Review on Nostalgia SCM525BL Vintage Countertop Reusable by Lisa Chavez

Okay, first I did some research. I wanted an ice maker with SHAVED ICE, not an ice maker with crushed ice. If you need a crushed ice machine, look elsewhere. This machine makes ICE STRIPS. DO NOT buy it and litter the review section with negative reviews just because the ice stretches, not breaks. (Yes, that's a common trend among all snow cone makers here. People never get what they want.) Now that I've said it, there are two things to note: First, it's noisy. How very very loud. Second, you must use it properly. You CANNOT overload it with ice and then unscrew the lid for five minutes. You won't get good ice cream. (Unless, of course, you're a crazy person who uses red ice cream every time you need some ice chips - I use frozen ice cream). So when you load the ice cream there are two sides to put the ice cream on. Put 1-2 ice cubes on each side and NO more. Hold for 30-45 seconds and watch the ice slowly shave. Pull out the device, shake it a little so the ice cream doesn't get stuck, add another cube on each side and put the device back in place. Yes, it's a little tedious, but compared to an industrial ice cream maker, it's a lot easier to clean up afterwards (I put the pieces in the dishwasher and spray them in), so I take on the hassle of making ice. If you want something simpler and less complicated, be prepared to shell out double the money for a device that can't actually be cleaned. As far as safety goes, I would leave it to the kids. Although they will probably get upset, I would trust children as young as 6 years old.