Great Northern Matinee review: a movie theater popper on wheels

Great Northern Matinee at a glance

First impressions of the Great Northern Matinee

Few smells say "movie night" like fresh kettle popcorn.

Microwave bags and hot-air poppers get close, but they don't taste like the popcorn at the cinema.

The Great Northern Matinee is built to deliver that real thing at home.

It's a glass-sided popcorn cabinet with a stainless steel kettle hanging inside, mounted on a wheeled cart that looks like an old-fashioned popcorn stand.

What stands out first is the presence.

This is a piece of furniture as much as an appliance, and it becomes a talking point in a game room or home theater.

The second thing I like is how complete the package is.

The box includes measuring cups, a scoop, 50 paper bags and three buckets, so you can start your first movie night right away.

The cart has a cabinet underneath for supplies and a shelf for serving.

Everything you need lives in one place, ready to roll out.

Part appliance, part furniture: a classic popcorn stand look for home.

What the Great Northern Matinee actually is

Great Northern Popcorn, often shortened to GNP, sells theater-style popcorn machines for home use.

The Matinee is one of its larger home models, built around an 8-ounce kettle.

The "8 ounce" figure refers to how many kernels the kettle takes per batch.

Great Northern says that produces up to 3 gallons, or about 48 cups, of popped corn per batch.

That's enough for a family movie night with plenty left over, or several bags for party guests.

The popper runs on standard 120-volt power.

The kettle heater is 850 watts, and there's a separate 60-watt warming light at the top of the cabinet.

The cabinet uses tempered glass panels, and the machine sits on a detachable cart with 13.3-inch bicycle-style wheels.

With the cart, the whole setup measures about 26.2 inches long, 19.2 inches wide and 55.8 inches high.

It weighs around 42 pounds.

Amazon lists it in black and in a classic red.

How the Matinee pops: kettle, stirrer and warming deck

The Matinee works the same way as a cinema machine, just smaller.

The kettle

Kernels and oil go into a stainless steel kettle that hangs from the top of the cabinet.

The 850-watt heater gets the oil hot enough to pop the corn quickly, which gives light, fluffy popcorn.

A batch takes just a few minutes once the kettle is up to temperature.

The stirrer

A motorized stirrer inside the kettle keeps the kernels moving.

That spreads the heat evenly and stops kernels from scorching on the bottom.

When the kettle fills up, the popped corn pushes the lids open and spills into the cabinet.

You then tip the kettle using its handle to dump the rest.

Warming light and heated deck

The warming light and heated deck keep popcorn warm and crisp after popping.

Great Northern says it stays fresh and hot for hours, which is ideal when guests serve themselves through a party.

Reject tray

Unpopped kernels, the "old maids," fall through into a reject tray under the deck.

That means fewer broken teeth and less sorting when you scoop.

Three switches

The controls are three simple switches for the kettle heat, the stirrer and the light.

You can run them independently, so the light can keep a finished batch warm while the kettle is off.

Design, build and the cart

The Matinee has a classic popcorn-stand look, with a black or red frame, glass walls and a decorated top panel.

It's built from tempered glass, stainless steel and painted metal.

Owners often describe the parts as heavy and sturdy.

The cart is what makes it practical.

The large bicycle-style wheels roll easily across floors and even short stretches of patio or lawn.

That means you can store it in a corner and roll it out for movie night or a backyard party.

The cabinet underneath holds kernels, oil, salt, bags and buckets.

The shelf gives you a spot for napkins or toppings.

The popper detaches from the cart, so you can also put it on a counter or table if that suits the space better.

Tempered glass walls, a stainless kettle and a warming light up top.

Assembly and setup

This is the part to plan for.

The cart and machine arrive in pieces, and assembly takes a while.

Owners recommend having a small Phillips screwdriver, a small adjustable wrench and a ratchet with a 15mm socket ready before you start.

Several mention that the diagrams in the instruction book are accurate but very small.

Attaching the wheel frame is where some people get stuck.

My advice: lay out all the parts first, take your time and get a second pair of hands for the heavier steps.

Once assembled, it stays assembled, so it's a one-time job.

Before your first real batch, run the kettle with a little oil to burn off any manufacturing residue.

Then throw away that first test batch.

Getting movie theater taste at home

The machine is only half the story.

What you put in the kettle decides how close you get to cinema popcorn.

Coconut oil is the traditional choice for theater flavor and color.

Fine popcorn salt sticks far better than table salt, and a butter-flavored seasoning salt gives the classic yellow look.

Many owners use pre-measured popcorn kits that combine kernels, oil and salt for one batch.

They're the easiest way to get consistent results and less mess.

Turn the kettle and stirrer on first and let it heat for a few minutes.

Add the oil and kernels, close the lids and wait for the popping to slow down.

Then switch off the kettle heat and dump the batch before anything burns.

Don't overfill the kettle beyond the 8-ounce measure.

