Popcorn Machines 101 – Picking One That’s Right For You

by Max Tool

Our goal in this guide is to clear up most of the confusion associated with the options faced when shopping for a popcorn machine.  If you’ve started browsing through the hundreds of units for sale on eBay, there’s no doubt that you’ve been bombarded with all sorts of different figures, specs, and jargon.

Background…

What is popcorn?
Popcorn is made from the heated, dried kernels of corn.  The kernel consists of a tough hull on the outside and a hard starchy inside.  After being dried, the kernels retain about 14-15% moisture content.  When the kernel is heated properly, the moisture causes the starch to become soft and puffy.  The pressure builds up inside the kernel until it is eventually high enough to burst through the hull, causing the “pop” that we all recognize.  The time between when the kernels are poured into the kettle and when the popping finishes is known as a popping cycle.

History
Popcorn was first discovered by Native Americans thousands of years ago.  They believed that angry spirits or gods popped out of the kernels when heated.  Popcorn gained mass popularity during the Great Depression because it was relatively cheap, compared to other foods, at just 5-10 cents a bag.

Perfect For…

• Home Theater: You have that massive 60” 1080p HDTV, the ear-shattering 7.1 surround sound setup, and the relaxing cozy recliner.  What’s missing?  The popcorn!  You can’t have the perfect movie-theater experience at home without the signature smell and the delicious taste of movie theater popcorn.
  

Tip: the secret to getting your home popcorn to taste and smell like movie theater popcorn is to use coconut oil for popping, and a special seasoning called “butter salt” (one such brand is “Flavacol.”)

• Party: A popcorn machine would provide the perfect snack food all day long for a child’s birthday party, a family gathering, or that work party.  The popcorn will be hot and fresh, and easy to make.
  
• Restaurants/Snack Bars: Popcorn machines would be great additions to a snack bar at a carnival or street fair, or complement a menu at any restaurant.  They could be very profitable investments!

And now, the machines…

Popcorn can be popped in various different ways – microwave, air-popped, stove-stop, and kettle.  The traditional popcorn machines you’re familiar with at movie theaters and carnivals are kettle machines.  They have the ability to produce that distinctive flavor and that smell that make your mouth water.  The other methods of popping popcorn usually sacrifice flavor.  The focus of this guide will be on kettle poppers.

Basics
Kettle popcorn machines work by way of hot-oil kettles with a built-in heating element.  They utilize stirring systems to ensure that unpopped kernels are heated uniformly in the kettles and to produce the best yields.  The popped popcorn falls into clear compartments for dispensing.

Countertop or Stand-Alone?
The first consideration for choosing a popcorn machine is available space.  Counter-top units are smaller and more space-conscientious.  You can place them anywhere with a stable flat surface.  Stand-alone units are essentially counter-top units that are either attached to or set atop bases.  The base, which is usually in the form of a cart, sits on the floor and raises the actual machine up to standing height.  In deciding between the two, you should ask yourself, “Which would fit better for my use?  Would I place this on my counter or table, or would I set it on the floor or ground?”

Kettle Size
The kettle size is measured in ounces of unpopped kernels it holds.  Standard kettle sizes range from 4 oz to 32 oz.  Each ounce of kernels yields about 1 quart of popped popcorn (a standard serving size for one person).  For reference, a normal bag of microwave popcorn has 3 oz of kernels.

With a typical cycle time of 3 minutes and a serving size of 1 quart of popcorn, you’ll be able to produce 80 servings an hour using a 4 oz kettle, 120 servings an hour using a 6 oz kettle, and 160 servings an hour using an 8 oz kettle.  Keep in mind that this is optimal production and real-world yield should be less.

Standard Kettle Sizes & Recommendations:
Small – 4 oz (a small family)
Medium – 6 oz (large family)
Large – 8 oz (home theater, break room, family gathering, birthday party)
Commercial – 12 oz (school function, snack bar)
Large Commercial – 16 oz+ (movie theater, performing arts theater, ball park)

Wattage
Wattage is the power consumption of the popcorn machine.  The higher the wattage rating is, the more power the machine draws.  The keyword here is “draws.”  Don’t buy into the marketing hype that some sellers push – a higher wattage isn’t necessarily better.  It comes down to efficiency in power usage and efficiency in popping kernels (i.e. the machine should be designed to properly use the amount of power it draws).

• Power usage: Some machines are designed inefficiently, and the electricity - rather than being transferred to the heating element, stirring system, or other functional parts of the popcorn machine – is wasted as heat dispersed outside the machine.
  Example:  The closest analogy would be gas efficiency in cars.  Car A burns more gas than Car B, but Car A doesn’t go any faster than Car B, nor have any other benefits.  Car A is just less efficient than Car B.
• Popping kernels: There is a certain amount of heat required to pop kernels.  If you apply too little heat, the moisture and pressure slowly escape from the kernel without causing a pop.  If you apply too much heat, the moisture and pressure quickly burst through the hull before the starch is “puffed.”  There is a “sweet spot” for getting the most kernels to pop, which shouldn’t be rushed.  A machine with a higher wattage and a hotter kettle might pop kernels quicker, but may result in much more unpopped kernels at the end.  Again, the key is efficiency.

Our Selection:

Max Tool’s selection of popcorn machines was carefully prescreened and preselected to ensure that the models we carry have high quality craftsmanship, effective performance ratings, a long list of bonus features, and the best bang for your hard-earned buck.  We wouldn’t sell you a machine that we wouldn’t use ourselves.

Stand-Alone Units

Maxi-Matic Elite Old Fashioned Kettle Popcorn Trolley
- 5 ft Tall Classic Trolley Cart Design
- 8 oz Stainless Steel Kettle
- Separately Controlled Stirring System
- 860 Watts
- Tempered Glass Panels
- Available in Red (model EPM-400) and Black (model EPM-300)

Nostalgia Electrics Old Fashioned Kettle Popcorn Cart
- 5 ft Tall Classic Red Theater Style Cart
- 4 oz Stainless Steel Kettle
- Separately Controlled Stirring System
- 640 Watts (model CCP-509), 670 Watts (model CCP-510)
- Accessories Storage Compartment
- Rated for Commercial Use (model CCP-510)

Countertop Units

Maxi-Matic Elite Old Fashioned Countertop Popcorn Maker
- Carnival Style (model EPM-450)
- 4 oz Stainless Steel Kettle
- Built-In Stirring System
- 600 Watts
- Tempered Glass Panels
- Warming Light and Warming Tray

Nostalgia Electrics Countertop Popcorn Makers
- Available in Retro 1950s Diner Styling (model RKP-630) and Old Fashioned Countertop Size Cart (model KPM-508)
- 2 oz Stainless Steel Kettle
- Built-In Stirring System
- 350 Watts
- Warming light

Nostalgia Electrics Countertop Hot-Air Units
- Model RHP-625: 3.5 oz Kernel Capacity, Retro 1950s Diner Styling, 1080 Watts
- Model RHP-310: Retro 1950s Diner Styling, 1040 Watts
- Model OFP-501: 3.5 oz Kernel Capacity, Old Fashioned Carnival Cart Style, 1080 Watts

We hope that this guide has been helpful for you.  Please let us know if you have any questions or comments about the information in this guide.