Low Fog Machines Compared: Dry Ice, Ice-Chilled and Ultrasonic

The low-lying fog machines we sell, side by side: how each one keeps fog on the floor according to its manufacturer, what it consumes, how long it takes to warm up, how it is controlled and powered, and which suits a first dance, a theatre scene or a hire shelf. Covers the Chauvet Cloud 9X IP and Cumulus HP, Equinox Arcus 2000, Elumen8 Glacial 3000 and ADJ Entour ICE and Entour Chill.

~9 min read · Updated October 2026 · By the Stage Supply team

In this guide: The short answer · Three technologies · Comparison table · Consumables and run time · Power, control and transport · Which to choose · Dry ice and safety · Popular picks · FAQ

Low fog is the floor-hugging carpet used for first dances, ballet and theatre reveals. Every machine on this page makes it, but they get there in different ways, and that decides what you have to buy, carry and plan for on the day.

If you are still deciding between smoke, haze and low fog, start with our smoke, haze and low fog guide, which explains the three effects and the general physics. This guide only compares the low fog machines themselves. All specifications below are the manufacturers’ published figures.

The short answer

• No dry ice, plug in and go: the water-and-fluid machines. The Equinox Arcus 2000 is the one Equinox describes as perfect for a first dance, the Chauvet DJ Cumulus HP is the lightest of the no-ice machines and the quickest to heat, and the Chauvet Professional Cloud 9X IP and Elumen8 Glacial 3000 are the large-tank, long-running machines for bigger stages and hire.
• Outdoors or damp conditions: the Cloud 9X IP is the only machine here with an IP rating (IP53, which Chauvet describes as for temporary outdoor or wet use).
• The classic dry ice look for a theatre cue: the ADJ Entour ICE. It needs dry ice, a long warm-up and serious power, and ADJ quotes an average run time of about five minutes per load.
• Small, light and occasional use: the ADJ Entour Chill (7.8 kg), which uses fog fluid plus ordinary ice cubes in its ice tank.

Three ways these machines keep fog low

1. Dry ice in hot water: ADJ Entour ICE

The Entour ICE combines a heated 32 litre water tank with a motorised dry ice basket (dry ice is solid carbon dioxide). ADJ says it requires dry ice and water; there is no fog fluid. ADJ lists a 12 kg basket, dry ice consumption of 12 kg per 3.5 minutes and an average run time of five minutes, with a choice of water temperature from 65 to 80°C. The machine has an insulated cooler box which ADJ says holds dry ice for up to 10 hours.

2. Fog fluid chilled through ice: ADJ Entour Chill

The Entour Chill is an 800 W fogger with a 2.5 kg ice tank. ADJ says it uses ice cubes and standard water-based fog juice, recommends its Kool Fog for optimal output (the manual says to use only ADJ-branded water-based fog juice), and quotes continuous output for up to an hour. The ice is the consumable here, so the effect depends on having ice available on site.

3. Water and fog fluid, no ice: Cloud 9X IP, Cumulus HP, Arcus 2000, Glacial 3000

These machines need only water and a fog fluid. Chauvet describes its Cumulus HP as using an ultrasonic atomiser to turn distilled water into a thin mist. For the Cloud 9X IP, Chauvet’s feature list says ultrasonic agitators combine water with fog fluid (the water question is covered under consumables below). Equinox describes the Arcus 2000 in the same terms: a heated aluminium block plus an ultrasonic agitator that turns water into a thin mist. Elumen8 says the Glacial 3000 needs no dry ice or CO2, just water and fog fluid, but does not describe the mechanism in its published specification.

Fluid matters: each maker names its own. Chauvet lists its LLG low-lying fog fluid for the Cloud 9X IP (and LLG or LLF5 for the Cumulus HP), Equinox specifies its water-based low fog fluid (FLUI09) for the Arcus 2000, and Elumen8’s manual lists the same FLUI09 fluid for the Glacial 3000. The Equinox and Elumen8 manuals both warn that other fluids may cause clogging and void the guarantee, so stick to the fluid each manufacturer recommends. General fluid advice is in the fluids section of our smoke and haze guide, and our smoke and haze fluid guide explains which fluid fits which machine.

