 - 90 seconds.

I have more than likely the most experience with snow machines than any other person. I have been doing snow since 1995. I was trained by the inventor of the snow machine. With my six years experience at Disney designing, the demo’s for the producers, installing machine, doing events and tech service all this experience which I’ve seen all kinds of conditions with hundreds of new machines I can tell you there a difference between machines and fluids. Disney requires true evaporating snow must dissipate and 30 - 90 secondsThere are many different fluids on the market only one that dissipates in 30 - 90 sec evaporation the goes away eventually evaporation means it goes away in the air not leaving on the ground for minutes.Slippery conditions are one snowflake is large and wet then lands on another snow flake which the water within the foam flake chains together.There are snow fluids with alcohol. There are fluids that evaporate to a paste; theirs fluids that take 3- 4 minutes to eventually go away..

Look at the high volume and realistic snow produced from a snowmasters T 1000, watch video below to compare. Your not getting these results witha consumer machine. Snowmasters Adapted By professionals in the FX induastry since 1997 and used in day to day operation in Movies, Theme Parks, touring snows or the best in effects and most Realistic snow are required.

 

The best consumer machine does not match to a pro series snowmasters machines.

Snow on the ground is never good, a snow Whisper..

Sometimes too much snow fluid pumping through the sock is not such a good thing as seen in the photo of the antari SW 250X uses 1 gallon per 16 minutes at 100% output , when you don't have smaller size (1/6 - 1/8) flakes in the snow volume mix, the snow can look foamy and not so realistic. The Larger Flakes are wetter that will not float as far as smaller flakes.plus they will take some time to dry and go away. Its just not the proper aeration 1/10,000 of a partitcal that makes snow look real and travels 30 ft out.

A Real Snow Storm With Snow Falling in the air to the left that looks like the Snow I produced from our Snowmasters T 1000 /T 1100 on the right.

The Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine consumer machine seen here making huge Flakes that don't look real, seen in photo above, we call them pickle flakes or potatoes skins, that can last a long time and take a while to go away. These machines have a great tendency to produce larger agglomerates, which in turn lead to excessive moisture buildup in the surrounding. Snowmaster snow machines evaporates snow in 30 - 90 Seconds because of the very real small flake size.

One of the reasons that the flakes are large is that the blower has gary foam (seen in the holes) to make it quieter, but that restricts the airflow. The 250x takes a longer time for the flakes to disappear and can flock if their is buildup.

Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine without W-1 Wireless Control, not designed for outdoor use. Electronics well damage.

The Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine is for indoor use and states not for out door use as their not weather proof or even splash proof. The manual states turn off machine even if snow flakes is on the machine. Our Snowmasters machine are weather proof as they stay on the Disney roofs in the summer for Frozen and The Kingdom for winter in the Florida rain and weather.

The Antari SW 250 is to be kept dry,is for indoor use, not designed for outdoors, the machine is not water or even splash proof. Moisture, water, rain, snow fluid gets inside the housing unplug or risk damage... This is not a water proof outside snow machine and snow is aerated at particle too great to make realistic looking snow.

The Electronics can get damp, let alone wet. The pump and pump connections are on the side by the vent slots, water get get in fast. Do not use outdoors.

Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine, get rain, moisture or even a another snow machine snow back here you in trouble.

Only Snowmasters Brand T 1000 can be hung outside, outdoor rated and rain can work with rain covers as seen above. Look at the even not gaps in the snowfall.

Instructions manual again and again will warn you -Warning! To prevent or reduce the risk of electrical shock or fire, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture. They are not designed for outdoor use.

This toy like consumer machine say Pro snow machine so it must be a professional model. Look at those professional results, with little Realism, Huge flakes and much space between flakes. The term Professional describes the standards of equipment and training that prepare members of the profession like Disney, Touring Shows, Broadway and the people that uses snow machines in the field. That sales people who never has pro experience hands on.

Consumer snow machine is turn off by snow as this was turning imto gel and is a mess, snow is clumpy and falls right to the ground.

