Popcorn machine recommendations - Page 6

I have a Dolce 4042 counter top professional hot air popper - looks like a theater popper. After just a few months of light use it broke. I had to fix it myself even though it was under warranty - Dolce customer service was no help at all. Its actually not a bad machine when its working, and we like it alot, but just be warned of a few items:

- mine broke after just a few months use
- you MUST wait 15 minutes between batches - that's a long time when you're waiting
- you cannot use anything but no-name plain popcorn. Gourmet popcorns like Orville Redenbacher will damage the machine (serious)
- its a bit hard to clean
- customer service is virtually non-existant

Ack!


What they meant by that is that you absolutely shouldn't use kits with flavored corn or prepackaged pouches with other stuff mixed in with the kernels, which will certainly gum up the works (and yeah, will probably mess it up).

The note in the manual about "organic" or "gourmet" corn not working as well is really odd... Perhaps the size of the kernels affect the number of escapees**?

**What do we call the unpopped kernels that get ejected during the process - as opposed to the "Old Maids" that just didn't pop. I'll get unpopped kernels in my machine, but I could throw them back in the pool and they'd pop!

Jeff

I talked to customer service at Dolce and asked the question. She specifically mentioned Orville Redenbacher Gourmet popcorn - she said don't use it (I was). It has a subtle flavor coating which can damage the machine. I don't get it but since the machine did break, I'll take her word for it. We now use light no-name popcorn that isn't as fluffy when popped but no machine problems now.

Jeff, thanks for pointing out this distinction. I'm getting escapees in most cases, and not so many old maids. I can tell because when I'm preheating my oil, I usually throw in 5-10 of the escapees from the bottom of the tray (in case some really are old maids) to tell me when the temperature is right. I'm not sure there's anything I can do to reduce these, since I'm following the directions pretty closely.

Thanks for the picture! I just put my order in for the same model. Where is the best place to buy the popcorn and oil?

I received closure on my minor issues with my Paragon purchase (Original Post) today, and I am very satisfied with how they handled everything. Long story short, the demo machine was given to me by mistake, and I received a small rebate as well as a popcorn scoop (usually included) and a case of popcorn packs as a gesture from the company. I think they did right by me, and can now give them a thumbs up and a recommendation if anyone else asks.

If anyone in the Toronto / GTA / Southern Ontario area is looking for a popcorn machine, PM me and I'll give you all the details for contacts.

Glad everything worked out for you, OJ!

Here is my 8 oz.Popcorn machine...




http://www.amazon.com/Funtime-FT825C...277715&sr=8-10

Where did you get the racks from and what brand are they?

Lt.Aldo.Raine - can you tell me more about that mini soda machine

Here is a link to it

http://www.amazon.com/Koolatron-VF02...8297715&sr=1-7

I have had it for about a year and it works great. Holds 10 can of soda and keeps them ice cold.

The racks came from Target i paid about $29.99 each i think.

http://www.target.com/p/Room-Essenti..._qi_detaillink

Just got mine. 4oz. How safe is it to have in my media room. Will it stink it up?

Attachment 236409

Very nice! The Contempo model looks great! I get a nice "buttery popcorn" smell in our theater when I'm making popcorn. I wouldn't classify it as a "stink" lol. Once I clean the machine, I can't smell any residual popcorn odor.

Well if you think the smell of fresh movie theater popcorn stinks then yes your room will stink

If no other food is in the romm and little air movement, then the smell will last 4+ hours.

I just got my unit and made 2 batches for a total of 16oz, it filled the room with that great smell but disappated within an hour due to people movement and other foods during the superbowl.

Nice machine, kaotikr1!

I find that I get a little bit of smoke, probably from leaving the kettle on too long during the popping, and a definite popcorn smell that lasts a few hours. If I turn the range hood fan on (popcorn machine is in the dining room, but open to kitchen and living room) it helps to clear it out pretty quickly.

my kettle smokes a decent amount, there is the smell too, but I'm more concerned about the smoke. It has to go somewhere and over time I am sure it would discolor the textured drywall ceiling.

I am putting in a stainless range hood over my popper and using a Y connection to tie it into the vent stack from the bathroom fart fan that goes outside. Should work ok, as long as the air flows right. Otherwise I may have a bathroom that smells like popcorn and popcorn that smells like poo.

Ladies and gentlemen, the world's first poopcorn machine.

Anyone have tricks to reducing the amount of unpoped kernals? What is the time frame of "time between kernals".

I don't preheat my kettle but put in a few kernals after adding oil, once they pop, I drop the bag in and turn the stirrer on.

I've found that changing the popcorn brand can change the amount of old maids. Some of the cheaper store bought brands gave me alot of old maids. Orville redenbacher popped better, but now i have a 50lb bag of pop weaver popcorn that was from a local popcorn supply company. It has the least amount of old maids.

I've finally gotten my "home theater" room set up. I'm now thinking of adding a popper. My question is--has anybody noticed, or are you concerned about hot oil smoke drifting about your room and putting a "coating" on your electronics? Or being sucked in (by cooling fans) to coat heat sinks, optical pick ups, etc.? I've done a search in this thread and have not seen to be able to find anything relevant to this. With the $$$ I've put into the electronics in this room, I do NOT want to have my equipment ruined/compromised by oily smoke. I can't add an exhaust fan in this room. Any comments/suggestions? Thanks.

I was concerned about this as well, since my equipment racks open into the kitchenette area where the popper will be. I'm planning to add a ventilation hood above the popper -- one like you'd put over a stovetop. I can't run a line to the outside, so I'm going to get one that draws the air through a grease trap and a charcoal filter, and then returns the air to the room. I'm not sure if this is necessary, but I find that some of the equipment really acts like a vacuum cleaner. With dust, it's easy enough to clean it with compressed air, but grease is a different story.

I would not put your popper in your room unless you have really good ventilation because it will smoke.

I have noticed such little smoke from the unit that it is less than a half of a cigarette just being lit (not puffed on). I could see maybe if right next to your equipment, but more than 5' away not really. You could always setup a small fan above the popper to blow/disperse to ease your worries.


In cleaning my machine, I have found using baby wipes (usually just 2 sheets) cuts through the grease/oil/butter like nothing else and leaves no chemical smell or after taste. I use it for the glass, trays and the pot. I then just damp wipe afterwards.

Mine has never smoked but I do have a seperate concession room. A popper in the theater would just be one more thing that could rattle around during a movie I figured.

Thanks for your responses to oily smoke from the popper. I'll have to think about getting one now. My first thought is that (since I can't add a vent fan) I would have to put it somewhere else altogether away from my media room. Once again, thanks for the responses.

My final location. The wife surprised me with a Paragon warmer for Vday.

Attachment 237264

it looks like it warms a large quantity. i know a lot of people were complaining that the butter barely gets used and goes bad fairly quickly. A lot of people seem to be using the small bottles.

I am guessing it depends what kind of "butter" you put in it. I thought I read somewhere that SuperKist II can be heated/cooled many times without problems.