I have listed the best popcorn machines for you. With these machines you will make the most delicious popcorn!
By Siem
A popcorn machine, like a cotton candy machine, delivers guaranteed success at a children’s party. But also on the couch, while watching TV with the whole family, a bowl of delicious popcorn cannot be missed. And even if you want to enjoy a healthy snack during the day, popcorn is an excellent choice. That’s why we researched what the best popcorn machines of 2024 are.
Why a popcorn machine is indispensable
Crying children at a children’s party is surely one of parents’ nightmares, it seems to me. I managed it, a few years ago. When our youngest turned 4, I decided to treat the assembled preschoolers to a cup of homemade popcorn. Not from a popcorn machine, because we didn’t have one back then. No, I would just make the popcorn in a pan. I don’t remember exactly what went wrong, but at one point the children, who were watching intently and wistfully, were bombarded with hundreds of glowing hot popcorn bombs. So that became crying. And I quickly ordered a popcorn machine the next day. After all, you can’t do everything yourself.
What’s the best popcorn machine for you?
If you’re going to buy a popcorn machine, it’s important to know how much fresh popcorn you want to make at a time. There are different types of popcorn machines. For some you need some butter or oil, for others you don’t. Some popcorn machines have a nostalgic look, others are modern. Plenty of choice and we are happy to help you find a suitable model of popcorn machine.
The best popcorn machine for home
Gadgy Popcorn Machine Round
This Gadgy popcorn maker does not require heating and you can make up to 5 liters of fresh popcorn in 3 minutes. The big advantage of this popcorn maker is, that you can already add butter, oil, salt, sugar or spices to the corn kernels while preparing. So you immediately get your popcorn the way you like it best. Of course, with this hot air popcorn machine you can also make popcorn without additives, also without oil or butter. The Gadgy popcorn machine makes little noise and is easy to clean. The convex, transparent lid also serves as a bowl for the popcorn.
- 5 liters at a time
- Preparation time 3 minutes
- Without oil or grease
- Directly on taste
- Lid is also bowl
- Popcorn sometimes pops out
The best buy popcorn machine for home
Princess 292986 Popcorn machine
In our opinion, the popcorn machine with the best value for money is the Princess 292986. This popcorn machine costs only just over two tens and it makes delicious popcorn. Hot air is used to prepare the popcorn. So oil is not needed. In the lid you can melt butter, which you can then pour directly over the popcorn. If you then sprinkle sugar, salt or spices over it, they will stick better to the popcorn. In just 3 minutes you can make a big bowl of popcorn or a couple of delicious cups of popcorn, just the way you like it best.
- Preparation time 3 minutes
- No oil needed
- Lid as a pouring jug
- Measuring cup included
- Easy to clean
- Short connecting cable
The best professional popcorn machine
Royal Catering popcorn machine with base
With this nostalgically designed Royal Catering popcorn machine on wheels you can go to fairs, neighborhood parties and other events where you expect a lot of turnover. Per hour you can make 5 kg of fresh popcorn. The beautiful retro design and lighting add to its appeal. The Royal Catering popcorn machine has a built-in mixing system that prevents burning. The recommendation is to use oil or fat, which can handle high temperatures, such as coconut oil or palm fat, to prepare the popcorn. Because you are working with fat, you do need to clean this Royal Catering popcorn machine well immediately after use.
- Large capacity
- Simple operation
- Fraai retro design
- Mobile
- Power output: 1,600 watts
- Clean immediately after use
The best buy professional popcorn machine
Ariete Popper XL
If you are looking for a professional popcorn machine with good value for money, then the Ariete Popper XL is definitely for you. In 5 minutes you puff 4 servings of fresh popcorn with this classic 1950s-style popcorn machine. You then use the handle to turn the pan so that the popcorn falls down and you can immediately move on to the next batch of popcorn. The atmospheric lighting also keeps the popcorn warm enough to absorb sugar, salt or spices. So you can make a good amount of flavorful popcorn in no time with this Ariete popcorn machine.
- 4 servings at a time
- Beautiful 1950s design
- Tabletop
- Atmospheric lighting
- Easy to clean
- Difficult to move
The best retro popcorn machine
Royal Swiss XL popcorn machine
This popcorn machine looks suspiciously similar to Gadgy’s, the No. 1 on our list. The features and performance are also identical, simply because they are technically the same popcorn machines. This is possible because Gadgy buys its products from other manufacturers and puts them in its own design. The Royal Swiss XL popcorn machine is the original. We like the retro design of this original just a bit better, which is why this popcorn machine also deserves a place in our Top-7. The perfect movie snack can also be prepared in no time with this popcorn machine.