Make sure you're comparing machines and fluid equally. Apples to apples so to speak, top professional machine to consumer machines is not comparing equally.
Evaporating snow fluid or snow juice that evaporates after floating for 30 feet, Making a superior looking flake with the smaller 1/6 -1/8 - 1/4 sizes. Dry and fluffy! No-slip formula. Disney Tested. Not harmful to plants, skin or eyes. An extremely dry flakes after its floats over long distances. Our Evaporating Snow fluid is timely as it drys out in time instead of feet, 30 - 90 seconds. The water content evaporates leaving a beautiful falling flake that is dry when you touch it and disappears on contact without residue or mess.

There are many fluids on the market, this can be confusing as some the snow fluid can be wetter and takes minutes before it disappears like magic. Use the Machine that the Theme Parks uses SnowMasters and don't the cheap fluid or machines.

All Snow machines snow, like anything else in this world there’s different grades or levels of machinery. You want to drive a KIA or BMW? 86 or 92 octane?

 

Some snow machine Juice and fluid and Clog line and pump like seen here.

 

Not rated outdoors and this is a foam mess indoors like so consumer snow machines many are.

The true digital control is not a 99 steps of control. Its more like 5 ranges of volume like a rotary dial would control. Once below 55% volume little control.

The photo on the left has a red circle with a very large piece of flying foam and the right photo red circle shows a large snow cluster and within the circle the lack of snow flakes. The volume is lack luster and huge gaps or space between flakes as compared to the photo below with a T 1000 Professional series machine that has little separation of snow flakes.

A modified 15 year old T- 1000 look how much snow is in the air. No space between the flakes and the snow sprays high volume at a long distance for a full curtain look.

Our Professional T 1000 machine make beautiful snow one machine seen here with a little help from a winter breeze in 2006.

The right snow machine makes all the difference and many snow machines look-a-like, but they don't all perform the same as Snowmasters Snow Machine Brand. The machines listed below are Low range - Low output 900 flakes per min or less NON (not) EVAPORATING (meaning foamy wetter snow) Consumer Grade (china/Hong Kong made) 1990 designed brand machines, Don't be fooled by sales hype of others as they will say anything, but you get what you pay for in this world.

While the "ML Per Min rating of the pump" is important, what more important is that the PC board control in the unit, this controls the air flow mixture with the fluid consumption (actual control of fluid pumped) over correct style sock to gain volume and distance distribution. The consumer models does not have this control. The Snowmasters are DMX PC Board Command Control which has is 99 steps of flake control. As well as custom made nozzle/sock assembled in the USA. So our PC boards have control and command of these areas. The consumer models do not have these capabilities. This is way they can't give benchmark ratings of distance and volume which is designed in the Snowmasters Machines. It is the ability of the movement of air within and over the sock with the correct flow of fluid, which Snowmasters has custom nozzle and Custom DMX boards is the key. Your not getting the special effects machines adopted direct from Hollywood Movie Sets and the Standard of Theme Parks if you machines are using these consumer names below, as these are the license standard 1990 (electrical parts) consumer brands machines;

So many offer the cheaper 250.00 snow machine model for top dollar professional brand machines and some advertise them as the machines Hollywood uses, or say the Cadillac of snow machines or their very own created system of snow machines. Snowmasters owns (and licensees) the snow blowing technology and if its now Snowmasters brand its inferior 1990 models. Some paint the machine to take off the consumer brand name and may even silk screen a name. These inferior Consumer Grade are slanted in the front and will make a larger foamy snow due to the lack of commend control DMX plus a blower and sock miss match.

For example the Chauvet consumer grade snow machine has the same basic looks as most snow machines, but it doesn't perform the same as a Snowmasters' Professional Grade Machine. These consumer grade commercially available machines are inferior and have a great tendency to produce larger agglomerates, which in turn lead to excessive moisture buildup in the surrounding area while the larger flakes looking more like large soap suds falling.
You may not know how good your snow event can look until you see one of our snow falling displays.

