In a hurry, here are our top pick, editor’s choice, and best value.
Top pick
Wabash Valley Popcorn Popper
The vessel’s metal body can withstand high heat and distribute it evenly. Thus, you can expect balanced roasting.
Editor’s choice
Dash Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker
The device has a compact design, so you can place it even in a tight space. Plus, at a little less than 1.8 lbs, it is a lightweight popper.
Best value
Great Northern Popcorn Stove
The Great Northern Popcorn Company is a brand known for its wide range of uniquely designed popcorn makers, quality, performance, and features.
Did you think roasting green coffee means using a specialized coffee roasting machine? Well, the good news is, you’re wrong. All you need is a popcorn maker! Yes, you read that right! And today, we’ll help you find the best popcorn popper for roasting coffee beans!
Coffee patrons roast beans themselves to get their own blend and roast. For small-scale coffee roasting at home, a popcorn popper is ideal. But buying a popper for coffee needs careful consideration of features like heat source, stirring ability, etc.
Which is the best popcorn maker to roast coffee? What features should you look for – and how should you make it? Today, you will find out everything you need to know about roasting coffee in a popcorn popper! So keep reading!
Table of Contents
Why Should You Invest in a Popcorn Popper to Roast Coffee?
Roasting coffee beans the correct way is essential for releasing the flavors. You must have wondered at some point: why should you roast coffee in a popcorn popper?
Here’s why so many amateur coffee connoisseurs prefer to roast their own coffee – and start their home-roasting journey with a popcorn popper:
- Roasting coffee beans at home is more cost-effective than buying pre-roasted coffee beans. It’s also cheaper to roast them in a popcorn popper compared to a coffee roaster.
- Home-roasting doesn’t include the chemicals or preservatives used in commercial roasting. Commercial processing also removes the health benefits of green beans.
- It’s easy to use a popcorn popper to roast coffee and get your preferred aroma and roast. You can mix in your favorite beans and experiment with blends and heat levels.
- It’s almost therapeutic to roast coffee and enjoy the scent rising from the roasting beans. The rich coffee aroma might make you want to hum the line, “You fill up my senses…”
- Once you’re done roasting coffee and have cleaned the popper – you’ll have a popcorn maker! If you have never thought of making popcorn at home, now’s your chance!
How to Choose the Best Popcorn Poppers for Coffee Roasting: Features to Look For
Popcorn makers aren’t all the same. They use various heat sources and cooking methods. They differ from one another in many aspects. But are they all good for roasting coffee? No! Take a look at the required features in a popper for coffee roasting.
Type
Popcorn makers can be categorized as stove-top poppers, microwave poppers, hot air poppers, and electric poppers. A stove-top popper is the best as it gives you control of the temperature, stirring, and even roasting.
If you want to know why stove-top popper is the best then make sure to read our full review. Your second-best option is a hot air popper.
Other poppers fail to provide consistent temperature or the level of heat needed for roasting beans. This makes way for overcooking or undercooking the beans. Only a hot air popper with high heat capacity and wattage can come close to a stove-top popper.
Stirring Mechanism
Many stove-top poppers have a stirring mechanism in the handle. Some poppers may need you to operate the stirrer from the lid. It is a valuable feature for roasting coffee. That’s because you’ll need to stir the beans to keep them from burning and ensure even roasting.
In hot air poppers, there’s no manual stirring mechanism. You should find one that has a strong fan and side vents. The fan will be able to lift the beans and make them move around consistently to replace the stirring mechanism. Side vents are better at raising heavier beans.
Lid
You must keep an eye on the beans while roasting to check how brown they are getting. So, find a popper with a see-through lid or one that opens halfway. They will prevent you from removing the top repeatedly and causing heat fluctuations that can lead to uneven roasting.
The same goes for hot air poppers, too. Unless you have the experience of roasting, you won’t be able to roast beans just by the aroma or the cracking sound. A good way to watch the beans change colors is by checking them through the see-through lid.