Side-by-side comparison

Read the output column carefully. Manufacturers quote it in different units (floor area, area per minute, airflow in cubic feet per minute, volume), measured in their own way, so the figures cannot be ranked against each other. Tank size, warm-up time and the consumable are more useful guides to what each machine will do on the night.

Consumables and run time

Running cost and logistics are where these machines differ most.

• Cloud 9X IP: Chauvet’s specification sheet, product description and FAQ all say it runs on ordinary tap water (“no need for distilled”) and LLG fluid, although one feature blurb on the same product page still mentions distilled water. We go by the specification and FAQ; if in doubt, check the user manual that ships with the unit. It quotes fluid consumption of 25 ml/min and water consumption of 184.7 ml/min, giving about two hours from the 3 L fluid tank and two and a half hours from the full water tanks. A rear fitting takes a garden hose so the water tank can refill itself.
• Cumulus HP: distilled water (the user manual says the reservoir must be filled with distilled water) and LLG or LLF5 fluid; Chauvet quotes 11 ml/min of fluid and 87 ml/min of water.
• Arcus 2000: water plus Equinox water-based low fog fluid. Equinox’s description refers to distilled water and the manual asks for clean water free of impurities. The manual also notes that if the fluid runs out the machine carries on for about three minutes, then stops to protect itself.
• Glacial 3000: distilled water in a 34 L tank plus a 3.5 L fog fluid tank. Elumen8’s user manual lists it as compatible with water-based low fog fluid (order code FLUI09, the same fluid Equinox names for the Arcus 2000) and quotes fluid use of about 35 ml/min at full output, so about 100 minutes from a full fluid tank. It also has a water auto-refill inlet.
• Entour Chill: ice cubes and Kool Fog, with fluid consumption of 15 ml/min. Kool Fog also comes as a pack of four 5 L bottles.
• Entour ICE: water and dry ice only. At 12 kg per 3.5 minutes, plan dry ice by the cue, not by the evening, and buy it fresh for the show.

Power, control and transport

Power

Most of these machines take a single mains supply. The exception is the Entour ICE: at 230 V ADJ lists heater power of 3,000 W x 2, with a main power input (heater and control circuits, 3,000 W) and an auxiliary power input (a further 3,000 W to the heater). The main input must always be connected. ADJ’s manual says heating takes longer on the main input alone, and its specification gives warm-up of about 45 minutes at 3,000 W against about 23 minutes at 6,000 W. Check with the venue what supply is available before choosing this machine. Design, installation and testing of electrical supplies is for a competent person.

Control

All six take DMX, so the fog can be cued from the same desk as the lighting (see our DMX guide). The Cloud 9X IP adds RDM and an included wireless remote; the Cumulus HP, Arcus 2000 and Glacial 3000 also come with wireless remotes, and the Entour Chill ships with ADJ’s wired timer remote. The Entour ICE offers 1, 2 or 6 channel DMX modes, and its 6-channel mode lets the desk set water temperature and switch the heater on and off.

Transport

The Entour ICE comes in a road case with heavy-duty castors, and the Cloud 9X IP is built into an integrated flight case with locking castors; Chauvet says the Cloud 9X IP stacks up to three high. The Arcus 2000 has an optional Arcus 2000 flight case with wheels. The Glacial 3000 has a rugged ABS housing with recessed handles and wheels. ADJ warns that the Entour ICE must only be moved empty, and Equinox says not to move the Arcus with water in the tank, so allow time to drain before the get-out.

Which to choose

Weddings and first dances

You need a carpet of fog for one song, set up quickly, with no dry ice to source on a Saturday. A water-and-fluid machine is the natural fit. Equinox describes the Arcus 2000 as perfect for a first dance at a wedding; the Cumulus HP is the lightest of the no-ice machines and the quickest to heat. Before booking any atmospheric effect, tell the venue (see below). For the rest of the room, see our wedding and function venue AV guide, and for confetti or CO2 moments at the same event, confetti, streamers and CO2 effects.

Theatre scenes and productions

For short, cued looks, all of these will work under DMX. The Entour ICE gives the traditional dry ice effect, at the cost of dry ice logistics, a long warm-up and a run time measured in minutes. For a show with several fog cues across an evening, a machine that runs on water and fluid avoids rebuying dry ice for every performance. School and community productions are covered in our school hall AV guide.

