Best Popcorn Popper: Reviews & Recommended

1. Saving time and effort

The most valuable thing you can give yourself is time, so everything that saves me time has a special place in my heart. Dealing with teenagers and their needs is stressful enough.

Add my love for homemade meals to that equation, and the result is one happy but tired woman who wants quality time with her family.

I like being in the kitchen, but I don’t want to miss spending time with my family over scrubbing pots. I know that many women feel that way, and the solution lies in things like popcorn poppers.

Easy to use, easy to clean, and pretty much does the job itself.

2. It is portable

If you have a spacious and open kitchen, I envy you, but if you have a smaller one (like me) space on the counter is your daily struggle.

A reasonably small & portable unit like a popcorn popper won’t take much on the counter and it can be stored away without much hassle.

Moving gadgets from counter to kitchen cabinets back and forth is an annoying thing, but it is better than a crowded counter if you ask me.

Related Read: Is Compact Microwave Really Easy to Fit in?; Best Countertop Convection Oven

3. Low maintenance

This kind of gadget is designed to save your time. Usually, you can disassemble them quickly and wash the parts in the dishwashing machine.

If you don’t have one, I guess you will be using your popcorn popper exclusively for popcorn, so washing parts manually would not be that complicated.

1. Size

No one wants, and no one needs oversized appliances in their kitchen. So picking the right size is crucial depending on how much space you’ll need to store and use it.

You want to use your popper, not put it away and forget about it after one use when you realize that it is oversized or too small.

It is not the rule that small gadgets have less power, but in my experience, a powerful engine isn’t tiny. These devices come in many sizes, so I believe that you will find the one that suits you most, both in size and power.

Keep in mind that you’ll probably need to store them, so measure the space in your cabinets. If you skip this step, it can be a tricky problem; I made that mistake more times than I can admit.

2. Weight

As I mentioned earlier, in most cases, you’ll need to move your popcorn popper with every use. The goal of this search is to find something that can make your life easier, and I don’t think that lifting heavy objects in the kitchen is considered an easy task.

I once had a coffee machine that required at least two people to move. Every time I had to move it, I had to ask someone to help me.

My boys were little, and I had no time to wait for my husband to come from work to move the coffee machine.

After years of struggle, I learned my lesson – think ahead. It is a common belief that quality stuff weighs more, but nowadays it doesn’t have to be 100% true.

3. Materials

Today’s plastic is more durable and has more quality than compared to the one used in earlier years. The exterior can be plastic, but the parts that are exposed to heat should be made from a more permanent material such as steel.

The ideal popcorn popper is a combination of these two materials – not heavy but fully functional.

4. Easy usage

I had some appliances that I bought to reduce time spent in the kitchen, and I ended up spending more time preparing than actually using it.

You don’t need complicated, space-shuttle-like gadgets. Many buttons that you don’t know what are meant for will only confuse you, and dozens of functions that aren’t going to be used often are all a gimmick.

Simplicity is what you are looking for. If a popcorn popper is easy to use, it will save you both time and effort.

5. Ease of maintenance

There is no making and cooking without mess, but if you are going to spend too much time cleaning the appliance loses its purpose. Look for a popcorn popper that has parts that can be disassembled and washed easily.

Now that we’ve learned together what’s important and what’s not, you’d be more than capable of selecting a popcorn popper that will meet your demands and provide piles of amazing popcorn. Let’s see what’s hot on the market at the moment:

West Bend Stir Crazy Hot Oil Popcorn Popper

This beauty pops six quarts of popcorn at one time, which is enough for the entire family. And with 12 x 10 x 10.25 inches in size, it will fit in most kitchens.

It weighs two pounds, so you will move it with ease. It is compact, so you don’t have to worry about space on the counter too.

A motorized stir rod will provide evenly popped popcorn and a clear, vented cover can be used as a serving bowl as well.

West Bend Popcorn Popper is made from plastic but handles are heat-resistant for easy grasping you need to be safe in the first place.

The parts are simple to disassemble, and it has a removable heating plate. It is dishwasher-safe. Talking about easy maintenance, the bowl, and the butter cap are safe for the dishwasher, too.

