Whether you want an impressive showpiece for your home or start a side hustle, a popcorn cart is a very fun purchase to make. Popcorn is a delicious snack that is universally loved by people worldwide.
Having a cart allows you to make your own popcorn and serve it to a large number of people quickly. They are equally great for house parties and business ventures alike.
These five popcorn carts are great choices if you are in the market for a brand new machine.
Top 5: Popcorn Cart Machines Review
Product Image & Rating (Out Of 10) | Product Name | Price |
|---|---|---|
9.1 | ||
9.3 | ||
9.4 | ||
9.6 | ||
9.8 |
This Olde Midway Vintage Style Popcorn Machine Maker Popper with Cart features two bicycle wheels that are 16 inches in diameter that make it very easy to transport. The stainless steel construction makes it highly durable and will no doubt last a long time.
There is ample storage space for kernels, salt, butter, tubs, and any other accessories you may need. You get a free 1/2 cup measuring cup, popcorn scoop, tablespoon, and salt shaker when you order this cart.
The 0 oz kettle serves up to 3 gallons of popcorn per batch. It uses 850 watts of power and is controlled with just three switches. There is the popcorn light warmer, the stirrer, and the pot heater. This allows just about anyone to operate the cart by themselves with ease.
The tempered glass walls provide a safe popping experience and make cleanup much easier since kernels won't go flying too far. The cart comes in either black or red and the antique design is sure to draw the attention of anyone walking by.
Pros
Cons
This cart by Great Northen Popcorn has two bicycle wheels that make it easy to move about. The 10 oz kettle is massive and will surely make plenty of popcorn so you don't run out anytime soon.
The simple three switch system makes it incredibly easy to operate. You can control the spotlight warmer, pot heater, and the stirrer with just a quick flip of a switch.
The 850 watts of power heats up the kettle and pops the corn quickly. The warmer then keep it ready to serve for long after it is popped. There are 8 inches of storage space so all of your ingredients and accessories are easy to organize and grab at a moment's notice.
The old maid drawer makes it incredibly easy to clean. It collects all the unpopped kernels so you can scoop them all into the trash in one swift motion.
Pros
Cons
This 6097 Great Northern Popcorn cart uses 860 watts of power which warms the kettle and has the popcorn ready to eat quicker than ever. It uses the standard control system of three switches to operate the lights, kettle, and stirrer.
There is a massive storage case in order that holds all of your ingredients and accessories with ample room to spare. The ball bearing wheels have 16 inches of diameter and turn with ease.
The antique visual style takes you right back to your days as a kid going to ballgames, the movie theater, and the carnival. The cart itself is made with exceptional materials and absolutely no plastic.
The kettle is stainless steel and makes the popcorn taste great and heat up fast. The spotlight keeps your snack warm and ready to serve at a moment's notice.
Pros
Cons
This Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Machine uses 640 watts of power to heat up and warm the finished popcorn. The glass is all tempered and very durable. The kettle holds 8 ounces which makes about three gallons of fully popped corn.
It uses 110 volt power supply that can be plugged in just about anywhere. The premium paint job looks nice and will no doubt turn a few heads. It comes in red or black and you can add optional wheels to make it a full cart.
The built in warming deck allows you to keep your popcorn warm and ready to eat for hours on end. Each popper includes three plastic serving cups, 50 popcorn serving bags, measuring cups, and a handy scooper. You can store all of this and more in the convenient case located below the kettle.
Pros
Cons
This Nostalgia CCP610 Vintage Prof. Popcorn & Concession Cart comes in red, black and concession varieties. The concession variant adds a place for signage that lets you advertise the other snacks you have at the ready.
You can display chocolate bars, candy, and other small treats that go well with a movie. The massive 10 oz kettle pops up to 40 cups of popcorn at once. This gives you more than enough to feed all of your friends or run a business.
The lighted interior adds a decorative element to the room it is placed in. The tempered glass keeps everyone safe and resists damage. The rubber wheels are quite large and allow you to move the cart around without any strife. The storage unit keeps all of your supplies and accessories neat and organized.
Pros
Cons
best popcorn cart machine
These five carts all make delicious popcorn and are quite reliable. If you are unsure of what to choose, go with the Nostalgia CCP610 Vintage Popcorn and Concession Cart. It looks amazing all lit up and produces a large amount of popcorn quickly.
Plus, you can always expand into additional snacks with the additional display space. It is easy to construct so you can get to making your treats as fast as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Understandably, there are multiple questions people ask when buying a popcorn cart. Here are some of the most common questions answered for your convenience.
Who Makes the Best Popcorn Machine?
Nostalgia makes the overall best machine on this list. Their cart looks great and offers a variety of features and storage space that makes it stand out above the rest.
What Is the Best Oil to Use in a Popcorn Machine?
This depends on what you want out of your corn. Coconut oil has the best flavor and is often used in sports stadium and movie theaters because it just tastes that good. If you want a lower fat option that still tastes amazing, Canola oil is a great balance between the two metrics. The healthiest option to cook popcorn is by far olive oil. It is often used in salads for its healthier nature. However, you do sacrifice some flavor when you make popcorn with this ingredient.
Can You Use Microwave Popcorn in a Popcorn Machine?
While you can technically make microwave popcorn with your machine, it is not very advisable. Not only is microwave popcorn less tasty, but the kernels are covered in butter. This butter will splat all over the place as the kernels pop and will have you cleaning your machine for a good hour afterward. Just look at the inside of a microwave popcorn bag after you heat it up to see just how much butter hits the interior walls of the bag.
Can You Use Butter in a Popcorn Machine?
It is not recommended to put butter in before the kernels are popped. If you pour butter on the kernels the butter will spray all over the kettle as they pop. This makes cleaning a total hassle and just isn't necessary. Once you have a completed batch, then you can add butter to the finished product.
Can I Use Vegetable Oil in a Popcorn Machine?
No. While any other oil is fine, vegetable oil can't stand the heat and will catch on fire while cooking. Not only will this ruin the current batch of popcorn, but the burn marks in the kettle will ruin the flavor of all future batches as well.
How much popcorn and oil do I use in a popcorn machine?
Since popcorn machines come in different sizes, the amount of popcorn you'll need will vary based on the size of your machine. 4-ounce machines will need about ½-cup of popcorn, 12-ounce machines will need 1 1/2 cups of popcorn, 20-ounce machines will need 2 ½ cups of popcorn.
After you've determined how much popcorn you need based on the size of your machine, you can figure out how much oil you should add. You should have one-part oil for three parts popcorn. For example, if you put one cup of popcorn in your machine, you'll need 1/3-cup of oil.
What does expansion rate mean with popcorn kernels?
Expansion rate refers to how much popped popcorn one cup of unpopped kernels will yield. Popcorn kernels with an expansion rate of 36, for example, will product 36 cups of popped popcorn. You should look for kernels that have an expansion rate between 35 and 40 as these are considered to be of higher quality.
What should I look for when choosing a popcorn cart machine?
When choosing a popcorn cart, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind. First, you should consider the size of the machine and the kettle volume. This will determine how much popcorn you'll be able to make. Think about where and how you'll be using the machine to help you determine how much popcorn you'll need to have available every hour.
You can find popcorn carts that have a low-, medium-, or high-volume. Low-volume options have a capacity between 4 and 8 ounces, medium-volume options have a capacity between 12 and 14 ounces, and high-volume poppers have a capacity between 16 and 20 ounces.
Next, pay attention to the material used to make the kettle. Kettles come in aluminum or stainless steel, and each metal has its own pros and cons to consider.
Aluminum kettles will heat up more quickly and costs less than stainless steel, but is not as durable and won't last as long as stainless steel.
Stainless steel kettles are very easy to clean and very durable. However, they take longer to heat up than aluminum kettles.
How do you operate a popcorn cart?
Each model may be slightly different, so be sure to consult the manufacturer's recommendations before making a batch of popcorn. To begin, you will want to turn the power on and add oil to the machine. Give the oil between three and four minutes to heat up.
Next, add turn on the switch for the machine's motor and put the popcorn kernels in the kettle. Wait for the popping to stop, and then turn off the heat and motor.
Carefully dump the popcorn out of the kettle using the rolling ball. You should use a glove or mitt to turn the bar since it will be very warm.
Ensure that the light is still on to keep the popped popcorn warm. Then, you can serve the popcorn and add butter or additional seasonings outside of the cart.
How long does a popcorn machine take to make a batch of popcorn?
Again, every model is different, but you can expect it to take popcorn between three and five minutes to pop. Before you put in the first batch of popcorn, you'll need to give the oil and kettle enough time to heat up, which should be somewhere around five minutes.
Can you make money selling popcorn?
Yes, selling popcorn can be profitable. Popcorn is very inexpensive to purchase and is a very popular snack. Depending on the quantity of popcorn you sell, you could enjoy a profit margin of up to 87%.
is popcorn healthy for you?
Popcorn is a confusing snack to many people. Some say it's a healthy snack while others say it's full of fat. You can find the popular snack in many different kinds. From movie theater buttery goodness and caramel coated popcorn to unflavored, simple and cheesy flavored popcorn, the options are endless. So, is there any popcorn that's healthy? The answer is that it's all in how you eat it.
The Breakdown
Popcorn without all of its popular toppings actually contains many vitamins and minerals. It's also high in fiber. Popcorn is a whole grain snack so it can boost heart health. It naturally contains protein, no cholesterol and is low in fat and sugar. The problem is the way most people prepare it. Popcorn is most famous for eating by the handful in a movie theater. This usually means extra butter and salt thrown on top. Additives to popcorn are what give it a bad reputation.
Pure Popcorn
When you buy popcorn in its purest form, it's actually healthy. This is when you get the air-popped kernels. It's got whole grains and is full of antioxidants. This usually contains about 93 calories and one gram of fat per three cups of popcorn. If you're watching a movie grabbing a few handfuls of this type of popcorn, you're staying pretty healthy.
Movie Theater Popcorn
When you visit a movie theater, you're in for a tub of butter most of the time. Movie theater popcorn is usually popped in coconut oil. Then they throw on the salt and buttery topping. Many times people ask for even more butter. A medium bucket of popcorn could actually hold 20 cups with 1200 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat and 980 milligrams of sodium. This strange buttery concoction at the top of popcorn that tastes so yummy is actually non-hydrogenated soybean oil that’s been colored and flavored. It tastes great to many people, but movie theater popcorn is like eating a few meals full of sodium and fat.
Microwave Popcorn
Lots of people love to pop some microwave popcorn to snack on as they watch a movie at home. There's a million different kinds on the shelves. Many of these brands use hydrogenated oils like palm oil, artificial flavors, and preservatives. They also come in bags which often contain chemicals in the glue. There's usually no problem with this until it's heated to high temperatures in the microwave which could mean you're eating chemicals along with your popcorn. It all depends on the brand. It's best to check the nutrition labels.
Stovetop Popcorn
You can make your own healthy version of popcorn on your stovetop at home. This is the best type to consume because there is no oil involved in the cooking process. You can manage your own serving size, and you can make a quick snack. An added bonus to stovetop popcorn is that it's a lot of fun to watch jump and pop right in front of you. Bagged popcorn just isn't as much fun.
Limit Kettle Corn
If you're trying to stay healthy when eating popcorn, kettle corn might not be your best bet. It contains a high amount of sugar. Kettle corn is often called the dessert of all popcorn. It's usually mixed with salts, oils and extra sugar for its unique flavor. Most people should only eat about one teaspoon of sugar a day. Kettle corn often has much more than this. When it is packaged, kettle corn usually has more sodium and calories.
Added Sweeteners and Chemicals
Packaged popcorn bought at the store usually is worse for you than the kind you get freshly popped. This is because it usually has additives like sweeteners and chemicals. Sweet popcorn is usually stuffed with artificial sweeteners. This is fine when purchased as a snack and not viewed as a healthy alternative. When companies add cheese powders and truffle oil to packaged popcorn, you're diving into more artificial flavorings. Read the labels to know what is all in your popcorn. Make sure to read labels whenever you’re at the grocery store to really understand what ingredients are in the box.
Butter On Popcorn
Some people refuse to eat unflavored popcorn. If you need that buttery goodness on your snack, you can eat it in moderation. Use two to three teaspoons in your popcorn. Remember if you purchase it at the movie theater, the buttery substance is not actual butter. It's also an added chemical to your snack. If you add more butter to the top, you're probably ingesting more than one to two times the normal butter serving. If you order a smaller size and don't do it every day, you can eat butter on your popcorn.
Add Lighter Toppings
Instead of dousing your popcorn with loads of butter and cheese, you can look for healthier topping alternatives. Some people love to give their popcorn spice with a little hot sauce. Others actually melt cheese on top of the popcorn. Balsamic vinegar or pickles are a fun thing to try on top of your snack.
Add Protein
One way you can keep popcorn in the healthy real is to pair it with a protein. Instead of feasting on a large popcorn, candy and sugary soda, go with some protein. You can pair it with a little bit of cheese. You can even eat it with a side of peanut butter. This pairing will help you feel fuller longer, and avoid eating a million empty calories of buttery popcorn.
Popcorn For Weight Loss
If you're trying to lose weight, eating only popcorn isn't going to be your answer. You can include it in your diet as long as you stick with the lower calorie versions. The air popped popcorn without flavoring is your best bet. Overall, a person loses weight by adopting healthy eating habits and moving more.
Popcorn can be healthy if it is prepared properly. It's tasty to most people whether it's slathered in butter or eaten in its natural state. Sit back, turn on a movie and nibble on some healthy popcorn today.
