Picking a bulk candy vending machine

There are a number of factors to consider about your machine selection. If the location is pretty rough on machines you might consider one with a metal coin mechanism and plastic canisters . If the location has a lot of sun or heat you will want to consider a plastic canister instead of a glass one. There is also space requirements, overall look compared to where it is being placed, etc.

After looking at a few different machine the best machines overall are the u-turn vending’s terminator and eliminator. The biggest reason why I like this bulk candy vending machine is that it offers 8 heads. It’s perfect for testing a new location. They also offer a 4 candy selection version that is great if you find that only 4 selections are needed at the location. Fact is you don’t know who good a location is without testing different candies. With the 8 head you can put most of the major ones in place right away.

I also really like it’s small compact design, you maximize the selections with minimal floor space. The plastic canisters are great as they are interchangeable and durable. So you can quickly swap canisters if you need to change out candy.

Some of the negatives about the machine are the plastic coin mechanisms. These are the most likely part to break on the machine. The other negative is how you have to disassemble It to get to the coin trays. However despite the negatives it’s my favorite machine and also a very popular machine out in the industry. You can generally find one used on ebay or craigslist for between 150 and 250.

Another great machine that I tried is the 1-800-vending machine. It’s got the best overall rugged design. Easy access to coin trays and candy. The coin mechanism is metal and great to use. The only draw back for me is the 3 head limitation. This can be a good starter machine though as it can be found on ebay for around 75-100.

Think about some of these factors when starting out and picking your first machine. I highly recommend the u-turn it’s worth the extra cash. As you think about scaling the business keep in mind you will want to standardize your machines so that when it comes to extra parts you only have to buy one set. It’s a lot easier to only have to manage a single type of machine.

Whatever machine you decide on here are the most important things to keep in mind. First you MUST have individual coin tray or compartments. You will want to be able to know how much money each candy brought in. The more heads improves the cash flow from a location by appealing to more people. Standardize your machines so you can scale your business.

Next week we will talk about Picking the candy for your location.