Because this popper utilizes the heating plate, it will require oil for proper usage, and if you’re on a diet this choice might be bad for you.

Keep this in mind if you’re looking for the best-tasting popcorn a well-oiled heating plate produces amazing popcorn.

If you have a big family or you like to entertain your friends, this popcorn popper is for you. It is effortless to use, it does not need too much effort to maintain, plus it is convenient for serving hot popcorn.

Pros

• Easy maintaining
• Lightweight
• Good dimensions
• Simple use

Cons

• Usage of oil
• The cover can catch moisture

Hamilton Beach Electric Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Coming from a well-known brand, this popcorn popper works with hot air, so oil is not needed. With an air popper, you can customize the flavor by adjusting the seasonings to your liking or have it plain for a low-calorie snack. Hamilton Beach 73400 can make up to 18 cups of popcorn per batch.

It weighs 3.31 pounds and is 7.9 x 13.5 x 10.9 inches, but because of its design, it will fit your countertop just fine.

Speaking of design, this popper doesn’t have an ON/OFF button which seems quite strange and not that safe at first glance.

If you don’t want perfect crisp popcorn everywhere, learn from my mistakes: prepare everything before you plug it! I forgot about the lack of a power switch, so it is reasonable why designers overlooked it.

Forgetting that my new toy has no power button is one thing, but forgetting that my toy is very loud can be scary.

My kids loved my mini screams with each batch. Electric appliances usually make noise, and we get used to it quickly, but you’ll probably need some extra time for this one.

Practical things like measuring cups/melting butter trays are like a special gift if you ask me. Making popcorn is not complicated, but with stuff like this, usage is more enjoyable for sure.

And most importantly, cleaning is easy, and it doesn’t require a lot of time. A little cloth for the base, a little washing (dishwasher safe) for the chute and measuring cup and you’re done. Deciding to eat healthier means less cleaning if you need additional motivation!

Pros

• Hot air popper
• Easy to use
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Weight
• No on/off switch
• Loud

Cuisinart EasyPop Popcorn Maker

This model might look compact, but dimensions of 10.1 x 9.1 x 12.3 inches are not that great. It has non-slip feet to ensure safe standing on the countertop but if you want to store it be prepared to lift 4.2 pounds.

It has cable storage, convenient and safe measure it protects you from bent and broken cable, and it saves storage space. A special vented popping cap lets moisture out, so crispiness is guaranteed.

What’s not guaranteed is protection from burns you’ll need to flip the base (which gets hot) to serve popcorn in the lid. Yes, it is excellent to have multifunctional parts, but this system doesn’t seem safe.

I tried myself and realized that 4.2 pounds is not a joke. Luckily my husband was around, so I had help. My hubby is a strong man, but he is not immune to burns lifting the base while it is hot got him a few injuries.

Cuisinart Popcorn Maker has a motorized stirring arm so your 16 cups of popcorn will be popped evenly. The hot plate is removable and like all removable parts, it is dishwasher safe.

The hot plate means that you’ll be needing oil or butter so it is not the healthiest popcorn you’ll taste. The fact that the plate is made from non-stick material doesn’t change a thing.

The base is made from brushed stainless steel, but the popping cap and mechanisms that hold the lid to the bottom are made from plastic and will break very soon. Just by looking, you can see that it is not the best quality.

Pros

• On/off switch
• Cord storage
• The popper cap can be used as a serving bowl
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Plastic parts are flimsy
• Heavy
• Complicated to use
• Requires oil

Presto Orville Redenbacher's Fountain Hot Air Popper Popcorn

The unique look of this popcorn popper is absolutely charming. Imagine a little fountain of delicious and healthy snacks in your home. Hot air will take care of the health part no oil is required!

The popper part can be disassembled, but it weighs 3.5 pounds, which means lifting can be a problem. The shape is cute, but storing appliances this big (10 x 12.5 x 12.5 inches) can be tricky.

Specially engineered stainless steel restrictors help optimize popping performance because you can make as much or as little as you want (from 10 to 20 cups).

The cover can be used as a bowl, and it is vented so you can count on crispy popcorn. Simply snap the lid on the vented cover, flip it over, and remove the base. This whole process takes less than 4 minutes.

