Whether you’re at home or a movie theater, whether you’re alone or with friends, you simply can’t imagine a good movie without some fresh popcorn.

Luckily, popcorn is a snack that you can eat anytime without worrying that you’ll gain a few extra pounds. And what if I tell you that you can make popcorn without using any oil?

That’s right; you can forget about microwave because an air popcorn popper is one of the quickest and healthiest ways to make popcorn that doesn’t involve oil!

NameOn/Off SwitchMaterialPriceOur Rating
Presto PopLite Hot Air PopperPlastic$
Presto Orville Redenbacher's Hot Air PopperPlastic$
TWOBIU Popcorn Machine Hot Air Popcorn PopperAluminum Alloy$$
Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker
(Editor’s Choice)
Plastic - BPA free$$
Hamilton Beach Hot Air Popcorn PopperPlastic$$

What is an Air Popcorn Popper?

Best Air Popcorn Popper

An air popper is a type of electric popcorn popper that is using hot air to make popcorn kernels pop. This device provides a quick preparation of popcorn without using oil. Corn kernels are loaded into a metal-lined chamber and blasted with hot air until they pop. When this fantastic transformation happens, the popcorn kernels get blown out of the popping chamber and out into the bowl through the curved cover for controlled shots.

Hot air popcorn poppers are best suited for cooking ½ a cup of popcorn kernels at a time, which will result in 15 cups of popcorn. The average air popper makes enough popcorn for four people in around five minutes. Also, an air popper can be used again immediately to create batch after batch of popcorn.

How Does It Work?

Best-Air-Popcorn-Popper

It’s pretty simple. First, you put the kernels go into the popping chamber using a measuring device (here’s the first hint of what to look for in a good popper). Turn it on, and the magic starts to happen.

By magic, we mean – a fan blows the heated air into the chamber, which heats and moves the kernels at the same time, so they get to pop and not burn.

Advantages of Using a Popcorn Popper

Here is why the air popcorn popper is the ultimate popcorn-making machine:

1

It’s healthy.

Unlike microwave-packed popcorn bags which, besides popcorn kernels, contain a whole list of additives, air popcorn kernels are all the ingredients of your homemade popcorn which prevent you from having any health problems which is nowadays a big problem.

2

You are paying small price for the quality you get.

Comparing to the packaged microwave bags, by buying a bag of popcorn kernels in bulk you can save a lot and still have the best quality! You’ll be surprised to learn how affordable they are; you’ll be able to save up to 60%! How great is that!

3

It’s environmentally friendly.

Planning a big movie night with friends or family usually involves dozens of bags of popcorn to make enough snacks for everyone. All of these bags create a big pile of trash that you wouldn’t have to worry about if you had a popcorn popper in your kitchen.

What to Look for in a Popcorn Popper?

What-to-Look-for-in-a-Popcorn-Popper

The most important consideration is whether the popcorn popper can consistently make high-quality popcorn that is crisp, leaving no kernels unpopped, or even worse – burning them. Besides that, there are few things you should be thinking about when you are in the search for the best popcorn popper. Here is a list of things you should be concerned about while purchasing a popcorn popper:

1

Build materials.

A good popcorn popper needs to be built from high-quality materials that can last for a long time. Next, you need to pay attention to the materials inside, where the action happens. If the inside chamber and inner parts are made of plastic, no matter how good the product is, you should avoid it. Heat and plastic simply don’t go well together.

2

BPA free.

As you may already know, BPA is a synthetic compound that has been used in the creation of plastics over the years. Some recent studies showed that BPA could cause significant health problems. Because of that, finding a popcorn popper without BPA is important when you consider the fact that your popcorn popper will be exposed to considerable heat every single time that it is used. So make sure that you have this in mind while purchasing.

3

Maximum capacity.

If you only plan on making popcorn for yourself or one more person max, this might not be much of a factor. However, if you are planning to use your popcorn popper when you have some friends and family over, then you should consider choosing a high-capacity popcorn popper that can produce more than one serving.

