Are you considering purchasing a chocolate fountain? I don’t blame you. Chocolate fountains are a joy to behold and are perfect for treating your party guests to a rather lavish method of chocolate eating. As chocolate fountains are associated with luxury, you may be concerned about their price; or what you will be expected to pay (or what is a good deal!)
Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place. Today we’re going to be talking about the numbers involved with chocolate fountains – buying outright, renting, and the costs involved with running these indulgent sweet showstoppers.
Contents
How Much Does A Chocolate Fountain Cost To Buy?
A chocolate fountain can cost anywhere from $22 all the way up to (and beyond) $1000. Though, your typical chocolate fountain purchased for home use is generally within the $60-$200 range.
As you can see from those figures, there is a vast difference in price among the chocolate fountains available on the market.
Generally, just like with every product you can buy, the cheaper the chocolate fountain, the lower quality it is.
On the other hand, the more you fork out of your pocket, the more chance you have of acquiring something of high quality.
However, that does not mean that you can’t find some bargains out there.
It also means that paying top dollar doesn’t necessarily guarantee you will get a good chocolate fountain.
Some factors will influence the price of the chocolate fountain you are looking for.
The desired purpose and required size are key factors. Do you need a chocolate fountain to cater for a small house party? Or for a large ball?
Let’s say you have 100 guests attending a huge party you’ve set up. So that all of your guests can enjoy some chocolate from your impressive chocolate fountain, you would be looking at paying $300 to $500 for the appropriately sized fountain.
If your guest list is even bigger than this, then you may have to dip even deeper into those pockets. A fountain to accommodate more guests could cost anywhere between $600 to $1000.
If you just want a chocolate fountain for personal use as well as serving small parties, then you won’t need to pay anywhere near as much as those big party hosts above.
There are lots of affordable chocolate fountains on the market for less than $100. These can still be of very high quality and the appropriate size.
When looking to purchase a chocolate fountain, no matter what end of the price spectrum it is, always do your research to ensure you get the best buy for you.
If you are in the market, my buyers guide may be of interest -> Best Chocolate Fountain For Home Use
You don’t want to spend all that money on a bad fountain, do you?
How Much Does A Chocolate Fountain Cost To Rent?
A chocolate fountain will typically cost between $250 to $550 to rent. But for that price, you should expect more than just the fountain with the rental.
A lot of people want to rent their chocolate fountains as they’re not often a daily thing to use. Instead, they’re more appropriate for hosting parties.
Of course, you’re not going to rent a chocolate fountain if you want it for your own personal use.
But for those hosting the big parties, here are the figures for renting a chocolate fountain.
$250 to $550, with the average being $420.
The size of the fountain you are buying will once again influence this price, along with how long you need it for and who you rent from.
The chocolate you decide to be included in the rental package will also have an impact on how much you have to pay.
Now, you might think that these numbers are very expensive, considering you can actually buy one for that price or for even less.
However, when you rent a chocolate fountain, some added bonuses will often come with the package.
For example, as mentioned briefly a moment ago, you will receive chocolate to use on the fountain as part of the package. This will come at a discounted price.
You will probably still need to supply the food your guests are going to dip into the fountain as rental companies, as far as I have experienced, do not offer this as part of the package.
Skewers that guests will use to dip into the chocolate fountain will more than likely be included as well as plates and napkins.
Then there’s the situation of the attendant. Yes, you heard me right. The chocolate fountain attendant.
This is the person who monitors and oversees the use of the chocolate fountain.
They will be included in the rental package, but their presence in the deal may also shape the price you are charged.
Companies that supply chocolate fountain for hire will normally offer them for several hours, which is suitable for a big party.
Costs To Consider With A Chocolate Fountain
Other costs you will need to consider include those of the foods used for dipping, the chocolate itself, and the running costs of the fountain.
Fancy that, hey? You’ve forked out all that cash for a prime chocolate fountain only to learn that you will now need to spend even more money.
Shall we get into these added costs?
Foods for Dipping
A chocolate fountain effectively produces liquid chocolate. Not solid chocolate.
