Lights, Kernels, Cleaning and Home Theater Popcorn Machines
Home theater popcorn machines are made for completing the home theater experience. Most people rather than not cleaning up after themselves. Along with the home theater popcorn machine comes the responsibility of keeping it clean. However, there are ways to ensure your cleaning is kept to a minimum, allowing you more time to sit back and enjoy the shoe.
There are actually two types of cleaning that you need to consider with a popcorn machine. The first one is a daily cleaning or a routine cleaning and the second is what we call a thorough cleaning. Typically, on a daily basis all you are going to want to do is wipe out any excess oil that may have been left behind as you pop the popcorn. And the best way to do that is to take a damp cloth and wipe out the kettle on the inside and the outside. The actual glass cabinet can be cleaned with regular glass cleaner. And you are in pretty good shape if you do that on a daily basis. Now, over a period of time, you may get some carbon buildup on the kettle from burned on oil. And this typically is going to take a good six months of use to get to that point. When it does, it is kind of like your grandmother’s old skillet. You know the old cast iron skillet that she used forever? You are going to want to clean that with a good kettle cleaning kit, available through most manufacturers. Typically the kit will have a chemical cleaner that will remove any buildup. But that only needs to be done once or twice a year, depending on your usage.
Unless you have a tendency to spill your food, and obviously with popcorn it might be a little easier to spill it as you walk away, the majority of the mess is contained inside the cabinet. You are also cooking with oil and there is a tendency to get some spatter. But, because of the self-contained design, it is generally confined to the cabinet, which can be later wiped down when you are done cooking for the day.
As a cleaning bonus, most popcorn machines have a lighted enclosure. Although the light does help when cleaning the machine, the lighted enclosure actually serves three specific purposes. First, it makes working in the machine easier, obviously lighting the work area. Second, for environments that actually sell popcorn it becomes a presentation lamp for point of sale merchandise because it illuminates the popcorn. And third, the light serves as a reminder that the machine is on. When that light is on the warming deck is on as well. So, at the end of the day you know to turn it off.
Home theater popcorn machines are like any other appliance. They require routine cleaning as well as periodic thorough cleaning. In order to keep your machine functioning at full capacity, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding both routine and thorough cleaning.
Pop! Marks the Spot: Features of Home Theater Popcorn Machines
The addition of a popcorn machine to your home theater space can be that special touch for all of your entertainment experiences. There are multiple features of popcorn machines that can make the process of making popcorn easier depending on what type of environment you are working in. Popcorn machines differ in their available features based upon their primary use. Whether you are in the market for a small, simple machine or a commercial machine, check out their available features and choose the machine that best suits your personal needs.
Popcorn machines are designed for variable uses and quantity demands. For anyone in the market for a popcorn machine, it is important to note that there are some popcorn machines that are strictly for home use. In turn, there are commercial machines that have to meet certain certifications for the large amounts of popcorn volume they are expected to produce. The commercial machines naturally have higher standards and better quality. However, if you have low popping demands, the exponential difference in cost for the commercial machine does not justify the investment.
When investigating the different types of popping machines, consider features such as a warming deck, sometimes referred to as a warming tray, if you plan to serve larger volumes of people for an extended period of time. For those unfamiliar with the characteristics of a popcorn machine warming deck or tray, the warming deck is able to keep popcorn fresh if the popcorn is pre-popped and left in the machine. For example, if you are planning a Super Bowl party, you may want to pre-pop several batches of popcorn and keep them in the cabinet. Guests are able to access refills throughout the day and the popcorn is consistently warm and fresh. On the other hand, if you will not be producing volumes of popcorn for larger crowds, the warming feature is not necessary. In regards to the heating, heat rises as you know. It is best to have the heating element below the deck and allow that heat to rise through the whole popcorn.
As you search for the ultimate in popping machines, keep in mind that there are also different designs for popping machine kettles. The two main issues that are of the greatest importance as far as what kettle material you may prefer to use are the heat transfer capability of the metal that you use and the clean ability of that material. The heat transfer capability relates to performance. Harder metals result in poorer heat transfer. The three metals that are most commonly used for the manufacturing of popping kettles are aluminum, steel (with some sort of plating on it), and stainless steel. Of the three, aluminum is the best for heat transfer. On the contrary, stainless steel is the easiest to clean because it is the least porous material. Consider how your popping machine will be used when choosing your kettle material.
Lastly, when shopping for your popping machine, remember that virtually every manufacturer has a removable kettle. If a machine does not have a removable kettle, it is best to discard it from consideration. For both electrical safety and servicing of the heating element or the thermostat, a removable kettle is the best choice.
A home theater popping machine can be one of the greatest additions to your home theater experience. Before diving into such an investment, make certain your machine has some of the best features for making each use a pleasure rather than a burden. A warming tray for higher volumes of popcorn and a removable kettle for both safety and service are two features of home theater popping machines that are deserving of serious thought before you make your final popping machine purchase.
