ORION 2.0 vs TIGER Cone Loader: Which One Is Right for You?

By BlueBus Fine Tools

Two loaders, one job, and one question that decides it.

If you've ever tried to load a pre-rolled cone by hand, you know exactly why cone loaders exist. The material spills, the cone bends, and ten minutes later you've got something that burns down one side.

A loader fixes that. It gets the material where it needs to go, packs it evenly, and turns a mildly frustrating task into a thirty-second one. We make two, they're both good, and they're built for two different people. Here's how to tell which one is yours.

01 — The Two Products, In One Sentence Each

TIGER Cone Loader — the compact workhorse

A rust-proof 304-grade stainless steel tray with an integrated funnel, built to last a lifetime in the smallest possible footprint — and it fits every cone size on the market.

ORION 2.0 — the premium station

A bamboo loading station with a foldable stand and a detachable magnetic tool case, built around the two most common cone formats and designed to anchor a full setup.

02 — The TIGER In Detail

One tool, every cone size, roughly the footprint of a paperback.

The TIGER is for people who want one tool that does one job perfectly, takes up almost no space, and never wears out. The whole thing is 304-grade stainless — the same grade used in commercial kitchens — so it's rust-proof and the kind of object that outlasts most things in a drawer.

Its real advantage is what it fits. The integrated funnel accepts every standard pre-rolled cone size: Dogwalker, 1¼, 98 Special and King Size. If you switch formats, or you haven't settled on one yet, this is the loader that covers all of them with a single tool. The included metal packing stick clicks into a dedicated stand on the funnel, so it's always there when you reach for it.

That's the whole product. No accessory integration, no stand, no extra footprint.

Buy it if you want a loader that disappears when you're done, you travel with your kit, you roll Dogwalkers or 98 Specials, or you move between formats. Skip it if you want your loading station to be part of a larger setup.

03 — The ORION 2.0 In Detail

Bamboo body, foldable stand, and a modular system that grows.

The ORION 2.0 is what happens when a cone loader stops being a single-purpose tool and becomes the centre of a setup. Premium bamboo body — the same bamboo as our stash boxes — a recessed central tray for organising material, a foldable stand, a detachable magnetic tool case, and a modular accessory system.

It's built around 1¼ and King Size, the two most common formats on the market, and it arrives fully equipped for both: both metal cones and both funnels are in the box, so there's nothing extra to buy for either size. What it doesn't take is the shorter Dogwalker or the slimmer 98 Special. If those are your cones, the TIGER is your loader.

The modular system works two ways. Two magnets in the base hold the detachable tool case, keeping metal cones, packing stick and brush within reach — and letting you lift the whole case out and take it with you. Two bushings on top accept clip-in extensions — a glass bowl holder, or a rotating carousel that lets you cycle through several pieces while you fill them. New extensions get added over time, so it grows with your setup rather than being replaced by it.

That matters for one reason worth spelling out: the ORION 2.0 isn't only for cone users. The bowl extensions let you fill a glass piece directly off it, the same way you'd fill a cone.

In the box: bamboo body and foldable stand, tool holder, both metal cones, both funnels, packing stick, metal plate and cleaning brush.

Buy it if you roll 1¼ or King Size, you own accessories and want them organised in one place, or you want the station to be the setup. Skip it if you want one small tool in a drawer, or you roll Dogwalkers or 98 Specials.

04 — Side By Side

05 — Quick Picks

• Daily, no-fuss use — TIGER
• Dogwalker or 98 Special cones — TIGER
• Switching between cone formats — TIGER
• Travel, compact — TIGER
• 1¼ or King Size, equipped out of the box — ORION 2.0
• A full session setup — ORION 2.0
• Filling glass as well as cones — ORION 2.0
• Bamboo continuity with your stash box — ORION 2.0
• Best gift — ORION 2.0 for the wow factor, TIGER for the practical pick

06 — Common Questions

Do both fit any cone size? No, and this is the thing to check before you buy. The TIGER accepts every standard size — Dogwalker, 1¼, 98 Special and King Size. The ORION 2.0 is built around 1¼ and King Size, which covers the large majority of cones sold, and it includes the metal cones and funnels for both. Not sure which format you use? Read Cone Sizes Explained.

Can I use the ORION 2.0 without the stand? Yes. It folds flat, and as long as there's a gap between the body and the surface, the tray works normally.

Will the stainless steel TIGER rust? No. 304-grade stainless is the same grade used in commercial food prep. It's rust-proof and built to last decades.

Which one does your team use? Most of us own both. The TIGER lives in a drawer for everyday use; the ORION 2.0 comes out for longer sessions and when people are over.

07 — The Honest Summary

Buy the TIGER if you want one compact tool that fits every cone format, does its job forever, and disappears into a drawer afterwards.

Buy the ORION 2.0 if you roll 1¼ or King Size and want the loading station to anchor your setup — bamboo, modular, magnetic, and equipped for both sizes out of the box.

A lot of people end up owning both, and that's not a cop-out — they genuinely do different jobs.