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The Best Popcorn Maker in Canada in 2023 – Reviews and Buying Guide

by Véronique Raymond
Popcorn maker

Table of Contents

Whether you want to sell popcorn at your kid’s next game or build your own home theater, you’re likely looking for the best popcorn maker in Canada in 2023. Unfortunately, popcorn makers can be some of the most difficult machines to buy.

For starters, popcorn makers are not everyday machines that people know what to look for in the product. To make matters worse, there are a lot of popcorn makers on the market, which means you have quite a few products to choose from.

To help you pick out the best popcorn maker for your needs, we have analyzed 26 products and 1245 consumer reviews over 27 hours.

From this research, we have determined that the West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine is the best popcorn maker in Canada in 2023 because it is compact, affordable, and creates delicious popcorn.

To learn more about this product and more, keep reading. We provide reviews for the seven best popcorn makers and a popcorn maker buying guide at the end. Let’s dive in!

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

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Popcorn Maker Comparative Table

Product Summary Rating Price
TOP PICK
West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

  • The Best Overall.
  • Brand: West Bend
  • Color: Red
  • Dimensions: ‎29.21 x 29.72 x 19.05 cm
  • Weight: 2 kg
  • Capacity: 6 quarts
  • Delivers tasty food
  • Compact size
  • Great capacity for family use
  • Affordable
9.0/10

Read our Review

See price on Amazon
UPGRADE PICK
Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

  • High Performance.
  • Brand: Great Northern
  • Color: Glass and red
  • Dimensions: 34.54 x 36.58 x 57.91 cm
  • Weight: 83 kg
  • Capacity: 227 grams
  • Looks like traditional theatre poppers
  • Creates great quality popcorn
  • Great warranty
9.2/10

Read our Review

See price on Amazon
BUDGET PICK
Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

  • Budget Pick.
  • Brand: Presto
  • Color: Yellow
  • Dimensions: 16.81 x 24.13 x 31.27 cm
  • Weight: 907 g
  • Capacity: Not listed
  • Highly affordable
  • Compact
  • Healthy popcorn
8.8/10

Read our Review

See price on Amazon

Our Pick for The Best Popcorn Maker

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine Review

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

The Best Overall
West Bend

The best overall popcorn maker in Canada in 2023 is the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. This is a great product because it is compact enough for just about any home, yet it has a big enough capacity for families and is affordable.

See price
on Amazon

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine Video Review

 

What We Think of The West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine

Hands down, the best at-home popcorn maker you can buy is the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. Whether you have a professional home theater or simply want better tasting popcorn for your movie night, you will love the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper.

This popcorn maker can make up to 27 cups of popcorn in just four minutes. This is a super large capacity for a family size popcorn maker. At the same time, the model itself is super compact. It can easily fit on any counter, cart, or island you have in the area.

All the while, the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper has really unique features that make it even more compact and usable. For example, the large lid keeps the popcorn in place whenever you’re popping it, but you can remove the lid and carry it as the popcorn bowl holder too.

Pricewise, the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper is around $100. This is actually really affordable for a popcorn maker of this caliber. Most families will be able to afford this popcorn maker, especially in comparison to makers with the same capacity.

There are very few bad reviews about this product. User after user notes that the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper works exactly as it should and is very durable. Although it doesn’t have the most attractive design, the looks do not take away from all of the fun and tasty popcorn you can get with this popper.

Makes the best popcorn. No fuss, no hassle, and easy to clean up. Always makes quality popcorn. I use the Orville Redenbacher Gourmet Popcorn Kernels with coconut oil. It doesn’t just taste like movie theater popcorn – it actually tastes better. Almost all the kernels are popped. There are a lot of interesting recipe ideas I want to try out in the booklet.

edward t.

At the end of the day, the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper is one of the best popcorn makers you can buy. As long as you are OK with your popcorn maker not looking like what you see at the theaters, you will be more than happy with this product.

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine with Stirring Rod Offers Large Lid for Serving Bowl and Convenient Storage, 6-quart, Red

 

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine Specifications

  • Brand: West Bend
  • Color: Red
  • Dimensions: ‎29.21 x 29.72 x 19.05 cm
  • Weight: 2 kg
  • Capacity: 6 quarts

 

West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine Pros and Cons

img-11

Pros

Pros

  • Delivers tasty food
  • Compact size
  • Great capacity for family use
  • Affordable
img-12

Cons

Cons
  • Ugly appearance

 

Our Final Opinion about the West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper Machine

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.8 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.2 Price:4.7]

The West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper is one of the best popcorn makers for just about any family. It is affordable, tasty, and compact, even though the machine itself isn’t super attractive. We recommend it to anyone!