The vented lid is also a danger to you and everyone around you – unpopped kernels fly like projectiles through holes in the cover.

At first glance, it reminded me of a fountain, but when I tried it, it was more like a volcano. Trust me, you don’t want popcorn projectiles all over your kitchen, in your hair, or on your dog.

In addition, no on/off switch is also a serious disadvantage of this product. Not using oil will help you with cleaning, but the downside is that it is not dishwasher-safe.

Pros

• flexible amount of popcorn
• Cover and bowl in one
• Speed
• No oil required

Cons

• Unusual shape
• Not dishwasher safe
• Heavy
• No on/off switch

DASH Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker

When I saw that trendy design and that beautiful color, I was delighted. I could easily picture it on my countertop because it is compact, yet it looks powerful.

I was not wrong this popcorn popper can make 16 cups of crispy popcorn made on hot air. That is plenty even for my family who doesn’t know when it is enough.

A multifunctional measuring cup and melting butter tray will ease your preparation. It is so easy that your kids can make popcorn with it. But I would avoid that, unattended kids and electric appliances are never a good choice.

Weighing 1.5 pounds, you will move it with no trouble, and 1400 watts says that it is a reliable machine despite its lightweight.

All non-electric parts are dishwasher safe and with minimum effort with cloth whole popper will be sparkly clean within minutes. But it will take a little bit longer to pop your popcorn because it is slow.

Those few extra minutes might be louder than expected so buy with precaution, especially if you have roommates or/and people sleeping around you.

The design of this popper makes usage very simple measure and add your popcorn kernels to the high-capacity heating chamber, then push the one-touch start button.

It doesn’t include a bowl but its measuring cup/butter tray makes up for that, giving your popcorn movie nights a little twist.

Pros

• Compact
• Dishwasher safe (chute and butter tray)
• Multifunctional
• Suitable for large quantities
• No need for oil

Cons

• Bowl not included
• No holders for the kitchen counter
• Loud
• Slow

EverKing Hot Air Popcorn Maker

Traveling is one of my and my husband’s hobbies, so I like to have mini versions of everything in my kitchen.

I spent a lot of years and too much love to arrange it, so it is natural that I want to bring it with me every time and everywhere.

This mini popcorn popper got my attention immediately First I thought that storing it would not be a problem.

I believe it can fit in my bag. Furthermore, it is light, about 1.68 pounds so it won’t be a problem to move it frequently.

It may not be as productive as the others on today’s roundup, but it is fast; popping time is approximately two minutes. It is suitable for small portions (it can burst from 50 to a maximum of 70 grams of popcorn).

Less power means you’ll need to recycle kernels and reheat the popper, so if you are watching movies without commercials, I genuinely recommend you prepare in advance.

If you are patient enough to wait about 10 minutes for another batch, you’ll be rewarded with crisp popcorn using hot air and not heating a plate will give your popcorn a fluffy texture and lovely fresh taste.

I noticed that it overheats quickly, and shuts itself off if you force it. And for such a small machine it is loud, a lot! But you are only two noisy minutes away from your popcorn.

E EVERKING Popcorn Machine is easy to use, pops fresh and crisp popcorn and you can store it almost everywhere. Maintenance must be done manually, but regarding the size that would not be such a problem.

Pros

• Easy to storage
• Compact
• Easy to use

Cons

• Limited capacity
• Waiting time between popping
• Loud

I hope my reviews were helpful and that you can make your decision easy. I’m sure you’ll be able to find the best popcorn popper that fills all your needs.

If you have a big family or you like large gatherings, I strongly recommend Hamilton Beach Electric Hot Air Popcorn Popper because of its simple use, low maintenance, and the amount of popcorn it can pop. When you take everything into account, finding a suitable bowl is a minimum effort.

If you have limited space or live in a dorm, DASH Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker is the right choice for you. You can comfortably put it in cabinets, and it is convenient for narrow countertops. It is lightweight and very compact and has a fantastic performance.

See also: Best Immersion Blender Reviews & Recommended

What Does Sushi Taste Like: Love At First Bite Or Not