The Fifth Element of Home Theater

Manufacturer & Model

Franklin's Gourmet Popcorn Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker

MSRP

$69.99

Link

https://franklinspopcorn.com/products/whirley-pop

Highlights

Great flavor. Quick, easy popping with easy clean-up. Pre-meausured packs make it foolproof.

Summary

The Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker is simplicity at its finest. Removing all complication from the process of making popcorn results in quick and easy popcorn, so you're ready to hit play right away!

When it comes to home theater essentials, movie snacks can either be overcomplicated or overlooked altogether.

Popcorn is the quintessential movie snack, not to mention everyone's favorite gif subject.

I've used all types of poppers over the years, from air poppers to microwave bags to the novelty "theater-style" popping machines. All have advantages and disadvantages, but I decided this time to find something simple in order to have a solution that inspires me to use it frequently rather than skipping it to avoid clean-up and hassles.

I think I've found the perfect snack machine.

Franklin's Gourmet Popcorn Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker

• Power Requirements: 3kcal
• Format: Classic or Organic
• Material: Hard-anodized aluminum, metal gears
• Capacity: 4oz
• Warranty: Lifetime

 

[Michael Scott]

lol, I use that exact same whirlypop for my popcorn addiction. It really is stupid simple to use and tastes way better. Especially if you use coconut or peanut oil to prime the pan

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

lol, I use that exact same whirlypop for my popcorn addiction. It really is stupid simple to use and tastes way better. Especially if you use coconut or peanut oil to prime the pan

The pre-measured packs I'm using from Franklin's include coconut oil. So good!

 

[Michael Scott]

The pre-measured packs I'm using from Franklin's include coconut oil. So good!

I haven't tried the franklin's premades yet. I usually use peanut or coconut oil and measure. The ONLY thing I would like about the franklin's is they use theater butter in theirs, and theater butter has a couple of added chemicals that you can NOT replicate without. It's why theater popcorn has that distinctive flavor.

I usually use regular butter and the Kernel Season's various seasonings (ranch and white cheddar is a killer mixture)

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I haven't tried the franklin's premades yet. I usually use peanut or coconut oil and measure. The ONLY thing I would like about the franklin's is they use theater butter in theirs, and theater butter has a couple of added chemicals that you can NOT replicate without. It's why theater popcorn has that distinctive flavor.

I usually use regular butter and the Kernel Season's various seasonings (ranch and white cheddar is a killer mixture)

Pick up a carton of Flavocol and mix it in with your oil and I’ll bet you get pretty close to theater flavoring.

 

[Michael Scott]

Pick up a carton of Flavocol and mix it in with your oil and I’ll bet you get pretty close to theater flavoring.

Yup. That's the stuff. Haven't gotten any for a while

 

[mechman]

Pick up a carton of Flavocol and mix it in with your oil and I’ll bet you get pretty close to theater flavoring.

Can confirm.

 

[Michael Scott]

Also. The trick is to add the flavacol with the oil when you add the kernels in the whirly pop. Not afterwards. And use butter flavored coconut oil. That gives you near perfect theater popcorn

 

[mechman]

I don’t use the whirly pop myself. I have an 6oz machine. Maybe I should switch though as I dread cleaning the machine.

 

[Michael Scott]

I don’t use the whirly pop myself. I have an 6oz machine. Maybe I should switch though as I dread cleaning the machine.

Those are awesome machines, I used to own one (still do, it's just in storage) but as you said it's a chore to clean. As long as you don't need more than 1/2 cup of dry kernels at a time I just find myself using the whirly pop way more often because it's a breeze to use and clean up

 

[jdubs75]

Definitely agree that the whirlypop is great and the clean up is perfect when you need a quick fix! I have a Paragon maker and love it outside of cleaning it. My recipe is the same: melt the coconut oil then mix in kernels and the magic ingredient: Flavacol. Yummy! Now I want a batch for breakfast

 

[Michael Scott]

you guys are making me want to get another container of flavacol lol

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Definitely agree that the whirlypop is great and the clean up is perfect when you need a quick fix! I have a Paragon maker and love it outside of cleaning it. My recipe is the same: melt the coconut oil then mix in kernels and the magic ingredient: Flavacol. Yummy! Now I want a batch for breakfast

Paragon are definitely the best product in that class. I had my eye on those for awhile, and they are made about 15 miles from my old house in Iowa. A group of former Maytag workers started up that place, quality product, made in the USA.

I'm perfectly content with the Whirley Pop. Good, quick, easy, repeat.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

you guys are making me want to get another container of flavacol lol

We had a local/regional garden shop in Iowa called Earl May Garden Centers. One of those old-timey vibes where they always had free popcorn for customers. I used to go in there just to buy popcorn and Flavocol, since they started selling what they were popping.

