# Popcorn poppers advice for a newbie



## Thinbo

Thanks in advance for any advice. Apologies if this is a regular query from new forum users.

I'm keen to try home roasting with a popcorn maker. After a bit of looking around the web/youtube etc I still have a couple of questions.

Do some poppers come without thermostats that cut out power if it's getting too hot, or do all UK sold ones come with them as safety features? I assume it is not possible to roast coffee without removing/disabling it?

I assume most cheap poppers are much of a muchness? There seem to be little in the way of "tech specs" quoted for them, is there anything I should look out for?

I'm aware that some people mod their poppers, I'm planning on keeping it simple, at least to start with.

thanks


----------



## Wuyang

Also interested in a popcorn popper.......if anybody could advise which one......that would be great.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

All info out there on using popcorn makers for roasting seem to feature American products such as the West End popper which are not available in UK I believe.

This link n Coffee Wiki might help.

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/roasting-on-a-pop-corn-maker


----------



## DrKizzle911

My missus just picked up a popcorn popper from Argos which is apparently the right type ( side vents) so just need to get hold of some green beans and I'm set. Wonder if there's any sellers in south east London . . .


----------



## Step21

We have a "Rival" brand popcorn popper which was bought years ago for making popcorn. I had a look at this a few weeks back when i was considering trying it for coffee. However, it has a thermostat which will cut in if it gets too hot and it doesn't recommend running for more than 5 mins. I took it apart to see if i could disengage the thermostat but it wasn't at all obvious to me how to do so. I left it at that. I suspect most machines will be similar with regard to safety cutout.

Instead i went down the hot air gun/metal colander route with decent results. I've had the hot air gun for years and used it infrequenty for paint stripping. Nice to find another use for it!


----------



## tjstubbs

I started out using a 'Prima' popper, found it used on Ebay. I believe they don't make them anymore, but you can find them, they are some of the best for roasting and don't have a thermostat.


----------



## mrbagel

This is the one you need chaps: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Severin-117803-Popcorn-Maker-White/dp/B00008WV6Z


----------



## Vieux Clou

In re "do they have thermostats?":









I think that's a "no".


----------



## espressotechno

Lidl are selling popcorn poppers this week.


----------



## Phil104

Caffeine (the mag) reviewed a popcorn maker (bought off eBay, as I recall - not at home so don't have it to hand) and against the other roasting machines they reviewed it came out surprisingly favourably.


----------



## Wuyang

I've got a popcorn coffee roaster from uk....German made or design I believe....it's called "SEVERIN" got mine off amazon £20+ inc [email protected]

If you look through the reviews on Amazon there are a few people who use them very successfully for roasting coffee and as such write quite abit of advice about the popcorn machine.

Anyway I roast about 100g at a time in in mine....it's bloody brilliant......never melted.....not modded......buy one you won't regret it.....best coffee tool I've bought.

have a pic or two on me......


----------



## Belluca

do you reach the second crack?


----------



## Wuyang

Second crack.......just roasted some today as it happened..........yes no problem.

You can get them dark as you like if that's your thing.


----------



## essex_mummy

Hello,

I wanted to have a try at roasting using a popcorn maker, can someone tell me if this one is suitable http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Andrew-James-Electric-Hot-Air-Healthy-Popcorn-Popper-Maker-Machine-In-Red-/371631463759?hash=item5686f61d4f:g:W7kAAOSwboVXPHUK -


----------



## NickR

Its very hard to tell, but its only £18 if its no good for coffee you could always use it for popcorn.


----------



## dmdrabble

One more shout for the Severin. Did my research and this one came out on top. Some of the recommended poppers on the American site are difficult to get hold of and cost more 2nd hand.


----------



## Apostle_Coffee

I'm using a popcorn maker at the moment for small test batches and to get a sense of the roasting process. It's a cheap and easy way to get a fuller understanding of the roast process.


----------



## Apostle_Coffee

Yes, I have one just like this and it works fine for test roasts.


----------



## kingdean

Popcorn poppers are great as the consistency from fluid bed is great if you keep the batch size down.

They do have a thermal cut-off as well as a thermal fuse, so if you heat it up too much it'll actually blow. So you'll have to remove these from the circuit before you start if you want to hit the temps you need (in my experience).

In terms of basic mods I'd suggest:

* Remove fuses and thermal cut-out (as discussed above)

* Throwing a flume on the roaster in order to allow the unit to heat up a bit more and prevent the beans from flying out the top (you can also use a aluminium ventilation hose which you can redirect and catch the chaff

* Attach a separate DC supply on the fan in order to allow you to keep the fan going to get heat out of the unit and cool off the beans during crack and at the end of a roast

* Put a relay or SSR (depending on your duty span) onto the element and just control this with a K-Type (or other, but K is the most common and suitable for the application imo) thermocouple so you don't melt the thing and can control your roast


----------



## dannoceti

I'm using a West Bend Popper II.


----------



## eslord

I can't believe how good popcorn poppers can roast coffee. I was a bit sceptical, but did test this idea yesterday.

Got some green coffee beans from smallbatchroasting. Used my daughter popcorn popper 10 attempts 50g coffee each. Just pulled shot from mexico finca autora and Iam amazed how good it is. Gonna get my own popcorn popper today and will do some modifications. Look at the picture, on the left side my roast beside rave signature blend on the right.


----------



## eslord

All done, just waiting for some green beens now


----------



## scottybourn

Iv just bought that popper as well but can't work out how to get the dimmer in it ?


----------



## kingdean

scottybourn said:


> Iv just bought that popper as well but can't work out how to get the dimmer in it ?


Make sure you dimmer is rated, it's harder to get a dimmer for the full 2000+Watts on your roaster than say a light fitting.

I use PWM on a big old solid state relay personally.


----------



## herbertvwright

This is great thank you for this thread.


----------



## jt196

As per other folks here, I bought a Severin popcorn maker, after a read here for recommendations.

£15 eBay link here.

Used it a couple of times before getting a second hand Gene Cafe and the air-flow is really full on and the beans were roasting in around 9-10 minutes. No need for a dimmer or any mods on this model - you're really good to go. The only thing I had to do was to take some stainless gauze I had, and shape it into a cylinder to replace the hood. The beans kept on popping out without this. If you're getting into roasting, you'll get some really good results for very little with this bit of kit.


----------

