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Orville Redenbacher vs. Pop Secret vs. Jolly Time vs. ACT II: Which Makes the Best Popcorn Brand?

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Orville Redenbacher vs. Pop Secret vs. Jolly Time vs. ACT II: Which Makes the Best Popcorn Brand?

Among all the celebrated pairings in entertainment history, perhaps none is more enduring than movie night and popcorn. To honor this classic duo and give everyone the chance to enjoy movie night like never before, we've found 4 of America's leading fresh popcorn brands. So who will win the popcorn war, Orville Redenbacher's, Pop Secret, Jolly Time, ACT II? With a classically rich buttery flavor and airy crunch, the craveable popcorn makes home movie night feel like you’re at the theater, with that familiar aroma and rich flavor. The microwaveable popcorn is ready in minutes, so it’s easy to serve up hot popcorn to family and friends.

What are the most popular and recommended popcorn brands?

This is a list of notable popcorn brands:

Orville Redenbacher’s
Pop Secret
Jolly Time
Act II

We tried over 20 popular brands of microwave popcorn to see which of them taste the best.

These kernels are crispy, fluffy, and great-flavored, all of the things we've come to expect from top microwave popcorn brands.

The Best and Tastiest Popcorn: What Are Their Rankings?

Orville Redenbacher’s Movie Theater Butter Popcorn
Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn, Movie Theater Butter Flavor
Jolly Time Blast O Butter Ultimate Movie Theatre Microwave Popcorn
Act II Butter Lovers Popcorn

We have selected the most attractive popcorn flavors from the best popcorn brands above, and we believe that by reviewing or comparing them one by one, you will be able to find the popcorn that best suits your preference.

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Orville Redenbacher vs. Pop Secret vs. Jolly Time vs. ACT II: How are they different? Was the taste test satisfactory?

Based on my own experience and feedback from netizens, I also compared these popcorns! Finally, I strongly recommend everyone to choose the top 4 most delicious and satisfying brands and their microwave popcorn!

#1.

Orville Redenbacher’s Movie Theater Butter Popcorn

($6.36 FROM Walmart - Get Up To 3% Cash Back)

Flavor: 5
Texture: 5
Value: 4.8

Editor's review:

Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter Popcorn seems to be the most popular microwave popcorn. It currently ranks number 1 on the best sellers list.

And that's not an exaggeration, because in addition to the great buttery flavor, the fluffy texture and consistent pop make your first handful of popcorn as delicious as the one at the bottom of the bag.

Orville Redenbacher’s Movie Theater Butter is easily the best microwave popcorn on the market, and the only brand worthy of permanent shelf space in your pantry. Yes, you'd be surprised to know that Orville Redenbacher’s is actually the brand of popcorn sold at most major movie chains.

Of all the brands we tried, Orville Redenbacher’s tasted the most like homemade.

This brand strikes the best flavor balance between salt and butter without tasting artificial or overly seasoned, as were some other popcorn brands in our taste test. This popcorn is a bit salty, but we think each kernel is the perfect mix of salty and sweet.

The Orville Redenbacher's has just the right amount of butter. You can taste it, but the popcorn aren't drowning in it.

The pieces are crunchy but still maintain some airiness to them. The texture of each kernel is fluffy and crunchy, and the butter is flavorful without being overpowering.

The bag also holds up well in the microwave during popcorn prep, with no residual grease leaking out. There are minimal leftover kernels.

And the best part is that, pricewise, it’s comparable to generic varieties. The value pack comes in at about $0.70 per bag — not bad for a name brand.

If you’re looking for the best popcorn to stock on your movie nights, Orville Redenbacher's is the way to go.

#2.

Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn, Movie Theater Butter Flavor

($6.18 FROM Walmart - Get Up To 3% Cash Back)

Flavor: 4.7
Texture: 5
Value: 4.2

Editor's review:

Compared to Orville Redenbacher's, Pop Secret is less salty. Is it as good as movie theater popcorn? No, but it's damn close.

Even though Pop Secret is lower in sodium than some of the other brands we tried, many agree that Pop Secret has the best taste of butter and salt — it's perfectly balanced.

It's butterier than most brands. Despite ample butter, Pop Secret also manages to keep its snack from becoming greasy. Sure, we ended up with a little oil on our fingers.

