8 best popcorn makers for cinema-quality snacks at home

This brilliantly simple electric popcorn machine uses hot air to make 60g of popcorn in just under three minutes. It’s a great family option as it comes with a large transparent bowl that can be taken straight from machine to sofa so everyone can dig in. This also solves the common problem of popcorn flying all over the kitchen as the bowl’s big enough to catch even the liveliest strays. We liked the fact both the bowl and lid are transparent so we could watch the progress of our popcorn too.

It’s fairly easy to clean by hand after use and the bright red colour really appealed to our youngest testers, who declared the popcorn far tastier than anything they had ever eaten in the cinema. If you really want to treat your tastebuds, team it with the Joe & Seph’s make your own gourmet popcorn kit (£25, Joandsephs.co.uk).

If you’re lucky enough to have a home cinema or even just a spare corner of your living room, this professional-quality machine is a must-buy. Bigger than every other machine we tested, it’s also the only one that made our list that used oil alongside the heating for a not-quite-so virtuous treat and the final popcorn was easily some of the best we tasted.

The model has a stainless steel heat chamber and an integrated stirring system so you won’t need to watch over it (though we found it impossible to tear ourselves away once the popping started). There’s also a kernel and oil spoon in the box, plus a popcorn food tray and four buckets for an authentic cinema experience. Its sleek red and silver exterior looks the part too. Our only complaint was it took a little more cleaning after use than the air poppers, but it was a small price to pay for the top-notch taste.

Unlike most of the popcorn makers we tested, this Salter model swaps a distinctive red for a more grown-up matte silver exterior, so you can leave it on show in any kitchen. It won’t take up much room if you want to stash it in a cupboard either. There are also non-slip feet to make it easy to operate and a spout to shoot popcorn straight into the bowl after a couple of minutes. We did find the odd un-popped kernel tended to escape from this before the popcorn was ready.

Though it’s possible to make ten cups of popcorn at once with this machine, we especially liked the fact it came with an integrated measuring cup that made enough for just one bowl. This made it really easy to whizz up a snack when watching TV alone without messing around measuring portions or cooking more than was needed.

Freshly made popcorn is delicious, but half of the fun is in making it. Children will love this red vintage cart that looks straight from the fairground and was our junior testers favourite by a long stretch. It looks far too good to hide away in a cupboard so would be great left out on show in your favourite movie-watching room.

With a 250W heating element and simple flick switch operation even the kids can manage by themselves, it works perfectly too. Popcorn took less than three minutes to make and was perfectly light and fluffy. It dispenses straight into a bowl for grab-and-go convenience, though we did find some popcorn always missed the bowl. Still, this has much more child-appeal than most popcorn machines so would make a great present for a movie-loving family.

If you’re short on cupboard space for storing an electric popcorn maker, this dinky microwaveable version is the perfect alternative.

It’s made of BPA-free, high heat-resistant silicone and fits around five tablespoons of kernels in the bottom before it’s closed then popped (sorry…) in the microwave. As the popcorn cooks, the bowl unfolds and is filled with a steaming snack within two or three minutes. It’s worth waiting an extra minute before taking out of the microwave as the bowl does get extremely hot, but then it’s easy to lift straight out with the easy-grip handles on each side. We found the popcorn tasted even better with a quick drizzle of olive oil before popping too, which can’t be added with most electric machines. We also loved the fact the whole bowl goes straight in the dishwasher afterwards ready for next time.

There’s not much that Joe & Seph’s don’t know about popcorn. Aiming to make the best-tasting popcorn in the world, the family business produces over 40 flavours of popcorn by hand in London. Now we can all get the chance to be popcorn experts too with this all-in-one kit to get you gorging in no time.

It comes with an electric air-popping machine that shoots hot, freshly made popcorn straight into a transparent bowl in around two and a half minutes. This makes for easy eating and is also much better at containing the popcorn than the machines where a bowl needs positioning under a spout.

Handily, this kit also comes with a tin of kernels and delicious salted caramel sauce so you can start whizzing up gourmet creations straight after opening and ditch inferior cinema popcorn for good.

This was one of our favourite-looking machines, with a glossy 1950’s-style and a chunky look that had our mini testers excited before it had even started popping. The lid doubles as a measuring scoop so it’s easy to throw in the kernels and get started, and the popcorn was delicious too. It has quite a large spout so we did find some popcorn fired into the farthest corners of our kitchen but that caused great amusement all round so isn’t necessarily a downside. We also loved the fact six movie-style popcorn boxes are included so you could really feel like you were at the cinema when you settled down in front of a film. Just be warned, the machine comes in a plain brown box so if you’re planning on giving it as a present, you may want to swap it for something a little more appealing.

Fat-free snacks are all very well but nothing beats a bowl of hot buttery popcorn in front of a film for a real weekend treat. This dinky red machine comes in a brightly-coloured movie-style box the kids will love, and it’s an absolute doddle to use. There’s a measuring cup included and one cup of kernels makes a decent-sized bowl of popcorn in less than three minutes. We also loved watching the kernels explode in the transparent domed lid, which was easier to clean than the squarer lids on some machines. However, be ready to catch the popcorn when it’s ready as it can whizz out of the spout at speed.

As an added bonus, the lid doubles up as a bowl for melting butter so you can then pour liquid gold straight over the popcorn when it’s ready if you fancy. Though don’t worry – the plain popcorn is tasty enough if you prefer it without.