Popcorn machines with preheating systems

A method of making popcorn, the method comprising:

• preheating, via a preheating assembly, corn kernels in a first medium to a preheating temperature without popping the corn kernels;
• transferring the preheated corn kernels from the preheating assembly to a popping assembly;
• transferring a second medium to the popping assembly, wherein the second medium is different from the first medium;
• moving the preheated corn kernels and the second medium through the popping assembly;
• and
• heating, via the popping assembly, the preheated corn kernels in the second medium to a popping temperature, thereby popping the corn kernels.

An auger assembly, comprising:

• a shaft;
• an auger coupled to and extending along at least a portion of a length of the shaft, wherein the auger includes a ribbon flighting zone, a full flighting zone, and a plurality of flights, wherein the auger includes a plurality of openings sized to provide visualization of spaces between the plurality of flights, wherein a ratio between a length of the ribbon flighting zone and a length of the full flighting zone is between 0.5:1-2:1;
• and
• one or more agitators each including a wire coupled between peripheral edges of adjacent ones of the plurality of flights, wherein the agitators are configured to contact ingredients and thereby increase mixing of the ingredients.