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The Costco up here in Canada only sells these pre-packs;
http://www.costco.ca/Bullseye-Popcorn-Kernels-Portion-bags-for-Kettle-Popcorn-Machine-–-113.4-g-(4-oz.)-48case-or-226.8-g-(8-oz.)-24case.product.100118105.html
I've heard mention of coconut oil. Any Canadian vendors anyone is aware of? I'm considering getting a kettle machine for my wife's 40th birthday. She is a big popcorn eater.
Hi guys, a couple easy questions for you.
1) A 8oz kettle makes exactly how much popcorn? Enough for 4 people?
2) Is 40 watts the only significant difference between these two models (below)? Does 40w make that much of a difference?
Thank you!
Quoted from pinballlooking:I think 8 oz is good for 4 people that is what we have and it works well.
Make sure you get a “heated warming deck” very important to dry it out and make it taste good.
amazon.com link »
Sorry, I must be blind. I don't see where it says this model has a heated warming deck. It seems to be identical to the Princeton but black.
Quoted from gweempose:Lincoln popper.PNG (Click image to enlarge)
Yep. Blind. Thank you!
So a heated warming deck is the way to go? I'm not really keen on the black version of this popper. The Princeton doesn't seem to have this feature. 
Quoted from Xerico:Princeton does have this feature. Based on my research, the "warming deck" is really a marketing term for the heat lamp (bulb) that keeps the popcorn warm.
Princeton has the same style bulb in it that you find in the black version.
I have a Princeton and the heat lamp does a fine job of keeping the popcorn warm.
Marcus
Sweet! Thanks! This is the model I'm leaning towards. I just like the overall styling best. I was going to purchase this as a surprise 40th gift for my wife but I'm thinking it's best to pass it by her first. She's weird that way. 
Thanks guys. I spoke with my wife this evening. I didn't give away the gift idea, but I have decided to go with the Princeton.
I think I'll also order the Flavorcol (sp?) and premeasured kits.
Has anyone used this stuff? Coconut oil;
http://www.amazon.ca/24-10-6-oz-Snap-Paks-Poppers-Flavored/dp/B003A6FOF2/ref=pd_cp_79_3
Quoted from MrBally:Yes, it's the only oil to use. Do not use Canola oil in a good popper.
Do you find the coconut oil makes the popcorn taste different? Can you tell the difference between the coconut oil and say the regular oil? Or am I misunderstanding the oils? Are they all coconut oil that just taste like butter?
Thanks.
So I have my wallet out and I'm ready to pull the trigger on the Princeton. Then I see this;
http://www.popcornmachine.ca/popcorn-anytime-popcorn-machine-8oz.html
It looks identical to the Princeton, but it's 200 less. The Princeton is made for commercial use, while the identical unit (without the Princeton logo) states "for home use only".
Is it really worth the extra $200 to get the commercial unit? I could buy the home use version and if it breaks I could buy another one and still be even.
Guys, I gave the popcorn machine to my wife for her 40th birthday (also gave her jewelry as a back-up gift). We are just about to fire it up for the first time!
One question: How often do you clean out the kettle and/or the entire machine?
Quoted from kapsreiter:I clean the machine after every use
when we use the machine we also produce more Popcorn then we need
so we have the next 2 weeks Popcorns
in buckets
Does it stay fresh this way? My wife didn't want to try out the popcorn machine last night because it was just the two of us and she didn't want to "waste food". I told her there are 48 pre-measured bags and to just try out her new toy.
It's funny, if we go to the theatre she scarves down the kernels so quickly I can barely get my hand into the bag.
My first batch did not go well. I put the pre-measured butter/oil mix in and waited for it to heat up (3-4 minutes). I lifted the kettle flap to check it and it was all melted and definitely hot. Dumped the popcorn in and soon it started popping. All was going well until the kernels stopped popping… I go to tip the kettle and dump the popcorn and the kettle won't tip. It's stuck. Finally I apply some force and it tips, but it's too late. Popcorn has burnt in the kettle. The kettle has black marks scorched into it.
