Popcorn Maker

Pop! Pop! Pop! The clicking sound of the popcorn inside the popcorn maker popping—not to mention that smell of melted butter that brings a lot of memories to a lot, if not all people. It makes you remember the carnival; your experience with the Ferris wheel or the gut spilling roller coaster. Chances are, your holding a box of popcorn with you and because of that surge of adrenaline and fear in you, you suddenly throw it away. Or it can bring you back to memories of the movie theater when you had your first date and all you brought inside was a box of popcorn and a can of soda. Or just simply spending time with your family at home watching movies while eating ice cream and popcorn. Yes, even the little things just like the “popcorn” can bring back memories that can never be forgotten. It makes you even more nostalgic beyond what meets the eye.

Why is it called the popcorn anyway? From the word itself, it comes from the corn kernel. Since the kernel is hard, when it comes in contact with hot oil, it builds up pressure inside and when it can no longer handle the high pressure, it finally puffs up thus producing the popping sound and voila, the existence of “popcorn”. However, just because popcorn is cooked, this doesn’t imply that it is purely made for eating. In fact, popcorn can be used as decorations like stringing them in a thread and used as a Christmas tree decoration or it can also be used as a substitute for expanded polystyrene for packing. But a downfall to these other uses is that it can attract pests and, not to mention, highly flammable.

It was over a thousand years ago when the popcorn was first discovered. As early as 3600BC, there was already the evidence of popcorn in Mexico. But it was only during World War II when they started putting in flavorings like butter and caramel. During those times, to cook popcorn, they only used pots and kettles. Some even just used a wire basket and cooked it over open fire. But disadvantages of these were that the popcorn was dry and unevenly cooked- some burned and some not popped yet. Then in 1885, thanks to Charles Cretors from Chicago, Illinois, he invented the commercially designed popcorn maker. It was the first patented steam driven popcorn makers used to cook popcorn together with the use of lard, oil, and salt. Of the same time when Charles Cretor introduced his new invention, F. W. Rueckheim also introduced the “candied popcorn” (the first caramel popcorn) with the use of molasses.

Today, there are many remakes and innovations to the first patented steam driven popcorn makers by Charles Cretor. One very famous one is the microwave. Its sole purpose is to reheat food but people find ways to look for other uses and thus the microwave popcorn. These are kernels packed in a sealed bag and can come in different flavors. You just have to put them in the microwave, set it at about 2 to 3 minutes, and the kernels will start to pop as the paper bag starts to expand to make room for the popcorn. It is so convenient, right?

Now, here are the 21st century innovations from the first ever popcorn makers in the 18-19th century. Fresh from the internet, Amazon.com brings to you a wide array of the best and the latest popcorn makers made by well known brands. To mention a few, if you just want to cook popcorn in the comfort of your house, then consider these: Presto 114316 04820 PopLite Hot Air Corn Popper, West Bend 82306 Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper, Wabash Valley Farms 25008 Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper, and the Great Northern Popcorn Original Spinner Stovetop 6 1/2 Quart Popcorn Popper. But if you feel lazy in preparing popcorn plus you don’t like the commercially packed ready to microwave popcorn, and you prefer something that you can put inside the microwave to cook, then the Nordic Ware 60120 Microwaver Popcorn Popper 12 Cup, or the Presto 04830 PowerPop Microwave Multi-Popper is your answer! But, if you feel like putting up a small popcorn stand in the carnival or near the movie theaters, then these will definitely not let you down: Waring WPM25 Professional Popcorn Maker, Nostalgia Electrics KPM-508 Vintage Collection Kettle Popcorn Maker, Nostalgia Electrics OFP-501 Vintage Collection Hot Air Popcorn Maker, or the Great Northern Popcorn 2.5 Ounce Black Tabletop Retro Style Compact Popcorn Popper Machine with Removable Tray.

Aside from the aforementioned, there are more styles and brands of popcorn makers from amazon.com for you to choose that will surely fit you, rest assured that all of these will not let you down. It is not just choosing a popcorn maker but rather, you are choosing the popcorn maker for you. Yes, there are a lot to choose from and they may be different from each other but they do have two things in common. First, they all provide you with the best cooked popcorn, and second, they are all on sale. It is two in one, just like hitting two birds with one stone. Not only does it offer quality, but it is also friendly to your pocket!

Why go through all the trouble spending more money on commercially prepared popcorn when you can have the comfort of making your own fresh and hot popcorn. When you have that craving for popcorn in the middle of the night; when you feel like spending the day and night watching movies at home; or when you have unexpected guests visiting your home, you can easily get the going and in a few minutes, you have popcorn. It’s hot, it’s fresh, and it’s delicious that you, your family, and your friends will surely love! So what are you waiting for? Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Get going and pop, pop and pop that popcorn! Not only will you bring back old memories but you can also make new memories out from your new popcorn maker.