Whether you’re hosting a party, watching movies in your own home and recreating an authentic theater experience, or you love popcorn, you should consider investing in a popcorn maker.
You can enjoy a freshly popped treat with a popcorn maker in your kitchen. But like all kitchen appliances, there are dozens of popcorn makers. To help you narrow down your choices, we have compiled a list of the best popcorn makers on the market. With one of these options in your kitchen, you’ll be sure to experience popcorn as you’ve never tasted before!
Best Popcorn Poppers
| Image | Popcorn Popper | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | #1 - HOTPOP Collapsible Microwave Popcorn Popper | 99.4% |
 | #2 - Wabash Valley Farms Stovetop Popper | 98.2% |
 | #3 - Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper | 97.6% |
 | #4 - West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy | 95.4% |
 | #5 - Great Northern Movie Theater Style Popper | 92.6% |
 | #6 - Great Northern Popcorn Original Stainless Steel Stove | 89.8% |
 | #7 - TWOBIU Popcorn Machine | 86.5% |
 | #8 - Hamilton Beach Popcorn Popper | 82.4% |
 | #9 - Nostalgia SP660SS Stir-Pop | 79.4% |
 | #10 - Great Northern Popcorn Retro Popper Machine | 76.2% |
Want to learn more?
Now that you know why having a popcorn machine is so fantastic and have seen our top 10 picks, we’ll provide you with more detail about each choice. We’ll also tell you our favorite few things about each machine. When you find the right one for you, you must click the big button to buy!
Oh, one last thing. If you’re wondering about popcorn machine capacity, here’s how popcorn capacity conversions work: 1 Gallon of Popcorn = 16 Cups of Popcorn = 4 Quarts of Popcorn
#1 – HOTPOP Collapsible Microwave Popcorn Popper
The first thing that caught my attention was the flat design, reminding me of a simple bowl. It fit in perfectly with almost any setting, so I was delighted. Speaking of capacity, one could easily do about fifteen to twenty servings in less than five minutes.
This popcorn popper was popping them out like there was no tomorrow! As the model was quite flexible, storing it was never an issue in view of its collapsible design. It fits pretty much in any space back in my kitchen. Lovely pickup if you are suffering from a lack of space in your home! Easily the best microwave popcorn maker!
What We Liked About It – First things would have to be the certified BPA and PVC label, meaning that none of these materials were used to create this popcorn popper. This was very important to me, and I’m sure it also bears significance to you, as these have been found toxic! Another thing that made me infatuated with this product was the ease with which I could approach the entire process; Corn in, popcorn out! No hassle and zero complications.
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#2 – Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper
The old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” certainly applies to the design of the Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper. It’s an old-school stovetop, whirly-pop design, just like the original stovetop popcorn poppers.
This popcorn maker features an aluminum pan, which is constructed of sturdy, yet lightweight aluminum. It can make up to 6 quarts of popcorn, 42 times the original size, so you’ll get tons of great-tasting popcorn. To use it, add in the number of kernels you want to make, attach the clip-on lid, set it onto your stovetop, and crank the wooden, stay-cool handle. As you turn the handle, the patented stainless steel stirring system will turn, rotating every kernel until each one is popped. What’s even better is that it works fast: in just 3 minutes, you’ll be able to sink your teeth into the best batch of popcorn you’ve ever had. Cleaning is easy, too; wipe it out with a towel, and it will be as good as new. It also comes with a popping kit, which includes popcorn kernels, gourmet popping oil, and Wabash Valley Farms’ famous buttery salt.
What We Like About It
- Basic, old-fashioned design
- Easy to use
- Prepares perfectly popped popcorn in just 3 minutes
- Makes up to 6 quarts of popcorn
- The stay-cool wood handle moves the patented stirring system
- Easy to clean
- It comes with a popping kit
- Backed by a 25-year warranty
- Affordable price
Reasons to Complain
- Some customers said that it wasn’t as durable as they thought it would be
Final Verdict: If you want to make old-fashioned, great-tasting popcorn at home, the Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper is an excellent choice. It’s so simple and easy to use and yields impressive results; plus, we think the design adds a touch of whimsy to the kitchen.
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#3 – Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper
With the Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper, you’ll be able to pop freshly made popcorn faster than you ever could in your stainless steel microwave – or any other microwave, for that matter! You can make up to 18 cups of popcorn with this bad boy in under 2.5 minutes; now that’s impressive! And what’s more, the popcorn isn’t just so-so; it’s incredible! It’s light, soft, and perfectly crisped; no burned edges or un-popped kernels. It has been tested repeatedly, and it popped up to 30 percent faster each time than other comparable brands.
Not only does the Presto PopLite make tasty popcorn quicker than other poppers, but it also makes it healthier. That’s because it uses air instead of oil, like other devices, so each batch of homemade popcorn will have as much as 42 percent fewer calories than a bag of microwave popcorn. It’s so easy to use; potion a bowl right in front of the chute, add kernels to the device, turn it on, and freshly popped popcorn will pour right out into the bowl. It also features a butter melter, which also serves as a measuring cup for your kernels. The built-in cord wrap makes storage quick and easy, too.