There is a hint of margarine, but the flavor somehow makes the snack more satisfying.

Meanwhile, this microwave popcorn gives us big, fluffy kernels with a satisfying crunch.

It's not as luxurious as a Jolly Time or as smooth as Orville, but the Pop Secret delivers a near-perfect snacking experience that doesn't taste overly processed or underflavored, and some people think this popcorn tastes a lot like movie theater popcorn (a gold standard for some).

Although these bags of popcorn are a bit pricier than some of our options, we definitely think they’re worth the splurge.

#3.

Jolly Time Blast O Butter Ultimate Movie Theatre Microwave Popcorn

($3.88 FROM Walmart - Get Up To 3% Cash Back)

Jolly Time Blast O Butter Ultimate Theatre Style Butter Microwave Popcorn 3.2 oz, 6 Ct

Flavor: 4.8
Texture: 4.5
Value: 4.7

Editor's review:

Jolly Time’s butter variety tastes similar to Pop Secret, but with less salt taste and slightly more grease. Surprisingly, it has a higher sodium content than Pop Secret’s as well.

Still, it's on par with our top two in terms of taste and value, and definitely worth a try if you’re a fan of heavy butter flavor.

It has more butter than Pop Secret - you can see it. The moment you remove the bag from the microwave, your hands are already covered in oil.

This leads some to think that popcorn is a bit too buttery, but how could too much butter ever be a bad thing? Overall, Jolly Time is delicious.

Because this popcorn with a hint of artificial flavoring packs a rich, delicious movie theater butter flavor with every bite.

Blast O Butter Ultimate Theater Style Microwave Popcorn is for extreme butter lovers. Because it delivers on the promise of extra butter, don't try it if you don't particularly enjoy the buttery flavor, the box shows already yellow popcorn dipped in golden yellow butter oil.

Each kernel is coated well with buttery flavor, with a noticeably wet appearance. Perhaps because the butter is evenly distributed, the popcorn isn't super crispy, but has a light and airy texture, which means it's less likely to get stuck in your teeth than other brands.

It’s a touch saltier, which some people preferred and others did not. Also, the kernels didn’t stay crisp once cooled.

But there are plenty of snack lovers who love its butter-to-salt ratio and its light, fluffy texture.

#4.

Act II Butter Lovers Popcorn

($5.16 FROM Walmart - Get Up To 3% Cash Back)

Flavor: 4.2
Texture: 4
Value: 4.5

Editor's review:

Act II popcorn seemed to lack enough salt to contrast the flavor of the margarine. We disagree on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. Those in the butter camp were happy with the second act, saying "it actually tasted like movie popcorn," while others felt that it "was pretty bland" and that it wasn't as satisfying as our top two popcorn brands of indulgent taste.

You can smell its sweetness in the air as it pops, and its aroma gets even more delicious once you open the bag.

To taste, its sweet notes shine brighter than the buttery, salty notes. The flavoring is pretty consistent throughout, as all the popcorn is yellow.

Act II popcorn is more chewy than crunchy with a very light coating of buttery flavor. Some pieces were kind of tough to chew and flattened in our teeth instead of breaking up, so it’s not as crisp as we’d like.

But despite its flaws and its somewhat cheap-tasting flavor, it’s an addicting bag that definitely plays on our nostalgia.

Especially for lovers of sweet popcorn, this is a great and cheap option.

Also, some other brands, like Angie's Boom Chicka Pop, may advertise their lower calorie content, but the Act II has 25 calories per cup, 10 fewer calories than most of the brands we tried. So if you're watching your calorie intake, you might as well opt for Act II instead of more expensive diet brands.

How to get homemade popcorn the perfect movie theater style?

Celebrating National Popcorn Day at home? Popcorn lovers need to master a few tips:

Mix it up! Microwave popcorn is perfect for adding mix-ins, with popular combinations including dried fruit, mixed nuts, dark chocolate and a wide array of spices and seasonings.
Make Sure Your Microwave Oven Is Clean: To get the most out of your popping experience, Orville recommends you use a clean microwave oven every time.
Cook Your Popcorn to "Sound": Because microwave ovens vary, always cook your popcorn to "sound"—and listen to the pop to know when to stop.
Maximize Taste: To maximize taste, shake contents of bag before pouring into bowl. This will help coat the popcorn with the flavor. To maximize crispness, be sure to open or vent the bag immediately after cooking.
Store Your Popcorn for Freshness: Store product in a cool place such as a cupboard out of direct sunlight. Avoid the refrigerator. Some say the cold storage makes the popcorn taste better, but many refrigerators contain little moisture and can dry out kernels. Always keep your popcorn bags sealed in the original plastic wrapper until you're ready to begin cooking.