Beware of these cheap machines claiming that they are professional machines and fluid used by other companies that are low performance machines. These machines are not designed for outdoor use (read their manual). Consumer snow machines are using half the amps draws at 5.0 amps and our snowmasters high volume machines are drawing either double 10 - 15 amps. Think in terms of a vacuum machine, you want the high power 12 amp machine model. The cheaper 8 amp machine don't have the suction power and uses less power to do a less of a cleaning job.

Chauvet : Antari : Vivid : Flurry : Snow Flurry : 2008 & older Silent Storm : True North : Evolution : Soundlab : Skytec : Starlight and Magic Pro : Omnisistem : The Dragon : Snow Jet : Elation : The Santa : The Professional Motion Picture Snow Machine

View machine Comparison; Consumer Snow Machines versus Professional Series Snow Machines

A Chauvet consumer snow machine average price 200.00 new to buy is the standard machine of lighting companies and other special effects companies such as fireworks company who thinks that all there is to snow is a basic old design snow machine. So many offer the cheaper 250.00 snow machine model for top dollar professional brand machines and some advertise them as what Hollywood uses, or say the Cadillac of snow machines or their very own and created a system of snow machines. Can use outdoors in the elements or keep on the roof top for a few weeks of a run of shows. Disappointing results will follow. No longer made.

The Flurry consumer snow machine is advertised "Professional high-output machine" and sadly its not and its it confuses people to see the $ 340.00 machine, thinking it can compete with a 1850.00 model Snowmasters model. Let think about this 340.00 machine The company which is selling the machine making a 25% mark up as profit, so the machine is at 255.00. The distributor/importer buys them for 50% of the price of 255.00 which is now 150.00. The manufacturer is doubling his price so the machine cost less than 63.00 to make this consumer snow machine. Its a low output and flakes are not realistic. Can't be used outdoors in the elements or keep on the roof top for a few weeks of a run of shows.

Antari consumer snow machine that some on line companies mistakenly are calling a professional high performance machine and renting these low performance machines for 200.00 an event which is only 400.00 more than the rental price to purchase new, selling at 699.00 Retail. Can't use outdoors in the elements or keep on the roof top for a few weeks of a run of shows .These machine should rental at 50.00 and these machines are not designed for outdoor use, so don't be fooled. Our Snowmasters line of true professional T-1000 snow machine rents (with weather cover) for 275.00 and cost to buy 1625.00.

Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine

 

Seen here is an Antari Lighting SW-250X 600W Snow Machine advertisement photo, what wrong is the output is photoshopped magic. The snow under the machine is all place in with Photoshop to lure you in.. Below is the Actual snow output.

Snow seem heavy first 6-8 ft. due to large snow flakes that remain for a long time. You can see the light helping see the snow and there lots of space between the snow flakes and out T 1000- T 1100 will do 300 % more volume with realistic snow. Trust me if Disney Can use a cheaper better more realistic snow machine they would. If it can be left out side, if it has a lifetime warranty, if it can spray a large area. But once again this machine has its place and its not in the Professional series standard.

Silent Storm is the same pump and blower as the True North with a blower controller which allows for indoor work. The blower with a narrow focus of air blowing will not allow the snow flakes to dry as the snow is blown too fast. Silent Storm 2008 older Snow Machines claim that these are like Snowmaster's Brand and were top-of-the-line generator represents the latest in quality snow production technology. Provides optimum control over flake size, and heavy duty components are manufactured to the most exacting standards in there promotional ads. But are not top of the line, not the latest in technology in 2010 (nor were they in 2005) they are an improvement from the 1st generation silent storms and antiquated 1990's consumer models and have just basic volume of snow control.

For some who thought they they are saving money doing snowfall events themselves believing sales ads, three seasons ago I received a call from a larger Florida City which bought 30 Silent Storm consumer grade fake snow machines (would need 10 Snowmasters Machines to do the same Job) and had city workers set the machines up for a city holiday event. On testing the snow machines they were very unhappy with the results of these machines and the snowfall not looking like realistic snowflakes (large clusters of foam), calling us days before the event to and pleaded us to come down and do the event with our gear. Cause they said they couldn't use those machines because they were to foamy.

