Original U-Pop-It value ??

[Sodak Bob]

A fella two hours from me called and he has an original U-Pop-It popcorn machine...  It has some electrical problems and it does not work but he thinks it is complete.  I'm going to go look at it in a week or so - he is pretty proud of it ( asking $1150).  Any idea on value ?  Hard to say without pictures or at least seeing it first - but someone has an idea... Thanks !

[MCarter]

It depends on the problems and what it is missing. But i would buy it just to have it. I sold one missing a couple of things and got $ 2,000 for it not working. Get some pictures and pm me and i can help or call me when u are there. Good Luck

[sodaworks]

BUY IT

[BrianB]

If it's a Hot Plate version, I would ONLY buy it if I knew that BOTH the low and high heating elements worked fine together. If one is shot you can consider the entire thing garbage.If not. I'd pass unless you are buying for parts or you are interested in spending and additional $3500 - $4000 for a reproduction Hot Plate. There is only one person in the WORLD that I know of that has succesfully re-engineered and produced them. The hard part about them, among other things, is that they are cast in aluminum.

On the other side of the coin, if it's an complete Oil Vat version with the strung heating element I would snap it up in a heartbeat. If the element is bad, it can be replaced for under $100.

[Larry]

Brian,

Just out of curiosity, do you have a picture of both styles of heaters?

[BrianB]

Larry,

Yep, sure do!

The first (2) pictures are of the "Oil Vat" Style. One pic shows an overall and the second one is of the element itself.

The second (2) pictures are of the Hot Plate Version. The first pic shows and overall outside view and the second shows an interior shot.

[oscar]

I would think the oil vat would work so much better than a hot plate.

[BrianB]

There are distinct advantages to both systems. When it was new and didn't cost too much to replace (or never went bad!) the Hot Plate Version is cleaner to operate. If you've ever had to mess with congealed coconut oil, you know what I'm talking about!

Another nice thing from a safety stand point is that with the Hot Plate there is only a useable/dangerous amount of 400 degree F cooking oil present during cooking. As the machine cycles after a dime has been dropped, a cam switch is actuated that controls the Oil Solenoid Valve which dispenses a small amount of pre-heated (apprx. 100 degrees F) onto the hot plate which is ramping up from stand by (low-heat) to high heat. The very last thing the machine does before it finishes a cycle (post popcorn dispensing) is to squirt a very tiny amount of oil onto the hot plate to keep it seasoned between popping cycles.


The Oil Vat version has a tendancy to splash a bit if the cooking basket linkage is not adjust properly or the motor is going south providing a jerky motion. But, when adjusted correctly, I have never had a problem with them. So, instead of only a couple ounces of hot oil on hand, the Oil Vat version maintains a cup or two of  hot oil just waiting for the basket to be submerged into it to pop some corn.

Looking into the future. Hot Plate's will continue to go bad with the only way of fixing them being to replace them at a huge cost ($3500). Like I mentioned before, Oil Vat's are good to go until replacement of the element is needed and then it would be fairly low cost. You could either choose to have a company custom coil some Kanthal or Nichrome resistance wire or you could do it yourself.

After fully electrically & mechanically restoring both versions, I personally like the Oil Vat Version better. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cokemachinesandmore]

I am curious? what happened with the machine.  did you buy it?