The Best Popcorn Maker for Home Theater (2021)

A microwave can easily be used to cook pre-packaged popcorn…

…but those bags are often filled with sodium…

…fat, and other chemicals that aren’t healthy.

The good news is that popcorn makers make it just as easy…

…and convenient to pop…

…a batch of fresh kernels-no additional ingredients required…

…so you can enjoy a fiber-rich snack guilt-free.

Popcorn makers range from silicone microwave models…

…to air poppers to stovetop and electric models.

It is easy to clean, convenient to store…

…and, most importantly, it makes great popcorn in a matter of minutes.

Here are the best popcorn makers you can buy today…

…whether you’re looking to make big batches of popcorn balls…

…for the holidays or a portable popcorn maker for movie night snacks.

But before we move into next section, let’s hear Ariana’s story…

Every Friday night, my family has a movie night.

Popcorn is an essential part of watching a movie.

All my family members, including me, love popcorn,

so I think having a popcorn maker would be a lot of fun

since we need to cook a lot of it.

Since we bought it, we don’t need to worry

about running out of popcorn in the middle of the movie.

The movie night becomes more enjoyable.

It is a good idea to have a popcorn maker, let’s look at the best ones…

Our Top Picks for Popcorn Makers

Let’s go through them one by one…

Cuisinart EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker CPM-100

We tested several popcorn makers and this was our favorite.

A popper works exactly as it sounds; no oil or butter is needed.

Kernels can simply be placed into the popping chamber…

…the unit is turned on, and hot air is released.

The electric countertop model is easy to set up.

The only snag was with clicking the chute into place…

…which directs the popped corn into a serving bowl…

…but even that was easily resolved.

This popper produced a bowl of perfectly popped corn in less than 3 minutes…

…(up to 15 cups, to be exact) without burning a single kernel.

Due to the popcorn falling away from the heat source as it pops…

…we always got near-perfect results, no matter the batch size.

Also included with the popcorn maker is a butter warming tray…

…that serves as a measuring cup for the kernels. 

Although we wasn’t blown away by this feature…

…(it can melt a little more than one tablespoon…

…in the time it will take the corn to pop), we appreciated its versatility.

This kid-friendly housing is made with BPA-free materials…

…that come into contact with food. 

Cleaning is just as simple as setting it up and using it.

We found that hand washing and rinsing…

…was sufficient for cleaning the chute and the butter warming tray…

…which can both be placed in the dishwasher for quick cleanup.

Cuisinart also offers two other electric popcorn makers…

…a Classic-Style popper that makes up to 10 cups and a 16-Cup model.

These two models use oil and have a larger footprint than our pick…

…which is unrealistic for most consumers to store.

The reason we prefer the EasyPop is because of its clever design…

…which makes popping virtually perfect.

Pros:

• Easy to use and clean
• Consistent results
• Makes up to 15 cups

Cons:

• Setting up a popcorn chute can be tricky
• Butter melters don’t always melt everything

Cuisinart Pop and Serve Popcorn Maker CTG-00-MPM

It is a great option for those who prefer making popcorn in the microwave…

…because it is compact and easy to use.

Put the popcorn kernels in the collapsible silicone bowl…

…with the lid and heat them up in the microwave without any oil.

Depending on the size of the batch…

…the cooking time for this popcorn maker varies from 3 to 4 minutes.

There was a tricky balance between popping all the kernels…

..and avoiding burnt pieces.

This is a common problem with microwave popcorn-making…

…and results may vary based on the wattage of your microwave.

The key to success in your microwave is finding the right cooking time…

…that will work for its power.

The silicone popper makes 10 cups of popcorn…

…which is more than enough for everyone…

…and the best part is that you won’t need to dirty another bowl:

Season and serve directly in the popper.

The bowl can be put in the dishwasher…

…while the lid should be washed by hand…

..(but our tester said that both pieces were easy to wash in the sink).

Last but not least, the popper’s ability to collapse makes it easy to store.

Take hold of the handles and push downwards on the bowl so that it’s nice and flat. 

