We Tested Popcorn Makers to Find Ones That Left the Least Amount of Kernels Unpopped

Okay, I’ll admit it: I used to eat popcorn every night. Due to soul-crushingly early Midwestern winter sunsets, I would have dinner between five and six o’clock—no exceptions. Early dinners also meant more late-night snacking and a need for popcorn recipes. So, when popcorn slotted itself into my daily routine, I knew (like Bob Dylan in 1965) it was time to go electric. And while popcorn has settled in as an occasional snack rather than a daily staple, I still reach for my air popper when the craving hits. 

Electric popcorn makers are fast, efficient, and extremely convenient—no more guessing at the right heat setting to achieve a 100% pop rate without burning the last few kernels. There are two main types: air poppers (which use a high-temperature fan) and stirring popcorn makers (which employ a stirring arm, cooking oil, and a nonstick hot plate). We tested three versions of each to find out which popped the quickest, produced the best-tasting popcorn, and was the easiest to set up and clean. (Note: If you're wondering about the Whirley Pop, we absolutely love it.)

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Popcorn Maker

Presto Poplite Hot Air Popper

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Fast and efficient, the Presto popped the quickest batches of great-tasting popcorn time and time again, with very few unpopped kernels. It was also easy to clean with a few quick wipes of a dishrag. 

Another Good Popcorn Maker

Dash Hot Air Popcorn Maker

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Only slightly slower than the Presto, the Dash air popper was another great option. It was fast, made good popcorn, and had a low percentage of unpopped kernels. 

The Best Electric, Stirring Popcorn Maker

West Bend Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper

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For crisper popcorn, the West Bend stirring popcorn maker was only slightly slower than our top air poppers, and it left zero unpopped kernels behind. The lid can double as a bowl for serving, and the nonstick hot plate was easy to wipe clean between batches. 

The Tests

• Popcorn Test: We popped 100 grams (approximately 1/2 cup) of popcorn kernels in each popcorn maker to see how quickly they could pop a full batch (timing how long it took each to do so), and how many unpopped kernels were left. 
• Taste Test: We tasted each popcorn maker’s popcorn plain and with salt added, rating them on flavor, texture, and crispness. 
• Butter Warmer Test: We placed one tablespoon of butter straight from the fridge in each popcorn maker’s butter warmer to see how quickly it would melt, and how easily it poured.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: We noted how easy each popcorn maker was to set up and clean. We also tested any extra features and noted any wear and tear.

What We Learned

How Each Type of Popcorn Maker Works

The two main styles of popcorn makers are air poppers and stirring poppers. Air poppers are upright columns that have a well to add your kernels to, and a lid with a chute to direct the popcorn into your bowl. The kernel well sits directly on top of a hot air blower, which then heats the popcorn and causes it to pop. The popped popcorn is then blown up and out of the chute and into your bowl. They’re fast and pop big, puffy popcorn, and because they don’t use any oil, they’re also easy to clean.

Electric Popcorn Makers: A Quick Performance Rundown
Product Name	Time First Kernel Popped	Time Last Kernel Popped	Percentage Unpopped
Presto Poplite Air Popper	1:25	2:25	2.2%
Dash Hot Air Air Popper	1:45	2:45	4.1%
Cuisinart Easy Pop Air Popper	1:45	4:45	5.6%
West Bend StirCrazy Stirring Popper	2:49	3:57	0%
Dash SmartStore Stirring Popper	4:08	5:54	1 kernel
Cuisinart Easy Pop Stirring Popper	5:05	6:47	1 kernel

Stirring popcorn makers more closely mimic cooking popcorn on the stovetop. They have a nonstick heating base with a stirring arm and require cooking oil to pop. When you turn it on, the hot plate starts heating and the stirring arm moves the popcorn kernels and cooking oil around the base until the entire batch is popped. They tend to leave very few unpopped kernels, and the popcorn tends to be crisper, though they’re slower than air poppers. 

Air Poppers Were (Mostly) Efficient

Quick, and with very few unpopped kernels, the Presto Poplite Air Popper and Dash Hot Air Popcorn Maker were extremely efficient. With our winning air poppers, the popcorn immediately blew up a chute and out into a serving bowl, there was also no need to babysit each model to prevent burning. The Presto finished full batches in just under two-and-a-half minutes with 2% unpopped kernels, while the Dash was about 20 seconds slower and averaged 4% unpopped kernels. We also tested the Cuisinart Easy Pop Air Popper, but it was twice as slow and had 5.6% unpopped kernels—more than the other two makers. 

The Best Stir Poppers Made Crisper Popcorn

Both the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Maker and Dash SmartStore made the crispest popcorn we tasted. Each piece of popcorn from these models had a nice crackle and, as a bonus, neither of these models left any unpopped kernels. They were considerably slower than the top-performing air poppers, though. While the West Bend finished batches in just under four minutes, the Dash stirring popcorn maker took almost six. And then there was the Cuisinart EasyPop Stirrer—its last kernels popped after almost seven minutes, taking so long that the bottom layer of popcorn started to burn. With that much time under the lid, the popcorn began to steam and became chewy—and popcorn from the West Bend and Dash makers would likely have suffered the same fate if we hadn't flipped the bowls over just after the last kernels popped. 

Speed Was the Most Important Factor for Flavor and Texture

Popcorn relies on the moisture inside each kernel being heated until it becomes steam, which then causes it to pop open. The fastest popcorn makers made bigger, fluffier, tastier popcorn. All three of our winners showcased a nice corn-forward flavor profile. The air-popped kernels from the Presto and Dash models were fluffy and light and finished full batches in under three minutes. The West Bend stirrer (which had the highest wattage of any stirring model we tested) produced crisp, crackly pieces in just under four minutes. Slower popcorn makers made denser, starchier, and blander-tasting popcorn, but it was still enjoyable (as long as you weren’t eating the Cuisinart’s burnt batch). Salted batches scored slightly better than plain ones in the flavor category, but once you added butter, the subtleties between them were less apparent. 

Butter Warmers Weren’t Very Effective

None of the models we tested were able to melt butter straight from the fridge in the time that it took to pop, and only the butter warmer from Presto was able to pour melted butter without it dribbling. The West Bend and Dash stirring poppers suggested adding butter to the top vent to melt over your popcorn while it stirred, but their manuals said you could only do so after they finished popping. Putting butter on the vents allowed steam to build up, causing the popcorn to be soggy from the butter and chewy from the steam. On the Dash model, the butter melted into the popcorn while it was popping, but the stirring arm couldn’t distribute it very well. So while most models included a butter warmer feature, we still think you’re better off melting some in the microwave or on the stovetop instead. 

It Was a Pain to Clean Stir Poppers

Stirring popcorn makers use oil (like stovetop popcorn makers) to transfer heat to the kernels more efficiently than just the hot plate alone, but popping in oil also leaves their bowls (and bases) greasy. The Dash stirring popcorn maker had some deep ridges around the vent holes where half-popped kernels got stuck, forcing us to dig around and fish them out before taking the bowls to the sink. While the hotplates on the West Bend and Dash poppers were nonstick, they were also attached to the heating element, so you couldn't submerge them in water. Both manufacturers suggested wiping them clean with a rag, and while that worked just fine, the burnt oil in the Cuisinart model needed a good scrubbing to get clean. Thankfully, that model’s nonstick plate was removable from the base (and was dishwasher-safe).

In contrast, air poppers were a breeze to clean. Without any oil involved, all it took was wiping them off with a dishrag after they cooled down. If you do use the butter warmer, those were easy to hand-wash with warm, soapy water.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Popcorn Maker

The best popcorn makers are fast, popping full batches of popcorn in under three minutes for air poppers and under four minutes for stirring poppers. They’re also efficient, with very few unpopped kernels. They popped big, puffy popcorn without any burnt pieces and, finally, were easy to clean up afterward. 

The Best Popcorn Makers

The Best Popcorn Maker

Presto Poplite Hot Air Popper

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What we liked: The Presto popped the fastest, and it also produced big, fluffy, tasty popcorn. It routinely had a low percentage of unpopped kernels (around 2% compared to the 4 to 5.6% of the other air poppers). We appreciated the design details of this popper, too: the butter warmer poured neatly, the plastic pieces were sturdy and all fit together well, and the cord wrap secured the lid to the base (so the top wouldn’t fall off when grabbing it out of the cupboard). Overall, it was a great popcorn maker that was easy to use and easy to clean—what more can you ask for?

What we didn’t like: Our biggest gripe is that it doesn't have a power button and it just turns on automatically when you plug it in. It felt weird to shut it off by yanking the cord out of the wall. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 13.75 inches
• Capacity: 100 grams (1/2 cup) of popcorn kernels
• Features: Butter warmer, cord wrap 
• Care instructions: Wipe clean with a damp cloth

Another Good Popcorn Maker

Dash Hot Air Popcorn Maker

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What we liked: Only slightly slower (and with a few more unpopped kernels) than our top pick, the Dash air popper was another great option. We liked how the lid had notches that fastened it to the base, which was more secure than the other air poppers we tested. We also appreciated its power button, making it easy to turn it off when the batch was finished. 

What we didn’t like: It’s both slower and less efficient than our top pick, and its lid design also piled up popcorn on one side of the bowl so that it would overflow if you didn’t turn the bowl to catch the rest. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic
• Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Dimensions: 8.4 x 4.8 x 13.5 inches
• Capacity: 100 grams (1/2 cup) of popcorn kernels
• Features: Butter warmer, on/off switch
• Care instructions: Wipe clean with a damp cloth

The Best Electric, Stirring Popcorn Maker

West Bend Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper

View On Amazon $29 View On Walmart $32 View On Home Depot $40

What we liked: This popper made the crispest popcorn we tasted, and it was also the fastest of all the stirring models. It had a 100% pop rate in our testing (okay, there was one single unpopped kernel one time), and converting the lid into a serving bowl was convenient (if a little awkward to flip). If you prefer crackle to your corn over big puffy pieces, this is a great option. 

What we didn’t like: It was tough to clean.  The bowl got oily after each batch, and it took some elbow grease (and dish soap) to remove it fully. It was also tricky to clean the hot plate since you can’t submerge the base. We found that wiping it down with a paper towel was adequate, but if a batch ever burns it would be tough to scrub without getting it wet. You also have to be quick at the end of a cycle—even with vents, the popcorn is at risk of steaming or burning (or both) if you don’t turn it off and flip the popcorn into the bowl. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic, nonstick aluminum hot plate
• Weight: 3.35 pounds
• Dimensions: 11.5 x 11.7 x 7.5 inches
• Capacity: 100 grams (1/2 cup) of popcorn kernels, 6 quarts of popped corn
• Features: Butter warmer, lid converts into a serving bowl
• Care instructions: Wipe the cooking base clean with a damp cloth; dishwasher-safe bowl

The Competition

• Cuisinart Easy Pop Air Popper: This air popper was slower than the competition and left a slightly higher percentage of unpopped kernels. 
• Dash SmartStore: Nearly two minutes slower than the West Bend stirring popper, this model made denser and more bland popcorn. 
• Cuisinart EasyPop Stirrer: The slowest model we tested meant that the top half of the popcorn steamed inside the lid while the bottom portion burnt. It was the only model that produced inedible popcorn.

FAQS

Is an air popper worth it?

Air poppers are relatively inexpensive, fast, and efficient. They’re a convenient way to make consistent popcorn with very little cleanup. Because the hot air pops the corn so quickly, air poppers tend to produce big, fluffy popcorn that's ready for all sorts of inventive popcorn toppings. 

Can you use butter with an electric popcorn maker?

Many electric popcorn makers come with a butter warmer built in, but most aren’t up to the task of melting butter straight from the fridge—and they’re not great at pouring, either. Instead, we recommend melting butter in the microwave or on the stovetop and then drizzling it over a finished batch for better results. 

Is there a popcorn maker that doesn't use oil?

Air poppers rely on a high-temperature fan to pop popcorn, and don’t use any oil. Popcorn pops when the remaining moisture in a kernel heats up to the steam point, causing it to explode outwards, and air poppers work by heating the kernels directly. 

Why is my popcorn chewy in a popcorn machine?

Popcorn can get chewy if it spends too much time steaming. Electric stirring popcorn makers have vents that help prevent steam from building up in the bowl, but you should immediately turn them off when a batch has finished and flip the popcorn out into a bowl. Air poppers blow popped popcorn into a serving bowl right away, preventing it from being in contact with any steam. 

Why We're the Experts

• Jesse Raub was Serious Eats' commerce writer. In his time at the site, he wrote numerous reviews, including espresso machines and baking stones.
• For this review, Jesse tested six popcorn makers, evaluating their speed, efficiency, cleanup, and more.