The kettle was misaligned in the tip hinges which is why it didn't tip. But now I'm left with a blackened kettle. A paper towel won't clean it thoroughly. I tried a moist cloth but it didn't get all of it out. It's okay, but it's not clean. I bought some kettle cleaner so I might try that. I don't want the next batch of corn contaminated.
The popcorn was good. The stuff that wasn't burnt anyway. I guess we got about 4oz of good popcorn out of the 8oz package. There were a lot of unpopped seeds. Maybe the oil wasn't hot enough when I poured the popcorn in?
Quoted from vid1900:The oil needs to be really hot (425*F) before adding the corn, 3 minutes seems too soon.
If you don't have a laser thermometer, drop in a single kernel. If it does not almost instantly pop, it's not hot enough.
Quoted from PlatinumPinMike:FiftyQuid , what machine you buyed , the great northern one of the cheapest from popcornmachine.ca ??
Mike
Quoted from gweempose:Just throw in one or two kernels at the same time you pour in the oil. As soon as they pop, you know the oil is ready to add the rest of the corn.
Thanks!
Quoted from pkiefert:It's surprising how well that heated deck and heat lamp work to refresh the popcorn.
If we have leftover popcorn at the office here, we just turn off the light and leave it in the machine over night. Then when we get in to the office in the morning, we turn the heating deck/lamp on.
In short order the popcorn is 99% as good as the original pop that happened yesterday.
How many cats do you have in the office to keep mice out of it?
Man I love this thread. I popped two 8 oz. bags last Friday. Friday is our kids movie night. We ordered Thai food and stuffed our faces then popped the popcorn and sat down to watch. Despite being full, we ate all the popcorn. 3 adults, and 2 kids under 5 with 16oz of popped corn in our bellies! Delicious!
I have a weird question about the pre-packs. I find I'm having difficulty squeezing the oil into the kettle. The oil mixture isn't really a liquid, it kind of comes out like soft frozen orange juice. I just find it awkward squeezing it out of the package into the kettle as there isn't a lot of room to move inside.
Do you guys heat up the oil mix a little in the microwave so it just pours out? Right now, I'm squeezing it onto a plate and then using a spatula to put it in the kettle.
Quoted from vid1900:The oil needs to be really hot (425*F) before adding the corn, 3 minutes seems too soon.
If you don't have a laser thermometer, drop in a single kernel. If it does not almost instantly pop, it's not hot enough.
Vid I brought home my laser thermometer. The oil never got to 425*F, not even close. I hit 200*F after 10 minutes of the oil being heated up in the kettle. I'm only on my 5th batch so I still have to season the kettle, but what gives?
Oh, and how accurate are the measurements in those pre-packs? I'm using the Great Western dual packs. The very first batch I popped came out partially yellowed with a perfect amount of salt. This last batch was practically white and waaaaaaayyyy too salty.
Quoted from Wolfmarsh:I've never done a 2oz in my 8oz, but I've done the 4oz packs in it just fine.
I should have bought a 16oz version! My wife had her family over last week and we went through 15 pre-packed 8oz bags!
Quoted from MrBally:Even more dollars using Canadian currency. The GST and PST are oppressive.
The government has gotten rid of GST and PST and change it to HST (Harmonized Sales Tax). Just wanted you to know. Still very impressive!
8oz is perfect for me, my wife and two children under 6 on movie night. We eat the entire thing.
Quoted from Warbleboopie:A word of warning, do not leave popcorn or butter or anything liquid on the roof of the machine, on the gears for the stirrer, or on the screws on the roof. I am getting a lot of my great northern popper replaced for free by the company because it rusted. The roof rusts, the gears rust and the screws rust all on the inside ceiling. If you clean religiously after use you may get some good mileage out of the machine, but if you do not the parts will all rust and the machine will become unusable extremely quickly.
