Gourmet Gadgetry have a dynamic lineup of affordable kitchen appliances with quirky stylings. Here we have their Retro Candy Floss Maker which aims to bring the fun of this fairground classic into your home for consumption in a matter of minutes.

Design

The shaping of the plastic body has something very 1950s about it, possibly accentuated by the deep metallic red colour that looks like a shade of the times. It’s an appliance that will neatly pack away into the cupboard and is really light in design too. Whilst in operation the heating elements don't actually penetrate the warmth through to the plastic body so it’s safe to be around and can be repositioned easily as well.

Results

To get your woolly fluff on the stick, or rather on the supplied paper cones. You plug the Retro Candy Floss Maker in, flip the switch, wait for around 2-3 minutes for the heating element to turn a nice toasty orange and then turn the appliance off to pour 1 tablespoon of sugar into the middle hole within the spinning plate. Upon restarting the power the spinning plate will distribute the sugar so that it aligns closely (but not touching) around the edge of the metal bowl which penetrates the heat for the sugar to rise into clouds of sweetness. Even though we know how the science works, there’s something magical about the whole process, including catching the initial flares of sugar strands within the machine, and eventually twirling the stick horizontally to create a pillow of sweetness. Worth noting is the faster you spin the tighter the floss, and the slower you spin the more airy it will be. Even more impressive and surprising was the lack of sugar that’s needed to make 1 serving of candy floss; we now know that fairgrounds are making a huge profit margin! A tablespoon of white sugar will produce the quantity you'd expect to find on a traditional stick of candy floss!

Making candy floss in the comfort of our own homes means we can experiment with different flavours. Crushed boiled sweets made for an interesting concoction of aromas and colours. Our personal favourite is crushed boiled mints; this is divinely refreshing. Another recipe we’d strongly recommend is to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to one tablespoon of white sugar and leave to sit for a good hour - it’s gorgeous! Of course, we didn't stop there, we also tried a few different sugar types and raw cane Demerara resulted in a satisfyingly smooth dark and malty candy floss. We think this customisation and experimentation makes for a product that is great for special occasions like birthdays.

Cleanup

Even though we try hard not to make a mess whilst making candy floss with the Gourmet Gadgetry Retro Candy Floss Maker, we seem always to be left with a sticky worktop. Whilst this isn’t a problem to wipe clean, the machine itself is a little more tricky. There’s always a bit of sugar that doesn't make it into the candy floss and once the heated sugar is cold it sticks like rock and is a bit of menace to clean. However, the removable plastic components are dishwasher safe and the metal basket which broadcasts heat can be wiped down with a warm cloth and a bit of elbow grease.

Overall

This scaled down appliance of a fairground classic works well in the home, and even better is the low £32.99 price. Fans of candy floss will revel in the newfound experimentation of flavours, colours and textures at their fingertips.