See price
on Amazon

Our Upgrade Pick for a Popcorn Maker

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine Review

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

The High Performance Pick
Great Northern

Although highly expensive, the Great Northern Popcorn Machine is the perfect choice if you want a matinee movie theater style popcorn machine. It looks exactly like what you see at the theaters and delivers the exact same popcorn.

See price
on Amazon

 

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine Video Review

 

What We Think of The Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

If you are trying to create an at-home theater that replicates the real theatres, the Great Northern Popcorn Machine is as good as you are going to get. We cannot overstate how amazing this popcorn machine is in both appearance and popcorn quality.

As you probably figured from its name, this popcorn machine is designed to look exactly like the machines you see at the theater. As a result, this popcorn machine complements all at-home theaters perfectly. In fact, it can take your home theater up a few notches.

The Great Northern Popcorn Machine comes with a three position control switch, all tempered glass design, and reject kernel tray. These features allow the machine to look professional and create the best tasting popcorn.

The machine comes with a 3 year warranty and a 30 day limited warranty on all consumable parts. These warranties are a great feature, especially given how expensive this model is. Its price is the number one drawback of the model because it is downright expensive.

Do not look anywhere else. I did for years until I found this gem. The quality is second to none. It’s easy to use and makes great popcorn. Be careful around the metal places when cleaning because you can get injured. It’s really easy to clean up as long as you wear some rubber gloves.

brent g.

Another drawback of this model is that it is very bulky. Although it might be the perfect size for commercial uses and large homes, apartments and smaller homes likely won’t have the space to store this gigantic popcorn machine. That being said, that’s to be expected from a movie theater quality machine.

That in mind, the Great Northern Popcorn Machine is the best machine you can get if you are looking for a high performance model. Not only will it make your home theater look like a professional movie theater, but the popcorn will taste like it was bought from one as well.

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

 

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine Specifications

  • Brand: Great Northern
  • Color: Glass and red
  • Dimensions: 34.54 x 36.58 x 57.91 cm
  • Weight: 13.83 kg
  • Capacity: 227 g

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine Pros and Cons

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Pros

Pros

  • Looks like traditional theatre poppers
  • Creates great quality popcorn
  • Great warranty
img-18

Cons

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Bulky

 

Our Final Opinion About the Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8-Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.9 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.9 Design 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.0 Price:4.0]

If you’re looking for an at-home popper that looks like what you see at the movies, get the Great Northern Popcorn Machine. Although highly expensive, you won’t find another at-home machine of its quality.

See price
on Amazon

 

Our Budget Pick for a Popcorn Maker

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper Review

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

The Budget Pick
Presto

The Presto PopLite is the best option if you are on a budget. Although highly affordable, it delivers tasty and healthy popcorn. Because of its small size, it is not ideal for making a lot of popcorn at once.

See price
on Amazon

 

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper Video Review

 

What We Think of the Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

Don’t let a budget stop you from eating the most delicious popcorn you can get. The Presto PopLite is an ingenious machine that allows you to pop delicious popcorn quickly without breaking the bank. It is even compact enough for college students or apartment dwellers.

Unlike the popcorn machines we have looked at so far, the Presto PopLite is highly compact. It almost has a water jug like design and only weighs about one kilogram. As a result, this popcorn maker is small enough to fit just about anywhere.

At the same time, this popcorn maker makes delicious popcorn. It can process up to 18 cups in under 2 1/2 minutes. This makes it a faster option than stove or microwave popcorn and it produces fewer kernels too.

Another great feature of the Presto PopLite is that it utilizes hot air instead of oil to cook the popcorn. This results in 42% less calories than microwavable popcorn. Simply add on some seasoning and you have delicious popcorn that is much healthier than before.

Great popcorn maker. You need to use at least one half a cup at a time or else the popcorn will fly out before they pop. My only negative is that it does not have an on off switch. Plug it in, and it will start. Other than that, it’s a very powerful popcorn maker.

peregrine

Although the Presto PopLite is great because if its affordability, convenience, and nutrition, it is not right for all buyers. If you are looking for popcorn flavors that you get from the movie theater, no air popcorn is going to deliver. Likewise, its small size means that families might be annoyed by its small capacity.