Pros:

• It is easy to use, clean, and store (collapsible)
• No oil required
• Versatile and affordable

Cons:

• Microwave popcorn settings can’t be relied upon
• The bowl gets hot to the touch

  “If you have limited storage space and trust your microwave to turn out perfectly popped corn, you can’t beat the compact folding design or the low price point.” 

Sharon Lehman – Writer Specializing in Food

Keep reading…

Salbree Original Microwave Popcorn Popper

Here is another popcorn maker we like that collapses down…

…(to 2.25 inches tall, in fact), convenient when traveling or storing in small spaces.

It features a lid and a bowl made of indestructible…

…BPA-free silicone that are easy to remove from the microwave.

We enjoyed how easy it was to use this popcorn maker.

Pop the popcorn kernels in the microwave, cover it with a lid…

…and heat until they are hot.

As well, we gave this popcorn popper high marks…

…because it does not require any oil…

…and can pop up to 12 cups of popcorn in just 3 to 4 minutes. 

Furthermore, the popcorn maker can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Also, this popper comes in 18 bright, fun colors, so it will suit most kitchen decors.

This method of making popcorn produces large amounts of unpopped kernels…

…but again, this is a common result.

Pros:

• Works quickly
• No butter or oil needed
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Between batches, the machine must cool off
• A large number of kernels remain unpopped

Go on…

Wabash Valley Farms Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper

According to many reviewers…

…this stovetop model produces popcorn that’s indistinguishable…

…from movie theater popcorn.

In addition, customers report that they are able to make kettle corn with it.

Using this popcorn maker…

…you can make up to 6 quarts (24 cups) of popcorn in just 3 minutes.

Its appearance is somewhat similar to a stovetop pot…

…that is made from durable aluminum.

During the popcorn-making process…

…the wooden handle must be used to stir the kernels…

…as it has an attached lid.

It is possible to use die-cast metal gears or nylon gears…

…depending on the type of popcorn you plan to make…

…(if you often make caramel or kettle corn, the metal gears are recommended).

The unit requires one teaspoon of oil, unlike some of the other models on this list. 

All of the parts of this popcorn maker can be cleaned…

…by wiping them with a paper towel.

Alternatively, you can hand-wash the unit with warm, soapy water…

…but it cannot be put in the dishwasher.

Pros:

• Only a few kernels are unpopped
• Perfect for making movie theater popcorn
• Easy to clean

Cons: 

• Made of thin, light material

Great Northern Little Bambino Table Top Retro Popcorn Popper 2.5oz

Great Northern’s retro-style popcorn maker is perfect…

…if you want a popcorn machine that goes all out.

It’s one of the larger popcorn poppers on this list…

…measuring 9.75 x 11 x 18.54 inches and weighing 10 pounds…

…but it’s worth it for a miniature version of a movie theater machine.

Reviewers say that the popcorn tastes great…

…and kids enjoy watching the kernels pop.

The popcorn machine makes up to 16 cups or 1 gallon of popcorn per batch.

Two popping kettle hangers, a popcorn tray, a measuring spoon…

…and a measuring cup are included.

It is constructed from stainless steel and scratch-resistant tempered glass.

The popcorn tray is removable and dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy…

…and the kettle should be wiped down with a paper towel.

Other retro countertop poppers are available from Great Northern…

…but most are much larger and more expensive than the one on this list. 

Pros:

• Easy to use and set up
• One gallon of popcorn can be made
• Children enjoy watching the popper in action

Cons:

• Large footprint

Sum Up!

Cuisinart’s EasyPop can make as much corn as 15 cups in just 3 minutes.

The results were consistently tasty and it earned five stars.

Cuisinart’s Pop and Serve, a microwave-safe silicone bowl…

…with a collapsible handle, is a great option…

…if you prefer to microwave your popcorn.

Conclusion

So there you have it, our best popcorn makers.

Are you interested in purchasing it…

…to have movie nights with friends and family? 

We hope this article has been helpful to you.

Please share this article with your loved ones if it was helpful to you. 

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