These machines have a powerful blower spa blower, too powerful that breaks the snow flakes to a small particular not allowing for flake control. The blower with a narrow focus of air blowing will not allow the snow flakes to dry as the snow is blown too fast and can create flocking. These are good machines for roof top. In Dec 2009, I received a call from a Dance Company doing the Nut Cracker and had 2 True North Machines, they wanted to know how to make the stage less slippery from the snow. (don't have this problem with Snowmasters Machines) This was due to the True North Fluid was making a foamy mess when the crew moped the stage deck to clean. We did tell them how to neutralized the floor for foam, as well as suggesting that using

Snowmasters fluid would be a first step in stopping this (QUOTE) hazard condition for the dancers. The Second step would be a snowmasters machine to control the flake size with 99 steps of flakes. I also receive calls from many people who where work for cities and were sold and told that the machine would do the job as our snowmasters machines and are disappointed and embarrassed to display and want to send back the snow machines and buy Snowmasters Brand. A church once called would bought 8 true North snow machines asking if on Friday I could provide snow on Sunday. They said after buying these machines and testing they machines looked like a car wash machine of soap and it didn't look like realistic snow. Again I took two Snowmasters machines to do the job and make them happy. Can use outdoors in the elements or keep on the roof top for a few weeks of a run of shows.

If a machine is under $ 900.00 for sale it's a consumer brand snow machine. These range from $ 189.00 - $ 900.00. All have the same basic poor performance parts. If these were dependable why wouldn't these machine have a life time warranty like Snowmasters? Snowmasters units sell from $ 1500.00 - $6500.00 depending on model.

First, our machines produce the only truly evaporative effects out on the market. It will evaporate within 30 - 90 time frame, but can hold it shape for minutes but contact will make it disappear because of the DMX Command Control system. With Consumer Brand machines the water content will dry out much slower and a as well but a much longer time frame, allow the buildup of wetter snow if the snow hits the floor. Conventional snow machines lack the tried and and tested technology that allows our effect to be completely evaporative.

We could never get the results we do with any of these listed above consumer grade snow machines, the results as seen in our video demos. Plus these machines do not hold a UL rating and your insurance company will want a UL Listed machine on your property. If these consumer machine were any good why wouldn't theme parks, who use hundreds of machines for each park, use them? They don't!

These consumer (Chauvet and Antari) grade brand machines using fluid 45 minutes of fluid a Gallon flow rate, spraying foam snow shorter distances rated at 12- 15' and 6 - 8' wide while only costing a few hundred dollars. All of these machines like Chauvet and Antari are Snowmasters 1990 old technology and are the first snow machines invented. Antari was the first company commissioned by Francisco Guerra to manufacture snow machines and make them available commercially back in the early 90's.

These early machines that still are sold today spray snow flakes that are more moist with no evaporating properties, so the flakes are bigger and heavier so they won't fly and stay in the air like snowmasters brand of machines.

If your renting machines using these names below they are Consumer Machines

Chauvet : Antari : Vivid : Flurry : Snow Flurry : Silent Storm : True North : Evolution : Soundlab : Skytec : Starlight and Magic Pro : Omnisistem : The Dragon : Snow Jet : Elation : The Santa : The Professional Motion Picture Snow Machine

 

These are Consumer Machines with Somewhat Better Performance

CITC Little Blizzard and 2008 Le Maitre Silent Storm machines are the Consumers Machines Standard machines and are the best machines for with in this class of machine. Can be found at FX rental and stage equipment rental houses.

The Silent Storm throws artificial snowflakes - whose size can be varied - between 9.6 - 19 ft, It has a built-in two-channel DMX for both fan speed and flow control. The silent Storm on an independent test by a Major theme park found that the Snowmasters T 1100 was quieter than the Silent Storm.