To reiterate, the ceiling, gears and screws on the inside roof of the popper are NOT made of stainless or rust-resistant material and there are no upgrade parts available. Clean religiously or lose your machine. If it happened already, great northern may replace the parts (they did for me, my popper was bought in April of this year).
Mine is less than 2 months old and I'm seeing rust where you mention. I'll probably just swap them out with some screws from the hardware store. For the gears I'll bath them in coconut oil as Vid suggests.
Quoted from lowepg:Are you kidding?
This thread had about the best signal to noise ratio of most threads on pinside!
I agree. There is a wealth of knowledge in this thread which should completely over shadow rust on 4 screws with a combined value of .25 cents.
Quoted from vid1900:The only part that would possibly need replacement is the single galvanized roof panel. A very simple job, well within the abilities of any pin tech.
Like my grandfather used to say:
"When your Frisbee is stuck in the rain gutter, there are only 2 kinds of fathers in the world. One who tells you to wait and see if the lawn guy will climb up and get it for you, and one who pulls out a ladder."
My grandfather was neither. He would have just bought another Frisbee. 
Quoted from epthegeek:As a fan of salt, I'm offended by Vid's urging you to use less than the prescribed amount.
I bought the pre-pack stuff from Great Northern. There is WAY too much salt mixed in with the popcorn seeds. To pop a pre-pack I have to open the pack and dump it into a strainer to separate the seeds from the Flavorcol. Then I use a teaspoon to add just about half back into the corn. Then I warm up the oil/butter mix in the microwave for 1 minute so it's easier to pour into the kettle and add the seeds.
So much for using pre-packs! I should have just bought everything in bulk! 
Quoted from gweempose:I thought the Great Northern packs have the salt/Flavacol in a separate pouch?
Great_Northern_popcorn.jpg
Sorry, what I meant to say was Great Western.
Way too much salt.
Guys, I've been popping corn for over two months now. I was going to try cleaning the kettle with inside kettle cleaner. I went to use the stuff but there are no instructions on the container? How do you use this stuff and how much do you use?
The stuff I have: http://www.popcornmachine.ca/inside-kettle-cleaner.html
I'm pretty new to the whole popcorn machine thing. I've only had mine for 3 or so months. I originally started the way you did. I warmed up the oil until it was smoking and then dumped everything in. This produced great tasting popcorn but all of it was white. 2 months in and I think I have it down to a science now. Instead of letting the oil get smoking hot I just warm up the kettle a bit. Then dump everything in. This produces that yellowish "movie" popcorn that we are all use to. Looks great, tastes great.
As for the pre-packs, yeah they are a complete pain in the ass. I cut open the seed section and dump it into a small bowl, then I cut open the salt and dump as much as I want in. Then I cut the excess plastic off the pre-pack and throw the oil into the microwave for about 1-1.5 minutes to melt everything and get it warm. The only good thing about the pre-packs is not having to measure everything out. Plus they're easier to store.
BTW, nice garage. I could eat off that floor.
Quoted from Spyderturbo007:Looks like cleanup is just a matter of wiping it down with a damp cloth?
Yep. Cleans up pretty easily. Makes sure to check for rust on the screws on the ceiling of the machine. I purchased kettle cleaner but I haven't used it yet. Mainly because it didn't come with instructions.
Man, the rust has started to take over on my < 6 month old machine. Even though I meticulously wipe off the excess moisture after every pop session. I'm contacting the company about it. A $300 popcorn machine shouldn't rust. This is bullshit.
I sent the company an email. I'll let you know their response;
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
Last May I purchased an 8oz Anytime Popcorn machine from The Canadian Popcorn Company. I use the machine every Friday evening to pop up a batch of popcorn for myself, my wife and our two kids. The machine is working well. However, I have started to notice the gears are rusting. Also, the metal roof inside is rusting and all of the finishing screws inside are also rusting. To combat this I have started wiping down the inside of the machine after I pop a batch with a dry cloth. I don’t understand why these components were not properly galvanised.