More on Orville Redenbacher's: Why It's America's #1 Popcorn Brand?

Made with only real ingredients

Being real is no secret to the Orville Redenbacher's brand. In 1952, Orville Redenbacher himself hand-selected a small group of family farmers to grow his exclusive kernel. Generations later, farmers like Richard Overmyer continue to grow Orville's special kernel that pops up lighter and fluffier.

100% of the ingredients in Conagra Brands ' Orville Redenbacher 's leading varieties of microwave popcorn now come from natural sources, with no artificial preservatives, flavors or dyes.

America's leading microwave popcorn is also 100% whole grain, gluten-free, made with non-GMO popcorn, and contains zero grams of Trans Fats per serving.

Orville Redenbacher's Microwave Popcorn made with Only Real Ingredients includes the following varieties:

Butter
Cheddar Cheese
Home Recipe
Light Butter
Movie Theater Butter
Naturals Simply Salted
Naturals Light Classic Butter & Sea Salt
Naturals Light Simply Salted
SmartPop!® Butter
Tender White
Ultimate Butter

"We have been working tirelessly on our recipe to give consumers more of what they want in a warm, satisfying snack, and we're proud of the results."

Known as “the perfect kernel.”

The ideal popcorn hybrid allows popcorn to pop to light and fluffy perfection. It leaves behind few, if any, unpopped kernels, with the ability to achieve a 44:1 ratio in volume of popped to unpopped corn. It also goes without saying that the dream popcorn hybrid must be delicious, too.

Enjoy the family-friendly snack that's hot, fresh and shareable.

From the classic taste of Movie Theater Butter, to the satisfying sweetness of Kettle Corn, there's an Orville Redenbacher's popcorn variety to fill every bowl.

In addition to new product launches, the company encourages customers to consider innovative ways to enjoy their products with a ready supply of helpful articles and tips regularly shared online. They’ve also got recipes for creative snacks to help inventive grazers get inspired, like the popcorn party mix, perfect for summer road trips.

TV Advertising and Brand Reputation

Orville Clarence Redenbacher has been described as "the agricultural visionary who all but single-handedly revolutionized the American popcorn industry".

He worked on a hybrid corn variety called "RedBow" and started the popcorn company in 1970 with partner Charlie Bowman.

An advertising agency advised them to use Orville Redenbacher's own name as the brand name.

Aside from his popcorn contribution, the entertainment provided by the TV commercials in which he starred was noteworthy.

He personally made appearances throughout the 1970s in TV commercials that talked up his unique, light, and fluffy popcorn. Many of these spots ended with his famous tagline, “You’ll like it better or my name isn’t Orville Redenbacher.”

For inspiring recipe ideas and more information on Orville Redenbacher's full collection of microwave popcorn and kernels, visit www.orville.com.

More on Jolly Time: Is It a Healthy Popcorn Brand?

Blast O' Butter, Jolly Time's buttery, theater-style microwave popcorn, has been a stop seller since its introduction in the 1990s.

Despite consumers’ changing demands for healthier and more exotic flavored popcorn, Jolly Time’s Blast O Butter has remained a favorite for 25 years.

Jolly Time’s Blast O Butter has succeeded by not bowing to changing customer tastes and sticking with its bold butter recipe. If a customer wants a healthier snack, the popcorn maker offers low-calorie varieties. Eager to experiment with spice? They have a jalapeño flavor. But for those who want to take a trip down memory lane and feel like a kid in a movie theater again, there’s Blast O Butter.

Consumers may be trying to eat healthier overall, but they still want to treat themselves on occasion.

Jolly Time must know its consumers well, because the company doesn't appear to have modified the Blast O Butter formula at any point to reduce fat, sodium, or calories.

It also highlights that the popcorn has 45 calories per cup and is non-GMO, gluten-free and whole grain. Jolly Time's website also emphasizes that it's a family-owned business, with family farms in the Midwest supplying the popcorn used in the signature recipe.