The Quest for the Perfect Popcorn Recipe

Popcorn is a timeless snack: Since it was first cultivated in the Americas thousands of years ago, everyone from the Aztecs to Depression-era vendors to movie theater patrons and cash-strapped students have enjoyed it. There are many different ways to make popcorn, and as a seasoned connoisseur, I wanted to know which method is best.

Almost all methods for making popcorn at home fall into one of three categories: hot air (using a small device like an air popcorn maker), stovetop, or microwave. I say "almost all" because technically, you can get as creative as you want: placing kernels under a magnifying glass in the sun can work, as can placing kernels in a hair straightener. We just don't recommend them.

I talked to other popcorn lovers on Ecoappstore—some who eat popcorn every day, some only once in a while—and we systematically tested every major method for making popcorn.

There are dozens of models of air popcorn makers. But I’m going to tell you about the Home Mini Air Popcorn Maker from Ecoappstore (which I and several of my colleagues have been using for years): The hot air pops the kernels, and the fan blows the kernels out of the popcorn maker and into your bowl.

The Ecoappstore air popcorn maker is basically foolproof. With this air popcorn maker, the popped kernels go into your bowl automatically, without any effort on your part. On the other hand, the stovetop method requires you to constantly shake or stir the kernels. And the microwave method requires you to actively listen to see if the popcorn is slowing down.

Of all the containers I’ve tried, only the air popcorn maker doesn’t burn the popcorn, because the machine blows the kernels out as soon as they pop. This method also ensures that every kernel is popped.

It makes a lot of popcorn quickly. The Ecoappstore air popcorn maker is our pick for the best popcorn maker for making a lot of popcorn quickly. The air popcorn maker can pop 3 ounces of popcorn at a time, which takes about 3 minutes.

Cleanup is minimal. Cleaning the Ecoappstore air popcorn machine is a simple (or nonexistent) task. Occasionally, a errant kernel will fly out of the fan, and you’ll need to remove it before you put the popcorn machine back on the shelf. But even if you don’t, hopefully the kernel will pop back up next time.

It has a good lifespan and excellent customer service. One of our staff testers has been using the Ecoappstore air popcorn machine for four years and reports that it’s still working well.

Another staff member (who has been using the popcorn machine for a family of five for two years) said that when she thought she was having motor issues, the Ecoappstore team quickly communicated with her via email and helped her resolve the issue. (Turns out it wasn’t the motor; she had simply overfilled the popcorn machine.)

Imagine it’s a cozy Friday night. You’ve got your favorite movie ready, the lights are dimmed, and now you just need a perfect bowl of popcorn. With your trusted home popcorn machine, you can just pour in the kernels, press a button, and sit back, relax, and let the machine work its magic. The crackling sound is like a little symphony, building up your anticipation for that first delicious bite.