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Dorie Chevlen is a writer covering home design. Her subjects have included scented candles, makeup mirrors, and—her favorite—popcorn makers. large cotton candy machine
We tested two more popcorn makers—the Popsmith Popper and Tupperware WOW Pop Microwave Popcorn Maker—and added both to the Competition section of this guide.
Popcorn is a timeless snack: Since it was first cultivated in the Americas, several thousand years ago, it’s been munched on by everyone from the Aztecs to Depression-era vendors to movie-theater patrons and money-strapped students. Methods for making popcorn abound, and as a longtime connoisseur, I wanted to know which technique was the best.
Nearly all home-popping methods fit into one of three categories: hot air (using a small appliance, such as an air popper), stove-top, or microwave. I say “nearly all” because technically you can get as creative as you want: Setting a kernel under a magnifying glass in the sun (video) could work, as could placing a kernel in a hair straightener (video). We just wouldn’t recommend these methods.
I spoke with other popcorn fanatics at Wirecutter—some who eat it daily and some who have it only once in a while; some with kids and some without; some living in small apartments and others who dwell in spacious houses. And I systematically tested every major method for popping popcorn (while subjecting my loved ones to near-endless bowls of the stuff).
In the end, I discovered that the crispiest, best-tasting popcorn is made on the stove. But that doesn’t mean the stove-top method is the best method for you. If you prioritize easy cleanup, kid-friendliness, or an option that doesn’t require oil, we have other suggestions, too.
This pot has only one purpose, but it makes the crunchiest corn. It has a stirring wire, to keep kernels from burning, and a vented lid, to keep kernels from getting damp with steam.
We’ve found that the tastiest popcorn is made on the stove. And if you don’t mind investing in another standalone product, Wabash Valley Farms’ Whirley-Pop 3-Minute Popcorn Popper is incredibly easy to use, and it makes unbeatable popcorn.
A hand-cranked wire stirs the kernels to prevent them from burning, and a vented lid allows steam to escape so the popcorn doesn’t get soggy. The long handle keeps your fingers safely away from the heat.
It’s the absolute crunchiest. All stove-top methods will produce crunchier popcorn than the microwave or an air popper, but the Whirley-Pop takes popcorn to the next level. Since its lid is vented, steam doesn’t get trapped around the kernels, so there’s no softening (which can happen with other lidded pots).
But stove-top popping requires oil. Unlike when you use an air popper or a microwave, when you make popcorn on the stove, you have to use at least a few tablespoons of oil, to prevent sticking and burning. This likely boosts the taste and texture. When we used oil to make popcorn in our microwave-bowl pick, however, it didn’t deliver quite the same crunch.
Yet cleanup is still easy. Even though the Whirly-Pop’s instructions suggest using oil to make the popcorn, this vessel doesn’t need to be washed out with soap and water after each use, according to the user manual. Just wipe it down with a paper towel, and place it on a shelf until the next use.
It has a great warranty. We haven’t had any issues with our Whirly-Pop, and we haven’t come across any common or repeated problems mentioned in buyer reviews, either. But if you do have an issue, the company offers an eye-popping (pun intended) 25-year warranty.
Like a microwavable popcorn bowl or an air popper, this popper is a standalone product that won’t find another use in your kitchen. If you’re short on space, consider sticking to the classic pot-on-the-stove method.
Also, we’ve had a few experiences with hot oil escaping through the vented lid and landing on our hands. The spray is too light to cause actual burning, but it’s an unpleasant feeling. Reducing the quantity of oil seems to eliminate the problem, but this method might not be the best one for kids.
Chances are good you already have a stockpot (or something similar). If you don’t, this deep, fully clad pot evenly heats kernels, and it has large, easy-to-grip handles. But since it doesn’t have a stirring wire, when you’re making popcorn in this pot, you have to regularly shake it.
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If you don’t want to invest in yet another kitchen gadget, and you don’t mind monitoring your kernels, then just about any lidded pot will work to make popcorn.
But lighter is better in this case. That’s why if you’re in the market for a stockpot, we recommend the Tramontina Gourmet 8-Quart Tri-Ply Stock Pot from our cookware guide. It weighs only 5 pounds 12 ounces, so you can shake your popcorn with ease.
And thanks to its fully clad finish, this pot will distribute heat evenly to each kernel. That also means there will be less burning and, ultimately, an easier cleanup.
Wirecutter staffers have also made popcorn in heavier pots, such as a Dutch oven. These vessels hold and distribute heat well, but they are much heavier to shake. And some other staffers have used lighter-weight vessels, including a large metal bowl topped with aluminum foil, á la Alton Brown (video). But a bowl is hard to hold onto, and it’s thinner than cookware, so there’s a higher risk of scorching. A tri-ply stainless steel pot provides a happy medium.
