The best low-lying fog machines are the American DJ Mister Kool Low-Lying Fogger
Low-lying fog machines range in price from about $60-250 or more, but I’ve narrowed down the options to these two models because they’re ideally suited for a Halloween party.
Why Low-Lying?
To begin with, I should mention why I’m focusing on low-lying fog machines rather than conventional fog machines. The answer is simply that low-lying fog that hovers just above the ground and stays there is simply more appropriate for Halloween parties and graveyard effects. It’s also less bothersome to your guests as it doesn’t fill up an entire room with fog, but rather keeps the fog at floor level.
I’ve owned a conventional $40 fog machine before and learned this the hard way. I even built my own fog chiller to cool the fog and keep it close to the ground, but it never really worked well at all. In the end, I knew the solution was to purchase a proper low-lying fog machine. It’s the right thing to do if you intend to use fog for any Halloween-related purpose.
How Do They Compare?
The American DJ Mister Kool
- Both produce low-lying fog without the need for toxic dry ice; they simply use regular water-based fog juice and cool the resulting fog with ice cubes to keep it close to the ground
- Both generate 400 watts of power, which is perfect for a Halloween party
- Both take about 5 minutes to warm up
- Both include a wired remote control timer
The key performance difference is that the 1byone model has a slightly higher fog output (3000 cubic feet of fog per minute vs. the Mister Kool’s 2500 cfm). It can also hold more fog juice in its storage tank (0.343 gal/1.3L vs. the Mister Kool’s 0.132 gal/0.5L). Of course, the 1byone model’s higher output means that it uses more fog juice, which is why is needs to hold more in the first place. Think of it as fog machine fuel consumption, if you will.
The main design difference is that the American DJ Mister Kool has a down-pointing nozzle, which helps keep the fog closer to the ground than the 1byone model. Although both models will create low-lying fog, this feature is important when you’re trying to create as low-lying a fog effect as possible, for as long as possible.
The Mister Kool comes with a one-year warranty, while 1byone doesn’t provide any warranty details at the time of writing this. Of course, the Mister Kool is also more expensive and it’s worth keeping in mind that you could buy two 1byone models for the price of one Mister Kool. Given the lower replacement cost, you may not be overly concerned with warranty anyway. I prefer to buy something once and avoid the hassle of having to replace it, but that’s my personal preference.
In the end, if we set cost aside and focus on design quality, reliability, and reputability, I have to give the edge to the American DJ Mister Kool, but just by a hair. These are honestly both winners and you can’t go wrong with either.
You can check out each model for yourself via the Amazon links below.
The Verdict – American DJ Mister Kool
Pros: Down-pointing nozzle, reputable brand, one-year warranty
Cons: More expensive, lower holding capacity
Patrick’s Pumpkin Rating: 5/5
The Verdict – 1byone Low-Lying Fog Machine
Pros: More affordable, higher holding capacity
Cons: Straight-pointing nozzle, warranty information not available
Patrick’s Pumpkin Rating: 4/5
Check out the Reviews section for more product evaluations, or get some party planning advice in the Hosting section.