7 popular fog machines to make your Halloween a lot spookier

Alexandra Kesick
·3 min read
7 popular fog machines to make your Halloween a lot spookier
7 popular fog machines to make your Halloween a lot spookier

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If you’re planning a Halloween party, there are a lot of details to consider. You have to have all the spookiest decorations, brew up scarily delicious drinks—or, should we say, potion—and dress yourself (and maybe your dog) in a contest-worthy costume. But most importantly, you have to conjure up the perfect fright night ambiance.

One way to do that is with a fog machine, which we've rounded up seven of the most popular below. Whether you’re having a huge scary shebang or a smaller, spine-tingling get-together, these fog machines will make it one to remember.

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1. This colorful light-up fog machine

Light up the room with rainbow LEDS and smoke.
Light up the room with rainbow LEDS and smoke.

Vibrant LED lights combined with fog are guaranteed to get the party started. This machine not only puts out smoke up to 10 feet from the machine, it also displays 13 RGB colors. It has various light effects—fade, flash, smooth and strobe—and you can wirelessly control the speed and color. It also has energy-saving capabilities, using 20% less energy than the average fog machine.

Get the AGPTEK Fog Machine 500W from Amazon for $68.59

2. This professional-grade fog machine

If you want to have a ball, this is the smoke machine to do it with.
If you want to have a ball, this is the smoke machine to do it with.

This is the fog machine you’ll want if you’re having a celebration for the books—and maybe if you think you’ll be using the machine long after the Halloween party is over. It will take 10 minutes to heat up, but when it does, it will use its five-liter tank to pump out a nonstop stream of fog. It’s not as portable as other machines on this list—weighing in at 28 pounds—but it is adjustable so you can change the angle of your smoke output.

Get the Chauvet DJ Hurricane 1800 from Amazon for $349.99

3. This skeleton fog machine

This machine looks as creepy as the fog it puts out.
This machine looks as creepy as the fog it puts out.

Whether you’re hoping to make your outdoor Halloween display look a little more like a cemetery at night or turn your indoor party into a ghostly affair, this Coffin Skeleton Fog Machine will lay on the fog thick. It has a basic wired remote control that you control with the flick of a switch, and it's a portable, compact size at just 10 inches.

Get the Hyde & Eek! Skeleton Fog Machine from Target for $35

4. This portable fog machine

Not all fog machines are big and bulky.
Not all fog machines are big and bulky.

Need something that’s lightweight yet still effective at smoking up a room? The JDR Smoke Machine shoots out fog at 2,000 cubic feet per minute and also has LED lights. Weighing in at only 3 pounds, you can carry this wherever you need to go—so if the party is elsewhere, you don’t have to worry about this dragging you down. It has thousands of reviews on Amazon with a 4.5-star rating, making it one of the most popular picks.

Get the JDR Smoke Machine from Amazon for $60.99

5. This beginner-friendly fog machine

Anyone can operate this basic fog machine.
Anyone can operate this basic fog machine.

If you’re looking for something easy to use and high-powered, the American DJ VF400 will get out 3,000 cubic feet of fog per minute and hold up to five liters of fog liquid. No lights, no remote controls—just simple and straight-up fog. It’ll take just five minutes to warm up and fill a room quickly.

Get the American DJ VF400 from Amazon for $58.99

6. This fog machine for indoor use

You can use this fog machine inside or outside.
You can use this fog machine inside or outside.

The Theefun 400W Smoke Machine outputs fog at 2,000 cubic feet per minute and includes both a wireless and wired remote. The fog oil level will let you know when you’re almost out, and you can fill it back up before the party is over. With more than 1,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, this will be a good little investment for your seasonal shindig.

Get the Theefun 400W Smoke Machine from Amazon for $53.99

7. This ultra powerful fog machine

This fog machine is perfect for post-Halloween celebrations, too, like weddings and parties.
This fog machine is perfect for post-Halloween celebrations, too, like weddings and parties.

The Chauvet DJ Hurricane 1000 Fog Machine has an incredible output of 10,000 cubic feet of fog per minute, making it best for big parties and events. But for what it is, it’s a great bargain. Compact and lightweight, the machine heats up very quickly in only two minutes and can be operated both from afar with its wireless remote or from close by with its 15-foot wired remote.

Get the Chauvet DJ Hurricane 1000 Fog Machine from Amazon for $129.99

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 7 top-rated fog machines for Halloween 2021