- 5 liters at a time
- Preparation time 3 minutes
- Without oil or grease
- Directly on taste
- Lid is also bowl
- Slightly more expensive than Gadgy
The best compact popcorn machine
Ariete Party Time popcorn machine
The Ariete Party Time popcorn machine is so compact that it never gets in the way. Therefore, it is always ready to make a nice portion of delicious popcorn quickly. The popcorn machine works with hot air, so you don’t need oil or butter for preparation. In 2 minutes you puff 60 grams of the tastiest popcorn with the Ariete Party Time, good for 2 servings. Afterwards, this retro popcorn machine is easy to clean.
- Compact model
- Beautiful retro design
- 2 servings at a time
- No oil or butter required
- Easy to clean
- Not for large groups
The best microwave popcorn maker
Cosy & Trendy Popcorn Popper Microwave
Maybe it’s an odd duck in the popcorn machine bee, but if you have a microwave, the Cosy & Trendy Popcorn Popper Microwave is a cheap and quick way to make your own popcorn. You simply fill the pitcher with corn kernels, place it in the microwave and within minutes you have a pitcher full of fresh popcorn. In the lid, you can put a knob of butter to ensure that the hot popcorn becomes a little fatter and can therefore absorb sugar or salt. Also, for salty, spicy or sweet popcorn, you can mix some oil with salt, sugar or spices through the corn kernels beforehand. Before purchasing, though, check that your microwave is big enough for the can.
- Cheap
- No additional electrical device
- Easy to prepare
- Short cooking time
- Does not fit in every microwave
Our Top-7 popcorn machines at a glance:
- The best for home: Gadgy Popcorn Machine Round
- The best buy for home: Princess 292986 Popcorn machine
- Best professional: Royal Catering popcorn machine with stand
- Best buy professional: Ariete Popper XL
- The best retro popcorn machine: Royal Swiss XL popcorn machine
- The best compact popcorn machine: Ariete Party Time popcorn machine
- The best microwave popcorn maker: Cosy & Trendy Popcorn Popper Microwave
Buying guide: what do you look for when buying a popcorn machine?
To find the best popcorn machine for your needs, you need to have a few things in mind. Here we discuss the most important ones, which will help you find the ideal popcorn machine.
How much popcorn do you want to make at a time?
Are you looking for a popcorn machine for home use or one for professional use? For home use, we recommend a machine that works with hot air and makes up to 5 liters of fresh popcorn at a time.
How big is your budget?
Of course, it is important to determine how much money you want to spend on a popcorn machine. Prices of popcorn machines range from 20 euros for a simple home device to more than 600 euros for a professional popcorn machine.
Do you like retro or modern?
Popcorn machines somehow evoke nostalgic feelings. So often popcorn makers have a retro design, with colors reminiscent of the American flag. But for lovers of modern design, you can certainly find devices as well.
Conclusion: which is the best popcorn maker?
Popcorn is the ideal snack to accompany a good movie at the cinema. But actually, you can put popcorn on the table at any occasion. With popcorn machines, you make popcorn to your own taste in the right amount and it’s ready in minutes. After your party, a popcorn machine is easy to clean because the container can usually go in the dishwasher.
In our opinion, the best popcorn maker for home use is the one from Gadgy. You use it to make delicious popcorn using hot air, so you don’t necessarily need oil or grease, which produces healthier popcorn and thus makes the popcorn a delicious healthy snack for during your movie night at home. The short cooking time of 3 minutes and the fact that it is easy to clean after use are other pluses.
In our opinion, the best popcorn makers for professional use are the mobile Royal Catering popcorn maker and the tabletop popcorn maker from Arieta.
Frequently asked questions
If you have any questions about the popcorn maker, you can of course come to us. We are happy to help. Maybe someone else has asked your question before. So check out the frequently asked questions below first.
Fresh popcorn is simply the tastiest popcorn. And with a popcorn maker, it takes little effort to prepare delicious hot popcorn.
Since many popcorn machines work with hot air, you don’t need to use oil or grease to prepare it. In addition, if you forgo sugar and salt when making popcorn, it is definitely a healthy snack with few calories.
No. We recommend that you buy special corn for popcorn. It is also important to put the right amount – and certainly not too much – of corn in the popcorn maker. A measuring cup is handy for this.