What We Like About It
- Easy to use
- Air pops for healthier popcorn
- Features a butter melter, which doubles as a measuring cup for popcorn kernels
- Easy to store
- Lightweight
- Affordable price
Reasons to Complain
- Some customers said that it didn’t last as long as they expected it to
Final Verdict: For healthy and great-tasting popcorn that you can prepare in a matter of minutes, the Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper is an excellent choice! Since it air pops the kernels, there are no added oils, fats, sugars, or salts to worry about. We give it two thumbs up!
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#4 – West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper
If you’re tired of all the un-popped kernels left in the bag when you use a microwave or a convection oven to make your popcorn, then you will love the West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy popcorn maker. It was designed to solve the unpopped kernel dilemma and does a fantastic job.
The design is basic but super functional; add popcorn kernels into the device, pop on the vented clear cover (which also serves as a 6-quart popcorn bowl), flip it on, and within minutes, you’ll have freshly made popcorn. It features a motorized stir rod, which improves the popping powers by allowing more popcorn and even bigger kernels to be popped in every batch you whip up. The plate on this popcorn popper is nonstick, enhancing the popping capabilities and making cleanup a breeze. There’s also a built-in butter well, which evenly distributes melted butter onto each popped kernel. The handles on the cover and base align perfectly so you can get a firm grip on the device when you move it. It stores easily, too, thanks to the nesting lid, which can be tucked right inside the base, and the permanently affixed cord, which can be wrapped up and stored right under the base.
What We Like About It
- The nonstick base for better popping and easier cleaning
- Motorized stir rod boosts popping performance
- A vented clear cover can be used as a 6-quart popcorn bowl
- Easy to store
- Lightweight design
- Built-in butter well
- Heat resistant base
- Affordable price
Reasons to Complain
- Some customers said that steam gets trapped inside
Final Verdict: For an economical and simple way to pop movie theater-quality popcorn at home, the West Bend 82505 Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper is an excellent option. It does exactly what it’s designed to do: make tasty popcorn.
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#5 – Great Northern Popcorn Movie Theater Style
This machine brings me back to the old days when we all visited movie theaters with our friends and family. A small warning beforehand, I wouldn’t recommend getting this model unless you are opting for commercial use. I didn’t know what to do with all the excess popcorn.
If you are a vendor trying to sell snacks and accessories, this popcorn popper will fit perfectly into the mix! Speaking of specifications, one must mention the powerful 640 Watt engine powering the whole thing. Also worth my written word is the amount of popcorn you can make with it; We are talking about two to three gallons per batch!
What We Liked About It – If you have ever been to a festival, you were sure to stumble upon one of these. It’s a fantastic product that brings fond memories back to your customers, so I wouldn’t think twice about purchasing it!
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#6 – Great Northern Popcorn Original Stainless Steel
Another great model curated in stainless steel. I believe this to be an upcoming trend as more and more manufacturers realize that the longevity of their product goes a long way among their customers!
It had wooden handles and knobs, mixing modern technology and what was previously used in the past, all in one model. The cleanup process was surprisingly easy to do. I only had to take a cloth and wipe it a bit, as the design itself was pretty simplistic.
What We Liked About It – When reviewing popcorn poppers, we love doing multiple batches to see how the machine fares after prolonged use. This one impressed us with its consistency, meaning that one could depend on it even if it had been used for a while! An excellent product for anyone trying to get ahold of a high-quality popcorn maker.
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#7 – TWOBIU Popcorn Machine
TWOBIU is a company that is well known for its creative designs, and this model is no different when speaking of that trait. The unique storing unit makes it stand out from the crowd, all while ensuring top-notch pop out of your corn!
I was surprised that you didn’t even have to add oil in the entire process. One could easily create 100% oil-free popcorn at the drop of a hat. Great for those on a diet but still want a nice and tasty snack.
I almost forgot to mention that all of this is capable by the way this machine works; Using hot air instead of any other heating instrument, one doesn’t need ‘fuel’ to make this thing pop! This is the second-best air popcorn popper!
What We Liked About It – The auto turn-off feature was the one thing that sold me on this product. I could walk away in the middle of the process and still come back without a house fire waiting for me! This was all made possible due to an in-built temperature checker that tracked if the temperature would cross a particular reading. A charming piece of technology!
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#8 – Hamilton Beach Popcorn Popper
Hamilton Beach has to have its hands on every kitchen appliance, the same with popcorn poppers. I’m not complaining; on the contrary, I look forward to their model as they are always up to standard!
Giving you the ability to fill up to twenty-four cups per sitting, you can easily feed an army of hungry people. It’s a great pickup if your kid is having his birthday or if friends and family arrive for a movie night. A feature I was impressed it was the nonstick popping plate, ensuring that every corn turned into a pop!
What We Liked About It – You could add almost anything else to the machine along with your corn, meaning that the taste was always tailored to your wishes and needs. Add cheese, chili, or butter to your popcorn easily, a splendid addition to a magnificent product!
