Who doesn’t love going to the movies? But by now, with today’s technology many of us don’t need to take the time or expense to even leave the house. From our large high definition televisions, HD DVD players and incredible surround home theater audio systems, many of us can rival the theater experience from the comfort of our own home. But even with dedicated rooms, theater style seating and many of the other bells & whistles associated with the movie going experience, to me the one thing that almost everyone is missing, is the popcorn!
I’m not talking about some paper bag that you throw in the microwave or some store bought raw kernel that you try to manipulate in your spaghetti pot. I’m talkin’ ‘bout real movie popcorn! That unbelievable aroma that smacks you in the face the second you walk in to the building. And the only way to get real movie popcorn is with a real popcorn machine. And the good news is, that a real popcorn machine is available to anyone.
Commercial popcorn machines usually range in capacity of 4oz. to 16oz. (which is also the amount of servings they pop per cycle). Popping cycles take only around 3 minutes. So by the time you get that DVD open & loaded, your fresh hot popcorn will be ready for the opening credits. Combine your popcorn machine with the little details such as popcorn cups or bags, real popcorn butter or Flavacol flavored butter seasoned salt.
A popcorn machine is easy to use, easy to clean and will keep your popcorn fresh and hot. You’ll blow your friends and family away by creating an authentic movie theater experience at home. So for as little as the price of a good DVD player, consider a popcorn machine – and enjoy the show!
Cotton Candy. It’s an amazingly simple, yet scientific process that produces such a unique, tasty & fun treat. Take a little sugar, apply some heat to liquefy it, apply some centrifugal force & voila’. It’s pretty cool when you stop and think about it. But, if you’re considering getting into the biz (and into the fun), you’ll need to know which type of machine will best suit your needs.
Cotton candy machines come in various sizes and their key components are constructed from different materials. Typically the bowl, which is the area where the cotton candy floss is spun, is either made of plastic or stainless steel. Additionally, the manner in which the sugar is heated to its liquid state by way of a heating element works in one of two ways. There are ribbon elements and there are tubular elements. Although the ribbon element heats up and adjusts more rapidly, it can be a little fragile. However, this style element seems to be the choice for most professional users and can be found on some of the higher end machines such as the industry standard Whirlwind.
Conversely, even though the tubular element is a little slower, it is very durable and difficult to damage. This is why tubular element cotton candy machines are popular with the occasional user and rental companies who rent their equipment to users with little or no experience. Of course you’ll need to have an idea of how much product your cotton candy machine will produce. You can use the chart below to reference the number of servings you can expect your machine to produce per minute. Once you narrow down which machine will be ideal for you, keep in mind that additional items such as floss sugar, floss bubbles, cotton candy cones & bags play a big part of the cotton candy experience. Also, even though all of the machines plug in to a standard 120v outlet, larger machines draw more amperage and need to run on a circuit with a higher capacity (as listed).
Ribbon Element
Floss Boss 3024 2 servings per minute 15 amps
Econo Floss 3017 2 servings per minute 15 amps
Stainless Steel Econo Floss 3017SS 2 servings per minute 15 amps
X-15A Whirlwind 3015A 5 servings per minute 20 amps
Deluxe Whirlwind 3008SS 6 servings per minute 30 amps
Deluxe Toronado 3005SS 8 servings per minute 30 amps
Tubular Element
Breeze 3030 2-3 servings per minute 15 amps
Accu Breeze 2-3 servings per minute 15 amps
Auto Breeze 3-4 servings per minute 15 amps
Choosing the right popcorn machine is the key to maximizing profits and reducing waste. Popcorn machines come in various sizes ranging 4 oz. to 32 oz. These are the measurements of un-popped kernels in each popping cycle. Each ounce of raw kernels equals approximately one small serving of popcorn. The popping time for these machines is approximately 3 minutes per cycle. Therefore 4 oz. machine makes (4) 1oz. servings per cycle, which are 80 servings per hour. A 12oz. machine Makes (12) 1oz. servings per cycle, or 240 servings per hour (etc.). Obviously it is important to have a good idea of what your volume will be. Not only because you’ll not want to produce too much or too little popcorn, but also you’ll want to make sure that you’re purchasing the proper amount of raw material & accessories (popcorn, butter, bags, cups, seasoning, etc.) for your needs.
Typical size popcorn machines have the following production capabilities
4 oz. machine Makes 4 - 1oz. servings per cycle, 80 servings per hour
6 oz. machine Makes 6 - 1oz. servings per cycle, 120 servings per hour
8 oz. machine Makes 8 - 1oz. servings per cycle, 160 servings per hour
12 oz. machine Makes 12 - 1oz. servings per cycle, 240 servings per hour
16 oz. machine Makes 16 - 1oz. servings per cycle, 320 servings per hour
You’ll also want to make sure that the kettle itself is removable and made of stainless steel (for easy cleaning). The 3 fixed sides of the popcorn machine should be made of tempered glass and the door should be made of plexi-glass. All of this for safety and of course for a great view of all of that fresh, hot popcorn. Nobody likes popcorn that looks and tastes like it’s been sitting around for a while. So additionally, your popcorn machine should have a warming lamp and a heated corn deck to keep the popcorn fresh and hot. Hopefully, this will provide you with some of the key basics when it comes to choosing the right popcorn machine for you. Good Luck & Happy Popping!
1. Make a big and fairly firm cotton candy on a stick.
2. Hold the bag open with one hand while grasping the cotton candy cone with the other hand.
3. Twist the serving gently down into the bag.
4. Twist the bag with the cone and floss inside, tie and display.
FOR MAXIMUM SALES Change colors every 10 – 25 cones. Keep your display full at all times. Always use Gold Medal Flossugar.
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