Have experts reversed their thinking on coconut oil? I remember when the Center for Science in the Public Interest lobbied hard to have coconut oil banned from movie theaters. This was a while ago, though, so things could have changed. I definitely agree that coconut oil makes the best popcorn, hands down.

My daughter is having a movie themed birthday party, and my wife brought up the idea of renting a popcorn machine. I've always wanted one, and it seems like if we are going to spend the money to rent one, it makes more sense just to purchase one. I've read through this entire thread, and it appears that the Great Northern machines are very popular. They certainly are reasonably priced. I like the look of the Paragon machines more, but they are kind of pricey. I've narrowed it down to one of these two machines:

Great Northern Roosevelt (8-ounce):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QWE6S4/ref=psdc_1090764_t1_B002NLKYPA

Paragon Theater Pop (6-ounce):

http://www.amazon.com/Paragon-TP-6-Theater-6-Ounce-Popcorn/dp/B000212NU2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Why are the Paragon machines so much more money? Are they better quality, or simply overpriced?

I'm confused. The prices for both machines are quite a bit higher at the links you provided. What's wrong with Amazon?

After thinking it over, I've decided to go with this Great Northern model ...

http://greatnorthernpopcorn.com/p-71-great-northern-popcorn-blue-foundation-popcorn-popper-machine-cart-8-ounce.aspx

I just can't justify spending all that money on the Paragon machine when I can buy this one with a cart for half the price. I realize it isn't made as well, but I'm sure it will still make some tasty corn. For this particular machine, the price was actually a bit cheaper when ordering it directly from Great Northern as opposed to Amazon. I chose the blue color because it's a little different. Everyone has a red one.

Great Northern popcorn machine.jpg

Now I need to order some supplies. I think I'd rather go with the pre-measured packs than messing around with the corn, oil, Flavocol, etc ... Is there any particular brand that you guys recommend?

Well, I changed my mind yet again and went with a red model after all. I just placed the order. It will be here on Friday ...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WETCO4/ref=od_aui_detailpages00

Princeton Popper.jpg

No, the 4 oz ones have three compartments also. They are exactly the same as the 8 oz packs, just with half the ingredients ...

4oz pack.jpg

I read some of those threads over at AVS Forum as well. Last night, I ordered a case of Gold Medal and a case of Great Northern. The Gold Medal was actually a much better value at only $27.50 for a 24 pack (8 oz. size). The Great Northern was the same price for a 24 pack of the 6 oz. size.

As I stated above, I'm not fooling myself into the thinking that the Great Northern poppers are built nearly as well as their more expensive counterparts. For me, it was a trade off I was willing to make in order to get a machine with the look and features I wanted at a price point I could live with. If the Great Northern machines didn't get such good reviews, I wouldn't have bought one. Most people seem to really like them, so I'm assuming it will be good enough for my family's casual use.

What kind and size of bags would you recommend for home use, and where is a good place to buy them?

I'm pretty sure it's because the oil in the pre-measured packs is butter flavored.

I set my machine up last night, and the popcorn packs just arrived today. I'm ready to start popping some corn, but the oil is still rock solid from sitting outside in the cold. Can I put a rock solid chunk of oil in the machine, or do I need warm it up a bit first? Also, can I just dump everything in at once, or should you heat up the oil first before adding the corn?

Cool. Should I let the empty kettle heat up first before even putting the oil in? When should I turn on the mixer? You can tell I'm new at this.

It just dawned on me to read the directions on the back of the packs. I have both Great Northern and Gold Medal packs. Interestingly, they have very different directions. They both say you should pre-heat the kettle, but Great Northern recommends 5-7 minutes, whereas Gold Medal recommends 3-4 minutes. Gold Medal then advocates melting the oil before adding the other ingredients. Then, they want you to only put in three kernels, and wait until they pop before adding the rest. Great Northern says to just dump everything in at the same time. It probably doesn't make much of a difference.

