CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

JC Penney has this popcorn popper on sale. Normally $499 now $199. I make microwave popcorn 2 to 3 times a week and would really like to have one of these. Does anyone own a popper like this? I am concerned about lingering odor and clean up of the machine. Any input would be appreciated

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

If you buy a kettle popper you will never microwave again. Very Happy

As far as the mess, I never have a problem with mine. All the popcorn stays inside the machine. Cleanup is easy, I just wipe out the kettle when it cools with a damp cloth.

Z-Photo · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject:

Was the cancer crap only for the Microwave stuff?

emdawgz1 · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 7949

Z-Photo · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject:

better than mcdonalds

(or Orville)

Clarence · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject:

Yep, we love it. Easy to clean... just wipe it down. Don't worry about completely removing all traces of oil, just wipe out the kernal flakes and salt.

But the real popcorn packs use coconut oil, which is the worst stuff for you (but of course it tastes the best). I failed my last two cholesterol tests, so I'm cutting back.

If possible, check the specs and see if it's rated for 4 oz or 8 oz. The better models are 8 oz... not only does it make a larger batch, but more importantly, the heating element is more powerful, so you get a quicker, better popping with less unpopped kernals.

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

Mine is a 6oz kettle. It heats up real fast. It was an actual commercial unit. The kettle is about the same size as the 8oz ones that everyone sells. I am with Clarence on this one. The 4oz ones that I have seen,all have really tiny kettles in them.

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

It does not tell in the specs if it is a 4 ounce or 8 ounce unit. It does have the below info. Any idea how many ounces of popcorn is in a 1/2 cup?

Uses ½ cup of kernels with 1 tbsp. oil to make approximately 8 cups of popcorn. Easy to clean. 120V, AC. 26x18x53"H.

zaphod · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 2002 Location: Cloverdale

a cup is 8oz in volume. 4oz is 1/2 cup.

i use a stove top popcorn a "whirleypop" from popcornpopper.com - makes good popcorn, but i've always had a hankering for one of the "circus style" poppers which would take me back to the days of my youth with cheap movies on saturday morning and people who used words like "hankering"...

Cparkinson · Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 3

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

Or of you don't want to spend a gazzillion dollars, something like this would suffice at a reasonable price. (Hot damn...I'm a poet today!) Rolling Eyes

The Paragons are nice but for as much as I make popcorn it just isn't worth the $$$.

http://cgi.ebay.com/POPCORN-POPPER-MACHINE-with-CART-8OZ-PC8_W0QQitemZ330245057685QQihZ014QQcategoryZ46592QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

rabies_70 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject:

I have that machine and it works terrificly. I bought on ebay from the place that is in City of Industry California. It was 89.00, and I picked it up in person to save the shipping costs (Gas was ONLY 1.90 a gal back then) They said it was a scratch and dent return but to be honest I never found anything wrong with it at all and it has been a whole lot of fun to have on movie night. Smells like popcorn on movie night but I have never noticed any lingering smells. I say if you like popcorn or want to have a little fun with guests buy it. I have not regretted it once. When I first got it home the wife was like "We don't need that, blah blah blah" Now she loves it when I fire it up.

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

While we are on the subject... I had posted this before and still have not come to a resolution. I have rebuilt a commercial 6 ounce popper. It's pop's the corn right up with no issues but it alway comes out chewy. I have tried different oils and various quantaties of oil and corn to no avail. I have the thing sitting in the attic until I come up with different ideas to try. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Dan

rabies_70 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject:

I really hope you don't think I'm being a dumbass, but are you doing it right? The whole turn on the heater element, put in the oil, let it heat up, turn on the stirrer, put in the popcorn etc? Does your machine allow the steam to escape, usually at the top of the front doors? I have never had a single batch come out bad that way and I just grab whatever popcorn the store has on sale at the time, Orville of Jiffy. No real difference that I've noticed.

ecrabb · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject:

Popcorn poppers are awesome! That's one of the treats I'm looking forward to when I get the rest of the basement finished - a wet bar with microwave, mini-fridge and a nice popcorn popper! I LOVE that smell, and it's awesome when you have people over for movie night, for parties, etc. Microwave popcorn sucks compared to a good kettle-popped corn.

Dan, I wonder if the heating element in the kettle or possibly the thermostat could be failing... If the kettle were hot enough to pop the corn, but cool enough that it takes too long to pop, I wonder if that could make it chewy. How long does it take to pop? Also, does the popper have a warming tray?

SC

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

Yea, everything is working great. The popcorn pops right up with very few unpopped kernels left. I have tried propping open the doors to let the steam escape but that did not help either. I called the factory and they had no ideas either. I guess I'll break it out again one day and continue to experiment with different oils, corn and ratios.

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

Funny this thread should come back around. drice1234's original post is the popcorn machine I got for father's day. Works great. We bought some ACT II popcorn and some ACT II oil/butter stuff. Woks really good but there are a lot of uncooked kernels.

But, we bought a 50lb bag from Sam's for $15.00, so, I think we can afford to waste a few kernels here-n-there. Laughing

wallace

rabies_70 · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:02 am Post subject:

Highly recommend the ACTII butter oil for popping also.

paw · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1176 Location: Arvada, CO

drice, let the popcorn air dry for a while. Turn it over a couple of times. It you have a warmer (light and/or under shelf) turn 'em on. I have a Stir Crazy. The popcorn is a little chewy when it's 1st popped. I put it in 2 large stainless steel bowl in the oven at 125 for about 30 minutes. Crunchy! I use megapop pre measured. Let me know if you want to try a couple of them. I don't use all of the oil. I put all but a thumb's width in the popper. OH! I let the popper heat up until the oil just bearly starts to smoke.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:43 pm Post subject: