Buying a good popcorn machine can change your entire movie night experience at home.
Let’s face it, nothing beats delicious buttery popcorn while watching a movie with the entire family.
The problem though is that it can be confusing and difficult to get a machine that actually works well.
There are just so many options available in the UK market that it can be quite easy to get caught up in marketing campaigns and end up buying a poor quality product.
To counteract this issue, we have tested a wide range of different products and have sought to compile a list of the best popcorn machines to buy, while keeping price in mind.
Luckily, we have found a number of high quality products that are reasonably priced, If you want the perfect movie night experience, you need to pick up one of these.
We have reviewed these products in great detail, taking their features and price into account. At the end of the day, we wanted to find products, which not only perform brilliantly but also provide the best value for money.
So, without making you wait any further let’s get through this list.
Comparison Table
| PRODUCT | STYLE | POWER (WATTS) | EXTRAS | WARRANTY (YEARS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew James – Standard Red | Hot Air Circulation | 1200 | 4 Boxes | 2 |
| Andrew James – Classic Retro | Hot Air Circulation | 1200 | 4 Boxes | 2 |
| Lekue 1-Piece | Platinum Silicon Tub | Not Electric | No | 10 |
| VonShef – Standard | Hot Air Circulation | 1200 | 4 Boxes 500g kernels | 1 |
| UKayed ® Mini Power | Hot Air Circulation | 1200 | 5 Boxes 500g kernels | 1 |
* At time of publishing
Best Popcorn Machine for Movie Nights
1. Andrew James Red Hot Air Popcorn Machine
(4.7 / 5)
This little machine by Andrew James won’t cost you too much and works extremely well.
At this price, most people would expect a poor quality product that would only last for a couple of days. This is actually not the case here at all, as this machine is well built and sturdy. As long as you take good care of it, it should last you a long time.
It’s also quite small as well, so shouldn’t take up too much space in your kitchen. The housing has a cool touch so the heat doesn’t burn you, and the transparent lid lets you see how the popping is progressing. There is also a measuring spoon included.
It’s super easy to use and there is literally no need to use any butter or oil. It applies a method of using hot air circulation instead, which makes it very healthy and an ideal low-calorie snack.
At the same time though, if you want some buttery popcorn, you can just melt a little bit of butter on top to give it some extra taste.
The only issue is that it can get a bit messy if you’re not careful. It’s very quick, so you might notice the popcorn flying all over the place if you don’t have a big serving bowl. This is a very minor issue though, as you can easily hold a towel by the side to direct it into the bowl.
Apart from that, this popcorn machine makes a great-tasting and low calorie snack very quickly, which is ideal when your hungry. It is also perfect for movie nights and birthday parties, and the kids will definitely love this.
You also get 4 boxes to give the complete “cinema” experience. Unfortunately no kernels are included but at this price, we can hardly complain about that.
All in all, considering its low price tag, this is arguably the best popcorn machine available right now.
2. Andrew James Classic Retro Hot Air Popcorn Machine
(4.5 / 5)
You might be thinking that we’re a little biased towards Andrew James but honestly, they made great value products that actually work well.
This classic retro maker is almost identical in performance to the one we discuss above. The only difference is that this machine has a classy 50s-style retro design, which would make an excellent gift for anyone. You get 4 cinema-style boxes as well, which is a nice addition.
It’s also quite compact as well, so it should easily fit into your kitchen without taking up too much space.
Like the previous option, hot air circulation is utilised so no oil or butter is needed and you get a healthy delicious snack in no time.
It’s very easy to use, having just a power on/off button. You simply add in some corn kernels and get started. Within 5 minutes, you get a large bowl of freshly popped popcorn that taste great.
The odd kernel did go un-popped but to be honest, this was nowhere near as much as a traditional hob. Simply put it back in, and it should pop.
This popcorn machine is a bargain when you look at its price. It looks great, makes a delicious snack and creates no mess at all.
3. Lekue 1-Piece Popcorn Machine
(4.5 / 5)
This is very different to the 2 traditional options we discuss above. It is basically a collapsable tub that is made out of platinum silicon.
You simply add in a scoop of kernels and your flavourings of choice into the bowl and put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. That’s all there is to it.
You might be wondering just how effective this would actually be but having tested it ourselves, we can confirm that it works extremely well. Plenty of online reviews back this up as well.
