Looking for a popcorn machine? Whether you need a popcorn machine for home use or for a commercial environment, you will want to consider performance, ease of use, and (of course) price.
First of all, you need to understand that a popcorn popper and a popcorn machine are two separate items. A popper is a small kitchen appliance that produces one bowl at a time. A machine is much more substantial – like the ones at a movie theater.
When you are searching for the ideal machine for your use, you’ll want to consider features such as motorized stirring mechanisms to eliminate scorching and features that contribute to ease of use as well as ease of cleaning.
When I was growing up, we had popcorn every Sunday night for supper. Most of the time, I was in charge of popping the corn. This extensive experience resulted in developing techniques to achieve the perfect popcorn taste. I learned that the most important constant in the process is the machine. There are many types and models, each with its own pros and cons. You’ll want to compare a variety of commercial models feature-to-feature in order to find the best one for you. Spend some time using Google, Bing, or Yahoo and conduct research until you narrow the choices down to the best machine for your situation.
Some people think that air poppers leave a lot to be desired when it comes to the perfect tasting popcorn. However, before you decide against purchasing an air popper, you should pop a batch and judge for youself whether or not you like the taste. Air poppers do not use oil to pop the popcorn. They simply use hot air. The popcorn is very evenly popped and you rarely (if ever) have burned popcorn. Air popped corn is very healthy for you because it is not cooked in oil. It has a very healthy taste to it. If you like air popped popcorn without butter or salt, you will have a very low calorie healthy snack. However, if you are looking for the flavor of movie theater popcorn, air poppers are not the popcorn machines for you.
Popcorn machines that use oil result in a much richer tasting product. Machines that use oil will come closer to giving you that movie theater taste. There are a variety of models of machines that use oil. Some will pop evenly and others will leave a lot of un-popped kernels. Some will burn your popcorn and others will pop it perfectly, but may be so hard to use that it isn’t worth the trouble. Study and compare the features of those machines that seem to be the best choices for you.
Here’s the secret to obtaining a taste like the popcorn you get at the movies … coconut oil. That’s how the movie theaters achieve such a rich taste. You can experiment with your machine and try to determine the best combination of butter and coconut oil/vegetable oil that produces the perfect taste for you. Or you can achieve that movie theater taste every time by purchasing pre-mixed packages. There are plenty of options when it comes to popcorn supplies, so try several packages from several sources until you find the one that tastes best to you.
Five of the top brands of popcorn machines are Gold Medal, Nostalgia Electronics, Paragon, Waring, and Cretors.
Gold Medal machines are popular for a variety of features, including the E-Z Klean Kettle, the Brute Force Motor, twin arm kettle suspension, the Flexi Pop option, the “Big Eye” Electronic Heat Control, a stainless steel kettle, the fire suppression system, LED lights in the domes and interiors, their clean air discharge option, the unified kettle and heat element, auto shutoff feature, built-in updraft filtration system, the auto dump option, bag-in-a-box sensor level, and a taller lid assembly. Gold Medal offers more than two dozen smaller machines (ranging from the Ultra 60 Special to the Retro Pop), and more than two dozen medium machines (ranging from the 16 oz. Pop and Serv to the Super Pop Maxx). Their large popcorn machines are available in durable and easy to use sizes from 18 to 52 oz.
Nostalgia Products Group, LLC designs, manufactures, and markets the Nostalgia Electrics brand of small electric appliances. They offer a variety of sizes and styles, including 48″, 53″, and 59″ old-fashioned movie time popping carts. These machines can pop up to two quarts of kettle-cooked popcorn per batch. They have a vintage look and feel, reminiscent of silent movie houses and carnivals circa-early 1900’s. Features include a large, stainless steel kettle with a built-in stirring system and kernel catcher to keep out the unpopped kernels. There is a compartment in the base of the unit to store supplies, making it easy to keep the cart well stocked and organized. These carts have an easy-to-clean design and are approved for commercial use.
The primary focus of Paragon Popcorn Machines is to help achieve concession profits. So, they not only carry the machines, but also a variety of supplies and popcorn kits. Warranties on these machines range all the way to lifetime warranties for residential machines. There is a unique video on their website that demonstrates the entire process from popping to clean-up. Also, another nice touch is the inclusion of pictures taken of employees inside the factory actually manufacturing the machines. The Classic 16 and the Theater 16 are two of their most popular.
The Waring WPM60 offers a 6- to 8-oz. kettle capacity. You can achieve up to 175 popped, one-ounce servings per hour. This machine has 1000 watts of power for quick heat-up and recovery time. It has a pivoting kettle that is removable for easy cleaning. The included heat bulb keeps popped popcorn hot. This unit has removable doors for easy cleaning and comes with a limited one year warranty.
Cretors Popcorn Machines are built with the user in mind for quality, convenience, and durability. Each of their smaller machines has a stainless steel frame, an interior heating lamp, and a nickel plated all-steel kettle which resists corrosion and is easy to clean. The plug-in Kettle feature permits quick kettle removal if necessary, while a cycling pilot light indicates kettle thermostat is operational and the kettle is ready for production. The direct drive agitator provides longer motor life with no exposed gears to replace. There are eye level lighted rocker switches to indicate component operation. The Contempo Pop 4oz and the Fun Pop 4oz are two of their most popular smaller machines.
Each of the Cretors large poppers includes a nickel plated all-steel kettle which resists corrosion and is easy to clean and a direct drive agitator with no exposed gears to provide a longer motor life. There are lighted rocker switches to indicate component operation, a single thermostat to accurately control the kettle temperature for optimum popping, and a cycling pilot light to indicate the kettle thermostat is operational and the kettle is ready for production. Each of these machines includes an exclusive counter-balance kettle dump and return system and a kettle cover which automatically lifts to allow popped corn to escape, maximizing popcorn expansion and profits. These large poppers have a two-stage charcoal exhaust system which works twice as hard to eliminate smoke and grease, a circulating hot air cornditioner system to keep popcorn warm, dry and crisp, and an optional switch between salted and sweet corn production. The Pop Maxx 14oz is one of their most popular items.
The Internet is a great resource if you are looking for information about a popcorn machine. Of course, you can order online with confidence because most sites offer a 100% money back guarantee, low shipping charges, and secure sites for processing your order.
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