6 Best Hot Air Popcorn Poppers Reviewed

Popcorn bought from the store is convenient, but creating your own from home may be more satisfying than popping a bag of pre-popped kernels in the microwave. Fortunately, you don’t need any additional materials to pop a batch of fresh kernels when using popcorn machines.

 The best hot air popcorn poppers in the market today

Based on the factors you should consider, mentioned later in this article, here are the best hot air popcorn poppers you can find in the market today.

Dash Turbo POP Popcorn Maker

From the name itself, the Dash Turbo makes fast-popping popcorn and is our number one pick for the best hot air popcorn popper.  Despite its compact design, it can pop 8 cups of popcorn in one go. Moreover, its speed in popping popcorn is amazing, thanks to its Dash cyclonic airflow.

In addition, its interface is easy to operate. You need to push the button after placing the kernels in the chamber. And that’s it. You can even add butter while it’s melting. The Dash Turbo is manufactured by Dash, a company known for its original boiled egg cookers.

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot Air Popper

It is one of the market’s most popular and highly rated hot-air poppers. PopLite comes in various colors—white, yellow, black, and red. It can pop roughly 18 cups of popcorn with the PopLite in 2 and a half minutes. The popcorn is fluffy and airy.

The top lid doubles as a measuring cup for your popcorn kernels. You can also melt the butter in the measuring cup if you put it in there after it’s started to pop. This is a great way to make healthy, low-calorie, fat-free popcorn.

Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Corn Popper

The EasyPop comprises three major components: the cup, the chute, and the base containing the motor. The cup is multifunctional, serving as both a butter melter and a measuring cup, allowing you to measure the exact amount of corn for each batch.

Many air poppers do not have an “On/Off” button; thus, you must plug and remove the cable to start or stop the popper. This is inefficient and perhaps hazardous if you fail to disconnect it.

Cuisinart has a handy on/off button, so you don’t have to risk touching a hot machine when unplugging it. Instead, you merely press a button, and it comes to a halt. Unfortunately, the connection is 32 inches long, and there is no built-in storage place, which is common on the finest home popcorn makers.

This item has a fantastic feature in that its removable pieces are dishwasher safe, making cleanup quick and easy. You can also conveniently put this gadget out of sight when not in use because it is rather tiny and light for a popcorn popper, weighing a little over 3 pounds.

When you purchase this popcorn maker, you will receive a measuring cup. In addition, the machine’s plastic parts are BPA-free, which is great news for anybody concerned about the possible health concerns of this chemical.

Suppose you enjoy popcorn but want a healthier (and less expensive) alternative to stove tops and machines. In that case, the Cuisinart EasyPop offers oil-free, rapid popping, easy cleanup, and additional options for seasoning your popcorn. The EasyPop is not a popper for huge parties or individuals hoping for theater-style popcorn, but it is a good option if you want an efficient popper for a few people.

Presto Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popper

The Presto Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popper is an excellent choice if you’re on a budget. Although the design has some peculiarities, the overall experience is simple, and the popcorn is fresh, crispy, and oil-free.

Because the machine utilizes heated air rather than oil, the popcorn has fewer calories and is generally healthier. If you want to apply butter, you may use the 1/2-cup measuring cup on top. It easily melts from the heat generated by the machine. It takes less than two-and-a-half minutes to pop up to 18 cups of airy popcorn, enough for two huge bowlfuls.

Hamilton Beach Electric Hot Air Popcorn Popper

The Hamilton Beach Electric Hot Air Popcorn Popper pops 98% of the kernels in around three minutes or less at a power of 1200 watts. It can pop up to 18 cups for every cycle. It has a removable and machine-washable cover that keeps popped corn from landing on the counter.  Its butter melting cup can also be used as a measuring cup. The popper itself is constructed from plastic, metal, and stainless steel.

Mueller Ultra Pop Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Mueller, a kitchen equipment manufacturer from Austria, has devised a quick way to make popcorn. Popcorn is ready in two minutes after you add it and press the button. You don’t need any oil for this recipe, but you may melt some butter in the measuring cup and use it to top off your popcorn. Despite its small size, this air popper is quite simple to clean.

Best Popcorn Kernels For Hot Air Poppers

You may use any kernel when popping popcorn with a hot air popper. Here are five terrific options for popcorn kernels: large-quantity popcorn brands with high ratings.

Orville Redenbacher Popcorn Kernel Jug, 5 LB 12 oz

Orville Redenbacher Popcorn is a household name. This huge jug can store up to 5 lbs. 12 ounces. of popcorn. It also has an airtight cover.  This is a tried-and-true favorite among snackers everywhere. According to the tasters, large, fluffy kernels came out and tasted delicious.

Snappy White Popcorn, 4 Pounds

The Snapp White is one of the most widely available microwavable popcorn brands despite being an Amazon best-seller. It is because it makes delicious popcorn.

