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The 7 Best Popcorn Makers for Your At-Home Enjoyment

Bryan Holt
By
Towfiqu Photography / Getty

Sometimes all you want to do is kick back at home and binge your favorite Netflix series and movies. A high-quality surround sound system and comfortable couch are two essentials that make your home theater more inviting, but you’ll need one more thing: Popcorn, of course. Whether you’re watching your favorite movie or series by yourself or you have company over, a popcorn maker can recreate the warm and welcoming movie theater experience. Plus, who doesn’t like popcorn?

High-quality popcorn makers can generate delicious popcorn in just a few minutes. The result is much tastier (and healthier) than your everyday bagged kernels. You may be surprised, but sometimes it can be just as easy as tossing a bag of popcorn in the microwave, too.

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There’s hardly anything better than a room filled with the olfactory sensation of buttery popcorn, and for that reason, we’ve compiled the best popcorn makers so you can make the most of your binge-watching weekend. 

Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popper

When we think of popcorn, about half of us would make the connection with Orville Redenbacher. The brand has been a pop-ular choice for homebodies and movie-goers alike, producing high-quality, gourmet popcorn with real butter since 1952. With that being said, Redenbacher’s hot air popcorn popper is one of the easiest to use, easiest to clean, and one of the healthiest options in our popcorn-makers roundup. By using hot air instead of oil, the popper decreases the calorie count immensely, while still providing users with a melting cup for the butter so you can distribute the goods as desired.

Wabash Family Farms Stovetop Popper

Stovetop poppers are one of the best methods for making popcorn because they use a metal stirrer and oil to evenly heat and cook the kernels. Although hot air poppers decrease your calorie count, they do so at the mercy of reducing flavor and overall results. The Wabash Stovetop Popper can produce up to six quarts of tasty popcorn in just three minutes, while its metal stirrer also protects against burning your kernels. And, the popper includes a movie theatre popping kit that features kernels, its secret buttery salt, and its gourmet oil, so you can start popping delicious popcorn right away.

West Bend Electric Oil Popper

Like stovetop poppers, electric popcorn makers also use a stirring rod and hot oil to their advantage. They offer a convenient method for ending up with evenly cooked, tasty, and larger popcorn kernels. WestBend’s electric oil machine features a motorized stirring rod that aids in making up to six quarts of perfect popcorn. Its lid doubles as a serving bowl when the cooking is complete, and its tight fit makes for optimal storing in a small space.

Salbree Silicone Microwave Popper

Now we didn’t say microwave popcorn was bad. We said the unhealthy bagged microwave stuff you find from your local grocery store is bad. You can still cook up kernels in the microwave without the bag, and this product that does so will actually save you money in the long run. Salbree’s silicone popper is easy to use, easy to clean, and extra easy to store. The silicone construction is “virtually indestructible,” collapsible for easy storage, and it features easy-to-grab handles. Plus, this popcorn maker is available in 14 bright colors.

Williams Sonoma Star Wars R2D2 Popcorn Maker

This one is for our Star Wars fans out there. This R2D2 replica popcorn maker should be on it, as this helpful droid gives movie time an intergalactic feel by popping hot kernels right into your living room. R2D2’s head screws off to double as a popcorn bowl and the device includes an essential butter warmer and popcorn scoop to round off this otherworldly experience.

Ecolution Micro-Pop Glass Popper

And then there are moments when you want to kick back and watch your favorite movie alone with a Maker’s neat and a batch of popcorn. The Ecolution micro-pop glass popcorn maker is the perfect snack size companion for these moments, making about 1.5 quarts of popcorn in just 3 minutes of microwave time. The heat-resistant glass is durable and dishwasher safe, while its silicone lid can be filled with butter to be delicately mixed in as the corn pops. Ecolution also offers a family-sized construction.

Presto Orville Redenbacher’s Stirring Popper

Opt for convenience with this classic popcorn maker by Presto. The machine makes it quick and easy to make big servings of popcorn for everyone you invited for movie night. The scalloped stirring arm also makes sure that the kernels are popped evenly. What’s even better is that the lid of this popcorn maker doubles as a bowl where you can easily transfer those delicious popped kernels.

And now that you’ve got your popcorn situation settled, why not prep for an ultimate winter weekend binge-a-thon with the best documentaries on Netflix right now.

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