Okay, I just made my first batch. I used the Gold Medal pack and followed the exact instructions on the back. The good news is that the popcorn is excellent ... nice and crispy with just the right amount of seasoning. The bad news is that there were a ton of unpopped kernels. I feel like I didn't quite squeeze all the oil out of the bag, so this could be partially to blame.

I popped some more corn today. This time it was the Great Northern corn. I thought it tasted great, but I think I slightly prefer the Gold Medal corn. It seemed to taste closer to what I am used to eating at the theater. The Great Northern pack did have less old maids.

I'm really loving my popper. One thing that is kind of annoying is the small gap above the doors. It allows a few kernels to fly out during popping. This is obviously not safe, and I have to make sure my kids aren't standing too close. Is this gap supposed to be there, or are my doors mounted a little low?

I'm pretty sure if I were to leave the doors open during popping, there would be popcorn all over the floor. Most of the popcorn spills out from beneath the hinged lids, but there is definitely some that goes flying out of the kettle during the process.

I'm at the car dealer waiting for an oil change on my Jeep. They have a really nice Gold Medal 16 oz machine ...

Gold Medal 16 oz popper.jpg

This sums up my thoughts as well. While I know there is a savings going bulk, I will only be making popcorn 2-3 times a week max. The convenience of the pre-measured packs outweighs the savings.

I turn off the heat when it becomes a few seconds between pops. The oil is so hot that it will continue to pop even with the heat off. I turn off the mixer right before I dump it. I then turn the mixer back on again for a bit, and then turn it off before dumping it one last time.

That's exactly the way Gold Medal recommends doing it on the back of the package. I usually just put the oil in, wait for it to completely melt, and then dump the corn and seasoning in. I've done it both ways, and to be honest, I didn't notice a difference in the end result.

I slightly prefer the Gold Medal ones. They also cost less ...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D20WAW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

I assume you mean Great Northern?

Ditto. It's fast, and the prices are good (especially if you are a Prime member).

My daughter had a birthday party the other night with eleven girls over. I popped four batches of corn, and the machine worked like a champ.

Man, you are going to love it! I've been using mine way more than I thought I would. It just tastes so damn good. Too bad I'm probably going to give myself a coronary.

The prices are very good on samsclub.com, but they are not necessarily the best once you add tax + shipping. For example, I paid $27.50 shipped for a case of 24 Gold Medal 8 oz packets on Amazon. The same case at Sam's Club is only $20.98, but once you add shipping and tax, it's $29.83.

My brother used to be the assistant manager at a large movie theater, and they would always save their leftover popcorn at the end of the day. I'm not sure if every chain does this, but if you order popcorn at the first showing, there is a good chance you are eating stuff that was popped the day before.

With my Great Northern machine, I have found that if I turn on the deck heater and let the popcorn warm up for an hour or so, it's not bad the next day. Beyond that, I pop a fresh batch.

I would recommend against this if the popcorn has salt/Flavacol on it. A lot of salt is not good for dogs.

In general, you get what you pay for. Based on my research, I would say Gold Medal and Cretors are the cream of the crop. They are expensive, but these are the machines that most theaters and large venues use. Paragon makes high quality machines as well, but they are a notch below the other two. Last, you have companies like Great Northern. These are much less expensive machines. In general, they are made in China and aren't built nearly as well as the American made machines. That being said, they are a good alternative for someone who doesn't want to spend a ton of money. They still make some tasty popcorn, and they should hold up just fine in a home environment. I have a Great Northern popper, and I absolutely love it.

How about a cotton candy machine?

I've done it using both methods, and the popcorn seems to come out fine either way. FWIW, the instructions on the back of the Gold Medal packs advise you to pre-heat the oil, and then add the rest of the corn and seasoning after the test kernels pop.

That's a personal thing. I find the pre-measured packs to have the perfect amount of seasoning, but it may be too much for some, and not enough for others. It's easy to add a little more Flavocol or salt if desired.

I assume that most people just keep the sticker facing the wall all the time. It seems like it would be kind of a pain to rotate the machine every time you want to use it. That's one of the negatives of the "commercial" poppers. They are designed so that the artwork is normally facing the customer. In a home environment, you want exactly the opposite.

