People often aren’t aware that they can use a popcorn maker to roast their own coffee beans. It may seem to be a complicated process, but with the right popcorn popper, it is quite simple. This allows you to customize your blend by combining your favorite beans and roast. You have complete control over the outcome, and you can make your coffee beans light or dark as well as all of the shades in between. Continue reading to find the best popcorn popper for roasting coffee.
Five Best Popcorn Makers for Roasting Coffee
If you want to use a popcorn maker to roast your coffee beans, you need to choose the one that is best for you. Take a look at the following popcorn makers that are great for roasting coffee beans, followed by information on how to use them to make your own special custom blend.
1. Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper
This popcorn popper is a stovetop model, and it makes popping popcorn easy. It works on the stovetop, and it can also be used to roast coffee beans. You have the option to choose different temperatures, and it has a stirring system. This allows you to stir the coffee beans so that they are all roasted the same way.
This popper is made from stainless steel, so it will heat the coffee beans evenly and quickly. You can roast as many as 1.5 pounds of coffee beans in each batch. The stirring handle is easy to use, and it has a tight and secure lid that won’t come open while you are roasting them.
Pros:
- Stirring handle is comfortable and easy to use
- Lid is secure and easy to remove for cleaning
- Stainless steel ensures that it heats quickly and evenly
- Holds up to 1.5 pounds of coffee beans
Cons:
- You can’t see through the lid, so you need to learn how long to cook them
- You must stir the beans throughout the roast
2. Zippy Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper
The Zippy Pop Popcorn machine is painted ruby red, and it is made of aluminum with a soft-touch Bakelite handle. It is coated with a non-stick coating, and it has a vented, tempered glass lid that lets you see your coffee beans inside. It also has silicone rim stops that prevent the top from sliding.
The tumbling mechanism makes it possible to rotate the beans continuously so that they roast evenly. It is easy to clean, and you can control the temperature as it cooks. You can look through the glass lid to check the color of your coffee beans as they roast.
Pros:
- Easy to use and clean
- Stirring arm eliminates the need to stir the pot throughout the roast
- Glass lid allows you to see the roast
- Easy to control the temperature
Cons:
- Blades of stirrer don’t reach all the way to the edges of the pot
Learn how to make the best-tasting stovetop popcorn.
3. Time for Treats Stovetop Popcorn Popper
The Time for Treats stovetop popcorn popper is made of stainless steel, so it will heat the coffee beans evenly and quickly. It has a magnetic lid level that will prevent the lid from falling on your hand and burning you. The handles are cool touch, so you can easily remove the pot when your coffee beans are finished roasting. It also has a bi-directional stir handle that works for people who are left or right-handed.
You can use this popcorn maker to roast coffee beans on both a standard and an induction stovetop. You will be able to roast your coffee beans, but you won’t see through the lid. You will need to learn how much time it takes for the custom roast you desire.
Pros:
- Made of stainless steel for quick and even roasting
- Magnetic lid prevents lid from falling and burning your hand
- Cool touch handles are safe
- Stirrer allows you to keep the coffee beans moving for even roasting
Cons:
- You can’t see through the lid, so you have to check how the beans are coming along by opening it
Check out how to pop popcorn in a skillet next.
4. Great Northern Popcorn Popper
This Great Northern Stovetop popcorn popper is made of stainless steel, so you can roast your coffee beans evenly and quickly. It also has a duplex heat pad for even cooking, an easy pour lid, and precision-made metal gears. The lid is vented, and it has a stainless steel stir paddle and a wooden safety handle.
It is easy to use and clean, and you can get the perfect roast of your custom blend. You will enjoy using this popcorn popper, as it is simple. The stirring paddle makes sure that your beans never burn, and you will enjoy drinking coffee made with your custom roast.
Pros:
- Quality stainless steel pop with a duplex heat pad for even cooking
- Vented lid
- Stainless steel stir paddle
- Wooden safety handle
Cons:
- Doesn’t work on induction stove
Click here for more recommended Great Northern popcorn machines.
5. Cook N Home Popcorn Popper
The Cook N Home popcorn popper is made with stainless steel and has an encapsulated aluminum bottom. The aluminum layer helps evenly distribute the heat so that the coffee beans roast evenly. It has metal gears for stirring, and the lid has steam vents to keep the beans fresh. There is a wooden handle and knob that are cool to the touch, so you won’t burn your hands. They are also comfortable to use.
This popcorn maker works on standard stoves as well as induction, but it is not dishwasher safe. The lid tilts so you can peek at your coffee beans to check their color as they are roasting.
Pros:
- Stainless steel with an encapsulated aluminum bottom for even heating
- Metal gears to stir the beans
- Wooden handle and knob stay cool
- Works on standard and induction stoves
Cons:
- It isn’t dishwasher safe
What Kind of Popcorn Popper Is Best for Roasting Coffee Beans?
The stovetop popper is the best for roasting your coffee beans. They usually have a stirring mechanism, so you can make sure that they don’t burn. In addition, you can control the temperature to ensure the perfect roast.
Some have glass lids, which allows you to see the color as they are roasting. Although these are the best popcorn makers for roasting coffee beans, you can use other types as well.
1. Hot Air Poppers
Hot air poppers are affordable, and you won’t need to stir the beans. You place them inside and turn it on. The reason they aren’t as great as stove-top poppers is that they don’t always reach a high enough temperature to roast them evenly.
2. Electric Popcorn Poppers
Electric poppers are not suitable for roasting coffee beans. They do hold a consistent temperature, and they are self-stirring. However, they only have one possible temperature, which isn’t hot enough to roast coffee beans.
3. Microwave Popcorn Poppers
Microwave popcorn poppers don’t heat the coffee beans evenly, so you might end up burning some beans and undercooking others. You aren’t able to stir the beans, so this type of popcorn maker isn’t a good choice for roasting your coffee beans.
How Do You Roast Coffee Beans?
You will need to have a popcorn popper, a large spoon, green coffee beans, a metal colander, and a cardboard box. Start out by setting up your popcorn popper on the stove. You might want to turn the vent hood on to eliminate any smoke.
Next, measure how many coffee beans you will use. You should use the same measurement as the manufacturer recommends for popcorn. Next, start the popper and put the coffee beans in. You should hear sounds from the popper in three to five minutes.
Once the cracking is finished, you will know that the coffee beans are lightly roasted. You can determine how long you want to roast it at this time. Make sure that you keep your eyes on the coffee beans until they are how you want them.
Once your coffee beans are the way you like them, you can turn the heat off and move the beans to a metal colander. Shake the colander for a few minutes, and then place the coffee beans in a container. Leave it open for a few hours while the coffee beans cool off. When they have cooled off, put them in airtight containers to store them.
Final Words
You can make your own custom coffee bean roast at home with your stovetop popcorn popper. You use the stovetop popper much the same way you use it to pop popcorn. After three to five minutes, the coffee beans will be lightly roasted, and you can keep your eye on them until they are exactly how you want them.
This method is so easy to use, and you can experiment with different roasts. You can mix different flavors so that you find a delicious blend for your coffee. You can choose any of the popcorn poppers above because they are all well-suited to roast your coffee beans.
Alex Cooper is a lover of all things popcorn. He especially enjoys the salty, buttery goodness of movie theater popcorn. In fact, he could probably eat it every day and never get tired of it. Alex also loves spending time with his friends and family, and he is always up for a good laugh.
