If you’re feeling a little more adventurous you could add some spices or some toasted almonds and raisins for a more grown-up option. Of course, you can buy popcorn that’s ready-made but it’s often covered in an excessive amount of sugar and salt and it's not as fun as making your own. Making it yourself means you have control over what’s added to it while filling your home with that lovely, cinematic popcorn smell.

The machine makes 60g of popcorn in just two and a half minutes so is a great option if your children have got friends over for a sleepover or a party.

5. Best cinema-style popcorn maker: VonShef Retro Popcorn Maker

Nothing will give you a better sense of whether something is worth buying than an honest, unbiased review from a real parent. That’s why our first port of call is always the Mumsnet forums where we trawl the Talk boards to find out recommendations and top tips from the Mumsnet community. Expert opinions

These were collected in March 2023 and are the most complete and up-to-date you will find! KFC Prices UK 2023

Once you've nailed popcorn at home, you might want to add another fun foodie appliance to your kitchen. We've got guides to the best ice cream makers, the best waffle makers, the best smoothie makers and the best pasta makers, all featuring product recommendations from Mumsnetters. Best popcorn maker at a glance Microwave popcorn may also contain diacetyl, which is a chemical found in artificial butter flavoring. Egilman DS, Schilling JH. Bronchiolitis obliterans and consumer exposure to butter-flavored microwave popcorn: a case series. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2012;18(1):29-42. doi:10.1179/1077352512Z.0000000005

Many people don’t realize it, but popcorn is a whole grain food, making it naturally high in several important nutrients.

Nguyen V, Cooper L, Lowndes J, et al. Popcorn is more satiating than potato chips in normal-weight adults. Nutr J. 2012;11(1):71. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-71 An air popper will circulate hot air until the kernels have popped and then fire the cooked popcorn out of a small chute. A microwave model works in much the same way but will use a vented bowl to cook the popcorn. This is coming with a total of 387 calories, 13 grams of protein, 78 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fat. An alternative way to make popcorn is by using a stovetop popcorn maker. This is a pan with the addition of a rotation device. It is placed directly on the hob and, as the popcorn is heating, you turn the handle to operate the rotation device which keeps the popcorn moving so it cooks evenly. What to look for in a popcorn maker