Despite having notable drawbacks, almost none of them relate to the popcorn maker’s efficiency or capabilities. As long as you know what size capacity and popcorn flavor you like, you will love this popcorn maker, even if you are on a tight budget.

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

 

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper Specifications

  • Brand: Presto
  • Color: Yellow
  • Dimensions: 16.81 x 24.13 x 31.27 cm
  • Weight: 907 g
  • Capacity: Not listed

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper Pros and Cons

img-23

Pros

Pros

  • Highly affordable
  • Compact
  • Healthy popcorn
img-24

Cons

Cons
  • Small capacity
  • Doesn’t taste like movie theatre popcorn

 

Our Final Opinion About the Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

Quality 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Effectiveness 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.2 Price:5.0]

The Presto PopLite is a fantastic option if you are on a budget. Even though it doesn’t have a huge capacity, most users will like this product due to its affordability and convenience.

See price
on Amazon

Alternative Products to Consider

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker Review

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker, CPM-28C, Red

The Home Theatre Pick
Cuisinart

The CUISINART is the perfect option for home theaters because it looks a lot like a movie theater popcorn maker without the price tag of our premium pick. That being said, there are some complaints about the quality control of the company.

See price
on Amazon

 

What We Think of the CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker

If you love movie theater popcorn but don’t have the money to spend on our high performance pick, check out the CUISINART instead. Much like our high performance pick, this popcorn maker is based off of movie theater poppers and delivers tasty popcorn as result. At the same time, it is much more affordable but still comes with a 3 year warranty.

Part of the reason that the CUISINART is more affordable than our premium pick is that it doesn’t have the same details as it. Instead, it has a tempered glass design with a red top and black base. Although this still looks very professional, it isn’t quite as detailed. Most family theaters won’t notice much of a difference.

Despite being slightly less detailed, the CUISINART still has a large capacity and produces delicious popcorn. Its kettle can hold 4 ounces of kernels at a time, allowing it to pop up to 10 cups of popcorn in just minutes.

In terms of popcorn quality, most users are more than happy. The biggest downside is that there seems to be some quality control issues with the company. Multiple customers reported that they did not receive all of the parts. Additionally, multiple customers reported that the kettle and glass were cracking just after a couple of uses.

Great addition to our home. Not only does it look sleek and cool, but it makes great popcorn. We used the recommended oil to popcorn ratio it the first time, but we found it too oily. We cut the oil in half the second time, and it was perfect. We use peanut oil instead of vegetable oil to get lighter tasting popcorn too. You will not be disappointed with this maker.

christine

Because this isn’t the most durable model, we definitely recommend caution when purchasing it. Nevertheless, it may be the best model for you if you want a movie theater styled maker that doesn’t cost a fortune.

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker, CPM-28C, Red

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker, CPM-28C, Red

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker, CPM-28C, Red

 

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker Specifications

  • Brand: CUISINART
  • Color: Red and black
  • Dimensions: 24.13 x 26.67 x 49.53 cm
  • Weight: 4.58 kg
  • Capacity: 113 g

 

CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker Pros and Cons

img-29

Pros

Pros

  • Looks like movie theatre poppers
  • More affordable than our high performance pick
  • Crates delicious popcorn
  • Large capacity
img-30

Cons

Cons
  • Quality control issues
  • Cracking plastic and glass

 

Our Final Opinion About the CUISINART Professional Popcorn Maker

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.3 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Price:4.4]

We recommend the CUISINART to anyone who wants a movie theater styled popper but doesn’t want to spend a fortune. Although there are durability and quality control complaints, the maker as a whole is reliable, efficient, and attractive.

See price
on Amazon

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker Review

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker with Measuring Cup to Portion Popping Corn Kernels + Melt Butter, 16, Aqua

The Handheld Pick
Dash

The Dash is the perfect choice for a handheld popcorn maker. Although it doesn’t quite make movie style popcorn, it is a great choice because of its compact size and functional nature.

See price
on Amazon

 

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker Video Review

 

What We Think of The DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker

As our handheld pick, it isn’t surprising that the Dash is very compact. It is perfect for dorms, traveling, and small kitchens as a result. Weighing only 800 grams, you can bring it with you anywhere.

All the while, the popcorn maker makes very good popcorn. The popcorn is made through an air pop system, resulting in healthier but not quite as flavorful popcorn. Those interested in the boldest flavors will be disappointed in this popcorn if they don’t add butter.