Like the Whirly-Pop, this pot requires oil. But unlike the Whirly-Pop, this is a pot you’ll likely use for other tasks, so you’ll need to wash it with soap and water between uses.
No matter what cooking vessel you choose, you need to stay by the stove and shake your pot (or Dutch oven, or bowl) so that the kernels don’t burn as they pop. If your pot has short handles, you may find it’s easier and safer to wear oven mitts when shaking. Just be sure to keep the mitts well away from the flame, if you have a gas stove.
Also, since most stock pots don’t have a vented lid (as our microwavable bowl or Whirley-Pop picks do), you’ll want to pour the popcorn out of the pot and into a bowl quickly so it doesn’t sit in its own moisture and lose its crunch.
This is the best vessel for making a big quantity of popcorn fast, with minimal supervision or cleanup. But its popcorn is less crunchy, and the device takes up kitchen space.
There are dozens of air-popper models. But most look and work basically the same as the trusty Presto PopLite (which I and several of my colleagues have used for years): Hot air pops the kernels, and a fan blows the popcorn out of the machine and into your bowl.
The Presto PopLite is basically fool-proof. With this air popper, the popped kernels find their way into your bowl without any effort on your part. Stove-top methods, on the other hand, require you to constantly shake or stir the kernels. And microwave methods require you to actively listen for the popping to slow down.
Of all the vessels I’ve tried, an air popper is the only one that never resulted in burnt popcorn, since the machine blows kernels out as soon as they’ve popped. This method also made it easier to ensure that every kernel of popcorn was popped.
It produces tons of popcorn, fast. The Presto PopLite is the best of our picks at making a large quantity of popcorn quickly. In just about 2½ minutes, this machine transforms half a cup of kernels into roughly 18 cups of popcorn. By comparison, the Whirley-Pop has roughly the same capacity but takes about 4 minutes. And the microwavable bowl has only a 9-cup capacity, and it also takes about 4 minutes.
Cleanup is minimal. Cleaning out the PopLite is an easy task (or, rather, a nonexistent one). Occasionally one errant kernel will escape the fan, and you’ll need to remove it before returning your popper to the shelf. But even if you don’t, hopefully the kernel will just pop up next time.
Other than that, since the machine removes the popcorn itself and requires no oil, there’s nothing else for you to clean (unless you use its lid to melt butter, which we don’t recommend).
It offers good longevity and great customer service. One of our staff testers has been using her Presto PopLite for three years and reports it still works perfectly. Her butter warmer did eventually warp (which some buyers have mentioned in reviews), but that hasn’t impeded its function.
Another staffer (who’s been popping for a family of four for two years) said when she thought she’d run into a motor issue, the Presto team was swift in its email communication and helped her resolve the issue. (It turned out not to be a motor issue; she was simply overfilling the popper.)
The Presto PopLite’s ½-cup lid is supposed to double as a butter melter, but we find that element messy and ineffective; since the machine runs for only about 2 minutes, the butter won’t melt properly if it’s too cold or cut into too-large pieces.
The lid on our PopLite also warped after a few uses, but it’s still effective at stopping runaway kernels from escaping out the top, and it can still work as a kernel scooper.
Like most air poppers, the Presto PopLite produces a fluffier, less-crunchy kernel than stove-top methods. The machine is also rather loud. Sure, with any popping method, you’ll hear the sound of exploding kernels, but air poppers add the whirring noise of circulating air.
And, finally, though this machine is not huge—about the size of a personal blender—it is a single-purpose appliance that takes up space.
This silicone bowl is incredibly simple to use and easy to clean, and it folds down for more-efficient storage. However, it makes only 9 cups of popcorn at a time. Also, its popcorn has a squeakier texture, and this vessel leaves the most kernels unpopped.
You’ve probably made popcorn in the microwave, using those prefab bags from the likes of Orville Redenbacher or Act II. It’s what I think of as starter popcorn. And it’s great, if you don’t mind someone else seasoning your popcorn (that’s not sarcasm—I sometimes like throwing the culinary reins to a faceless organization). But to conveniently zap your own kernels and be the captain of your own flavor ship, we recommend a dedicated microwavable bowl, like the W&P’s The Popper.
It has a very small footprint. The microwave popcorn bowls we’ve seen come with a vented lid, and they fold down for easy storing. The W&P bowl collapses to about 2 inches in height, making it the most compact of our recommended popcorn makers.
You don’t need oil, but you can add some if you’d like. Like the air popper we recommend, the W&P bowl does not require oil to make popcorn. However, with the W&P bowl, you can add some oil to the unpopped kernels before microwaving, which you can’t do with the air popper. In our experience, you’ll get slightly better results when you add some oil; the corn will be a little crispier, and fewer pieces will burn. And, obviously, it will taste better.
Cleanup is simple. The W&P bowl is dishwasher-safe. And even if you choose to hand-wash this bowl, it’s small and pliable, so it’s easy to do a quick rinse.