It has gotten to the point where I no longer want to use the product as I don’t want to serve my kids contaminated food. I also don’t want to make the problem any worse than it already is.
Have there been any recalls on this product? What are my options?
Their response...
"The problem is very complex, if the machine isn't wiped down after each use the salt in the popcorn will start eating through the metal (Galvanized or not), If left overnight or over a few days the salt will start pitting the metal in the machine. There isn't any recalls or anything that can be done currently.
If you can send me over a picture of the machine I will see if I can get you a new top plate for the machine to replace it."
I get what they are saying, but this does not happen to all popcorn machines on the market. Also, the inside base is not rusting. It receives the most salt and it's polished steel.
Quoted from gweempose:I guess the bottom line is that you get what you pay for.
Yes, I understand that. However, I bought the item in May. I would say I use it infrequently (once a week). I would hope to get at least a year out of the product. I'll post some pictures later tonight to show how much rust is occurring.
For now, I'll be taking advantage of the warranty;
1 Year total warranty on the entire machine..
Warranty includes, kettle, motor, stand, housing, and paint.
Warranty does not include abuse, drops, water damage or anything outside of normal use.
Not to mention this write up on it;
Popcorn Machine works well with any tabletop or bar top setting.
3 Position Control Switch.
Built-in Stirring System integrated with Kettle.
Built-in warmer light.
Kettle detaches for easy clean up.
Pull-out kernel catcher or "Old Maid" for uncooked kernels.
Flip-up lids allow popcorn to pop out of kettle.
Yields about 3 Gallons of Popcorn per batch.
820 watts, works on standard 110-volt household electricity
ETL approved to UL STD 1083 and CSA standard 22.2 No 64 Specifications
Large 8 Oz. Stainless Steel Kettle.
Switches Include (Spot Light / Deck Warmer), (Kettle Stirrer, and Kettle Heater).
======>>>>>>>> All high quality metal construction.<<<<<<<<<<<=========
Works with any Popcorn Kit
Quoted from vid1900:If you get a new roof, you can "season" it with oil before you install it. Just bake it in the oven like you would a cast iron skillet
He is looking into getting me a new roof. I just have to provide pictures which I will do tonight.
Hey guys, here are the pics. I'm about to send these off to the company to see what they will do. This machine is a little less than 5 months old and is used every Friday to make 1 batch of pre-pack popcorn 8oz. This is a $199.00 machine and I ordered a bunch of add-on's with it so the total was around $400 at order end.
Quoted from boscokid:Disgusting. I'd say 'warning' is an understatement.
I think you should cut your losses and throw that in the trash. Look on craigslist for a used Cretors or Gold Medal
I don't understand what you mean by "warning". It's still under warranty. I'm in Canada so the next best thing here is Kijiji.
Quoted from vid1900:In America, "Warning" has the same meaning as "Beware" in Canada.
What? I never heard of this and I'm pretty heavy into everything American. You don't have the word beware in America?
Quoted from boscokid:Or the first pic posted clearly shows the word "warning" in big red letters.
I wouldn't eat anything out of that and certainly wouldn't feed to kids or guests. I think it's a lost cause, and any remedy they provide for free will be just as suspect
I am not using the machine. I'm going to hear the sales rep. out and then decide what to do.
Quoted from gweempose:I'm thinking that, although it looks ugly, it not necessarily harmful. It's not as if the popped corn ever touches the rust.
The pictures don't really do it justice. I believe this is beyond normal wear for less than average use. To me, it is excessive. I have started religiously wiping down the machine immediately after use. I am practically wiping down the machine as the kettle is popping just to keep it from getting any worse.
Harmfulness aside, this is only after 5 months so that's approximately 20 uses for me (once every Friday). I didn't expect a commercial grade popcorn machine when I bought it, but when it said "Home Use" I did expect it to last at least a year. I don't think that is unreasonable. I haven't even gone through the initial two boxes (48 packs) of pre-packs I bought.