One of the coolest features about this popper is that it is multifunctional. It comes with a measuring cup that can also pour melted butter. By adding butter to your popcorn, you get the same flavor as oil popped but the compactness of air poppers.

This air popper is affordable too. Because it is so small, it is most similar in price to our budget pick. It should be able to fit most people’s budget as a result.

Wow! Wonderful product. Beautiful blue color and works so nice. Just wow.

sogolokt

About the only downside to this popper is that the air popping nature means that the popcorn isn’t as tasty unless you intentionally add butter. Also, the handheld design means that it does not have a large popcorn capacity.

If you are looking for a handheld model, though, the small capacity shouldn’t matter much. Just add a little bit of butter and you have delicious popcorn popped from a compact air popper.

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker with Measuring Cup to Portion Popping Corn Kernels + Melt Butter, 16, Aqua

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker with Measuring Cup to Portion Popping Corn Kernels + Melt Butter, 16, Aqua

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker Specifications

  • Brand: Dash
  • Color: Aqua
  • Dimensions: ‎25.3 x 24.21 x 13.79 cm
  • Weight: 800 g
  • Capacity: 8 pints

 

DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker Pros and Cons

img-34

Pros

Pros

  • Handheld
  • Compact
  • Affordable
  • Healthy popcorn with buttery options
img-35

Cons

Cons
  • Small capacity
  • Bland popcorn if butter is not added

Our Final Opinion About the DASH DAPP150V2AQ04 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.2 Effectiveness 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.4 Price:4.8]

The Dash is the perfect product if you want a handheld popper. Obviously, its handheld design makes it less than suitable for large capacity needs, but it can pop healthy or delicious butter in no time for those who want a compact model.

See price
on Amazon

 

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology Review

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology, Makes 24 Cups of Popcorn, Kernel Measuring Cup, Oil Free, Makes Roasted Nuts, Perfect for Birthday Parties, Stainless

The Quick Popping Pick
Nostalgia

The Nostalgia Popper is perfect for large crowds and families because it pops in 30% less time than other traditional popcorn makers. However, it doesn’t have a good, even dispersal of heat.

See price
on Amazon

 

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology Video Review

 

What We Think of the Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology

If you want fast popcorn, you need the Nostalgia Popper. It can pop 24 cups of popcorn in under 3 minutes. This makes the Nostalgia Popper one of the fastest popcorn makers on the market. In fact, it can pop 30% faster than other poppers and does not require preheat.

You can add additional butter to this popcorn. The top of the popper comes with a vent to help distribute heat more evenly, but you can also pour butter into the vent for tastier popcorn if you want.

The popcorn maker isn’t too expensive either. In fact, it is the only large capacity maker that is cheaper than our best overall pick. The only popcorn makers that are cheaper are the handheld models that have smaller capacities.

Although the Nostalgia pops popcorn fast, it does not mean that the popcorn tastes good. The biggest complaint about this popcorn maker is that it does not evenly distribute the heat, resulting in both undercooked and burnt popcorn. Because of this, the popcorn created is not as tasty even though it is fast.

I was having some trouble because it wasn’t stirring the kernels and burning. I bent the stirring rods a bit flatter and it works great now.

melissa l.

Oddly enough, there are some tips that you can make the popcorn more evenly cooked by straightening the stirring rods. More than one customer noted that this works.

Because the popcorn isn’t as tasty as it could be, the Nostalgia Popper isn’t our favorite, but it definitely is worth considering if you want fast popcorn. Just try to add little amounts of popcorn at a time so as not to burn or undercook anything.

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology, Makes 24 Cups of Popcorn, Kernel Measuring Cup, Oil Free, Makes Roasted Nuts, Perfect for Birthday Parties, Stainless

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology, Makes 24 Cups of Popcorn, Kernel Measuring Cup, Oil Free, Makes Roasted Nuts, Perfect for Birthday Parties, Stainless

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology, Makes 24 Cups of Popcorn, Kernel Measuring Cup, Oil Free, Makes Roasted Nuts, Perfect for Birthday Parties, Stainless

 

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology Specifications

  • Brand: Nostalgia
  • Color: Stainless steel
  • Dimensions: 27.9 x 25.4 x 26.7 cm
  • Weight: 1.81 kg
  • Capacity: 6 quarts

Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology Pros and Cons

img-40

Pros

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Super fast cooking
  • Large capacity
  • Can pour butter in
img-41

Cons

Cons

  • Uneven heat distribution

 

Our Final Opinion About the Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stirring Popcorn Popper with Quick-Heat Technology

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.2 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.3 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.3 Price 4.5 out of 5.0 stars

The Nostalgia pops popcorn really fast, but it often pops the popcorn unevenly, resulting in undercooked and burnt bits. If you are willing to work through this issue, it can be a great popcorn maker and make the popcorn in next to no time.