Too many kernels means more unpopped corn and more risk of scorching.

Cleaning the Matinee

Cleaning is the main trade-off with any kettle popper.

Oil, salt and steam leave a film on the glass and a residue in the kettle.

Great Northern says you can simply wipe the interior with a damp cloth, and for the cabinet that's mostly true.

The kettle takes more effort.

Wipe it while it's still warm, not hot, with a cloth or paper towel to remove most of the oil.

Never immerse the kettle in water, since it contains the heating element.

For stubborn buildup, kettle cleaners made for popcorn machines work far better than scrubbing.

Empty the reject tray after each session, and clean the glass with a non-abrasive glass cleaner.

A quick wipe after every use is much easier than a deep clean every few months.

The cart's cabinet holds supplies, and the big wheels make it easy to roll out.

Ways to use it: movie nights, parties and fundraisers

A popcorn cart is at its best when it becomes part of the event.

Here are a few ways owners and hosts put it to work.

Home theater and game room

Park it in a corner of the media room and it instantly looks like a small cinema.

Pop a batch before the film starts, keep the warming light on and let everyone refill during the movie.

Birthday parties

Kids love watching the kettle pop, and the paper bags and buckets in the box make serving easy.

Just keep the machine on an adult's side of the table.

Backyard movie nights

The big wheels make it practical to roll onto a patio for an outdoor screening.

Use an outdoor-rated extension cord and keep it on a level, dry surface.

School, church and club events

Popcorn is one of the cheapest snacks to make and one of the easiest to sell.

A cart like this is a natural fit for fundraisers, fairs and open days.

Flavor ideas

Once you've mastered classic butter and salt, try sprinkling cinnamon sugar, cheese powder or ranch seasoning over a fresh batch.

Add seasonings after popping rather than in the kettle, so they don't burn.

Safety tips

A kettle popper runs hot, so a little care goes a long way.

The kettle and its oil get very hot during popping.

Always use the handle to tip it, and keep your hands away from the kettle surfaces.

Kids will love watching it, but an adult should run it.

Place it on a level floor, away from curtains, and lock or block the wheels during use if needed.

Don't leave the kettle heating empty for long, and unplug the machine when you're done.

What owners say about the Great Northern Matinee

The Matinee has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Amazon from more than 1,100 ratings.

What owners like

The popcorn itself gets the most praise, with many owners saying it tastes like the cinema.

Home-theater owners love how it looks in the room and how it makes a big batch for guests.

Owners also mention solid, heavy parts and good value compared with commercial machines.

What owners complain about

Assembly is the most common gripe, mainly the small diagrams and the wheel frame.

Cleaning comes second, with some owners finding the kettle and glass hard to keep spotless.

A few buyers say it's smaller than they expected, which others see as a plus for home use.

Is the Great Northern Matinee worth the money?

At around $330, the Matinee costs much more than a hot-air popper or a stovetop popcorn pot.

But it's a different kind of product.

You're buying the experience of a popcorn stand, a big batch size and a cart that doubles as storage.

Compared with commercial machines, which cost far more, it's good value for home use.

Running costs are low, too.

A batch of kernels, oil and salt costs a fraction of microwave bags or cinema popcorn.

If you host movie nights, parties or events regularly, the Matinee pays for itself in fun and in popcorn.

If you only want a snack now and then, a smaller countertop model or a stovetop popper makes more sense.

Prices move, so check the current price on Amazon before you buy.

Great Northern Matinee specifications

From Great Northern Popcorn and the Amazon listing.

Matinee with cart vs Lincoln countertop vs hot-air popper

Here's how the Matinee compares with Great Northern's countertop Lincoln and a basic hot-air popper.

Best Great Northern Matinee alternatives

If the Matinee is more machine than you need, there are good options.

The Great Northern Lincoln is the same 8-ounce kettle idea in a countertop cabinet without the cart.

It's a good fit for a kitchen, bar or rec room where floor space is tight, and we review it in our Lincoln review.

Smaller Great Northern models with 2.5 or 4-ounce kettles cost less and suit couples or small families.

If you want something simple and oil-free, a hot-air popper is cheap and quick, though it won't taste like the cinema.

And a stovetop popcorn pot with a crank stirrer gives good kettle-style results for very little money.

How I scored the Great Northern Matinee

I based this review on Great Northern Popcorn's published specifications, the Amazon listing, more than 1,100 owner ratings and reviews, and a comparison with rival popcorn makers.

I scored four things, and each one gets its own subscore.

• Popping (8.6): batch size, kettle power, stirrer and warming features.
• Build & design (8.0): materials, cart, wheels and storage.
• Ease of use (7.4): controls, assembly and cleaning.
• Value (8.2): price against home and commercial rivals, plus included accessories.

The overall score of 8.1 is an editorial rating. BrasQ editor-in-chief Ryan Mitchell reviewed the facts and figures before publication.