The 6 Best Cotton Candy Makers of 2023

What to Look for in a Cotton Candy Maker

Size

The larger the bowl of a cotton candy maker, the more cotton candy it can make at a time. A bigger machine will be more expensive, but it will make the basketball-sized fluffy spheres you find at the state fair. A smaller, countertop-sized machine is more affordable and storable but makes smaller servings of cotton candy. There are also cart-mounted cotton candy makers, which make the larger machines more portable by adding wheels but take up a lot of space.

Price

Cotton candy makers vary pretty wildly in price. You can get a small machine made for countertop use for well under $50, while professional-level ones can cost $400 or more. The larger cart versions are party-ready and easy to transport, but they will run you a prettier penny. You should keep in mind that you'll also have to buy supplies—sugar and cones—as well, since most machines don't come with any.

A cost-saving option might be to rent a cotton candy maker. Party stores that rent out chairs, tables, bounce houses, and similar items usually have cotton candy machines on offer. If you only want cotton candy for a one-time event, this might be a good option, but the cost for a one-day rental is often a good fraction of the cost to just buy the machine new.

Power

When it comes down to it, a cotton candy maker is essentially a heating element hooked up to a spinning motor, both of which use electricity to operate. More power makes for faster preheating and a larger sugar capacity, while an underpowered machine might need 10 minutes or more to get hot enough to start making cotton candy. Large commercial machines generally boast 800 to 1,000 watts, while smaller ones can get away with 400 to 500.

Ingredients

In order to get the best results out of your cotton candy maker, you should use sugar designed especially for cotton candy. Often called flossing sugar or floss sugar (because it's for making candy floss), this is granulated sugar that's been dyed and flavored and then dried. The sugar melts evenly, distributing the color and flavor throughout the cotton candy. There are many brands in countless colors and flavors. As a rough estimate, a half-gallon carton of flossing sugar is enough for 60 to 70 servings of cotton candy.

You can use plain granulated sugar for white cotton candy, but if you try to add your own food coloring or flavor extracts, you may not get consistent results. Some machines are designed to work with hard candies, too. You can toss one or two Life Savers or similar corn syrup-based candies into these machines to turn them into cottony floss—as long as the manual says your machine can use them.

Two ingredients that should never go in a cotton candy maker are butter and starches like flour. These ingredients don't melt down like plain sugar and will burn. That means no caramels, no butterscotch, no gummies, and also no powdered sugar—it has added cornstarch to keep the sugar from clumping.

Cones/Sticks

Almost as important as sugar is something to wrap the wisps of candy around. A long cone or stick is traditional, as it keeps your hands from getting sticky and away from the hot parts of the machine. Paper cones made especially for cotton candy are durable, sturdy, and perfect for the job, but they're intended for only one use. Some machines come with reusable plastic cones. Besides those, a wooden skewer, chopstick, or basically any long, skinny object will work as a cotton candy holder. Just make sure whatever you use is completely dry, as any moisture will melt the candy down into a puddle of sticky goop.

FAQs

How does a cotton candy maker work?

Cotton candy is made of sugar that's been turned into lots of tiny strands. A cotton candy machine does this by melting the sugar in a spinning chamber in the center, which flings out threads of liquid sugar that rapidly cool into cottony fibers.

The art of using a cotton candy maker comes in collecting those fibers on a cone or stick in order to make a puffy round cloud. With the machine preheated, pour in the sugar and then move the cone around the inside of the bowl, slowly twirling it to make an evenly circular pouf. (It sounds more complicated than it really is.) Once you get some practice with the technique, you can try making multicolored creations or fun shapes, too.

How do you clean a cotton candy maker?

With melted sugar being flung everywhere, cotton candy makers can get pretty sticky and messy. On the other hand, melted sugar is easy to clean up with warm water. No matter what machine you're using, it's helpful to let it run for a minute or so after you're done making candy to melt and clear out any excess sugar. After that, shut it off, unplug it, and wait for it to cool completely. Then you'll want to remove the bowl and any other pieces that disassemble. (Check the manual for instructions on doing that.)

To clean any removable parts, you can just scrub with a damp cloth or sponge, or soak in hot water to dissolve any residual sugar. Some models have dishwasher-safe pieces, but you should only use the dishwasher if your manual specifically allows it. Make sure to wipe down the exterior of the machine and any plastic guards, too. As with all electrical appliances, you should never submerge the motor or anything connected to the plug in liquid; consult the directions for tips on cleaning more delicate parts.

How often should you clean your cotton candy maker?

After every use, no matter what. If you let a sugar-coated machine sit around for days, you're likely to attract mold or even ants. You should also make sure everything is completely dry before you reassemble your machine, as moisture can lead to rust.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Donna Currie is an expert on all things food, from desserts and cookbooks to cooking gadgets. She's the author of her own cookbook, "Make Ahead Bread," and loves to test out her favorite kitchen gadgets and appliances. She also has an extensive blog where she details these recipes.

The Spruce Eats commerce writer Jason Horn updated this roundup. He's written about food and drinks for almost 20 years, and his greatest experience with cotton candy to date was when he worked as a production assistant on Food Network's "Candy Land" cooking competition show. He was responsible for renting a machine, and then got to spend an entire day working on perfect pink puffs to adorn the set.