Other Factors:
- You also need to look at other factors. A popper made of aluminum, steel, or any metal allows quick and even heat distribution. It should preferably have a non-stick coating.
- Choose your popper’s capacity depending on the quantity of beans you wish to roast in each batch. It should also be easy to clean, as the loose chaff is difficult to remove.
- If you want a hot air popper, it must have a high wattage and heat capacity. These are rare in modern hot air poppers. It must also need a low rest time between batches.
Best Popcorn Popper for Roasting Coffee Beans: Our Top 10 Picks
We have picked the best popcorn poppers in the market for you – based on their ability to roast coffee beans. Our team’s Java lovers have tried a wide range of popcorn makers and curated this list for you based on their experience.
So get ready to know about the top popcorn makers that can be used for roasting green coffee!
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
| 1 | Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper | Best Overall |
| 2 | Dash Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker – Best Hot Air Popper | Best Air Popper |
| 3 | Great Northern Popcorn Original Stove Top Popcorn Popper | Best Brand |
| 4 | Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker | Best Air Popper Brand |
| 5 | Time for Treats VKP Brands StovePop Popper | Best Safety Lid Feature |
| 6 | Cook N Home Stovetop Popcorn Popper | Versatile Heat Source Compatibility |
| 7 | Nostalgia Hot Air Popcorn Maker and Bucket | Best Air Popper Design |
| 8 | Zippy Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper | Best Glass Lid Popper |
| 9 | Norpro Old Time Popcorn Popper | Compact Design |
| 10 | Franklin’s Original Whirley Pop Popcorn Machine | Best Bean Protection |
1. Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 6 lbs
- Size – 16.63” x 9.38” x 7.94”
- Weight – 2 lbs
A popcorn popper known for its easy-to-use design and incredible quality, the Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper is an excellent choice. This vessel roasts Java beans in no time.
The Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper has a sturdy aluminum core – with a wide range of metallic colors like steel, copper, silver, red, etc. The vessel’s metal body can withstand high heat and distribute it evenly. Thus, you can expect balanced roasting.
Though it heats up quickly, you can handle this minor issue by continuously reducing the heat and stirring the beans. The popper’s handle has a stirring mechanism to make the job easy for you. Just crank the stirrer while roasting to move the beans inside the popper.
It also features a wooden knob on the lid that makes it safe to flip it open and check the color of your coffee. It’s large and spacious.
So distributing the beans around the bottom and heating them properly lets you achieve anything between light and dark roast. And lastly, the features of the Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper make it great for outdoor activities such as camping.
2. Dash Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker
Specifications:
- Wattage – 1400 W
- Capacity – 8 pints
- Size – 9.96” x 9.57” x 5.47”
- Weight – 1.76 lbs
An air popper with an impressively high wattage – the Dash Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker is a powerful device. It’s not just everyone’s favorite popcorn maker; it roasts coffee perfectly!
Ask any popcorn lover – and they’ll vouch for the excellent quality of the Dash Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker. Coffee roasters, too, love this device because of the powerful motor and heating chamber with a capacity of 8 pints. Thus, it’s a highly versatile air popper.
The device has a compact design, so you can place it even in a tight space. Plus, at a little less than 1.8 lbs, it is a lightweight popper. It comes in attractive pastel shades to jazz up your cooking space. It looks particularly well in a retro setting. It’s also easy to use.
Just so you know – when you’re not using it for coffee roasting, you can use this popper not only to popcorn kernels but also to melt butter. It is easy to clean, with a dishwasher-safe butter tray and popper chute.
All in all, it’s our favorite hot air popper. If you like this product and want to find out more about it then read our full review.
3. Great Northern Popcorn Original Stove Top Popcorn Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 6.5 qt
- Size – 17” x 10” x 8”
- Weight – 2 lbs
A popcorn maker from one of the most trusted brands – the Great Northern Popcorn Original Stove Top Popcorn Popper is a high-quality vessel. It’s ideal for the perfect Joe, too!
