Claw Vending Machine

While vending machines come in all sizes, shapes and for many different purposes one of the most popular with children is the claw vending machine.

This is often called a toy vending machines or a crane vending machine. The purpose of these is to allow someone to put coins in them and then to use a guided claw to try to get one of the toys out of the machine. These are usually found at movies houses, arcades, family restaurants and large grocery stores. A claw vending machine draws a lot of attention from children who soon become frustrated when they are unable to win a prize.

These claw vending machines work like this; the patron puts in the requested number of coins which activates the claw. They are able to see though the glass box which object they may want to claim as their prize. Usually these are full of stuffed toys and using the joystick on the outside they are able to move the claw around trying to grab something. The claw can move to the right, the left, the back and front but is unable to move up or down. These machines are timed giving the customer fifteen to thirty seconds to try to get their prize.

When the button on the joystick is pushed it will grab whatever it is nearest. Hopefully this will be the prize of choice. If the claw grabs a prize it will then automatically take it to the chute and drop it so that the customer can have their prize. It will fall down the chute and into an opening where it can be removed. There are other models that make this game harder to play that use buttons instead of the joystick. They are especially difficult because they are used individually.

One button on the crane vending machine gives the player the ability to move the crane forward to the point they want it. Then that button is no longer able to move. The second button is then used to try to move downward to grab a toy, but once the button is released it no longer works. If the customer has been able to grab a toy with the claw of this vending machine then it will deposit it into a hatch just like the first type. Many people think this second type of claw vending machine is too difficult and will refuse to play it. Even the claw's hold on the prize is not as secure and this makes it difficult to play.

There are many complaints about the claw vending machines being too difficult to actually catch anything. On the other hand they are popular because of the variety of things that can be won. They usually have toys that reflect the latest popular children's movie. Or they will be at sports stadiums and offer collectibles that reflect the sport and the team playing. In Asia, crane vending machines are intently popular and frequently have live animals inside, like lobsters or crabs, which customers will try to win to cook for their dinner.