See price
on Amazon

 

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Review

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

The College Pick
Hamilton-Beach

College students often enjoy popcorn the most between movie nights and game days. One of the best popcorn poppers for college students is the Hamilton-Beach. Although compact, this popper can cook a lot of popcorn for its size. There are some quality control issues, though.

See the price
on Amazon

 

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Video Review

 

What We Think of The Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Make the most of your game days or movie nights with the Hamilton-Beach Popper. This popcorn maker is perfect for college students because of its compact size. Weighing only 1 kilogram, you can store this popcorn just about anywhere, even in your dorm.

At the same time, it has a 4.3 liter capacity, making it the biggest capacity of the handheld popcorn makers. This is perfect for college students because it means that you can share with your roommate, significant other, or friends.

The Hamilton-Beach is super easy to use. It pops directly into a serving bowl. So, you don’t have to hover over the maker at all. You can use the kernel measuring cup as a melted butter pourer for further convenience.

Better yet, college students will be able to afford this maker. Even though it is good from so many respects, it is still highly affordable. It comes with a 5 year limited warranty to make sure you get your money’s worth from the already affordable product.

The biggest drawback about this model is its quality control. Although most customers received perfectly working models that pop delicious popcorn, there were a handful of customers that reported the complete opposite. Enough users noted that something was faulty inside and acted as a fire hazard. This is a serious drawback that should be considered carefully.

I highly recommend this if you need popcorn. It turns the kernels into delicious popcorn. There’s no switch, but you can figure out where to place it before. If not you should definitely stay away from the machine because it fires out popcorn fast.

m.j.

Another drawback is that it does not have an on/off switch. As soon as you plug the machine in, it will start popping the popcorn. This is a drawback of many handheld devices, not just this one.

Even with these drawbacks, the Hamilton-Beach is our college pick because it is compact, sharable, and convenient to use. Just make sure to keep an eye on it in case you get a faulty model.

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

 

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Specifications

  • Brand: Hamilton-Beach
  • Color: Red
  • Dimensions: ‎24.21 x 15.6 x 35.71 cm
  • Weight: 1 kg
  • Capacity: 4.3 liters

Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper Pros and Cons

img-46

Pros

Pros

  • Compact size
  • Large capacity for size
  • Pops the popcorn straight into bowl
  • Affordable
img-47

Cons

Cons

  • Quality control issues
  • No on/off switch

 

Our Final Opinion About the Hamilton-Beach 73400 Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.2 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.4 Price:4.7]

College students may love the Hamilton-Beach because of its affordability, convenience, and compact size, but be cautious before purchasing this product because of its quality control issues.

See price
on Amazon

 

Why Should You Trust Us?

All the recommendations we make on The Good Choice are the result of many hours of research, comparisons, analysis of consumer reviews and, if necessary, expert feedbacks. The products we recommend here are the ones that will best perform their daily tasks, passing all security, reliability and efficiency tests while having an appealing price-quality ratio for everyone.

What are our criteria for judging the products reviewed and selected by The Good Choice?

  • Quality: Does the product have a solid construction? Will it be reliable over time? Does it have a good warranty?
  • Efficiency: Is the product efficient in its task or do you need to give it some help? Is it for example powerful, fast, quiet?
  • Usability: Is the product easy to handle, easy to use and maintain?
  • Price: Is the price of the product and/or accessories and/or spare parts reasonable compared to the rest of the market?

In addition to these main criteria, we then establish a list of specific criteria for each product category, detailed a little further down in this article.

In the end, the products we recommend are the ones we would want to buy, and the ones we would also choose for our friends and family.

 

Things to Know Before Buying a Popcorn Maker

How do popcorn makers work?

Popcorn makers work with different technology depending on the model you buy. Stovetop, electric, and movie theater makers often use hot oil in order to pop the popcorn. The oil is heated with a heating element, such as an electric unit or burner from the stove. Meanwhile, a stirring arm moves the kernels so that they are heated evenly and don’t get burned.