Hire and touring stock

Look for a flight case, big tanks and DMX. The Cloud 9X IP (integrated stackable case, about two hours of fluid, IP53, RDM, auto-refill from a hose) and the Glacial 3000 (34 L water tank) suit long events. The Arcus 2000 with its optional case is a lighter, more compact hire item.

Outdoor events

Only the Cloud 9X IP carries an IP rating, IP53, which Chauvet describes as for temporary outdoor or wet use. The ADJ Entour ICE and Entour Chill and the Equinox Arcus 2000 manuals say indoor use only, and Chauvet’s Cumulus HP manual says not to use it outdoors. Elumen8 publishes no IP rating for the Glacial 3000, although its manual’s safety list says “For indoors and outdoors use”; with no rating published, ask us before planning it for an outdoor event. Bear in mind that wind will carry any low fog away.

Dry ice and general safety

This is a summary of manufacturer and HSE guidance, not a substitute for your own risk assessment.

The HSE’s entertainment information sheet on smoke and vapour effects (ETIS3) lists freeze burns from skin contact with dry ice among the hazards, and says the risk assessment should cover ensuring carbon dioxide cannot pool in low-lying areas where people are likely to be, such as orchestra pits and front theatre stalls. Those areas should be monitored frequently and, wherever possible, access to them prevented. The HSE also lists slips due to condensation from dry ice as a hazard. The British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) publishes detailed guidance in TIS 7, Guidelines for the safe transportation, storage, use and disposal of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice).

Some points apply to every machine here:

• Hot water. ADJ says the Entour ICE water can reach 85°C and asks you to wait until it is below 30°C before draining.
• Ventilation and slips. Equinox advises running the Arcus 2000 in a well-ventilated area because fog fluid can condense into a slippery film, keeping 1 m clear around the machine and away from flammable material, and not aiming the output at the audience’s eyes. Elumen8’s Glacial 3000 manual gives the same ventilation, slip and 1 m clearance warnings.
• Fire alarms. Treat low fog like any other atmospheric effect: tell the venue in advance and follow the procedure in the fire alarm section of our smoke and haze guide.

Popular picks from the shop

Frequently asked questions

Do low fog machines need dry ice?

Not most of them. Of the machines here, only the ADJ Entour ICE uses dry ice. The Entour Chill uses ordinary ice cubes, and the Cloud 9X IP, Cumulus HP, Arcus 2000 and Glacial 3000 run on water and fog fluid alone.

What is the best low fog machine for a wedding first dance?

A water-and-fluid machine that heats quickly and needs no dry ice: Equinox describes the Arcus 2000 as perfect for a first dance, and the Cumulus HP has a two-minute heat-up and is the lightest of the no-ice machines. Agree the effect with the venue first.

How long does dry ice last in a low fog machine?

ADJ quotes the Entour ICE at 12 kg of dry ice per 3.5 minutes, with an average run time of about five minutes per load. ADJ gives the cooler box a holding time of 10 hours.

Can I use normal smoke fluid in a low fog machine?

Use the fluid the manufacturer names: Chauvet LLG (or LLF5 for the Cumulus HP), Equinox low fog fluid (FLUI09) for the Arcus 2000 and, per Elumen8’s manual, the Glacial 3000, and ADJ Kool Fog (or another ADJ water-based fog juice) for the Entour Chill. The Entour ICE uses no fluid at all. For fluids across smoke, haze and low fog machines, see our guide to smoke and haze fluid.

Can a low fog machine be used outdoors?

Of these, only the Chauvet Cloud 9X IP has an IP rating (IP53, which Chauvet describes as for temporary outdoor or wet use). The ADJ and Equinox manuals say indoor use only, Chauvet says not to use the Cumulus HP outdoors, and Elumen8 publishes no IP rating for the Glacial 3000 (its manual says indoor and outdoor use, so ask us first).

Will low fog set off a fire alarm?

It can, so treat it like any other atmospheric effect: tell the venue in writing beforehand, and only the venue’s responsible person may isolate detection. See the fire alarm section of our smoke and haze guide.