# Fog Machine Recommendation?



## bluebledthesea (Sep 18, 2007)

I know this has been discussed before and everyone has a different opinion, but at this very moment what are people recommending as the best fog machines for home use? I like to buy quality products and research them a bit, so I'm wary about just picking up the cheapest thing on the bottom shelf at Walmart. I'd like something that will last me through the years and won't just crap out, but I also don't want to over-do it. I'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on professional DJ equipment, so I guess I'm asking for the best bang for buck value. For the time being it needs to cover a roughly 10'x15' graveyard in my front yard and I'll be building a chiller for it. 

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!


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## SpookySam (Mar 27, 2007)

Don't buy Walmart's cheap-o unit. It worked for me only once. Plus, Walfart would not take it back the day after Halloween! No returns on seasonal items they say.


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## bluebledthesea (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks Spooky, that's what I figured would happen to me too.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Spooky, sounds like ya got a bad apple. I bought mine about 4 years ago - little 400w guy and it still works like it did the day I bought it. Haven't tried it with good juice and what I hear is that it's the juice that's key, not completely the machine. I picked up another one just the other day to use in my cauldron so 400w is sufficient.

This year I'm considering getting one or two 1000w foggers from online. I've seen some as low as $50 bucks off Amazon but like blue, I'm not sure of the quality. Would I be better off getting one American DJ 1200w fogger vs two el cheapo 1000w foggers?

-TM


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

Anyone have a source for American DJ products at wholesale prices?


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## bluebledthesea (Sep 18, 2007)

Right now I'm looking at the American DJ Fogstorm 1200HD. I understand the quality is pretty decent. Can I get good control over it with a remote? I'd like to calibrate it and then pretty much "set it and forget it" to allow small bursts to keep my graveyard hazy throughout the night.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I have two foggers - an old Lite F/X 1741 700 watt and a Chauvet F1250 1200 watt. Both have been solid performers although I may have gotten lucky with 1250 - I've heard some accounts of out-of-box failures, crappy packaging resulting in shipping damage etc. The 1741 has worked great for 6 years with only one failure, my fault for letting it run out of juice. If you can find a 1741 I highly recommend buying it. They're not made anymore, but you can sometimes find them on eBay. I paid $149 inc. shipping for the 1250, and I've seen them priced below that recently.


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## bluebledthesea (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks Otaku! Is $125 including shipping worth it for the Chauvet F1250? Does the remote offer a fair amount of control, and is it easy to find additional remotes if need be?


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

The fogger ships with a wired remote, but I think there is a wireless version available. The remote timer is consistent and reliable. I imagine you could order a spare remote when you buy the fogger. I got mine from Electronics City:

http://www.electronicscity.com/prod...d=913&osCsid=d3f508010660bace1badf4bc33d8c947

still $149.00 with shipping. I'd say $125 is a good deal but there are some caveats, as I mentioned above. Whatever machine you get, make your purchase in time for the seller to make good on a shipping damage claim or warranty issue. Test it as soon as you can, and for at least an hour - you don't want to find out about a bad fogger in mid-October!
As TM wrote, good juice makes a big difference. Here's a vid of the 1250 in action with a perf pipe chiller and Froggy's Swamp Juice:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=12147


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## bluebledthesea (Sep 18, 2007)

Ok, I think might just go with the site you purchased it from since they proved to be trustworthy. Froggy's Swamp Juice it is as well. Thanks again!


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