I've found that the Gold Medal packs taste more like movie theater popcorn than the Great Northern packs. If you are just looking for the salt, this is the exact stuff most theaters use ...

http://www.gmpopcorn.com/products/product-description.cfm?pid=1861

Flavacol.jpg

Congrats on the new machine! This may be a stupid question, but how do you operate the machine with the door facing the wall?

It's normal for some kernels to fly out. Not much you can do about that. I've found that I have to monitor the lid during popping to make sure one of the sides doesn't get stuck in the up position. If this happens, I carefully knock it back down.

That's awesome! I've been trying to think of a solution, but yours is better than anything I came up with.

The Princeton model is also quite a bit larger. That's one of the main reasons I chose it over some of the other Great Northern poppers.

Princeton - 44.4 x 52.1 x 65.4 cm

vs.

Foundation - 43.2 x 35.6 x 52.7 cm

This is one of those rare occasions where Marcus is wrong.

The Princeton and the Lincoln both have actual heated decks. In addition to the bulb, there is a heating element under the stainless steel deck that helps to keep the popcorn warm. This is indeed a very desirable feature. I wouldn't buy a popper without it.

Here's what the normally hidden heating element looks like ...

Heating element.jpg

The Princeton does have a heated deck. I'm not sure why this isn't mentioned as a feature on Amazon.

Great choice! You guys are going to love it. The gold trim and etched glass really gives it an elegant look.

These are my favorite, followed by The Great Northern ones.

I've been having this issue, and I'd love to test it for you.

PM sent.

My original thought was to place a small neodymium magnet on each cover. I figured this would make them heavy enough so that they wouldn't be flung completely open during popping. Unfortunately, this idea went out the window as soon as I remembered that magnets don't stick to stainless steel.

Agreed. That's the cheapest I've seen one with a cart by far. They must be closing out that model.

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.

I use my thumb and forefinger to squeeze out the solidified oil. If there is any left, I will roll up the bag like a tube of toothpaste to squeeze out the last bit. To make it easier to handle, I usually pour the popcorn and flavacol in a separate cup first. I then cut off just the oil part of the packet. It's easier than dealing with the whole bag in such a confined space.

Yep, that would be ideal. It seems like such an obvious thing for them to do. I'm surprised none of the brands have thought of it.

Yep. That's precisely why I pour out the corn and salt before cutting off the oil part. It's a bit easier with the Gold Medal packs, since the it's just a straight line between the oil and the corn/salt.

Yep. They are all very similar. I went with the Princeton because I liked the red with the gold trim. It is also slightly larger than some of the other models.

As MrBally already mentioned, it's supposed to be mixed in with the oil. Have you ever tried popping your corn in a pot with coconut oil instead of using the air popper? It's obviously a lot higher in calories, but it tastes 1,000 times better. It doesn't come out quite as good as it does from a quality machine, but you can still pop some delicious corn in an ordinary pot. Just add the oil and then mix in the Flavacol after it has melted. Chuck in a couple kernels. When they pop, the oil is ready to add the rest of the corn. Once it starts popping, make sure to shake the pot back and forth on the burner/heating element so the unpopped kernels work their way to the bottom. You'll obviously have to use a lid, but you should keep it slightly askew so that the steam can escape. As far as the Flavacol goes, you'll have to experiment to see how much you like.

I think 8oz hits the sweet spot for home use. You can always pop 4oz or 6oz portions in it, but it's nice to be able to churn out larger batches when you want to.

Congrats! That's a beautiful machine, and a real workhorse. They have the exact same one at a hardware store by me. They've been churning out popcorn with it every day for YEARS. Those commercial Gold Medal poppers are built like tanks.

+1 on the GM Mega Pop kits.

If you do swap out the screws, please let us know what size they are.

