Who doesn’t love kicking back at home to watch movies or some of the amazing TV series on Netflix, HBO and elsewhere? It’s even better with a big bowl of popcorn (our 3 year old certainly thinks so – he’s a popcorn fanatic). Discover the 4 main types of popcorn makers you can get for your home.
With the new season of Game of Thrones creating such a massive buzz, most GOT fans prefer watching the new episode in great peace and silence. They often also make great preparations to watch the episode like creating a comfortable seating space, connecting loud speakers to the television, and, most importantly, having big bowl of popcorn ready because where there is fun and drama, there has to be popcorn too!
Not just GOT, but no movie night at home is complete without that crunchy, airy, and fluffy popcorn to much on.
If you are also an avid popcorn lover, you are probably well aware of how bad those microwave popcorn bags are. Not only are they oily and soggy sometimes, but are also full of extra calories.
So, what do you do? You can’t have a movie night without an endless supply of popcorn, right? Perhaps, it is time for you to invest in a handy, easy-to-use popcorn maker to devour and enjoy fresh and crispy homemade popcorn with your favorite seasonings and toppings!
The most important question that arises here, though, is what type of popcorn maker should you get?
There are different types of popcorn makers with minor to massive differences in terms of convenience, speed, output, cost, and durability. Each type also has its own key advantages or pros, as well as some disadvantages. However, they are all fairly easy to use.
These are the four main types of popcorn makers along with popular examples of each type.
Table of Contents
1. Microwave Popcorn Makers
As the name obviously suggests, a microwave popcorn maker is one that you place in the microwave. This type of popcorn maker brings you the great ease and convenience of being able to enjoy fresh and healthy popping popcorns within a matter of few minutes.
A typical microwave popcorn maker is made from temperature safe borosilicate glass that you can fill with kernel corns till the top. Since the main glass container is microwavable, you can also microwave your popcorn without using any oil. There are also other varieties that are made of microwavable plastic.
The lid of this popper is often made from silicon and serves two main purposes: it acts as a kernel measure, and is also used to melt butter. So, if you like your popcorns with a little salted butter, all you need to do is put a small dollop of butter on the lid. Once the kernel corns begin popping, the lid will help melt the butter and you can enjoy delicious salted butter popcorn!
On average, any microwave popcorn maker takes about two to four minutes to pop almost twelve cups of popcorn. However, that also depends on the size of the maker and the container that comes with it.
2. Hot Air Popcorn Makers
These popcorn makers make use of heated air to make popcorn. They consist of an in-built fan system that is located in their main compartment. Once the air heating process is turned on, the popper will shoot out fresh popcorn within a few minutes that helps cook the kernels properly and thoroughly.
The most distinctive feature or quality of a hot air popcorn maker is that it produces super fluffy and airy popcorn that is not oily at all. It also allows you to choose how much butter or salt you want on your popcorn.
Although many people prefer microwave popcorn makers since they are so amazingly convenient and quick, air-popped popcorn is actually a more affordable and healthier alternative.
A typical hot air popcorn maker comes with the main popping machine that has a plastic guard attached to it at the top. Some varieties also come with a measuring cup that helps make it easy for you to measure out the exact amount of the kernels.
Many people often prefer using the measuring cup on the top in order to melt the butter. So while the kernels pop in the machine, the butter melts simultaneously which you can then pour over your freshly popped popcorn and devour yummy butter popcorn within just a few minutes.
3. Stovetop Popcorn Makers
These popcorn makers have been reviewed to be the best of all the popper options in terms of convenience, durability, popcorn quality, and quantity. It works really well for times when you want to make a lot of popcorn without compromising on the quality.
Stovetop popcorn makers have been said to have the ability to produce that kind of taste popcorn that you get at movie theaters. The main popcorn pot is usually made from stainless steel that ensures great durability, and also makes it easy to use on the stove top.
These are basically specialized pots that can cook popcorn at the preferred temperature. All you need to do is crank your stove burner to low heat, and then add in the desired amount of kernels with a few tablespoons of oil. While the kernels pop, you can also add your favorite seasonings along with butter for a more flavorful batch of popcorn.
4. Commercial Popcorn Makers
Also known as ‘Professional Popcorn Makers,’ these are some of the most expensive popping machines available out there. While their prices range from $150 to $400, they are equally promising in terms of quality, durability, convenience, and efficiency.
The downside of these poppers is that they are bulky and large, so they end up taking a lot of space. However, they are just ideal for large events and galas, or for those times when you need to make really large batches of popcorn.
Using these commercial popcorn makers is fairly easy and all you will need is kernels, salt, and some oil. They usually come with metallic holding trays that are attached on the top of the machine which needs to be turned off when the machine is turned on. In other words, when you pour in the kernels with the salt and oil, you must close the metallic top and turn on the machine. One the kernels have fully popped, simply turn off the machine, pull the lever that is there on the side of the container, and take out freshly popped popcorn into a bowl.
When purchasing a commercial popcorn maker, it is extremely important to check the key features since it can be quite expensive and you don’t want your money to go to waste.