4

It needs to be easy to clean.

It’s so easy and delightful to enjoy your crunchy popcorn snack, but then the cleaning time comes. If your popper is too complicated to wash, it will be a too much of hustle, and you’ll end either trashing it or putting it somewhere to collect dust. If you do not prefer washing by hand, pick a popcorn popper that is either partially or entirely dishwasher safe.

5

Size.

Considering the size is imperative when deciding which popcorn popper to buy. An air popper is usually among the smallest appliances because they require a separate bowl to collect the popped kernels. Electric countertop poppers are much larger and will take up the most space, so you’ll have to make some extra countertop space for this type of popper.

Best Air Popcorn Popper Reviews

After a lot of researching and collecting information, we gathered our top five favorite products that we will now compare and see if they got what it takes to make tasty and crisp popcorn.

NameOn/Off SwitchMaterialPriceOur Rating
Presto PopLite Hot Air PopperPlastic$
Presto Orville Redenbacher's Hot Air PopperPlastic$
TWOBIU Popcorn Machine Hot Air Popcorn PopperAluminum Alloy$$
Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker
(Editor’s Choice)
Plastic - BPA free$$
Hamilton Beach Hot Air Popcorn PopperPlastic$$
Presto PopLite Hot Air Popper
(Via: amazon.com)

  • Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 10 x 7 inches.
  • Item Weight: It’s very light and easy to carry around because it only weighs 1 pound.
  • Material Type: Made of plastic.

If you want to make popcorn fast and easy then, you’ve come to the right place. With Presto PopLite Air Popper, you’ll have up to 18 cups of crispy popcorn in less than 2 and a half minutes. And because the popcorn popper uses hot air instead of oil, the resulting snack is healthier and has fewer calories than standard popcorns do.

It has a see-through plastic cover and a cup, which must stay on top of it during popping. Otherwise, the popped corn will fly all over the room. Best of all, the parts are easily removed for hand cleaning with warm, soapy water. No other clean-up is required. Also, it’s easy to clean on the outside, all you have to do is to wipe it with a clean cloth, and you’re done.

Things I liked

  • It makes up to 18 cups of your favorite snack in 150 seconds.
  • Portable and lightweight.
  • It is easy to clean – you just need to wipe it with a clean cloth.

Things I didn’t like

  • The removable parts are not dishwasher safe.
  • Does not have an on/off switch – when you plug it in it’s on.
  • The plastic parts are not BPA free.
Presto Orville Redenbacher's Hot Air Popper
(Via: amazon.com)

  • Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 10 x 7.1 inches.
  • Item Weight: This one is a little bit heavier than the previous one but still lightweight. It weighs around 2.9 pounds.
  • Material Type: It’s made of plastic.

An air popper is an ideal device for making healthy popcorn in large quantities and all it will take just a few minutes of your time. This air popper makes up to 18 cups of popcorn in less than 2 minutes with almost no unpopped kernels.

It contains a butter-melting dish at the top of the case with slotted holes through which butter can drip.

Once you made all of your popcorn now is time to wash the popcorn popper. Luckily for you, this one is easily cleaned only with warm water.

Even though it’s made of plastic that is lightweight and portable, it’s not BPA free which is a big disadvantage.

Things I liked

  • Produces healthy low-calorie treat.
  • Lightweight and portable.
  • Comes with a handy measuring cup.
  • Requires only 2 minutes preparing popcorn.
  • Easy to clean.

Things I didn’t like

  • The top part of the popper become extremely hot when finished popping.
  • It leaves behind unpopped kernels.
  • Sometimes it tends to make soggy popcorn.
TWOBIU Popcorn Machine Hot Air Popcorn Popper
(Via: amazon.com)

  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.2 x 9.6 inches.
  • Item Weight: Not that light but still worthwhile. Weighs around 2.7 pounds.
  • Material Type: This product is made from food grade aluminum that is BPA free.

