I would go with a USA made popcorn machine. some of those china are cheaply made. I know of 2 USA made companies

1. Paragon www.paragonpop.com
2. Benchmarkusa www.benchmarkusainc.com/

We have the paragon 12oz Theater pop and works really good (and more importantly taste good!)

On one of the deal sites I frequent, this was posted recently

www.dealtown.com/category-s/22.htm
$269.95
Coupon: "Customer10" for 10% off.

vs.

$249 Costco
www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Pr...al&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

However, there they're saying the costco one is 640 watts (cheaper model) vs. the deal, which is 860 watts.

I personally inherited the machine already at our school, so I don't know about the details, but it was a definite must at movie night!

hey shawn.. thanks..

We've always bought 'em from Costco- you rock Robin D!!!!! - I cleaning 'em afterwards

Thats a cool idea

hmm... here's a thought from another perspective. We rent a popcorn machine twice a year, for $55 each time. For $110 a year ( we have a $25,000K annual budget).. we have the pleasure of NOT cleaning it, NOT cleaning it up to HEALTH CODE standards, NOT worrying where to store it, NOT worrying it will be stolen, NOT continually telling 3rd parties ( and PTO memebers, ' No, you can't borrow it", and NOT worrying about how and where it will get fixed, if it malfunctions, NOT worrying about buying the right products to use in it, or if bugs will get into the popcorn in the storage closet, or if the oil will go rancid because people don't rotate the stock........


AND.. renting it also gives us the pleasure of having someone put it exactly where we want it, they give us a " case " of prepackaged corn and oil, and we return unopened packages, so they charge us for only what we use... and when our event is over, we just turn it off and walk away.. and they come and pick it up!

now, are you sure you want to buy one??

Oh yes, when I was president we bought a popcorn machine! Everyone still teases me about "my" popcorn machine...I stressed over which one to buy, too. Help me out here...what are the different sizes? Isn't it something about the 10 oz or 12 oz or something like that? I bought one a shade bigger than I originally thought. I like to use the premeasured popcorn/oil packets rather than the kernals and oil separately because it's just so much easier for the varied people who will be using the machine. We used it for Christmas Movie NIght and had it going all night long..

There was already a rolling cart at the school and we use that. It stays locked in our PTO office at the school.

PMCW