# Best popcorn oil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949 "2008-08-05T19:18:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/1 "2008-08-05T19:18:41Z")
I have a stove-top [Whirley-Pop](http://www.amazon.com/Wabash-Valley-Farms-25008-Whirley-Pop/dp/B00004SU35) popcorn popper. Last night I used it for the first time in at least two years: I remembered to buy fresh kernels, but did not think to buy fresh oil. The results did not impress either me or my SO (but the dog seemed to like it). So I added oil to my shopping list, and then remembered that I often spend a lot of time in the oil aisle wondering which kind to get. I usually wind up with good ol’ vegetable oil. Is there a “best” kind of oil to use? One that’s the healthiest? One that’s the most flavorful? What kind do _you_ use? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/2 "2008-08-05T19:31:07Z")
Don’t use canola or other cheap, semi-refined “vegetable” oils for this. Use something with a high smoke point like peanut oil, refined extra light (not virgin) olive oil, or avocado oil. I use a small amount of peanut oil and get it just to the point of beginning to lightly smoke before tossing in the kernels. Also, it just takes a bit of a trick to master the right temperature to make the popped kernels well puffed and crisp, instead of underpuffed or too fluffy, so at least to begin with start with just a few kernels as a test, and keep them moving. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/3 "2008-08-05T19:31:54Z")
I use canola or corn and olive oil in about a 3:1 ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/4 "2008-08-05T19:37:07Z")
A lot of movie theatres use cocoanut oil. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/5 "2008-08-05T19:37:32Z")
The best kind for popcorn is [coconut oil](http://www.popcornmachinesdirect.com/coconutoil.html). I used to work in a movie theater, we actually popped our own popcorn, and it was consistently voted best by a local paper. We used coconut oil. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/6 "2008-08-05T19:40:38Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] Don’t use canola or other cheap, semi-refined “vegetable” oils for this. Use something with a high smoke point like peanut oil, refined extra light (not virgin) olive oil, or avocado oil. [/QUOTE] Refined canola oil has a smoke point of 468°F, same as extra light olive oil and higher than peanut. If you use coconut, make sure it’s not unrefined, that stuff has a smoke point of 350°F. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/7 "2008-08-05T20:22:12Z")
Whirley Pop recommends Peanut oil in the little booklet. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/8 "2008-08-05T20:28:50Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Refined canola oil has a smoke point of 468°F, same as extra light olive oil and higher than peanut. [/QUOTE] Sure, but the Wesson “Vegetable Oil” or cheaper (non-Wesson) varieties of canola oil is only partially refined, and (in my experience) begins smoking somewhere around 400°F or less. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/9 "2008-08-05T21:28:44Z")
Thanks, everyone! Olive oil (light but not virgin!) might be worth a go. Never would have thought of that for popcorn. I’m not a big fan of the movie theatre taste, so coconut oil is out. 🙂 I did look at the Whirley-Pop booklet last night to see what it said about oil, but I stopped reading after the basic instructions – which say “pretty much any oil will do.” I guess it mentions peanut oil later. Seems like that would be kind of fatty? I really don’t know anything about oils. Are any of the oils mentioned so far healthier than the others? Or is oil inherently not healthy? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/10 "2008-08-05T21:55:52Z")
[QUOTE=Misnomer] I guess it mentions peanut oil later. Seems like that would be kind of fatty? I really don’t know anything about oils. [/QUOTE] Err… all oil is 100% fat. One oil can’t be “more fatty” than another. The popcorn will only be greasy if you use too much oil. I usually use about 1.75 TSP of peanut oil per full Whirley-Pop batch and it isn’t oily. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/11 "2008-08-06T00:54:02Z")
[QUOTE=Hello Again] Err… all oil is 100% fat. One oil can’t be “more fatty” than another. [/QUOTE] True, and the calorie content of oils is (for all practical purposes) the same per mass, and practically the same per volume. Some oils are better for you than others, though; hydrogenated or natural trans fats are not desirable, and monounsaturated fats (most nut oils including refined olive oil and peanut oil) are generally considered to be better for you than polyunsaturated fats; both are (generally) considered to be better for you than most saturated fats. Saturated fats are generally ill-suited for light frying, anyway, as they tend to solidify and unless highly purified have a number of low smoke point constituents. Back to popcorn oil, you want something with a high smoke point and low viscosity, i.e. a light processed seed oil or nut oil. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/12 "2008-08-06T15:42:33Z")
Seems like peanut/olive oil it is! I will try to get small quantities of both and see which one the SO and I prefer. [QUOTE=Hello Again] Err… all oil is 100% fat. One oil can’t be “more fatty” than another. [/QUOTE] My oil ignorance has been fought. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/13 "2008-08-06T19:46:38Z")
I have the same type of popcorn maker, and once tried using bacon grease… a bit smokey, but YUM!.. FML ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/14 "2008-08-07T00:34:13Z")
Don’t use olive oil. I tried that. Not good. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/15 "2008-08-07T03:19:12Z")
[QUOTE=Savannah] Don’t use olive oil. I tried that. Not good. [/QUOTE] Extra light, refined, _ **non-virgin** _ olive oil should work fine. Virgin or extra virgin oil will smoke or catch fire due to the low smoke point constituants in it. Most nut oils and peanut oil are highly refined by default, so that is what I recommend. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/16 "2008-08-07T05:43:07Z")
I’ve been using virgin unrefined coconut oil, and it’s been wonderful. I haven’t noticed any issues with a low smoke point, and best of all, it doesn’t polymerize in the bottom of the pan. There is a slight coconut aroma, which is great with a little salt on the popcorn. It doesn’t taste anything like movie popcorn (the flavor is in the additives), so don’t worry about that. It’s solid at room temperature, so I just scoop a bit out with a spoon, then heat it up in the pan. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/17 "2008-08-07T05:50:29Z")
Peanut oil, then add a little melted butter after the corn is popped. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/18 "2008-08-07T06:15:00Z")
**FML** you rock. Time to take the battery out of the smoke detector again! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/19 "2008-08-07T14:20:44Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] Extra light, refined, _ **non-virgin** _ olive oil should work fine. Virgin or extra virgin oil will smoke or catch fire due to the low smoke point constituants in it. [/QUOTE] Although a tiny amount of virgin olive oil can be in conjunction with one that has a high smoke point. Never had a problem and the result is so yummy by itself that I don’t add butter. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949/20 "2008-08-07T20:22:48Z")
I’m a fan of using corn oil to pop the popcorn. Not traditional (though it has to be a smoke point issue), but I think it enhances the corny goodness of the popped corn. I use the same process every time, but get raves about my corn-oil popped corn, where I don’t get such effort from folks commenting on it when I use peanut/standard-vegetable oil. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-popcorn-oil/458949.md?page=2)