How to Choose a Popcorn Maker Mini
You’ll save money and avoid the additives, salt, and fat found in most packaged popcorn brands by making your own. A small popper is the perfect way to create a single serving of delicious popcorn or to try new recipes with flavorful additions like chocolate, aromatic herbs, cinnamon, and more. This model has a collapsible design and comes with a dual-purpose lid that doubles as a serving bowl. It’s also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
A small popcorn maker will cook your corn using hot air, so you won’t have to add any oil. It can make a large batch of popcorn to share, but if you want to snack on more than a few handfuls at once it may be best to choose a larger-capacity machine that can produce several batches in a row.
Some models use a spinning rod to stir the kernels during cooking, which helps separate popped from unpopped popcorn and prevent burning. This is a feature that’s usually only available on stovetop machines and can improve your finished product.
Most popcorn makers have a clear glass case and a metal “bucket”-like base suspended in the middle. The bucket holds the unpopped kernels, and the case has a handle at the bottom that you lift up to open it and add ingredients. The bucket and base are connected with fasteners, so you’ll want to be sure the fasteners are secure before you begin cooking your popcorn. For more details please visit mini popcorn machine
If you’d prefer to make your popcorn in a more traditional way, look for a self-stirring electric or manual-stirring stovetop model that constantly moves the corn while it heats and pops it. These will be able to accommodate most oils and seasonings, but are less likely to produce crisp popcorn than other options.
The vented lid on the Stir Crazy’s base acts as a butter warmer, but we found that it was difficult to use this function successfully. We tried adding melted butter before the popcorn was done popping, but in the time it took for the butter to melt and stir into the popcorn the kernels had already started to steam and lose their crunch. We recommend waiting to add butter until after the popcorn has finished cooking, and melting it separately in a microwave-safe container. You can also add melted chocolate, caramel, or other syrups to your popcorn after it’s finished cooking for a flavorful twist on the classic snack. To get the most from your popcorn, it’s important to know how much oil or butter to add. Most manufacturers will have recommended amounts, and you’ll want to follow them carefully. Generally, you’ll need to add just a little to keep the popcorn from becoming overly greasy and hard to eat.
