How Many Gumballs Fit in a Gumball Machine?

How many gumballs fit in a gumball machine? If gumball machines are one of your alternative sources of income, you need this data to track inventory and calculate your profit margins. 

We’ve been answering this question since 1993. Gumball.com is your trusted choice for bulk gumballs and gumball machines, all at the best prices online and backed by world-class customer service from A to Z. 

Get in touch today if you want one-on-one support figuring out how many gumballs you need to order to fill your machine. Otherwise, you can learn more below!

Why Capacity Matters for Gumball Machine Operators

Keeping your gumball machine stocked and operating is important, because an empty machine brings in no money. But restocking is one of the biggest expenses of owning a gumball machine.

When you know how many gumballs fit in a gumball machine, you can plan your restocking routes more effectively. This saves you time, earns you money, and keeps your gum-loving customers satisfied. 

How Many Gumballs Fit in a Gumball Machine?

How many gumballs fit in a gumball machine? Let’s look at the different factors that come into play.

Gumball Size Is the Biggest Variable

Gumballs come in a number of sizes, including:

• .5” (12 mm), .56” (14 mm), and .62” (16 mm): You’ll most often find these smaller gumballs in home gumball machines and older commercial machines.
• .76” (19 mm) and .86” (22 mm): These gumballs are used in some commercial gumball machines.
• .925” (23 mm): This gumball size is popular for cake decorations and candy buffets, and also used by machine owners hoping to maximize their profits. 
• 1” (25 mm): The majority of machines in the gumball machine business are designed to dispense 1-inch gumballs.
• 1.1” (29 mm) and 1.2” (31 mm): These larger gumballs are used in specialty machines or dispensers designed for 1-inch toys.
• 2” (50 mm): These giant “jawbreakers” are sold from machines built for 2-inch toy capsules or bouncy balls.

Bulk gumball sizes are usually sold by the number of gumballs in a standard case, called the “count.” Here are the counts for the different gumball sizes. In some cases, counts may vary between manufacturers:

Count	Inches	MM
138	2”	50 mm
475	1.20”	31 mm
600	1.13”	29 mm
850	1”	25 mm
1080	0.925”	23 mm
1430/1640	0.86”	22 mm
1900	0.76”	19 mm
3650/4300	0.62”	16 mm
5800	0.56”	14 mm
8500	0.5”	12 mm

The Size and Shape of the Globe or Hopper

Obviously bigger globes or hoppers can hold more gumballs than smaller ones. This is especially true of spherical globes. With a small increase in radius, a spherical globe can hold significantly more gumballs.

Rectangular or square hoppers allow slightly less gumball packing than spherical globes. But you can set up rectangular hoppers on 2-head or 3-head machines more easily and give customers a variety of gumball flavors to choose from, as well as toys or tattoos. 

Tabletop and Home Use Gumball Machines

These gumball machines generally dispense 0.5 inch or 0.62 inch gumballs. A classic “Petite” carousel-stye machine typically holds about 13 ounces of 0.5 gumballs, while a “Junior” holds 1.5 - 2 pounds of 0.5 or 0.62 gumballs and a “King” tabletop holds 4 to 5 pounds.  

At Gumball.com, an 8500 count case of 0.5 inch Dubble Buble Assorted Gumballs weighs 24 pounds, or around 22.14 gumballs per ounce. So a Petite machine will hold about 287 gumballs, a Junior will hold between 531 and 708, and a King between 1417 and 1771.

A 3650 count case of 0.62 inch Dubble Bubble Assorted Gumballs weighs 19 pounds, or around 192 gumballs per pound. A Junior machine set up for 0.62 inch gumballs will hold between 288 and 384 gumballs, while a King can hold up to 768 and 960 gumballs in a gumball machine.

Single-Head Commercial Gumball Machines

The globe on Gumball.com’s Round Beaver 1 Head Vending Machine comes in 16”, 18”, and 23” sizes. The 16” holds 350 1-inch gumballs, while the 18” holds 430 and the 23” 680.  If you load the machine with 0.92-inch gumballs, it will take 445, 546, and 863.

Large Commercial and Spiral Gumball Machines

Gumball.com’s 4’ Wizkid Spiral Gumball Machine will hold up to 1600 1-inch gumballs. The 6’9” Mega Wizard Spiral Gumball Machine, its big brother, holds up to 20,000! 

You want to be conservative with how many gumballs fit in a gumball machine this size. Overfilling can damage the dispenser due to the sheer weight of the load. It would be best to add no more than around 1200 or 15,000 gumballs in a machine this size.