 

[Michael Scott]

Paragon are definitely the best product in that class. I had my eye on those for awhile, and they are made about 15 miles from my old house in Iowa. A group of former Maytag workers started up that place, quality product, made in the USA.

I'm perfectly content with the Whirley Pop. Good, quick, easy, repeat.

yup, the Paragon 6 ozer is the one I have. Like I said, it's been in storage for almost a year because it's only me and the wife and the sucker is a PAIN to clean. The popcorn is SLIGHTLY better than the wirly, but you REALLY have to be nitpicky to distinguish them.

 

[jdubs75]

yup, the Paragon 6 ozer is the one I have. Like I said, it's been in storage for almost a year because it's only me and the wife and the sucker is a PAIN to clean. The popcorn is SLIGHTLY better than the wirly, but you REALLY have to be nitpicky to distinguish them.

Here’s my Paragon. Now I’m definitely firing it up tomorrow for my Sunday night movie!

 

[mechman]

yup, the Paragon 6 ozer is the one I have. Like I said, it's been in storage for almost a year because it's only me and the wife and the sucker is a PAIN to clean. The popcorn is SLIGHTLY better than the wirly, but you REALLY have to be nitpicky to distinguish them.

I should probably put mine in storage as I don't use it that much.

Flavacol is the stuff. And when you really want to get daring, mix it half and half with glaze pop! A local hockey arena does this and it is the bomb! Only problem is that it makes cleanup a bit worse.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I should probably put mine in storage as I don't use it that much.

Flavacol is the stuff. And when you really want to get daring, mix it half and half with glaze pop! A local hockey arena does this and it is the bomb! Only problem is that it makes cleanup a bit worse.

You may have just created a monster.

 

[Michael Scott]

I googled "glaze pop" and now I'm super intrigued.

 

[billrobbo]

OK, being an Aussie. What is flavacol and what is in it?

 

[mechman]

You may have just created a monster.

I googled "glaze pop" and now I'm super intrigued.

Sweet and salty!

 

[Michael Scott]

OK, being an Aussie. What is flavacol and what is in it?

What Is Flavacol? Does It Make Popcorn Taste Better? - What The Popcorn

Have you ever wondered why movie theater popcorn tastes so much better than the microwaved bags you find at the store? Flavacol is a delicious ingredient added to popcorn in many public events, such as theaters, circuses, fairs, and so on. However, many people are curious about what’s found in...

whatthepopcorn.com

it's the stuff they use in theaters and carnival popcorn to make it taste the way it is... basically salt, dye and butter flavoring... then mix with a butter flavored oil. basically it's magic salt lol

 

[Asere]

Thanks for sharing. I just bought the Franklin's and arrives on Saturday.

 

[Michael Scott]

Thanks for sharing. I just bought the Franklin's and arrives on Saturday.

trust me on this. Get THIS

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HMYDKGW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A23V8PCI306MKW&psc=1

and THIS

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081DM3CYV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

and you will be making incredible popcorn. I own the original whirlypop and not the Franklin (the franklin just has an anodized finish for durability + metal gears for the turn arm) and you just put the coconut oil and flavacol in the bottom..heat up the oil to liquid form, then put the kernels in and pop. It's pure magic. 1-2 TBSP of Flavacol per 1/2 cup of popcorn. Oil to taste (I usually do 3 TBSP to get that nice and buttery flavor)

 

[Michael Scott]

by the way, if you want "a little bit harder, but definitely home made" to make theater style popcorn, then here's a little trick tought to me by a guy who worked as a pro chef.

make Ghee (clarified butter...takes about 30 minutes and a lb of butter, but what you esentially do is separate all the milk fats and solids from the butter leaving pure butter fat at the end of the day). take table salt and turn it into powdered salt (blender, vitamix etc).... now you've got the base incredients for flavacol.

basically take 3-4 TBSP of the ghee, 1-2 tsp of the powdered salt, pour them in the bottom of the whirly pop and heat them up till they melt in the bottom (ghee thickens up to a heavy honey like texture) then toss 1/2 cup of kernels in the whirlypop and pop like normal. Works like a charm

flavacol is nothing but powdered salt with artificial butter flavoring and yellow/gold food coloring...., and using butter flavored oil along with it is how they get that taste. This method is as pure as you can get without the artifical flavorings, AND is just as intense and buttery/salty as you can ask for. I made a batch about 30 minutes ago and it works slightly better than flavacol in my opinion. the ghee and powdering the salt are really the key things here (ghee also won't burn on the stove like regular butter will, and doesn't make the kernels soggy). The big thing is using GHEE and NOT butter to make your popocorn.... that's what makes it all soggy at home.