There are just some things that unquestionably make me think of my youth. I distinctly remember my blue Skip-It, and how beat up it was after I had used it only a few days. Let me tell you, I was a Skip-It champ. Sure, anyone could master stationary Skip-It, but how many could work the mobile Skip-It? Walking while simultaneously rocking the Skip-It is a rare skill, one of which I wish was a noted job skill. Guess Who makes me think of middle school, when I was at a friend’s house and they didn’t own the game. Rather than be deterred by such an insignificant obstacle, another friend and I created our own Guess Who cards. Believe me, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Somewhere in between Skip-It and Guess Who, there was the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine (Perpetual Kid, $17.99). Oh man, Snoopy brings back some memories. I mean, what kid doesn’t love Sno-Cones? The answer is none. There is no way a child could resist a Sno-Cone, and as far as sugary treats goes, this one isn’t even that bad. Yes, there’s some high fructose corn syrup going on, but it’s also poured over a bunch of shaved ice, so it can’t be all bad. The main problem with Sno-Cones was the access. Besides, fairs and boardwalks in the summer, you don’t see a whole lot of Sno-Cones. And that’s where Snoopy came in. Snoopy made it possible for kids to make Sno-Cones at home by themselves (under adult supervision, of course, but basically by themselves). This machine really couldn’t have made it any easier to enjoy a delicious ice beverage at home. Ok, so they could have made it a little easier to turn the hand crank, but you’re shaving ice cubes here so that’s the easiest thing in the world. The point is, Snoopy has your back.
Ok, so a lot of people will quibble with the quality of the machine’s construction, but I think they’re just a bunch of babies. I mean, have you ever tried making ice cream from scratch with a hand crank ice cream maker? It’s tough as shit, right? Same thing here. You want to make Sno-Cones at home? Man up and get cranking!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12.7″ x 10″ x 3.4″
-First introduced in 1979
-Transforms ice cubes into Sno Cones