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#9 – Nostalgia SP660SS 6-Quart Stir-Pop Popcorn Maker
I was sad opening up the contents of my package as The Nostalgia didn’t bring back any memories. Not with this design. Still, this popcorn popper isn’t just ready to be thrown into the trash as of yet, and here’s why;
First, I could make a large amount of popcorn in one batch, filling up to twenty-five cups to the brim! Secondly, the ease of cleaning the model because of its primitive design. Where it lost in one realm, it gained in another. The nonstick plate and the almost unnoticeable handles also contributed to it.
Lastly, the fully automatic stirring rod kept my popcorn from burning and also kept them from not getting out of their shell; very comforting.
What We Liked About It – This great all-around model with features makes your head explode (and your corn). The one thing that put the icing on the cake was the integrated venting system. This meant there wasn’t any liquid assimilated at the bottom of the lid- I could eat all the popcorn!
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#10 – Great Northern 2-1/2-Ounce Compact Popcorn Popper
Yes, baby! Bring me back to the ’80s. Bring me back to a time when things were much simpler, and the people around us were much more friendly and outgoing. Oh, sorry, I didn’t notice you there. I was too busy reminiscing about a far and distant past I was so fond of.
If this machine got me thinking this deeply, you could only imagine what it would do to your customers! A commercial-style machine, I wouldn’t see any use for someone that needs just a bit of popcorn. Let’s get to its traits; Built-in stainless steel has a removable tray that simplifies the cleanup process and two kettle hangers and a measuring spoon!
Even if you have never touched a popcorn popper in your life, with this model, you are moving up the big leagues!
What We Liked About It – I didn’t notice it at first, but the lights built inside the machine were really on another level. I could leave my popcorn there for hours and still get it warm and crispy as it was baked right away. I couldn’t recommend it more to people that own a vending business!
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How Do We Choose The Best Popcorn Machine?
It’s a fine and delicate process; there are a few guidelines we always follow:
1) Type of Machine
There are only two types of popcorn poppers: standalone and ones that require an outside heat source. Those that need an external heat source are usually talking about a microwave or using the stovetop. Some people hate using their microwave, so if you’re one, you must use an old-fashioned stovetop popper or one of our recommended best countertop popcorn machines.
There are two main countertop popcorn poppers: the best hot air popcorn popper or traditional popcorn makers that use oil or butter.
If you want to eat healthier and avoid oil and butter, you should buy the best air popper. They combine high heat with a revolving fan to make amazing fat-free popcorn! If you want to add a little bit of fat (which we love!), you can melt some butter and add it afterward. This will be healthier than cooking the popcorn directly in butter or oil.
We also found that the oil-less air poppers are more durable because they don’t have as much grease buildup.
2) Size
You don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for a commercial popper if you can do the same with the one you can easily store in your kitchen. That is why you always have to look for the amount of popcorn you can make in one batch, as you never know who will pop in for an unexpected visit. Get it?
Air popper machines tend to be smaller, relying on a bowl to collect the popped kernels. Any stovetop or microwave popper is going to be easily able to store with your other pots and pans. They barely take up any room.
Electric countertop poppers are going to take up a lot more space. If you go with the Commercial Great Northern Popper model or any of the other large popcorn poppers, you will have to measure your available counter space before making your purchase. The retro-style movie popcorn machines look amazing, but they take up much room!
3) How much can it make
Output goes hand in hand with size. The larger the best air popper, the more popcorn it will make. As we said, the best air poppers tend to be smaller and more significant for individual use. If you want to make popcorn for the whole family, go with one of the more considerable home popcorn makers.
4) Stainless Steel Or Go Home
I’m a grown man. I’m not here to play around with my money. If I buy a popcorn machine, I want it to last very long. The only way to ensure that is to get yourself a product designed with stability. One that features stainless steel in its build! If you’re going with a microwave popper, you can use silicone.
5) Ease Of Cleaning
Listen up. I hated using my microwave or stove for the job because a tedious cleanup was required afterward. Get yourself a popcorn popper that doesn’t waste your time. One with a removable tray is very much recommended! We love dishwasher-safe popcorn poppers!
6) Aesthetics
We’d rather have a good-looking, modern popcorn popper than an old, vintage one, right? Luckily for you, we only recommended ones that not only perform great but look great as well!
Why Do You Need A Popcorn Maker?
There are a million reasons why I would instead use a popcorn popper than a microwave or, even worse, a stove.
Firstly, the smell can become a nuisance, especially when we are talking about popping them in a microwave, as you have to wait for at least a day for the scent to stop lingering. Awful!
Secondly, if you care about yourself, your health, and your children’s health, you would want to use a popcorn popper. Most of them require very little to no oil at all. If you were to try the same with any traditional popping method, you would have your corn sticking left and right.
Lastly, the time it takes to create fresh and high-quality popcorn is just too much of a bargain to pass on.
Most of these machines can feed literal hordes in less than five minutes, and we are not even talking about poppers intended for commercial use! The popcorn maker recipes are amazing too!
Stop making a fool out of yourself and choose convenience, as this is what the future is all about. Never will you worry about cleaning up or feeling sick after eating popcorn from a machine professionally designed to do the job!