The One-key operation makes it easy to operate this TWOBIU popper. You just have to put some kernels into the popping chamber, switch it on and then wait for 3 minutes until they are done. 16 cups of crisp, delicious, healthy and oil-free popcorn will pop out of the chute and fall right into your bowl!

Unlike the previous products, this one has an on/off switch which allows you to turn off the product the second the popcorn is done.

It’s super easy to clean, you just need a damp tower that is moistened with warm soapy water, and that’s it! The interiors are from aluminum alloy, with no traces of any chemicals, which is a very positive addition to notice. The surface of the popper is made of BPA-free and strong, thermal-conduct ABS.

Things I liked

  • This machine was a bit quieter than my previous popper.
  • It’s really easy to use.
  • It has an on/off switch.

Things I didn’t like

  • The top comes off very easily.
  • Leaves tons of unpopped kernels.
Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker
(Via: amazon.com)

  • Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 15 x 10 inches.
  • Item Weight: It weighs around 2.9 pounds.
  • Material Type: It’s made from plastic that is BPA free.

Cuisinart EasyPop channels hot air and makes up to 15 cups of popcorn in less than 3 minutes and all that without any oil which is great for dieters and people who want to add different seasonings.

It has a removable chute and butter warming tray, and all of its removable parts are dishwasher safe. The parts are really easy to clean, the only thing you need is a soap and warm cloth.

It’s made completely out of plastic that is BPA free which is something that needs to be concerned about while purchasing a this or any other plastic product.

One of its main features is that it has a removable multi-purpose cup which is located in the popping chute. This measuring cup gives you the opportunity to make the right quantity of popcorn. The basic of its appeal is that the cup lets you measure kernels, and then melt butter while corn is popping.

Also, this product too has an on/off switch that lets you stop and start popping popcorn with ease.

Things I liked

  • It comes with a measuring cup that enables precise measuring, without over-stuffing the popper.
  • Easy to clean.
  • Its plastic is BPA free which protects your food from any harmful bacteria.
  • It’s affordable.

Things I didn’t like

  • Unopened kernels happen, but not frequently.
Hamilton Beach Hot Air Popcorn Popper
(Via: amazon.com)

  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 13.5 x 10.9 inches.
  • Item Weight: One of the heaviest air popcorn poppers in the market, weight around 3.1 pounds.
  • Material Type: Like most of the popcorn poppers, it’s completely made of plastic.

Hamilton Beach Popper is super easy to use, you just have to add the kernels in measuring cup, plug it in and let the fun begin! Everyone can have their bowl of popcorn because this popper makes 16 cups per batch.

Unlike others, Hamilton Beach has one of the tallest popcorn poppers on the market and, believe it or not; the cleaning is really easy. Popping chute can be washed by hand in the warm soapy water, and the base of the popper can be wiped with a damp cloth or sponge.

Like most of the popcorn poppers on the market, Hamilton Beach also doesn’t have an on/off switch button which is really not practical. To think that nowadays when almost everything has an on/off switch…

Disregarding this nuisance, this is a fine popper, which I’d use for a big movie night for sure.

Things I liked

  • Easy to clean and use.
  • It’s compact.

Things I didn’t like

  • It leaves lots of kernels unpopped.
  • Doesn’t have on/off switch button.

And the Winner is…

Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker
(Via: amazon.com)

Cuisinart EasyPop Popcorn Maker because it has all it takes to be the best air popcorn popper. It can make up to 15 cups in less than 3 minutes. One of its best features is that it has a removable multi-purpose cup chute that lets you measure kernels, and then melt butter while kernels are popping. It is practical and BPA free, which protects your food from any harmful bacteria and it’s easy to clean. It has an on/off switch that lets you easily stop and start popping popcorn.

The one thing they all got in common is that they always leave a few kernels unpopped. That should not be an issue because they are many other things you should worry about when you are purchasing your popcorn popper. Maybe some kernels are not just meant to be popped.