If you love popcorn, you should invest in a home popcorn popper. There are many different styles to choose from, and some of the best popcorn poppers can pop enough popcorn at once for your whole family to enjoy. They come in the form of antique inspired poppers, which look like the models at the theater, or air poppers, which ensure that most kernels pop up nice. Each popcorn popper review below describes how the product works and what it is capable of. This will allow you to make an educated decision on which one is right for your family. Most of them allow for you to make popcorn that is low calorie and a lot healthier than what you can buy at the movies or pop from your microwave.
Best Popcorn Popper List
1. Great Northern Popcorn 6010 Roosevelt Top Antique Style
$154.99 From Amazon
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This is a great machine to pull out for large parties or family gatherings because of its retro look and feel. It uses 860 watts of power and has a 3 position control switch. It is able to keep your popcorn warm while it accumulates in the bottom, so no one has to eat any cold popcorn. There is a scoop that comes with the machine as well as other helpful accessories to make your life easier when you use it, like a drawer that accumulates unpopped kernels. It is constructed of stainless steel and can clean up easily with only water, so it isn’t a nightmare to clean after you’re done popping popcorn all day. It can pop about 3 gallons of popcorn at a time, so it should be able to pop enough for special occasions or movie night. You can use this if you have a small business too, since it is commercial grade.
2. Great Northern Pop Pup Retro Style
$57.12 From Amazon
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This machine also has a retro look, but is much smaller. It can produce 1 gallon of popcorn at a time, which should be enough for your family to enjoy. The kettle that makes the popcorn automatically stirs itself and the corn falls into a bowl, which you can just take out when it comes time to enjoy it. There is also a light that keeps the popcorn warm while you wait. This product also has accessories and is great for a family to use together, especially if you have kids. There is even a large handle so you can pour all the popcorn out of the kettle, which is probably something you’ve always wanted to do if you have seen it done at the movie theater. There are special bags of popcorn that you can buy from the manufacturer, or you can choose your own corn. You should be careful however, to make sure you don’t allow the plastic to crack. Turn off the machine when you’re done using it and make sure it doesn’t overheat or get too hot.
3. Cuisinart CPM-700 EasyPop Popcorn Maker
$49.95 From Amazon
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You can purchase this cone shaped machine in black or red, depending on which one looks more attractive to you. It has one switch, so it’s easy to use and comes with everything you need to use it. It has a popping bowl and cover, and an arm that stirs the corn around, so the majority of the kernels will get popped. The base is stainless steel with plastic accents and has feet on the bottom that allow it to sit on the counter without moving around too much. It is able to produce up to 16 cups of popcorn at once and most of the parts can be placed in the dishwasher, so the machine is very easy to keep clean. It also features a 3 year warranty and won’t take up a bunch of room on your counter. It also takes very little oil too, so the popcorn isn’t full of calories.
4. Hamilton Beach 73310
$57.99 From Amazon
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This maker is ball shaped, so it is easy to keep clean and use. You simply place the unpopped kernels in the top of the machine and turn it on. The popcorn will pop right into the bottom portion that is able to be removed when the popping is done. It is just a very large bowl, which the whole family can eat out of. It is able to pop a max of 24 cups at a time, which is enough for many people to eat. One important note is that since most of the exterior is made of plastic, you have to take care not to burn yourself when it’s time to eat the popcorn. Remember that it was just popped and in a stainless steel kettle. You can also stack the top and bottom in each other when you need to put the item away for storage.
5. Cuisinart CPM-100 Easy Pop Hot Air
$38.81 From Amazon
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This model is an air popper that may remind you of similar poppers you used in your house when you were growing up. It is able to make up to 10 cups of popcorn in just a few minutes, so you really won’t have to wait long to eat. It uses 1500 watts and most parts can be removed to clean. Furthermore, the chute can be removed and there is even a butter warming tray, so you don’t have to eat bland popcorn. It is virtually impossible to not get your popcorn right because there is only one button to worry about, so even kitchen newbies should be fine. You should have a bowl nearby for the popcorn to fall into, to limit messes and so you can eat the popcorn while it’s fresh. Some people had problems with this machine, but they may also have been using it improperly. You do not have to use any oil with this machine, so you should never add it.
6. Great Northern Popcorn Hot Air Popper
$31.86 From Amazon
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This is another model that is highly efficient and pops kernels with air and not oil. It is able to pop over 15 cups of popcorn in around 2 minutes, which is pretty fast. It is also very effective, so you won’t have a bunch of kernels that failed to pop. The best part is that it’s low in fat since there is no oil, so you can really eat as much as you like. When it comes time to clean the machine, you can just wipe it out, since it won’t really get dirty. Again you’ll need a bowl nearby to catch the kernels, and there’s nothing more that you need to do. If you want to add flavoring, there is a butter melting tray or you can add salt or sugar to the finished product.
7. Presto 5204 Orville Redenbacher’s Stirring Popper
$35.99 From Amazon
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This is another ball shaped unit that has a clear top, so you’re able to see the corn while it’s being popped. It has a stirring arm to make sure that the kernels move around a bit, which allows for more uniform popping. It is able to make about 48 ounces of popcorn at once, which is a large amount. It also has holes in the top so that you can place butter or other flavorings, which will be able to melt and be distributed evenly throughout the popcorn as it cooks. You do have to use a bit of oil for the kernels to pop, but it still isn’t enough to add a large amount of calories, so don’t fret when you are trying to hang out with your family and want a low calorie snack. The machine itself is heat resistant and can be easily cleaned when it’s cool.
8. West Bend 82306
$28.06 From Amazon
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This machine also has a clear top to see what’s going on and a dark bottom, which has a stirring arm to make sure that the corn pops up just right. It offers results quickly, as it can pop about 6 quarts in less than 5 minutes. You can also use the ventilation holes on top to melt butter, and you can use the clear cover as a bowl after the corn is done popping. The machine won’t get hot enough to burn you if you accidently touch it. The cooking surface is nonstick, so it doesn’t take much to clean the whole machine well, and you can enjoy popcorn with this machine for many years, as it is built to last. Make sure that you do not place any of the parts in the dishwasher however, as they may become damaged.