What's interesting is that if you look at the thousand plus reviews on Amazon, rust is only mentioned a handful of times. Either people posted the reviews before the rust occurred, it only happens on some machines, or a majority of the people simply don't notice it. Regardless, it's still very concerning. I guess there is a reason why the Great Northern machines are so much less expensive than brands like Paragon, Gold Medal and Cretors.

So here's the real question. Is this problem just cosmetic, or is it truly something to be concerned about. It's not as if the popcorn ever touches the ceiling of the popper.

I thought the Great Northern packs have the salt/Flavacol in a separate pouch?

Great_Northern_popcorn.jpg

Ah, that makes sense. I have 6oz Great Northern packs at my house, and they definitely have a separate pouch for the salt. My 8oz Gold Medal packs, on the other hand, have it mixed in with the corn.

You should use my technique. Cut open the corn and salt and pour it all into a cup. Then, completely remove that section of the pack. It makes it much easier to deal with the oil. You can even roll it up like a tube of toothpaste to get out every last drop. When the oil is ready, pour the corn and salt from the cup into the kettle. Easy peasy.

I'm pretty sure most doctors still advocate a low sodium diet if you have hypertension.

I'm honestly not up to speed on the research. I haven't read anything about a shift in thinking when it comes to sodium and high blood pressure, but I certainly don't doubt what you are saying. I generally subscribe to the theory that everything is fine in moderation.

What's this "film" you speak of?

If you want to heat the oil up first, the best way to determine when it is time to add the corn is to throw in a couple test kernels with the oil. When they pop, dump in the rest.

For that price, you are better off going with an 8oz model like this one ...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Z9GDYG/ref=s9_al_bw_g79_i3

I guess the bottom line is that you get what you pay for. I agree that $300 is a lot of money, but the fact of the matter is that the Great Northern machines are relatively inexpensive compared to some of the other brands. They may market their products as "commercial quality", but the reality is that they aren't built nearly as well as machines from companies like Gold Medal, Cretors or Paragon.

I just checked out my Great Northern machine, and it has indeed started exhibiting the same rust issue. It's only in its early stages, but it's still very disappointing. I really wanted to buy a nicer machine, but it was beyond my budget. I guess I should have sold my collector quality Congo, downgraded to a player's Congo, and bought the Gold Medal popper instead ....

I'm thinking that, although it looks ugly, it not necessarily harmful. It's not as if the popped corn ever touches the rust.

It's not unreasonable at all. There is simply no excuse for the thing to be rusting like that. It's not as if the manufacturer doesn't know that the inside of the machine is a high humidity environment.

Loved that movie!

Glad to hear your recent snafu didn't cause any permanent damage. Is that a Gold Medal product?

I've only used the Great Northern and Gold Medal ones. They are both good products, but I prefer the Gold Medal (Mega Pop) ...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D20WAW

I usually pour the popcorn and flavacol in a separate cup first. It's then easy to cut off the oil part of the packet.

I'll tell you what. Shoot me your address, and I'll send you a bag of Mega Pop for free.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible. All OT threads are now supposed to reside in the basement. That's how Robin wants it. If we were to move this thread out of the basement, then people would want us to move other threads out of the basement. Once we start doing that, it's a slippery slope. How can we fairly pick and choose? I agree that this is an awesome thread, but the fact remains that it is OT.

I honestly don't really get why it matters if a thread is in the basement or not. Other than the color scheme, what's the difference? The thread hasn't been "buried" as lowepg suggested. All basement threads still show up on the main forum page if you have that option turned on in your forum settings.

The default is hidden ....

Settings.png

Who said I was unhappy?

Here's a screenshot of the main page on my phone. Notice the popcorn thread at the bottom .....

Screenshot.png

First of all, you are absolutely correct. This thread should be in the "All Gameroom Talk" sub-forum, and I will move it there now. In my haste to explain why it was moved to the basement, I completely overlooked the fact that there was already an appropriate sub-forum for it.

Secondly, you really need to learn how to express yourself in a more polite manner. Even when you are making a point that is valid, you have a tendency to do it an a nasty way.

I just moved it.

I think it's fine. It's in the appropriate sub-forum now, so people will know it's in reference to game rooms.