So the chocolate from the fountain can’t actually be eaten on its own unless you’re dipping your fingers in.
If that’s your thing, then go for it. But I don’t think your guests will be too impressed.
What you need is a skewer.
You then dip this into the chocolate fountain, pull it out, and suck on it to enjoy the lovely taste of metal and chocolate…said the person who doesn’t know anything about chocolate fountains.
Of course, you don’t just stick your skewer in and then suck on it. Your skewer is what you use for dipping other pieces of food into the chocolate fountain.
That’s what chocolate fountains are for. They are an elaborate way of coating other foods in chocolate.
Sure, you could put some strawberries into a bowl of melted chocolate, but where would the fun in that be?
A chocolate fountain provides you with a very fun way of doing this.
What food you decide to dip into your chocolate fountain is completely up to you.
Although do try and choose something that actually goes nicely with the melted chocolate.
Here is a quick list of some foods that work well in a chocolate fountain:
- Pretzels
- Cookies
- Donuts
- Marshmallows
- Fruit
- Other candy
The more you buy, the more money you’ll see leaving your pocket again.
Also, bear in mind that some ‘dippers’ cost more than others. So that’s something else to consider with your budget.
The Chocolate
Now, as we know, chocolate fountain reek of luxury. That’s why people whack out the big bucks to get them in for a party.
So based on this fact, you can probably guess that the chocolate you should use for your fountain should also be luxurious.
Luxury is synonymous with costly. So you need to consider that the chocolate you buy for your fountain may leave you even further out of pocket.
Belgian chocolates are often the best for fountains, and we know how pricey they can be!
But for good reason, I do not intend to alienate my Belgian readers.
The better the quality of the source chocolate, the more tasty and rich the chocolate will be that your fountain produces.
If you are on a budget, you can buy cheaper and less luxurious brands of chocolate. With that being said, they won’t taste as rich and delicious as the luxury chocolate.
So the quality and quantity of the chocolate you need to buy for your fountain will influence the price you pay.
Running Costs
The only real running cost is electricity. After all, without it, the chocolate fountain wouldn’t do anything.
Chocolate fountains constantly flow, just like water fountains. Well, they flow at least until the party is over.
This website allows you to check out the current electricity rates depending on which state you’re living in.
Where To Buy A Chocolate Fountain
There are many places to buy a chocolate fountain; specialty chocolate stores (both physical and online), online retailers, and marketplaces like Amazon.
If you’re looking for a chocolate fountain for personal, home use – I would recommend that you purchase it through Amazon.
Not only would I recommend you buy your fountain from Amazon, but I would also recommend you buy your chocolate from there as well.
Amazon gets a shout-out from me because it offers a fantastic range of chocolate fountains and chocolate – all at varying price points depending on your needs.
Equally, they often come at money-saving prices and are quickly delivered to your home.
Plus, you can compare models and features quickly and instantly, which is always a challenge in physical stores or some of the more unhelpful sites.
When it comes to candy and chocolate, you can also buy them in bulk at great prices.
Don’t be alarmed by the idea of chocolate being delivered to your front door.
Amazon will preserve the chocolate, so it gets to you as fresh as if it had come straight from the chocolate factory.
If you are looking for some of the best fountains currently available on Amazon, I’ve handpicked a few to take a look at (at different price points):
Finally
So whatever your budget or intentions, it seems like there’s a chocolate fountain out there for everyone.
For me, it’s the best food you can have at a party. Fun and delicious. What can beat that?
Added costs will amount.
But luckily you can get some great rental packages.
Have fun dipping!
Check out my other chocolate fountain guides:
- What Kind Of Chocolate For Chocolate Fountain?
- Best Chocolate For Chocolate Fountain
- How Much Chocolate For A Chocolate Fountain?
- What To Dip In A Chocolate Fountain
- How Long Can a Chocolate Fountain Run?
- Why Is My Chocolate Fountain Not Flowing?
- Can You Leave Chocolate In A Chocolate Fountain?
- How Do Chocolate Fountains Work?
Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.