CITC Spraying about 15 ft seen here in a dog house protecting it from the weather. It also is Hindering the machines performance in the box. No air flow.

CITC Little Blizzard SP/DMX snow machine is like a hybrid, part professional part consumer model. All other CITC are Consumer Models. The CITC little blizzard 3000 flakes per min snow machine is similar to a older professional model with very little flake control and make larger flakes. The snow fluid is a formula that dissolves the flakes as the snow flakes are floating in the air, its a is self dissolving flake (flakes get smaller and smaller to the naked eye). So the flake needs to start out large and that is not a natural looking snow. Plus you can't get a high volume or long range of snow produced as compared to the snowmasters brand. Even with their blower modification. It appears that the sound proofing restricts air flow for making the machine quieter. The round opening which they think The round opening increases output 20%, is not allowing air flow to expand. These machines have a 3 year life span in my opinion and experience work these for 9 years, if used for heavy duty runs of rentals. The snow fluid is a Alkanolamines chemical family, that is a type of solvent with amino (Ammonia) which is the self dissolving formula. I have used and owned Little Blizzards from 1997 and this is from my history and use of these units.

These machines above are not rated for outdoor nor can be left out in the elements such as Rain.....

You compare the volume of these machines. Shown (below) is the photos below with two little blizzards volume of snow with help with a hurricane fan at 30 ft high.

Photos above are CITC snow machines producing flakes that are too large, flake paddle is on small and the blower set to max or small.

Not Evaporative snow, very large flakes and wet spots

Only Snowmasters Snow Machines sets the bench mark standards for Snow Machines with 8,000 - 25,000 flakes per minute in the standard line of snowmasters label. Which are used 100 % in Movie Studios Theme Park as Snowmasters Brand invented the snow machine and devolved machines for particular projects such as Disney. If its not snowmasters machines it will not look not as real as mother nature snow. FYI; I work for companies that hire me (snow expert) to do snow events with there machine inventory. My methods, ability of tweaking machines, positioning techniques and experience allows me to make any event look good. These photos was such an event.

Consumer rated true north above and Professional rated T-1000 below.

Look at the output of the T 1000 Professional Series Volume and distance and compare to photos of consumer machines above.

Above is one Snowmasters T-1000 14 ft high, if compared to the 1 or 2 little blizzard (above) T-1000 has more volume 12,000 flakes per min more snow and a realistic looking smaller flake.

We know the spec's of these(above) overseas made machines, we know how the blower and pump is configured and how they operate and perform. The advertising of these many of these machines claim performance only snowmasters offers, If it not The Snowmasters Brand its not top-of-the-line snow generators representing the latest in quality snow production technology. Snowmasters is Made In America Brand.

View machine Comparison; Consumer Snow Machines versus Professional Series Snow Machines

Other Brand Machines

Just because a machine can spray foam a good distance that doesn't equate to a great snowfall. The Giglio Moroder Production Snow Machines from Italy generates a good deal of volume, but it spraying wet foam that will accumulates on the ground easy which is not evaporative snow. While the volume of snow off the sock looks huge, the blower which looks like a huge hair dryer, doesn't allow the snow to travel and drift and float in the air. So the snow falls down more like rain with bigger Surfactants that are not elastic chemicals that makes the hollow flakes which are light weight which is the key. The snow flakes don't have the variety of many different sizes.

The blower creates a noise factor generated from the machine which is 80 dB + and the foam spray is too watery and concentrated. Look how narrow of area that is being sprayed and how it drops.

With the snow too wet and and some snow falling more like rain or mist which is heavy, doesn't allow the snow to float and fly in the air and acting like real snow and the results is not light weight hollowed bubble clusters drifting and flying like real snow would.

The True Professional Grade Series Of Snow Machines

Snowmasters The Clean Snow without residues!
The advantage Snowmasters snow machines is that thanks to the properties of its patented Evaporative Snow ® solution, the artificial snow flakes are biodegradable, non-toxic and leave no residue on the ground, camera lens or your wine glass. And of course snowflakes accidentally ingested through either your drink or wedding cake pose no physical harm. Consumer machines are not designed like this nor can you use just the fluid to allow the process to work.

