Popcorn Makers Make A Great Addition To Any Vending Business

The sight and sound of popcorn makers in action is sure to put a smile on just about anyone's face; the popping sound and salty scents that emanate from the machine are intoxicating. In fact, a commercial machine offers more flavor and a better quality popcorn product than the standard microwave popcorn.

Consumers know this from basic tasting over the years and enjoy popcorn concession machines for that fact. However, how does a potential machine consumer know which device works the best for his or her application? Each popcorn machine provides different features that consumers must consider.

What is your budget? Commercial popcorn makers can have a wide range of prices, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Consumers looking to purchase a commercial maker for a home theater experience do not need the largest machine offered in the marketplace; a small, table size maker would be sufficient to serve friends and family at a reasonable price.

Alternatively, a start-up business may need a larger and more expensive maker, whereas a movie theater chain will need multiple and extremely large machines that have a premium cost.

Popcorn Makers That Produce More Can Cost More

The size of the popcorn machine and output capabilities can also reflect in a higher price point. Unlike a standard cotton candy machine, popcorn makers have varying internal equipment pieces called kettles.

These cooking kettles range in sizes from 4 ounces to a staggering 16 ounces. Although these volumes may seem small, they are based on the weight of the non-popped kernels.

For example, popping kernels in a full 4 ounce kettle will produce 10 cups of fully popped popcorn. As a result, the smaller 4 ounce kettle machines are more appropriate for a home theater application. The larger 16 ounce machines are typically found in commercial movie theaters where patrons consume popcorn as a standard snack.

Kettle Size Of Popcorn Makers Help Estimate Freshness

The popcorn machine industry knows that consumers have various needs for these fun snack devices. Not only are they available in the small and large sizes, they offer many degrees of medium sized machines. In fact, 4,  6, 8, and 12 ounce machines are available for use at school functions, or even in waiting rooms.

Correct sizing is imperative so a batch doesn't sit around from an over-produced mix.  Popcorn must be quickly distributed to happy customers on demand, but it also cannot sit for long periods of time or it can become stale. Purchasing popcorn makers with a particular kettle size will ensure that fresh popcorn is available at all times for any functions.
 
Use A Popcorn Cart With Your Popcorn Makers

Do you need to stay mobile? Commercial popcorn machines can be purchased in both a stationary or mobile version, just like a snow cone machine. Most popcorn makers have the ability to be attached to a push cart; these devices are helpful in particular commercial applications, such as walking around a theme park.

For example, customers that are in line for an attraction can purchase popcorn the moment the cart passes by; they do not lose their spot in line and the vendor benefits from more sales.

Unlike the old fashioned kettle corn poppers, modern popcorn machines can be ran on two different power sources, either gas or electricity. The most common power choice is electricity for stationary vendors; electrical outlets provide a steady energy source for machines that do not move, like the standard movie theater machine.

Vendors that move about an area on a cart configuration must use popcorn makers powered by gas. These machines are extremely versatile, but vendors must make sure that they have an adequate supply of propane gas to work and finish the commercial shift.

Consumers looking to purchase a popcorn machine should look for one other feature: an old maid drawer. This feature allows non-popped kernels to drop down and away from the finished popcorn so that consumers do not accidentally chew or swallow an non-popped kernel. Overall, choosing the best popcorn makers requires some business research and evaluation for a quality commercial product.