The Great Northern Popcorn Company is a brand known for its wide range of uniquely designed popcorn makers. It is trusted for its amazing quality. The Original Stove Top Popcorn Popper is one-of-a-kind because of its larger-than-the-largest capacity of 6.5 qt.
This makes it easy to distribute a large quantity of coffee beans evenly and get a balanced roasting. The even roasting is further enhanced by the duplex heat pad of this vessel. You can flip the lid using the wooden knob to check the gradually browning beans.
The handle is equipped with a stirring rod that you can rotate during the roasting process. The arms are slightly short. So we suggest cooking on low heat – whether you roast coffee beans or make popcorn. Some users choose to bend them a little to hit the sweet spot.
4. Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker
Specifications:
- Wattage – 1500 W
- Capacity – 2.5 qt (approx.)
- Size – 7.87” x 5.51” x 12.83”
- Weight – 1 lb
An air popper from one of the most trusted electronics companies – the Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker is a must-have. It roasts raw Java for the smoothest drink!
Cuisinart is a known name in the world of home appliances like coffee brewers, mixer grinders, ovens, etc. Its CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker, too, lives up to the brand’s goodwill. It is a high-quality and highly durable popper that can make coffee roasting easy.
It can roast a large batch of beans because of its high capacity. Plus, it has an incredibly high wattage, making it an effective popper-cum-roaster. The popcorn popper is easy to clean as the removable parts are dishwasher-safe. We also love its cord storage.
Besides roasting perfect Joe beans, you can use it to melt butter – and to, of course, make delicious popcorn in less than 3 min. It has an On/Off Switch that makes everything from roasting beans to popping kernels quick and easy. It even comes with a special recipe book!
5. Time for Treats VKP Brands StovePop Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 6 qt
- Size – 19” x 10” x 7”
- Weight – 4 lbs
The Time for Treats VKP Brands StovePop Popper’s lid has a unique magnetic feature that ensures your safety. Plus, the handles remain cool for easy handling without burning your hands.
The Time for Treats stove-top popper is designed to provide even and quick heating when you roast beans in it. The magnetic rod to lift the lid is a special feature of this vessel. It allows you to check the beans’ roasting status without touching the cover or getting burnt.
Besides being designed to prevent the hot lid from falling on your hand, the vessel further enhances the safety level during usage with the help of a silicone grip on the handle. It also has a stirring rod in the handle to help you move the beans while roasting.
The stirrer can be moved in both directions, which means you can easily control the stirring motion whether you’re left- or right-handed. Another great feature is that it is compatible with both induction and regular stoves to customize your roast.
6. Cook N Home Stovetop Popcorn Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 6 qt
- Size – 16.75” x 8” x 7.5”
- Weight – 4.29 lbs
A popper that can be used on any stove or burner – the Cook N Home Stovetop Popcorn Popper is a versatile vessel. It allows roasting large quantities of coffee beans!
The major advantage of the Cook N Home Stovetop Popcorn Popper is that you can set it on any heat source. It can roast perfect beans on gas, electric, or induction stoves – and you can achieve any roast you want, from light to dark, with no burning or unevenness.
This popper is available in four different models, all in different colors. Depending on the model you choose, the material of the vessel may be stainless steel, aluminum, or a mix of both. Plus, it has a wooden grip on the handle to keep your hands from burning or feeling uncomfortable.
The metal body allows even cooking, and though it’s a little heavy, you can rest assured that it will last a very long time. The lid with the wooden knob lets you keep a watch on the roasting process. It cooks fast, lets you pour the beans easily, and allows convenient cleaning.