All Weather Machines

We Have the only snow machines which are weather proof as a rental and can stay outside in the elements!

You can't just box or make a custom tower box with to hide machines from the eye or weather. These machines need air intake to operate 100%. Lack of power or air intake will have machine blow less, meaning less snow.

Machines in boxes that are enclosed are prone to overheating and parts failing giving you issues during your run, Photo to the right with holes in the box still is restricting air as you can see the snow dropping down due to lack of air intake and blower not pushing the show more than 8 feet.

Our Machines are design to allow weather covers, allow the air flow, which is designed under the machine or to the rear to allow weather covers while not restricting air flow shown above on all models for high volume High range of our blowers. Our USA made machines has all the bells and whistles including UL Approved Out door approved, keep in rain as Disney does.

Anatomy of A Snowmasters Snow Machine

Criteria for a professional series snow machine;

Water, weather and slash proof.

Built so well and will Last so long it has a Life time Warranty

High power 1000 watt blower #21 with the correct ration of air flow to fluid. To little air and too much fluid big flakes. Too much fluid not enough air flow not enough snow.

The fine adjustment of flake control volume for that 6 different flake sizes DMX dail

The sock shape #23 and fabric density for the efficient dispersal of the fluid to create a real looking snow flake.

ML Per Min rating of the pump" is important, what more important is that the #12 PC board control in the unit atomizing the snow fluid at the 1/10,000 particle.

Advanced Features On Snowmasters Brand Machines;

22- New modern custom design fan & motor, the most powerful design and the air intake is wide open, with a quite metal impeller fan motor that is foam insulated. A Consumer brand does not.

21- New custom blower nozzle mount - Allows high range high volume of snow to blow due to the design of the air flow, this is what blows the snow off the sock. A Consumer brand has a standard loud blower.

23- Sock - Allow control over volume and size of flakes many styles and types for different machines and applications. The snow fluid ( very "dry" bubble fluid) is blown through a fabric "sock" to create thousands of tiny bubbles. These bubbles clusters together and float gently to the ground, creating a realistic looking snow that disappears after a few seconds.

4- Snow Fluid Pump - With 4 style of custom pumps, like our super pump, the command and controlled by the DMX circuit board. DMX Software that allows the control of the 99 steps of snow flake size options, which is the key to make the "flakes" disintegrate more rapidly. The "flake size" control varies the speed of the pump, and therefore the amount of fluid sprayed. While the ML/min rate of the pump is important what more important is the air flow mixing with the fluid to gain volume and distance and the right sock to distribute the snow.

12- Circuit board - True DMX command and control features - Total DMX flake control, DMX 512, DMX Cycle timers, 99 of DMX steps of flake control. Controlling The Flake The flakes size and travel time makes the snow evaporates on cue. Our smaller fills the air with more snowflakes and floats longer in the air and evaporates magically in 30 to 90 seconds. A Consumer brand does not. Snowmasters 99 Step of control works with a Thumb Dial like this;
10ft use 3/16 inch flake to make snow evaporates on cue DMX Dial 825
20ft use 1/8 - 1/4 inch flake to make snow evaporates on cue DMX Dial 850
30ft use 1/4 - 1/2 inch flake - to make snow evaporates on cue DMX Dial 888
Only our professional grade snow machines have these abilities.

16 - Reset Button - Resets DMX System.

Consumer Brand- standard blower low range plastic impeller, one basic style sock, old 1990 style pump, basic circuit board.

of The Snowmasters Brand Snow Machine Choice of Theme Parks Industry Worldwide.

Our Promotional Flier

Our snowmasters machines and other world brands spray a High Volume - High Ranger yet dry light snow traveling 35- 80 ft that will evaporate before it hits the ground when adjusted correctly by flake size.

Our Complete Series of Snow Machines Quick Reference Guide

The Three Types of Snow Machines Consumer, Professional, Commercial

 

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