A spiral gumball machine can be delicate and you should only use the appropriately sized gumball. A 0.92 inch gumball may give you a higher profit margin on a big spiral gumball machine, but there’s a much greater risk of jamming or other expensive repair problems.

No Matter How Many Gumballs in a Gumball Machine You Need, Get the Lowest Prices Online at Gumball.com!

If you want to start vending, add a new machine to your existing inventory, or just want a gumball machine on stand for your home, give us a call. We have the best prices on machines and on cases of gumballs like Dubble Bubble gumballs bulk. 

How much is a gumball machine? An entertaining, attractive machine your customers will love costs less than you’d expect. Our Titan Round Vending Machine is only $67.00. If you’re looking for something bigger, our gumball machine and bulk gumball prices regularly beat Amazon’s. 

Since 1993 Gumball.com has been the #1 choice for people looking for home and commercial gumball machines and bulk gumball orders.  Whether you need gumballs or machines, our website has everything gumball vendors need. 

Tips on Filling Your Gumball Machine

Filling a gumball machine may seem easy. But a small mistake can lead to costly repairs and downtime for your machines. Here are some pointers on making sure your gumball restocking goes smoothly. 

Choose the Right Size Gumballs for Your Machine

You have a little bit of leeway when using slightly smaller gumballs. Many gumball vendors use 0.925” gumballs in their 1-inch machines. You get 27% more gumballs in a 0.925” case than in a 1-inch case, which means 27% more profit per case.

Going with smaller sizes like 0.86” or 0.76” in your 1-inch machine is likely to cause problems. Your dispenser will frequently dispense multiple gumballs for the price of one, which eats into your profits quickly.

Even worse, gumball machines filled with undersized gumballs are prone to jamming. This results in disappointment for gum-loving children and expensive repair bills for you. And if you fill your machine with gumballs that are too large, it will get jammed immediately. 

Clean the Globe Before You Refill

Old gumballs can leave sugary residue on your globe. This can affect the taste of your new gumballs. If your machine is in a warm or humid space, that residue can also become a breeding ground for bacteria. 

Parents are reluctant to buy gumballs from a dirty, streaked machine. That cuts into your bottom line and reflects poorly on your business. Gumballs are a food product and you should follow all the regulations that come with your gumball machine license. 

Check the Coin Mechanism Before Loading

If a customer puts money in your gumball machine and gets nothing in return, they will be angry. They might even damage your machine by hitting or shaking it. They are also much less likely to use your machine again, so you lose future revenues. 

Reloading time is a great opportunity to check your coin mechanism and make sure it works properly. If you find out your machine isn’t taking money properly afterwards, you will have to unload the machine again to work on it.

Don’t Overfill the Globe

Overfilling the globe puts excess weight on the dispensing mechanism. This can lead to jams as the mechanism gets bent or stuck. An overfilled globe may not sit properly in the machine, leading to damage as it gets knocked off by an accidental bump. 

This excess weight can also damage or deform the gumballs at the bottom of the globe.The gumballs might stick together and form a hard wall of gum that blocks the machine. If you know how many gumballs fit in a gumball machine, you won’t be tempted to overload it.

Rotate Older Stock First

Gumballs can become hard and stale over time. When you rotate your stock regularly, customers get fresh gumballs every time. Reload your machines with your oldest gumball bags. The best way to do this is by placing your new gumball shipments behind your older stock. 

If you can, empty the remaining gumballs, pour in the new gumballs, then place the older gumballs on top. This may not be possible with a near-full machine. 

Secure the Lid and Test Before Walking Away

An unsecured lid makes your machine vulnerable to vandalism and gumball theft.  Loose lids might even provide easier access to the coin box. And if the machine gets tipped over, a loose lid could lead to gumball spillage and inventory waste. 

Before leaving the site, purchase a gumball with one of your own quarters. Make sure the coin mechanism operates smoothly and the dispenser is not jammed. This helps you avoid unproductive downtime and ensures you won’t have to make another visit shortly. 

Parting Thoughts on Gumball Machine Capacities

Knowing how many gumballs fit in a gumball machine is a good first step toward starting a career in the gumball vending industry. Making extra money with gumball machines is an easy and fun way to establish a passive income stream. 

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started in the gumball vending business. Gumball.com offers great prices. And our friendly customer service agents will walk you through the steps of setting up and reloading your commercial gumball machines. 

Call us today or shop our website and find out how you can start earning money one gumball at a time with Gumball.com.