Quoted from lowepg:Ugh.... Accidentally left my Gold Medal kettle heater on for 4 hours during poker night!
*crossing fingers* I can get it cleaned up.
Ouch. I left my natural gas barbecue on for 24 hours once. The only reason I noticed was because I went to cook on it and it was already up to temp.
I finally got a message back from the company I bought my machine off of. Oh what the heck, it's The Canadian Popcorn Company. Anyway, they are going to send me a new shell. However, they don't have one and have told me it will take quite a while to get.
So I sent them back an email and played dumb a bit. I asked "Is this a replacement part? Will it not rust just like the old one? Maybe I’m not understanding how this will fix the problem?"
I will wait to see what their reply is.
A new shell is going to be half the cost of the machine. It has to be shipped to them (at their cost) and then shipped to me (at their cost). I'm also taking up their time with correspondence and I'll most definitely be emailing them multiple times for instructions on how to take everything apart and re-assemble it. Not to mention the screws are rusted and most of them will probably snap off when I go to take this thing apart.
At this point I don't understand why they just don't take this as a loss or refund me, even partially.
I agree with vid. I contemplated a 4oz, but ended up with an 8oz. I have never regretted that decision. You'll just end up popping two pre-packs with a 4oz so your kettle will get twice the wear and you'll have to repeat the popping process x2.
I was just sent an email from the The Canadian Popcorn Co. and it looks like they are sending me an entirely new machine and not a shell as they had stated earlier. Now I play the waiting game...
My new shell arrived today. Basically the company sent me another identical unit minus the kettle. Oh, and kernel tray - wtf? So now I have two popcorn machines or at least a shell of one. So do I take the one machine apart and try to coat the parts that rusted up last time?
I should just send the other unit back to them. 
Are you still able to find basement threads in the normal search? I'm wondering how many threads like this I'm missing out on.
Quoted from lowepg:Well, Im going to assume it wasn't meant to be a punitive move, perhaps just a mistake.
My only point is that its been a pretty damn good thread and super informative (caused me to buy a machine)! And I hate to see it buried it into the "miscellaneous drawer" with other not-so-useful stuff.
Agreed. I bought a machine solely based off this thread.
Has anyone tried the organic stuff from Great Northern? Does it taste like wood chips or is it comparable?
Great Northern has Organic "Old Fashioned" and Organic "Movie Theatre". I wonder what the difference is?
Quoted from xsonics2k2:Here is a reminder to deep clean your machine every once in a while. Up until this point I have always wiped down every visible part meticulously between batches. EXCEPT... I never once looked at the ceiling of the machine as it sits a bit lower than my vantage point and my bulb has been out for a while so I didn't have light shining up to reveal what was going on. I always 'assumed' the ceiling was fine and low maintenance, but wow, the ceiling was disgusting.
I did a deep clean on my Great Northern machine today. After 1.5 hours of scrubbing the heck out of the top and everywhere else, I noticed rust over 25% of the metal up there. I am now on the hunt for a non-rusting machine.
I also need to get a new light and will scour this forum for a recommendation on which light bulb to get. I couldn't find the part in the manual.
Sorry if this post made you queasy, but make sure to look up at your ceiling of your machine.
Mine did the same thing, but after I scrubbed the shit out of it and removed the rust I discovered the metal had changed colour and what remained didn't rust after repeated poppings. It's almost like the metal was coated in another metal and once the coating had rusted off, the metal underneath was fine.
I took a look at the listing again and the Seller is actually 2 minutes from my work. If anyone wants me to go and test it out let me know. Keep my location in mind.
Quoted from jellikit:I was glad to see this thread get a BUMP as it made me think of John and what he had brought to the hobby. He was a good guy that I always enjoyed talking pinball with. It is hard to believe it will be 2 years ago next month that he passed away:
http://www.voranfuneralhome.com/obituary/John-R.-White-Jr./Allen-Park-MI/1532153
He started this thread, that was the connection since it might not be clear to others. RIP John.
