Popcorn Machine Help!

[whirlybirds]

I got a popcorn machine a few years ago for Christmas and I absolutely loved it. As soon as I got it I fired up some of my favorite Orville Redenbacher. Shortly after a good friend of mine introduced me Snappy Popcorn and ever since I can't believe i ate Orville Redenbacher popcorn. A few years went by and and I started to notice the quality of my popcorn was going down hill. It's hard to to describe but the Snappy lite and fluffy popcorn started to pop all hard and rubbery. There's not a whole lot to a popcorn machine since it consists nothing more of a popping chamber, a kettle, a light, and a small motor to rotate the stirer. My first though was that maybe the kettle was causing this problem? I ended up looking forever for a replacement and I didn't find one to replace my broken kettle. A little upset at this point so I started to look to see if maybe it was something else causing this. So I started to wonder could it be the popcorn that is bad? My Father owns one too so I decided to pay a visit to him one afternoon and popped some of his in his machine and it was perfect, nothing like the nasty stuff that mine has been producing. So I ended up taking some of his popcorn home to pop and once again I'm getting rubbery popcorn! I ended up breaking down and just bought a whole new machine, which arrived today. Just popped by first batch of popcorn 30mins ago and IT'S STILL HARD AND RUBBERY! WHY! Anyone have this problem??????? This is driving me insane! :realmad:

 

[Wesley]

You do your homework on Consumer Reports or did you go Hamilton Beach?You actually should get a little device that fits inside the microwave oven to do air popping.

 

[coachdags]

May have a heating element in the Kettle that is out...

Heat with Proper oil and the right Corn...

Is this a small commercial kettle unit, with motorize stirrers...?

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

Do you clean the pan out? I know I don't clean my pan out because that is what gives the great flavor, but not popping fully has more to do with the temp not hot enough to get the kernel to pop completely. So if you have carmelized grease or something like that affecting the heating of the oil, that could be your problem. Or is there a heat setting on the popcorn maker? I use the jolly time popper on the stove and what you describe is exactly what happens when I don't have the temp high enough.

 

[whirlybirds]

I knew what I was buying. Remember, my first machine popped quality popcorn. It wasn't until the 2 year mark that it started to go down hill.

 

[BigJCy]

This is the model of popcorn popper I've used for years. It's always been good to me.

Amazon.com: West Bend 82306 Stir Crazy 6-Quart Electric Popcorn Popper: Kitchen & Dining

 

[whirlybirds]

May have a heating element in the Kettle that is out...

Heat with Proper oil and the right Corn...

Is this a small commercial kettle unit, with motorize stirrers...?

http://www.thepopcornmachine.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=8834
this is what I have now.

 

[thatguy]

popcorn machines are bananas.

 

[whirlybirds]

Do you clean the pan out? I know I don't clean my pan out because that is what gives the great flavor, but not popping fully has more to do with the temp not hot enough to get the kernel to pop completely. So if you have carmelized grease or something like that affecting the heating of the oil, that could be your problem. Or is there a heat setting on the popcorn maker? I use the jolly time popper on the stove and what you describe is exactly what happens when I don't have the temp high enough.

I cleaned the hell out of it. More than just once, too.

 

[coachdags]

Great Northern Foundation 6 oz Popcorn Machine Black - The Popcorn Machine
this is what I have now.

I use to own a Bar....We had similar (larger) commercial type poppers, I'm guessing you have a heat element out if the kettle....

how long does it take to pop a Bach...?

your not overloading it..? are you...?

 

[keepngoal]

Like coach said... heating element? not spot or cool spot?

 

[Bluffers]

Have there been any hawkeyes close to the unit in the recent past?

 

[whirlybirds]

I use to own a Bar....We had similar (larger) commercial type poppers, I'm guessing you have a heat element out if the kettle....

how long does it take to pop a Bach...?

After pre-heating, not long at all. I'm guessing a minute or less.

 

[keepngoal]

does the lid let the steam out? is it trapped making the corn moist?.. .then tasting stale?

 

[azepp]

Here's how I do it:

1. Get a large pot, like a soup pot.
2. Put a little oil in the bottom of the pot.
3. Put the pot on the stove and turn it on medium high.
4. Add 1/2 cup popcorn kernels.
5. Put the lid on.
6. Shake the pot occasionally until the popcorn stops popping.
7. Dump it in a big bowl.
8. Drizzle on some melted butter and throw on a little salt.

Popcorn! No special machine required. Seriously, try this and see if you have better results.

 

[coachdags]

some of my employees thought more was better, you can not overload (corn or oil)....

to make fluffy corn, less oil is best (Pop all oil) was awesome for us with a Flavacal Salt..

 

[whirlybirds]

Yeah, it's not being overloaded or too much oil either. That new machine gets hotter than my last kettle.

 

[bugs4cy]

Looks like you might have a machine that was made by Paragon in Nevada, IA. I think they make machines that others sell like they've make it. I have one too - slightly different design. Give them a call and they should be able to help you trouble shoot and if part(s) are needed, do that too. Paragon

BTW, I buy my popcorn through Paragon too. It's all Snappy (Breda, IA!!) and it comes prepackaged into the exact right amount for my machine, with the tasty yellow oil and salt.