The tub doesn’t melt nor does it leave many kernels un-popped. Instead, in about 3 minutes, we had a large bowl full with fluffy and delicious-tasting popcorn.
What we like about this product is that you can easily add in flavourings onto the kernels before popping. This creates a good distribution in the bowl, something that is not possible with standard electric machines. In fact, there is an included recipe book with some interesting ideas.
If like us, you also hate cleaning up afterwards, you will be happy to know that this tub is dishwasher safe. It is a completely mess-free option.
There is a 10-year guarantee included with this product so you don’t need to worry about it melting.
The price is low, which makes this a very cheap option. If you consider that a large tub of popcorn at the cinema will cost you over £5, this is a no brainer.
More Hot Air Popcorn Poppers
4. VonShef Fat-Free Hot Air Popcorn Machine
(4.3 / 5)
If you want an all-in-one kit for a family night, this VonShef package is ideal.
It comes with the maker of course, as well as a 500g pack of kernels and 4 cinema-style boxes to help you get started.
This kitchen gadget is nice and simple and doesn’t take up too much space on your kitchen countertop.
It uses hot air circulation and requires no oil or butter, which is perfect if you want a healthy and delicious snack very quickly.
Saying that, you can still add in butter for a treat while watching a movie. In fact, the lid actually doubles up as a butter-melting cup, which is a nice feature to have.
It’s very easy to use. All you do is pick up the included measuring cup and put in a scoop of kernels. It’s very quick and you can start to notice the popping in as little as 20 seconds.
Very few kernels go un-popped as well, meaning no wastage. It doesn’t create a mess and is very easy to clean afterwards.
Overall, this is a nice and cheap home popcorn machine and produces healthy and delicious results.
This is the ultimate package to get you ready for a birthday party or movie night and won’t cost you too much.
5. UKayed ® Mini Power Popcorn Making Machine
(4.2 / 5)
Like the VonShef above, this isn’t just a machine but rather an all-in-one kit. There is a 500g pack of popping corn as well as 5 cinema-style bags.
It’s a small and compact gadget, so will easily fit into your kitchen. At the same time though, it seems to be well built so should last you a long time as long as you take good care of it.
It uses the hot air circulation method to cook, so it requires no oil at all, but will still make a healthy and great-tasting snack at the press of a button. With adult supervision, young kids can easily use this without a problem.
It takes just a few minutes to make a full large bowl, which makes it perfect for a movie night or for a birthday party. It’s also ideal if you just want a small fat-free snack very quickly.
It’s also extremely easy to clean, and once you’re done, you can just store it away in one of the kitchen cupboards and take out when needed.
Overall, this is a great all-in-one popcorn machine at this price and we highly recommend it.
Some Factors to Consider
Before getting your wallet out, you might want to consider these factors:
Size: The kettle size can be an important factor and will depend on the space available in your kitchen and the number of people your household. Ultimately though, if you have regular movie nights and have 5-6 people in your family, you might have to consider a machine that has a large kettle size- Power: You want a machine that is efficient, quick and powerful. At the same time though, you need to consider what effect it will have on your electricity bills. It is important to consider the wattage each machine has, and in our opinion, it should be at least 600 watts.
- Price and Guarantee: Price is obviously the major factor when making any decision. There are lots of choices available and due to this, you can expect a high quality machine for less than £20. It might be a good idea to look out for a longer guarantee than the standard 1-year one that comes with most products.
- Overall Package: Some options have a lid that doubles up a butter-melting cup while others come with a measuring cup. Some include kernels and most include cinema-style boxes. Find out which of these matter most to you and choose accordingly.
Size: The kettle size can be an important factor and will depend on the space available in your kitchen and the number of people your household. Ultimately though, if you have regular movie nights and have 5-6 people in your family, you might have to consider a machine that has a large kettle sizeFinal Thoughts
You should now hopefully have a good idea of what to look out for in a high quality popcorn machine.
We have listed some very good options on this list and can confirm that they work extremely well.
The prices are quite reasonable as well, and considering how just 1 family trip to the cinema can easily cost over £50, some of these options are a bargain.
Each option comes with a wide range of different features so we would highly recommend you decide what your requirements are first.
Once you have done that, choosing the best popcorn machine will become a much easier task.