Brad
Thanks for sharing this knowledge as I was completely unaware. This is my favourite thread on Pinside. No drama, no bashing, no dickheads, just popcorn *knock on wood*
This thread introduced me to the popcorn world and was the reason I purchased a machine. Now I have two in the house. We use them when company comes over, movie nights, and whenever the kids have birthday parties.
Quoted from Lamprey:I didn't see this posted here, so throwing it in if it helps anyone....
I eat far more popcorn than any human probably should. With the recent talk of ghee and toppings, I saw some questions about how to apply/spread it on your popcorn. The easiest is probably to just pump/squirt/dribble it on.
However, I've taken a slightly different tact to making popcorn; for reference, I tend to use extra popcorn. Meaning, if you used a 4oz pre-pacgacked portion I add an additional 1/3 cup of kernels. So, I'm lacking a bit of the fat that you would normally have. To help compensate for that I like to put on some clarified butter (ghee) to help with the buttery flavor. To apply it, I tried many ways, but found that a hand-pump sprayer works the best.
You might try just a plain old spray bottle and see if that works (i.e. cheap) or I recommend the Prepara Oil Sprayer. The reason I like is that the base/container is actual glass, not plastic. So, I can keep that refrigerated with the ghee in it and just pop it into the microwave to warm it up (make it liquid). Then I can "mist" the popcorn in my popcorn maker and toss it around and spray some more. That gives the popcorn a nice buttery note without it dripping in oil.
When I'm done, I just pump some hot water through the sprayer to clean out the ghee and let it dry.
Here is the oil sprayer I speak of:
amazon.com link »
Cheers!
Gee man, the reviews are ripping on this badly. How long have you had yours?
Quoted from Spyderturbo007:I do mine differently than how I've read most people do it. I add the oil and seasoning at the same time to a cold kettle. Once the oil is melted, I add the corn. After that, it takes about 5-6 minutes for it to pop. I also dump it pretty early as well, when it's in the neighborhood of 1 - 2 pops / second.
After doing about 100 batches, I find this tastes the best to me. I've tried it the way some people suggest and wait for the oil to get hot, but I don't think it tastes as good as when you add it initially. You'll also notice that if you do it that way, the popcorn looks more white.
It's going to be slightly spongy right after popping because of all the steam. It's the best if you pop it ahead of time and let it sit in the kettle with the warming tray turned on for about an hour or so.
This is how I pop mine as well. I like seeing the yellow on the popped corn. I let the oil get very hot but it still takes a minute to finally pop the corn. I pop it early as well and let it sit for a bit afterwards.
Quoted from weasley:My cats like to bat around the popcorn and knock it under the couch... but not eat it!
My dumbass cat sits there waiting for the popping to finish and for myself, wife or my kids to spill a popped kernel on the floor. The thing loves eating popcorn!
Quoted from gweempose:My dog loves popcorn too. He's always sneaking down into the basement to see if he can find any stray kernels on the ground near the machine.
My cat sits by the machine and munches down any stray pieces that hit the floor while filling our bowls. I think she's a salt addict.
Hi guys, I am thinking of going to bulk packaging instead of portion packs. I am trying to do the math to see where the best break in price is.
My question, how much oil comes in one of the 8oz portion packs? Or to word this another way, how much oil should be used when popping 8oz of kernels?
Thanks guys. I did the math, and if I go with a 50LB bag I'm only saving about $30 when compared to portion packs. It is a savings, but for $30 I have to measure everything out, and find space for the kernels, salt, and butter bucket.
I'm in Canada so I'm sure the savings are much bigger in the USA, but it looks like I'll stick with portion packs for now.
I guess I'm reducing plastic waste by going bulk instead of portion packs but even then the 50LBs of kernels comes in 12.5LB sealed plastic bags.
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