How to Choose the Best Popcorn Machine?
Table of Contents
Top Best Popcorn Machines Based on Reviews and Price
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How to Choose a Popcorn Machine?
It’s hard to see anyone who doesn’t like popcorn! Virtually everyone loves these little exploded corn balls. Light, healthy, tasty – it is a treat.
If you want solo movie nights with family or friends worthy of the name, with a huge bowl of tasty popcorn, you know what you have to do! Simple, practical and effective in providing good popcorn to bite into: the popcorn machine is the device you need. It is also a machine used professionally for commercial purposes.
However, choosing one is not as easy as it sounds. Like all household appliances, there are many popcorn machines out there today. So you have to know what criteria to consider before buying a pop machine! That’s why we’re here to offer you a complete buying guide.
10 Factors to Consider When Buying a Popcorn Machine
1. Choose the Type of Popcorn Machines
There is a lot of variety of these machines. Some can serve you according to the occasion or when you simply want to buy one just to have it around for occasional use. There are others which are also suitable if you plan to start a business.
- Professional or Industrial Popcorn Machines: With this type of machine, you can make a huge amount of popcorn because of its high capacity. You can use these for parties, fairs, businesses, cinemas, events, weddings or children parties.
- Gas Popcorn Machine: They are very similar to the manual or traditional pots that are prepared on stoves that come with a handle. However, the only difference is that they come with all the complete equipment for gas cooking.
- Popcorn Machine Vending Machine: You can even get music on this. These machines are often seen in fairs and cinemas. It’s an automatic vending machine. It doesn’t need someone who is eternally next to the machine to supervise it. Totally industrial, all you need to do is just to insert your coins, and it gives you popcorn.
2. The Power
Like many electrical devices, popcorn machines are equipped with a motor that enables them to operate. This is what determines the cooking duration of the popcorn. The more powerful it is, the faster it heats, and the quicker you have the popcorn ready. And the reverse is also true.
There is quite a difference as far as this criterion is concerned today. You’ll find a popcorn machine with a power of 70/80 W and another with more than 1000 W. It varies. However, below this range, there are strong possibilities that the device will not be very efficient.
For general use, a popcorn machine with a power of about 650 W is sufficient. But if the family is large, you plan a high production of popcorn, for example, for the birthday of your child, or other festivities, opt for a device with a power higher than 700 W.
Otherwise, the quantity of popcorn and especially the speed with which they would be supplied could prove to be insufficient. Likewise, the popcorn machine could heat up in the long run, and the young ones could get impatient.
To give you an idea, the popcorn is made between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on the machine used. But the quantity can again vary considerably.
3. Production Capacity
The bowl capacity and the machine’s power are criteria that work hand in hand. One of the questions you need to ask yourself is how much popcorn you or your family would like to make?
If you have an answer to this, you have to refer to the size of the bowl of the popcorn machine. The larger the bowl, the higher its corn kernel capacity. Adequate capacity will prevent the machine from being cluttered with popcorn kernels every time.
The quantity that a popcorn machine can prepare varies from simple to double of this or even triple. The majority of the devices thus offer a capacity which oscillates between 50 and 100 gram of popcorn at every cycle. But some machines can produce up to 170 grams of popcorn all at once!
However, in general, a machine that produces 75 or 80 g of popcorn each time should be sufficient.
To get an idea, you can always look at the photo of the product. Often, the bowl in which the popcorn will be produced is always visible. This gives you an overview of how much the device can prepare at a time.
4. The Construction Material
The strongest and most durable popcorn machines are made of tough steel and glass. Those made of plastics are less durable.
Indeed, no one wants to own an appliance that breaks down only after a few uses. This is the reason why those that are often recommended are those made from thermal shock-resistant glass and stainless steel. Also, there are many differences between brands.
5. Fat or Hot Air Cooking Modes?
Popcorn machines generally have two different cooking modes, one is from oil and another one is from hot air. When deciding on a model, it is better to choose a device that works without fat.
In addition to being more economical, it is also much healthier and without any oil or fat intake. Therefore, it is highly suggested to choose the hot air cooking model.
6. Included Features
Popcorn-making is quick. In reality, pop machines have little or no special features. Only one functionality still seems very interesting. The one that keeps your popcorn warm.
The best popcorn machines have the keep-warm function. This feature is nothing other than the warming light. It keeps your popcorn warm, crisp, delicious and fresh.
Asides from this, accessories like the bowl, the small shovel to collect them, the removable measuring cup, measuring spoon and pullout tray are also useful.
For those who need a mobile machine for professional use, there are popcorn machines with a cart system. The possibility of using a trolley allows you to make and offer popcorn to customers while on the go. For large establishments, the cart types will be a real asset.
7. Ease of Maintenance
Like any food preparation appliance, the popcorn machine must be maintained to keep it clean, but also to aid its longevity.
This particularity is important because having a clean appliance is appreciable when talking about food. This criterion will also be more significant if you want to go from sweet pop to salty pop.
So check that the machine or its removable parts are easily washable with water to get rid of traces of oil or sugar.
Some people still prefer caramel machines. In these cases, cleaning can become much more problematic. It is not always easy to take off caramel. This is why a pop machine whose parts are removable is always very significant. They make cleaning a breeze.
8. The Practicality of the Machine
A popcorn maker needs to be practical. Make sure yours has the options and accessories necessary to ensure optimal use. Your equipment should be able to be moved easily from one place to another.
It has large wheels and a handlebar at the back for easy transport. You can then change its location according to your preferences.
In addition, it comes with a shovel and specific doses to give you satisfaction in terms of practicality.
9. Design and Ease of Storage
This criterion is associated with everyone’s tastes and desires. The makers of popcorn machines are innovative in the design of these devices. From retro to modern to classic, everything will depend on your cuisines and your desires. Some have a design similar to those seen in modern movies (like Star Wars).
Also, there are those designed to be easily disassembled and take up little space for storage.
10. Other Essential Criteria
The strength of the popcorn machine is also of paramount importance. Weight should also not be taken lightly when making your choice. This is because, as mentioned, on some occasions, you may need to move your machine or transport them to another location of use.
The models that weigh just a few hundred grams are the best, it is simply because they are much easier to transport.
As for prices and style, they vary from one device to another. The prices are also not standard. They change according to the functionalities and the range. So make your choice based on your budget.
Wrapping It Up
Do you want homemade popcorn? Or perhaps you need it for commercial reasons. In order to choose the ideal machine for your family or customers, save your time and money by following the guide to buying the best popcorn machines.
To understand how to buy a popcorn machine with better value for money, it is necessary to look at the following three main characteristics: power, capacity and finally the quality of the material.
Now you know everything there is to know about a good popcorn machine. Go have a good time popping!
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