Perhaps something like this would work?

http://www.amazon.com/Prepworks-Progressive-Handled-Coffee-Scoop/dp/B000HM606Y

Scoop_(resized).jpg

If anyone is looking for some good popcorn bags, I recently picked up some of these laminated ones made by Gold Medal. They are very high quality, will hold butter without it soaking through, and are the perfect size for movie night with the family ...

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/gold-medal-laminated-popcorn-bags-2-5-oz/197132.ip?origin=item_page.rr1&campaign=rr&sn=ClickCP&campaign_data=197133

If you don't want to buy 1000 of them, you can pick up a pack of 60 on Amazon for $14 ...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WF6ATDA

Gold_Medal_bag_(resized).jpg

I use this scoop. It works great!

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmark-42030-Aluminum-Speed-Scoop/dp/B005H8YMYU/ref=lp_2583165011_1_1

Popcorn_scoop_(resized).jpg

Just when you thought it couldn't possible go any lower, they knocked it down to only $119.95. This is an absolute steal ...

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Northern-Popcorn-Lincoln-Antique/dp/B000QWCAB4

Lincoln_Popper_(resized).jpg

*also raises hand*

A halogen bulb might be an even better option. Don't they run hotter?

For every batch I make, I always toss a couple test kernels in first. Once they pop, I know the oil has reached the proper temperature, and then I add the rest.

Like I said before, $120 was a steal. I'm glad you jumped on it. For that price, I considered purchasing a second one as a spare. The only problem is that my cart is red.

The Lincoln popper at $120 was a much better deal. It's a slightly larger machine with a higher wattage kettle (860 vs. 640).

I haven't tried it myself, but it has very good reviews on Amazon. If you're looking for organic all-in-one packets, people seem to really like this stuff ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8KF140

Organic_Popcorn_(resized).jpg

I've always thought that one looks cool as well. I almost bought it, but I decided I didn't need that large of a kettle. I would imagine it's the same quality as all the other Great Northern poppers. For light to medium use, it should be more than sufficient. If you plan on using it all the time, it might make sense to invest in a better machine from a company like Gold Medal, Cretors or Paragon. Of course, they will be substantially more expensive unless you find a good deal on a used one.

If you are on a budget, the Great Northern poppers are great. I have one, and I love it. They don't compare in quality, however, to the machines made by companies like Gold Medal, Cretors, Paragon, etc ... Great Northern may call their machines "commercial quality", but they are really designed for home use. As shock_me recently pointed out, you get what you pay for.

There's no problem at all popping smaller batches in an 8 oz machine. I've done it many times with mine. As long as you have the right corn to oil ratio, you'll be fine.

My guess is that it heats up faster and gets hotter.

Again, this is just a guess, but I'm thinking there is a temperature range where the corn can properly pop without burning. A kettle that can heat up near the top of that range will pop the corn faster.

I found this information after doing a Google search ....

Wattage

Wattage refers to how much power the machine needs. While many believe that a higher wattage rating is needed to make an efficient machine, that’s not necessarily true. Sure, it’ll make popcorn fast. However, it will result in more unpopped kernels and more wasted energy.

Popcorn machines should be efficient. It needs to use power effectively to make the best popcorn possible. Just because a machine has a lower wattage doesn’t mean it’s inferior. In fact, it may mean that the machine is designed more strategically to ensure that energy isn’t wasted.

For home theaters, it’s good to look at machines that have around 600 watts. You can choose an option with more or less based on how fast you want a cycle completed and how power-efficient you need the machine to be.

I have one of those as well. It does indeed work great. So simple, and yet so brilliant at the same time.

This would be my advice as well. Letting it sit for a bit with the warmer on will help to dry it out.

That looks like a nice commercial popper. What brand/model is it? It might make sense to purchase a new motor if it's an expensive machine and everything else is still in great shape.

It's actually a pretty cool store with great prices.

The popcorn may taste good from a Whirley-Pop, but it doesn't have nearly the same cool factor as a popcorn machine.