The main downside of a microwavable popcorn bowl is that it yields less popcorn than stove-top or air-popper methods. Most bowls, including the W&P model, are large enough to make only about 9 cups of popcorn at a time (using about ⅓ cup of kernels). In comparison, a store-bought bag of microwave popcorn makes about 11 to 13 cups of popcorn, and an air popper can produce roughly 18 cups (using about ½ cup of kernels).
The W&P bowl is also prone to leaving behind more unpopped kernels than those other methods. That’s because it’s hard to perfectly time when to remove the bowl before some popped kernels start to burn. Occasionally, the bowl will even burn a few pieces of popcorn while leaving others unpopped—likely because you can’t shake the vessel to redistribute unpopped kernels while cooking.
Also, removing the bowl after popping can be a bit tricky. For one thing, it’s hot. Some people may prefer using oven mitts or a dish towel. And since the silicone is pliable, the bowl can change shape, causing steam or popcorn to escape as you pick it up. Finally (not that it bothered us), the silicone bowl tends to retain a slight aroma of popcorn, even after washing.
There are several other foldable, microwavable popcorn bowls available online. Likely, they will all work similarly to the W&P and some are even sold at a slightly lower price (but usually in bright, garish colors with big brand logos). What those other bowls offer that our pick does not are lids without vents, meaning you could theoretically shake the popcorn up with seasoning in the same bowl you made it in. However, since you will likely be filling or nearly filling the bowl with your popped kernels, there’s really not much room for shaking anyways.
I haven’t met a popcorn topping I didn’t like. Salt and butter? Delicious. Pepper and olive oil? Fabulous. Day-Glo–yellow movie-theater “butter” squirted from a pump? Incredible. (Don’t even tell me what’s in there—it’s really none of my business.) With the help of Wirecutter’s kitchen team, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite popcorn toppings.
Senior staff writer Lesley Stockton recommends combining Fly by Jing’s Mala Spice Mix with ghee. And now that I’ve tried it, I can vouch for it too. The mala blend mixes 11 spices and herbs, to hit all of the flavor notes you could want—a little sweet, a little umami, with an addictive, spicy tingle.
Lesley also stands by “the GOAT”: Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning. Trader Joe’s has its own spin on this, and it’s pretty good, if a bit dill-forward.
Though nutritional yeast may still be best known among vegans, several of our omnivorous staffers love sprinkling it over their corn. Senior staff writer Michael Sullivan says “the nutty, cheesy flavor is always a crowd-pleaser” with his family. Most grocery stores stock nutritional yeast in the baking or health-food aisle.
On a recent trip to Michigan, I was introduced to Pop-kie’s, which sells 60 varieties of popcorn, all made on-site. Luckily for those of us who live out of state, Pop-kie’s ships little bottles of some of its flavored powders (they’re all delicious, but my favorite is the mouth-puckering dill-pickle flavor).
Tajín—the chili-lime-salt blend from Mexico—is another favorite popcorn topper among our staffers. Senior editor Marguerite Preston also recommends Rancho Gordo’s Stardust Dipping Powder, a riff on Tajín that’s less tart, with a more-prominent lime flavor and a bit of sweetness from brown sugar.
Marguerite also recommends tossing your popcorn with olive oil, salt, and one of New York Shuk’s dried harissa spice blends: Rosey, Herby, or Fiery.
We had high hopes for the Popsmith Popper; with its brightly colored, stainless steel exterior it looks pretty enough to leave out on display, and it’s mechanically similar to the Whirley Pop. However, its performance was not nearly as good as the Whirly Pop’s. Its gears didn’t turn as smoothly, and since the crank is positioned centered over the lid, as opposed to the Whirly Pop’s which is at the end of its long handle, your hand has to move over the Popsmith’s lid vent, which can get uncomfortably warm as steam escapes (never hot enough to burn, but unpleasant nonetheless). Especially given the Popsmith’s cost (five times as much as the Whirley Pop) we don’t think this one is worth the investment.
The Tupperware WOW Pop Microwave Popcorn Maker performed just as well as our pick from W&P, making fluffy popcorn with few unpopped kernels leftover. It has more features than the W&P—a glass insert at the bottom of the bowl and a "vent and shake lid" to sift out any unpopped kernels—but we didn’t think they improved performance. The glass insert seemingly did nothing at all, and the lid proved unnecessary, since all the unpopped kernels sit at the bottom of the bowl are hard to surface to the top (not that it mattered—there were very few of them anyways). At the time of publication, the Tupperware bowl costs more than the W&P bowl, but if you find it on sale, it would be a fine choice, albeit a bit less attractive than our pick.
This article was edited by Marguerite Preston and Marilyn Ong.
I cover home decor, but I'm rarely stuck inside. I also write frequently about outdoor gear, personal technology, and health products for Wirecutter.
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