Popcorn Makers: What You Need To Know

For lots of people, nothing beats popcorn makers when it comes making the perfect popcorn. Nowadays, more and more people are using microwave ovens to make their popcorn because it is easier and faster. But for the real popcorn-aficionado, the popcorn maker is still king. No wonder popular brands such as Wabash Valley Farms and Cuisinart continue to manufacture various kinds of popcorn machines. They advocate that popcorn machines produces better-tasting popcorn because it allows one to control the amount and kind of seasoning and oil to be added to the kernels. And of course, using popcorn machines are more fun compared to microwaving.

The popcorn maker has quite an extensive history. No movie theater and carnival is complete without it. It is every couch potato’s dream to have a movie theater-style popcorn machine in his kitchen. The practice of popping corn can actually traced back to the pre-Incan period in Peru, where natives use a rough device made of a shallow container with a single hole on top. This was held over a fire for cooking. Of course, the popcorn machine has already evolved into the modern kitchen appliance that it is now. The very first popcorn maker was created by Charles Cretor in 1885. He used it to sell popcorn to customers on the street. Soon, other vendors followed suit and the original machine became a fixture during fairs and carnivals.

Industrial-size popcorn makers were first produced in the early 1900s by Fred Hoke and James Holcomb. The Great Depression curtailed their plans to build an empire on these machines.

When shopping for a popcorn maker for home use, there are several factors that you must consider. The most important ones are:

Where do you plan to place it?

If you have space in your kitchen, then it would not be a problem for you to buy big popcorn makers. Some make their popcorn machines the centerpiece of their kitchen counters. However, if you have limited space, you have to choose a compact-sized machine for it to fit nicely beside a wall. There are machines that you can just put on tabletops and there are some that needs a pedestal. If you are buying the latter, make sure you have enough room for it.

How much popcorn will you make on a regular basis?

You need to think about this because it determines the size of the kettle that comes with the machine. The kettle holds the kernels which you will make into popcorn. A four-ounce kettle is good enough if you will be making less than 85 quarts of popcorn in one hour. But if you will be making more than that, say 127-170 quarts, you need to buy an eight-ounce kettle.

How much time can you allot for maintenance?

Some popcorn makers require more maintenance than others. Hotplate poppers and stovetop kettle popcorn makers can be quite difficult to clean, although they make really good popcorn. Some people do not mind spending more time cleaning up the machine as long as they get their quality popcorn. If you want easier maintenance, you might want to use the microwave instead.

Other factors that you might want to consider include the style of the machine itself and the accessories needed. Since the popcorn machine will be a permanent sight in your kitchen, you might want to buy one that complements the other appliances in your kitchen. There are lots of great-looking machines out there that will give you quality popcorn in many years to come.

You have to make sure that your popcorn machine has the accessories needed for it to function perfectly. Some of the things to look for in a popcorn maker include the old maid drawer (this is where the uncooked kernels go to so it does not mix with the cooked ones), warming deck and tempered glass panels.

Each type of popcorn machine has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. For electric hot air poppers, one does not need to put oil in the popper and there is less chance that the kernels will get burned. However, popcorn from hot air poppers is usually less crispy and kernels can bounce out of the bowl during popping. Inspite of this, machines using hot air to pop the kernels have become in demand nowadays because they are considered a healthier option to make popcorn.

In comparison to classic popcorn makers, microwave poppers are easy to clean and can be used even without putting oil on the kernels. The seasoning can be added before popping and the bowl can be used for making another batch of popcorn immediately. However, kernels can easily burn when cooked with microwave. A slight miscalculation with the timer can ruin the taste of the popcorn. Also, the plastic bowl inside the microwave can crack or have discolorations after a long time of use.