The Best Ways to Make (and Flavor) Popcorn

Top pick

This pot has only one purpose, but it makes the crunchiest corn. It has a stirring wire, to keep kernels from burning, and a vented lid, to keep kernels from getting damp with steam.

We’ve found that the tastiest popcorn is made on the stove. And if you don’t mind investing in another standalone product, Wabash Valley Farms’ Whirley-Pop 3-Minute Popcorn Popper is incredibly easy to use, and it makes unbeatable popcorn.

A hand-cranked wire stirs the kernels to prevent them from burning, and a vented lid allows steam to escape so the popcorn doesn’t get soggy. The long handle keeps your fingers safely away from the heat.

It’s the absolute crunchiest. All stove-top methods will produce crunchier popcorn than the microwave or an air popper, but the Whirley-Pop takes popcorn to the next level. Since its lid is vented, steam doesn’t get trapped around the kernels, so there’s no softening (which can happen with other lidded pots).

But stove-top popping requires oil. Unlike when you use an air popper or a microwave, when you make popcorn on the stove, you have to use at least a few tablespoons of oil, to prevent sticking and burning. This likely boosts the taste and texture. When we used oil to make popcorn in our microwave-bowl pick, however, it didn’t deliver quite the same crunch.

Yet cleanup is still easy. Even though the Whirly-Pop’s instructions suggest using oil to make the popcorn, this vessel doesn’t need to be washed out with soap and water after each use, according to the user manual. Just wipe it down with a paper towel, and place it on a shelf until the next use.

It has a great warranty. We haven’t had any issues with our Whirly-Pop, and we haven’t come across any common or repeated problems mentioned in buyer reviews, either. But if you do have an issue, the company offers an eye-popping (pun intended) 25-year warranty.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Like a microwavable popcorn bowl or an air popper, this popper is a standalone product that won’t find another use in your kitchen. If you’re short on space, consider sticking to the classic pot-on-the-stove method.

Also, we’ve had a few experiences with hot oil escaping through the vented lid and landing on our hands. The spray is too light to cause actual burning, but it’s an unpleasant feeling. Reducing the quantity of oil seems to eliminate the problem, but this method might not be the best one for kids.

Top pick

Chances are good you already have a stockpot (or something similar). If you don’t, this deep, fully clad pot evenly heats kernels, and it has large, easy-to-grip handles. But since it doesn’t have a stirring wire, when you’re making popcorn in this pot, you have to regularly shake it.

If you don’t want to invest in yet another kitchen gadget, and you don’t mind monitoring your kernels, then just about any lidded pot will work to make popcorn.

But lighter is better in this case. That’s why if you’re in the market for a stockpot, we recommend the Tramontina Gourmet 8-Quart Tri-Ply Stock Pot from our cookware guide. It weighs only 5 pounds 12 ounces, so you can shake your popcorn with ease.

And thanks to its fully clad finish, this pot will distribute heat evenly to each kernel. That also means there will be less burning and, ultimately, an easier cleanup.

Wirecutter staffers have also made popcorn in heavier pots, such as a Dutch oven. These vessels hold and distribute heat well, but they are much heavier to shake. And some other staffers have used lighter-weight vessels, including a large metal bowl topped with aluminum foil, á la Alton Brown (video). But a bowl is hard to hold onto, and it’s thinner than cookware, so there’s a higher risk of scorching. A tri-ply stainless steel pot provides a happy medium.

Like the Whirly-Pop, this pot requires oil. But unlike the Whirly-Pop, this is a pot you’ll likely use for other tasks, so you’ll need to wash it with soap and water between uses.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

No matter what cooking vessel you choose, you need to stay by the stove and shake your pot (or Dutch oven, or bowl) so that the kernels don’t burn as they pop. If your pot has short handles, you may find it’s easier and safer to wear oven mitts when shaking. Just be sure to keep the mitts well away from the flame, if you have a gas stove.

Also, since most stock pots don’t have a vented lid (as our microwavable bowl or Whirley-Pop picks do), you’ll want to pour the popcorn out of the pot and into a bowl quickly so it doesn’t sit in its own moisture and lose its crunch.