Air or microwave popcorn makers don’t use oil. Instead, popcorn kernels are placed at the bottom of the bowl with a certain vent. The hot air is circulated to pop the kernels and all excess heat is shot out through the chute at the top.

What size popcorn machine do I need?

What size popcorn machine you need depends on your intended uses. For occasional or personal use, you only need a machine that can handle 2 to 20 ounces. These machines will be small enough to place on a cart or stand.

If you expect to pop a lot of popcorn, especially for commercial uses, you will need an industrial popcorn machine that can serve between 28 and 46 ounces. You can even find some industrial machines with multiple kettles to produce as much as 75 pounds of popcorn every hour. Most big or industrial models have their own cart or stand.

What type of oil is best for popcorn machines?

The oil you use will affect the taste of the popcorn. Coconut oil is the most common oil because it has the best taste. You can also use canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and soy oil.

How do I clean popcorn machine?

The best way to clean your popcorn machine is to look at its instruction guide and follow those cleaning instructions. Most popcorn machines can be cleaned using window cleaner. Do not submerge your kettle in water since it uses electrical components.

For best results, wipe out the machine after every use. For serious stains, you can purchase a kettle cleaning kit.

 

How to Properly Choose Your Popcorn Maker

Popcorn

Because popcorn makers are not everyday appliances, it can be difficult to choose which model you should get. To help you narrow down the selection, we have come up with the six most important factors to consider when choosing a popcorn maker.

These six factors include the cooking method, capacity, working kettles, wattage, appearance, and additional supplies. Looking at these six factors first can help you narrow down your choices substantially.

Cooking Method

Popcorn makers typically have two popping methods: oil or air. The oil method is responsible for the traditional popcorn taste that people love, but it isn’t healthy. In comparison, air popped popcorn is a lot healthier, but it tastes a lot blander than oil popcorns.

Select which popcorn maker you want based on the cooking method. If you are more health conscious, get an air popper, but the oil popper will be best if you want to replicate movie theater popcorn at home.

Capacity

Capacity refers to how much popcorn the maker can make and hold at a time. Popcorn makers often range between 15 cups to 3 gallons per batch. Get a popcorn machine that matches how many people you intend to serve with the popcorn maker.

If just you and a couple of family members plan to be eating the popcorn, a small popcorn maker will be enough. It will make enough popcorn, but it won’t waste a lot of food or space either. In contrast, you will need a 2 to 3 gallon maker if you want to sell the popcorn commercially.

Working Kettles

The kettle is what’s responsible for moving your popcorn around. Without kettles, the popcorn will heat up unevenly and eventually burn. You always want to make sure that there are enough working kettles to keep your popcorn cooking as it should. More so, make sure the kettles are made from easy to clean stainless steel.

The more kettles there are, the tastier the popcorn will be. However, small capacity models do not need many kettles since there isn’t as much popcorn. Just make sure that the number of working kettles matches the capacity of the popcorn maker.

Wattage

No one wants to stand around waiting for their popcorn to finish cooking. The easiest way to ensure that your popcorn maker makes popcorn quickly is by looking at the wattage. The higher the wattage, the faster the popcorn kernels will pop.

Small machines should at least have a wattage between 688 and 1300 watts. Large machines can have a wattage up to 8000 watts. Make sure that your machine has a high wattage if you are selling popcorn for commercial uses.

Appearance

The great thing about some popcorn makers is that they are designed to look like the machines you see at the movie theater. If you are selling popcorn commercially or creating an at-home movie theater, you likely want a popcorn maker that looks professional and theatrical. Of course, these popcorn makers will be much more expensive than basic ones.

If you are looking for affordable popcorn makers and don’t much care about what it looks like, you can always go for basic popcorn makers. It’s up to you to decide which appearance is best based on your purpose for the machine and budget.

Additional Supplies

Many popcorn makers come with additional supplies, such as serving containers. Especially if you purchase a large popcorn maker, you should expect additional supplies. This isn’t always the case for smaller ones, but additional supplies helps out even then.

Select a popcorn maker that comes with the supplies you need or want. If you don’t have any supplies to begin with, keep in mind that you will have to buy them at some point. Even though purchasing a popcorn machine with supplies may cost a bit more than those without supplies, it may save you money in the long run.

 

We do our best to provide you with a comparative guide of popcorn makers allowing you to choose the best product possible. If we are missing information or new models, do not hesitate to leave a comment below or to send us a message.

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