Southern Beaver (RB16)

[Brando]

Review: Southern Beaver[/b]

My machines just came in and I’ve been vigorously testing them to see how they perform.  Before I dive into the details, I just wanted to talk about my ordering experience.  I ordered my machines through Beaver directly (off the 1800 number on thier website) and it was a very pleasant experience.  The salesperson was very helpful and not overly pushy (he didn’t try to sell me things I didn’t need).  The machines with no extra features were $55 each (relatively expensive). The shipping was cheap (only $6 a machine) and arrived within the two week time I was quoted in flawless condition.  You can choose what type of wheels you’d like as well (gumball or candy).  Overall it was a very nice experience.

Now for the machines themselves.  The Southern Beaver is a cheaper variant of the Round Beaver (RB16).  The only difference between the machines is that the Metal parts of the Southern Beaver are powered coated instead of triple chrome plated.  The powder coat looks great however, but I am unsure about lastabilty (have to wait a year or two before I pass judgment).  The body is made of a very durable ABS plastic that comes in a variety of nice colors.  Some people have issues with plastic bodies but I don’t foresee having any problems.  Short of taking a sledgehammer to the thing, I think it can hold up.  The standard coin mechanism is very rugged and takes a lot to get jammed.  You cannot force the handle backwards to free vend.  (I would recommend getting their new generation mechanism for low security/high volume locations; it’s only $5 more and is built like a tank) The round globe is also made of very sturdy plastic and is very attractive looking, although it is harder to replace product than a square globe. 

Mechanically wise, the machine is very easy to take apart and reassemble should you need to fix anything.  Swapping out product is relatively simple (just pop off the globe) but you must empty the globe if you wish to adjust the candy wheel.  Servicing the machine can be a pain however.  In order to get to the quarters you must unscrew the top lock and slide off the globe and the body (this is very easy).  However, scraping the quarters out of the base is a annoying and creates a lot of noise.  However, Beaver offers an ABS cashbox option for only $3 more and it turns the body into a holding box (instead of the base), so all you have to do is dump it quickly into a bag.  I highly recommend this option.

Pros and Cons:[/b]

Pros:

·         Nice ordering experience/customer service

·         Very attractive and well built machines

·         Fit and finish is exceptional

·         Easy to work on

Cons:

·         Expensive; $55 before any extra options

·         Servicing can be a pain

·         Some people just don’t like plastic bodies

·         Reliability is unknown (although I heard many good things and have rarely see them for sale)

 

Final thoughts:[/b]

                Overall I am very pleased with my purchase.  The machines are absolutely sexy and very well built.  I will, however, invest in the ABS cashbox option in my next order as servicing is less than desirable as is.  So are they worth the extra money?  To me they are, but that is my own opinion.  My goal is to stand out from the crowd and to have machines that last for a very long time without any problems.  So far, they meet my expectations.  Again, I have yet to test the reliability of the machines but I will keep you updated as time goes on. 

[T BIRD]

Now THAT is a review!!  Thanks for the details Brando!  You have yourself a very nice machine.

[Farmer_John]

Even with the "old" coin mech, they're nearly bulletproof (and rebuildable).

[AmuseStar Vending Co]

Not as smooth, but there good.

[Farmer_John]

Not as smooth, but there good.

Exactly WHAT are you refering to Kyle?

[Smiley]

I run a lot of Beavers and I was very worried at the beginning abou t the plastic bodies. Like anythin else they have their plusses and minusses. But, my worries of widespread destruction never came true.

[Lee M]

I noticed that you didn't mention a STAND ...that you bought from Beaver, which look very nice, but are quite expensive.

What stand did you use with your Southern Beavers?  And, does anyone know, what stands in general work with this model?

Lee

 

[candygirl]

A&A pipe stand works with Beaver.