7. Nostalgia Hot Air Popcorn Maker and Bucket
Specifications:
- Wattage – 1080 W
- Capacity – 2 qt
- Size – 11.3” x 10.51” x 10.51”
- Weight – 4.19 lbs
An air popper like you have never seen before – the Nostalgia Hot Air Popcorn Maker and Bucket is quite an eye-catcher. It has a convenient design for roasting coffee beans.
One of the reasons people avoid hot air poppers for roasting Java, besides the lack of control over heat, is that it’s difficult to stir the beans. The Nostalgia Hot Air Popcorn Maker and Bucket solves that problem because it has a bucket-like pot with a wide mouth.
It has a high motor power that allows quick roasting. Thankfully, it doesn’t get hot in an instant to burn the beans.
But you do have to keep an eye on it when the temperature starts to rise. It’s easy to use, as well, as you turn it on and off just by pressing a switch.
We also love its vintage color options – three pastel shades and a stunning Coke red that justifies the brand’s name! Let’s not forget that it’s primarily a popcorn maker – and the detachable and easy-to-clean tub makes serving freshly-made popcorn hassle-free!
8. Zippy Pop Red Stovetop Popcorn Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 4 qt
- Size – 14.75” x 8.38” x 8.13”
- Weight – 2.62 lbs
The Zippy Pop Red Stovetop Popcorn Popper is an excellent choice for new home roasters. Its lid lets you stir the beans and take a peek inside without getting removed.
If roasting coffee beans at home is your new hobby, we advise choosing a roasting pot with a see-through lid. The Zippy Pop Red Stovetop Popcorn Popper offers just the kind of glass lid you could have asked for – and a little more, thanks to the patented stirring paddle design.
With this device, you cannot just look at the coffee beans at the roast without disrupting the temperature inside. You can also use the stirrer on the lid to move the beans inside. Doing so will ensure that each bean receives even heat and gets roasted perfectly.
What’s more, it is a non-stick popper that prevents sticking and scorching of the beans. Its aluminum body allows easy handling – while roasting coffee, popping corn kernels, and tumbling them over once you are done. It also looks really attractive and unique.
9. Norpro Old Time Popcorn Popper
Specifications:
- Capacity – 4 qt
- Size – 8.25” x 7.75” x 7.75”
- Weight – 2.15 lbs
The Norpro Old Time Popcorn Popper is a compactly designed vessel. This popper will roast you great coffee for a long time. It is designed to prevent rusting and corrosion.
The Norpro Old Time Popcorn Popper is known for its unique pot design. It is a narrow but deep-bottomed pan for popping corns – and this shape makes it compact. As a result, this product is easy to work with, whether you want to pop kernels or roast Java.
The aluminum body makes it light and easy to use while enhancing heat to roast each bean equally. The vessel’s material will not rust or deteriorate due to exposure to moisture. Meanwhile, the wooden handle grip will ensure that the roasting process remains safe.
Don’t forget the crank gear that lets you stir the beans inside the pot for even cooking. Despite its small and light body design, this popper can still make a large batch of roasted beans for you in each session. But since the bottom isn’t too broad, we suggest small batches.
10. Franklin’s Original Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Machine
Specifications:
- Capacity – 6 qt
- Size – 11.6” x 7.7” x 16.6”
- Weight – 2.59 lbs
The Franklin’s Original Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Machine is a high-capacity yet light popper to roast your Joe beans comfortably. It is designed to ensure that your beans don’t burn.
The stove-top popcorn popper from the house of Franklin’s Gourmet Popcorn has a vintage design. It goes perfectly well with the brand’s ethos of providing you with the classic taste of movie theater popcorn. But besides making great popcorn, it roasts great coffee!
Its patented stirring mechanism lets you keep the beans from sticking to the bottom or getting burnt. That means you can achieve any level of roast with a flawless finish. Plus, the interior is covered with a non-stick coating to further prevent all types of burning.
The massive aluminum body lets you cook a large batch of coffee beans in a single go. The metal body helps with a balanced heat dispersion to roast every bean. You can say that it is the best popcorn popper for roasting coffee beans without burning any of them.
