Because vending machines are a significant investment, you want to buy true and tested brands to ensure a fair return on your investment. Untested brands may prove unreliable, causing downtimes and out-of-service situations that will lose your business both customers and money, and put you at loggerheads with your location provider. In this post, I will explore the best small vending machines in 2024 that you’ll have peace of mind investing your hard-earned money in.
What Are Small Vending Machines?
Small vending machines are compact machines built to be smaller than the standard vending machines available in the market today. The standard vending machine is huge, with most being about 72” tall, 47” wide, and 32” deep. When space is limited, such a big machine may not be ideal. It makes sense, therefore, to go for a more compact option. That’s where small vending machines come in.
Note, though, that most vending machines work almost the same, whether big or small. The difference comes in build quality. The best-built machines can last several years longer than lower-quality ones. With vending machines having a typical payback period of just over a year, each additional year your vending machine spends in active service means a higher ROI for you. You must shop for a true and tested piece of equipment. Below are the small vending machines I’d recommend you get in 2024.
What Are the Best Small Vending Machines to Buy in 2024?
Seaga SM16 Small Snack Vending Machine
The Seaga SM16 Small Snack Vending Machine comes with 3 compartments that can carry up to 168 items. The machine is 31” tall, 31” wide, and 28” deep. Its footprint is 6.02 sq ft (868 sq in). With this machine, you can offer:
- Eight different wide snacks, pastries, or chips
- Eight different narrow snacks, candy bars, bagged candy, granola bars, and the like
For the narrow snacks, each of the eight columns can comfortably carry 7 bags, bringing the total to 56 bags of narrow snacks.
The machine is sturdy and well-built, featuring:
- A welded steel construction
- An LED display
- MDB electronics which feature an internal vend counter, DEX capability, and automatic machine testing
- Both an electronic coin changer and a bill validator
- Theft-deterrent cabinets
Seaga is a reputable well-known vending machine builder and this machine comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Round Beaver 3 Head Vending Machine
Round Beaver machines have earned a loyal fan base in the gumball bulk vending world because of their reliability. With the Round Beaver 3 Head Vending Machine, you will get a tested machine for under $1,000. Prices vary widely between retailers, with some selling them for slightly under $700 and some selling them for over $900. You should do some googling online and go with the most reliable retailer offering at the most reasonable price.
The machine is built to last and features:
- A 16” height and 8” width
- A shatterproof polycarbonate globe
- An all-metal coin mechanism
- A choice of either a 1-inch capsule/gumball wheel or an adjustable bulk candy wheel
- A strong stand built out of cast iron
- A lock and key
The Round Beaver 3 Head has the following capacities:
- 1050 one-inch gumballs (350 gumballs in each of the three heads)
- 30 lbs of candy (10 lbs in each head)
- 3 standard bags of one-inch capsules (one bag in each head)
- $150 in quarters of change in each head, totaling $450
The machine comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Northern Beaver 1 Head Vending Machine
The Northern Beaver 1 Head can carry small or large gumballs, candy, and capsules. You can also use it to vend golf balls. It comes in different sizes, with the head standing 20”, 26” or 30” tall. The stand adds another 29”.
A 20” tall head can carry 700 pieces of one-inch capsules, 120 two-ich capsules, 1100 gumballs, or 180 golf balls.
A 26” tall head can carry 1180 one-inch capsules, 180 two-inch capsules, 1825 gumballs, or 280 golf balls.
A 30” tall head can carry 1550 one-inch capsules, 225 two-inch capsules, 2350 gumballs, or 360 golf balls.
The machine is well-built and features:
- A shatterproof polycarbonate panel
- Triple chrome plated coin mechanism, door, and lid
- A dual locking system that ensures customers can access their treats but not your cash
- An intelligent mechanism that filters coins not meant to be accepted
Northern Beaver builds the machine to order on a first come first served basis. Waiting time is 7 to 10 business days.
Titan 3-Column Sticker and Tattoo Machine
For those looking to sell stickers and temporary tattoos, the Titan 3-Column Sticker and Tattoo Machine is an excellent option. Each of the three columns can hold up to 300 cardboard folders, giving a capacity of 900 stickers or temporary tattoos.
Depending on how it is set, the coin mechanism can accept up to 5 coins. You can choose quarter amounts from $0.25 to $1.25. Alternatively, you can set it to ‘free vend’ to offer free stickers and temporary tattoos.
The machine is built tough and features:
- An all-steel construction
- A round key cam locking system
- A front-loading design
- A big coin capacity of up to $300
The vending machine measures 49” tall, 14” wide, and 9” deep.
Big Bubble Gum and Candy Machine
You can use the Big Bubble Gum and Candy Machine to sell gumballs, bouncy balls, and candy. It’s a standard gumball machine that comes with a gumball wheel and a candy wheel. It features:
- A strong plastic body, a metal base, and a metal chrome lid
- A drop-through coin mechanism accepting 25-cent coins
- 16” height and 9.5” width
- Weight of 9 lbs
The machine has a capacity of 15 lbs of candy or 500 one-inch gumballs. It can carry a $200 change in quarters.
What Locations Can I Place Small Vending Machines?
Vending machines do well in locations with a lot of foot traffic. For gumball and candy machines, you want to be where families with kids frequent. The following are some locations where compact small vending machines will do well:
- In waiting rooms of service businesses or medical practices
- In office kitchens
- In the lobby of an apartment complex
- Grocery stores and malls
- Barbershops and hair salons
- Parks and playgrounds
- Local businesses, including restaurants
Large businesses such as Walmart will accept your small vending machine if you can prove that you are a legit business. For this, you will need:
- Proof of LLC registration. An LLC signifies that you are a legitimate professional business.
- Proof of insurance. A business like Walmart does not want to be liable for accidents related to your vending machine.
- Proof of charity partnership. Since a large store is unlikely to be swayed by revenue share, providing proof that you will donate part of your revenues to charity can help you land such a high-value location.
Landing good locations will take good salesmanship on your end. You should be able to communicate the value proposition of having your small vending machine on a property. For instance, if you are approaching a pizzeria frequented by families, you can tell them that parents will choose their spot over competitors’ restaurants because their children always want to come there because of the gumballs or candy in the machine. Moreover, children can be very nagging about such treats, and may even make their parents come to the spot more than they would otherwise.
Also, revenue share is a strong proposition. Most location owners are fine with taking between 20 to 30 percent of revenues. Vending machine markups are pretty high; you will still have decent profit margins even after giving up 20 percent of your revenues as commission.
If the property owner is reluctant to commit to a deal, you can offer to run a trial for three or so months. Within the trial period, they can end the arrangement if they think it is not a good fit for their property. You want to communicate that you are someone they can depend on to ensure the machine is always well-stocked, clean, and properly maintained. Location owners especially do not like stockouts.
What Are the Benefits of a Small Vending Machine?
Small vending machines make it possible to install vending equipment in tight spaces where standard-sized vending machines would not fit. You can easily put a small vending machine in most waiting rooms, small retail stores, waiting lounges, and office kitchens without it being an inconvenience.
Moreover, modern small vending machines are well-designed and can carry enough products to keep most discerning customers happy. The Seaga SM16, for instance, can carry 8 different wide or narrow snacks, candy, bagged candy, and granola bars, among other standard-sized treats. The machine has a capacity of 56 such snacks since each of the eight columns can easily carry seven bags.
With a small vending machine, you eliminate the common objection location owners often have of not having sufficient space. Location scouting will be easier in your area.