Health-conscious hot air popper users will welcome the non-GMO status of this fluffy white maize. In addition, it is a low-fat, high-fiber, and whole-grain snack option. The white kind of maize is far more popular than the yellow. It’s cultivated on the same fields in Iowa that have produced it since 1940. When it pops, it has a light, airy texture and a flavor like freshly popped popcorn.

Snappy Yellow Popcorn, 4 Pounds

Snappy is well-known for its superb customer service, so it’s difficult to go wrong with this popcorn brand. This is another product from Snappy, the only difference being its yellow corn instead of white. The most popular kind of popcorn is yellow corn, which snackers like. A hot air popper is the best way to enjoy this popcorn. It may also be popped in a microwave or any other popper you want.

Great Northern Popcorn Original Popcorn, 12.5 Pound

This 12.5-pound bag is a high-quality, big, fluffy, and soft yellow popcorn. If you consume a lot of popcorn, this enormous bulk box should be plenty to keep you going. In addition, some of these healthy popcorn topping choices may help you add some variation to your hot air popper without sacrificing the health benefits of the popcorn itself.

Trader Joe’s Organic Popping Corn

This organic popping corn from Trader Joe’s is an inexpensive, non-GMO popcorn. It’s even cheaper if you buy it from Trader Joe’s if you have one nearby. This 28-ounce bag of popped corn yields about 132 servings. Air poppers will like this organic popcorn. This is indeed a healthy and inexpensive choice.

Best oil choices for popcorn machines

You’ll need oil if you’re using a popcorn machine to make popcorn. There are a variety of oils out there, and not all are made equal. Some are better for your health and taste buds than others.

Tip: The manufacturer of your theater-style popcorn popper should provide guidelines, but in general, 1 tablespoon of oil to 14 cups of popcorn is a good rule of thumb.

Dutchman’s Popcorn Coconut Oil Butter Flavored Oil, 30oz Jar –

This oil has natural beta carotene coloring. It is the top-rated choice because aside from being a healthy choice, being vegan friendly with no trans-fat, it also makes great theater-style popcorn.

Paragon Popcorn Machine Oil

Coming from a company that also sells popcorn machines and supplies, this 1 gallon of Paragon coconut popcorn popping oil is perfect for huge batches of popcorn. Popcorn made with this oil will taste just as it does at a movie theater. Beta carotene has been added to the coconut oil to make it seem reddish-orange. Because it’s huge, the 1-gallon container doesn’t need to be chilled. It’s a definite winner in terms of health advantages.

Snappy Coconut Popping Oil

Coconut oil tinted with beta carotene is also available from Snappy. Snappy, an Iowa-based company, has been selling popcorn since 1940. Movie theaters’ buttery flavor and hue may be achieved using this oil. It’s available in a 15-ounce container. Moreover, it does not contain trans fats.

Is popcorn healthy?

Popcorn is a whole grain that has been left uncooked and is high in fiber. According to new studies, popcorn may also be a good source of antioxidants. So if you don’t add fatty toppings to your popcorn, it might be a healthy snack.

Popcorn research and statistics

There are just 31 calories in a cup of air-popped popcorn Fiber and fat are both in the single digits per cup, so it’s healthy to munch away. Although magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A are scarce in popcorn, the high quantities of antioxidants make up for it.

At the 243rd American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition in San Diego in March 2012, researchers from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, presented findings revealing that popcorn has greater quantities of antioxidant polyphenols than other whole-grain meals, fruits, and vegetables.

Also, popcorn is a whole grain that has not been partly processed, unlike whole-grain bread or cereals.

Popcorn risks

Popcorn may not be for everyone. For example, children under five are at risk of choking on it, and some physicians advise against eating popcorn if you have diverticular disease. However, research published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” in August 2008 concluded that consuming popcorn did not increase the chance of diverticulitis.

The health risks of adding toppings

Air-popped popcorn may be swiftly transformed from a healthy snack into a bad one by adding harmful toppings. Popcorn with a tablespoon of butter has 11 grams of fat and 102 calories.

Popcorn is often topped with salt and butter, but too much of either may be harmful to your health. . The American Heart Association recommends that one consume no more than 1,500 mg of salt each day. Adding a quarter teaspoon of salt to your popcorn increases your sodium consumption by 600 milligrams.

Alternatives as healthy toppings

• Adding olive oil to your popcorn instead of saturated fat, which contributes to heart disease, is a better option if you must add fat to your popcorn. Using a mister, apply the oil to your popcorn to reduce the calories it contains.
• Adding a little flavor to your popcorn without adding a lot of calories or salt is easy with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, basil or oregano, chili powder, nutritional yeast, or even garlic powder.
• As an alternative,  you can also add 1 cup of air-popped popcorn with cinnamon and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate shavings.

What should I know about popcorn makers?