How to Roast Coffee in Popcorn Popper
You now know how to pick the best popcorn popper for roasting coffee beans. Now it’s time for you to learn how to use a popper to roast beans that will make you the smoothest coffee! Let’s discuss both stove-top poppers and hot air poppers.
a) Roasting Coffee Beans in a Stove-Top Popcorn Popper
Step 1
Set the popcorn popper on the stove at low/medium flame. Don’t use high heat.
Step 2
Check the temperature with a thermometer. It should be around 350 F.
Step 3
Put 8-9 oz coffee beans in your popcorn popper. This will lower the temperature.
Step 4
Close the lid and check the temperature after some time.
Step 5
If it is around 350 F, start stirring.
Step 6
By 6 min, you should be able to hear the first cracking noise with some smoke.
Step 7
Let the heat spread for a minute. Then lower it slightly to slow down the process.
Step 8
Keep stirring and checking the beans every 30 sec.
Step 9
By the time you reach 9-12 min of roasting, you’ll hear the second crack.
Step 10
Continue roasting for about 8-10 min. Your beans should be ready by then.
Step 11
You can roast more till they are slightly lighter than the shade you prefer.
Step 12
Remove the beans from the heat. They will continue roasting on their own.
Step 13
Pour the beans into a colander. Agitate them slightly with a spoon to cool them.
Step 14
You can shuffle the beans between two pans to remove the chaff.
Step 15
Blow on the coffee beans to make the loose chaff fly away.
Step 16
Pour the beans into a glass jar. Place the lid lightly to let the CO2 pass.
Step 17
After 12 hours, seal the jar and store it in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Step 18
Wait for at least 24 hours before using the beans. We recommend 1 week.
Here’s a video to help you roast coffee beans in a stove-top popper.
b) Roasting Coffee Beans in a Hot Air Popcorn Popper
Step 1
Take ½ – 1 cup of coffee beans, depending on the capacity of the popper.
Step 2
Place the lid on the popper. Turn on the device.
Step 3
Watch the beans closely so that they don’t brown too much.
Step 4
You’ll notice that quite a bit of the chaff gets released during the whole process.
Step 5
You’ll hear the first crack within 3-5 minutes and the second crack soon after.
Step 6
The roasting of the beans should be completed between 5-10 min.
Step 7
Switch off the popper a little before the right color is achieved.
Step 8
Put the beans in a colander and toss to cool them, and remove the chaff.
Step 9
Transfer beans to a glass jar, leaving it lightly covered for 12 hours.
Step 10
Seal the jar and wait for 1-7 days before using the beans to make coffee.
Check out this video to understand the process better!
Factors to Consider while Roasting Coffee in Popcorn Popper
Now you know how to roast coffee beans at home using a stove-top or a hot air popper. But here are a few tips to ensure you get the best out of the process in a healthy way.
- Use green coffee, i.e., raw beans from the coffee plant. There is a wide variety of them. The final taste and aroma depend on many factors like quality, growth conditions, etc.
- Make sure that you roast coffee beans in a well-ventilated area. That’s because the smoke or fumes rising from coffee in high heat can harm your lungs after long heat exposure.
- Cool the roasted beans quickly by transferring them to a metal colander. To speed up the process, you can place the colander in the freezer so that the body is chilled.
- Pay attention to the cracking sound to develop your skills. The first crack is a loud pop in the light roast stage, while the second one is a faint crack in the dark roast phase.
- Pay close attention to the beans while they are roasting. It can take just a minute for the beans to burn after roasting for about 6-12 min. They may also get roasted unevenly.
Final Words
Have you always wanted to roast beans at home? Well, now you know how to do that easily – without burning a hole in your pocket.
All you need is a popcorn maker. So follow our guide and find the best popcorn popper for roasting coffee beans – without any hassle!
