Popping corn on the stove top is by no means difficult, but sometimes you just want to grab a bag of fluffy kernels and go. There seems to be an endless variety of bags to choose from, so Cook’s Illustrated took it upon themselves to find the crunchiest, tastiest, bag out there.




To keep the focus on the quality of the corn, CI tested basic salt-and-oil varieties. (This is smart, because Smartfood White Cheddar Cheese would win on cheesy powder alone. I would actually eat wood pellets if they had Smartfood White Cheddar Cheese powder on them.) After rounds of rigorous testing, CI determined that two main factors determined how successful a bag was: salt and shape.

Moderately salted brands, which contained “about 110 milligrams per 1-ounce serving” did the best, while testers found less salty bags to be “muted,” and saltier specimens lacking “nuanced toasted-corn flavor.”


Surprisingly, the direction in which the kernels had popped had major influence on enjoyment, with kernels that popped unilaterally (expanding primarily in one direction) being favored for their “denser, crunchier texture.” Pieces that expanded in two directions or more were deemed “squishier” and less satisfying. (Is anyone else performing symmetry operations on the kernels in the above photo, or is that just me?)

In the end, the winner was Cape Cod’s Sea Salt popcorn, which had over 50% unilaterally expanded kernels, and the right amount of salt. So if you’re in a hurry for some crunchy, corny goodness and have no time to pop your own, pick up a bag at the store and much away.

Tasting Bagged Popcorn | Cook’s Illustrated

Photos by Cook’s Illustrated.