Popcorn makers come in many shapes and sizes, including silicone microwave devices and air poppers, as well as a stovetop and electric types. They all create delicious popcorn in a matter of minutes and are simple to clean and store. For example, using a hot-air popper to create popcorn is a quick, simple, and mess-free way to enjoy your favorite snack. In addition to being simple to operate, hot-air poppers provide a calorie-free, fat-free form of popcorn.

Preparing popcorn through air-popping

Because air popping doesn’t require oil, it’s one of the healthiest methods to make popcorn, reducing your snack’s fat and calorie content. Some of the oils used in the popping process are absorbed by pre-packaged microwave and oil-popped popcorn. According to a 2009 study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a large-sized popcorn at a movie theater may contain as much as 60 grams of fat.

 What to look for when choosing the best hot air popcorn popper?

There are many various types of popcorn poppers. It could be challenging when you don’t know where to start looking for the best hot air popcorn popper.  Purchasing a popcorn popper necessitates considering the following factors:

Size

You’ll need the greatest popcorn machine to create enough for everyone at the party. For example, a 4-, 6-, or 8-ounce popcorn popper may easily feed a full family since 1 ounce of popcorn is more than enough for one person. Aside from considering the crowd, consider also your kitchen space. If your kitchen space is limited, you may choose a smaller popcorn popper, but you will have to make batches of popcorn until you cater to the crowd.

Method of heating

Popcorn kernels will pop better or worse depending on the heating used. These factors determine popcorn’s caloric, salt, and fiber levels. A variety of heating techniques are used in the production of popped corn. Microwave, hot air circulation, and hot oil mechanisms are among the most popular options available to consumers today. Air-popped popcorn is high in fiber, but microwave-cooked popcorn is heavy in calories and salt.

Popping cycle

The popping cycle is the amount of time it takes for your popcorn machine to pop it. It’s thus important to choose a popcorn popper with quick-cooking rates if you do not like waiting for the kernel to pop.

User-friendliness

Popcorn poppers should be easy to operate and simple to assemble. The manual should also state how to operate the machine and its parts properly. 

Ease-of-cleaning

Choose a popcorn machine with dishwasher-safe detachable pieces if you despise cleaning utensils.

Additional parts

If you want to boost the quality or efficiency of your popcorn, you should buy accessories that will address your needs and preferences.

Warranty

It’s important to be sure that the guarantee on a popcorn popper is lengthy enough. In the event of a manufacturing problem, this will enable you to replace it.

Frequently asked questions

How do popcorn makers pop kernels?

The specific popping process will vary depending on the popcorn machine you purchase. Hot air, stovetop, and electric poppers are all available.

Popcorn made in a microwave or hot air doesn’t need any oil. To make microwave popcorn, line the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl with popcorn kernels and cover with a vented lid. The microwave’s heat causes the corn to pop, and as it does, the bowl will fill up. Popcorn kernels are heated by a heating element and a fan in an air popper. Popcorn rises via a funnel into your serving basin as it pops.

However, popcorn machines, whether electric, stovetop, or from the movie theater, utilize heated oil to pop the kernels and a stirring arm to keep them moving while heating and prevent them from scorching. The oil may be heated by using an electric appliance or a burner on a stove.

What is the typical height of a popcorn maker?

The sort of popcorn machine you choose impacts its overall size. When deflated for storage, certain microwave popcorn makers, such as those made of silicone, measure just an inch or two high.

Compared to cart-style poppers, countertop units maybe 1-1/2 to 2 feet tall. In the microwave and electric popcorn machines, the bowl’s height determines the model’s height—generally, these stand between 8 and 12 inches tall on average. Movie theater-style popcorn makers are the tallest.

What’s the best way to clean a popper?

Dishwasher-safe models of microwave popcorn cookers are common. Electric types may have a dishwasher-safe popcorn bowl, but the electrical components cannot be immersed in water.

After each usage, wipe off stove top models to eliminate any remaining oil residue. Dishwasher safety is not always guaranteed for some items. Since no oil is needed, hot-air poppers are easy to clean. Clean them with a moist cloth, and any pieces that can be removed may be cleaned with warm soapy water, such as the feed chute and butter warming dish.

Moreover, you should always remember to:

• Check your model’s instruction booklet for precise cleaning instructions.
• Before cleaning your popcorn maker, turn it off, disconnect it if necessary, and allow it to cool down.

How to clean popcorn machines at movie theaters:

Wipe the machine with paper towels after each use or wash it with warm soapy water to remove any remaining oil residue.

Is air-popped popcorn a healthy choice?

Plain, air-popped popcorn is a healthy alternative to other snack alternatives. Toppings, on the other hand, may significantly impact whether or not air-popped popcorn is seen as a healthful snack.

Bottomline

Knowing what type of popcorn popper you want will help you make an informed purchase. There is a wide array of choices, ranging from a microwave popper, an old-fashioned hot-oil popper, a stovetop popcorn popper, a popcorn cart, or a healthy hot-air popper. But, of course, if you’re looking for the most healthy option for popping popcorn, it’s the hot air popcorn popper.

Last update on 2024-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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