# Popcorn popper question



## NancyNGA (Dec 17, 2016)

My popcorn popper finally died tonight.  Electric, just like this one. Probably 40 years old.  The plastic on top finally just melted and collapsed. Got to have another one ASAP.


Two questions:

 1. Is a microwave popper better than electric?

 2. Anyone remember trying to cook popcorn in a heavy pan on the stove, stirring kernels in hot grease, then slam the lid on at *just* the right time, or else?  That was fun.


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## Don M. (Dec 17, 2016)

Popcorn is a great snack....BUT, you might want to stay away from microwave popcorn.  There used to be a problem with the fumes that microwaving caused.  The chemical involved has supposedly been removed, but there was a report a few months ago where a couple of plant workers in a MW popcorn plant contracted a severe lung disease from inhaling that substance.  Here's a good article on the subject.

http://www.nourishingplot.com/2013/09/22/the-dangers-of-microwave-popcorn/


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## SeaBreeze (Dec 17, 2016)

I've always used the electric air type popper you show there, we still have our old one but rarely use it anymore.  I agree with Don, but I think it was the coating on the microwave popcorn that was the problem.  I don't know if there are now microwave poppers that you can use your own popcorn in, without the harmful chemical coatings.  On the stove I've only used Jiffy Pop, the one where the foil swelled up, usually some burnt ones on the bottom.


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## HazyDavey (Dec 18, 2016)

We still have an old hot air popcorn popper and I think it's the bees knees for making popcorn. Below is a link to Allrecipes.com that tells you how to microwave regular popcorn just using a brown bag with some oil and salt. 

I was curious so I tried this out a few times with so so results. The popcorn was good but I thought there was to many unpopped kernels still left in the bag. So I upped the microwave cooking time, which burned most of the popcorn, but made a really good smoke bomb. Your results may vary.. just say'in  


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/87305/microwave-popcorn/


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## NancyNGA (Dec 18, 2016)

Thanks all!   I'll look for another as close as I can to my old one.  It will be interesting to see if anything is better/worse.  I bet the top won't melt.  

One thing I didn't particularly care for was that there was no on/off switch.  Just plug it in and go.   But I'll bet that's why it lasted so long---no switch to go bad!


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## debbie in seattle (Dec 18, 2016)

We eat Smart Pop.    My husband can't stand the smell of popped corn at home.   Must be some childhood thing.


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## Falcon (Dec 18, 2016)

Our electric one still works fine.  Microwave popcorn is OK in a pinch.

But I like to pop corn in my wok. I put a little oil in it, then a measured amount of corn, then put
a large kettle lid on top and shake the whole thing while the corn is popping.

Pour in some melted butter, sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top, pop open a Pepsi and then
settle in the recliner and watch Alex Trebek's show.


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## Butterfly (Dec 18, 2016)

I have never been able to abide the smell that microwave popcorn makes while it's popping. For some reason, that smell is just disgusting to me.


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## RadishRose (Dec 19, 2016)

For years I've been eating microwave popcorn and loving it, but then found out it's so bad. I never liked the air-poppers because the popcorn seemed so dry. 

Before, I always popped corn on the stove in some hot oil whiles shaking the pot back and forth and it was the best. But, For a long time now I've had a glass-topped stove and you can't drag/shake pots on it like that.


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## Kitties (Dec 20, 2016)

I'll bet your old popper was made in the USA. Will be impossible to find now.  Except used.


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## NancyNGA (Dec 20, 2016)

Kitties said:


> I'll bet your old popper was made in the USA. Will be impossible to find now.  Except used.



Just checked.  It's a Presto PopLite, made in the USA. 

 I go on popcorn binges.  Usually when I run out of everything else to eat and too lazy to go to the store. But I always keep lots of butter.


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## Butterfly (Dec 20, 2016)

Have  you looked at Amazon to see if they have one?


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## SeaBreeze (Dec 20, 2016)

You're right Butterfly, Amazon has a lot of things like that.  https://www.amazon.com/Presto-04820-PopLite-Hot-Popper/dp/B00006IUWA  I'm like you Nancy, I can't eat my popcorn unless I have a lot of real butter, not the stuff they use in the movies these days.


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## Don M. (Dec 20, 2016)

These kinds of poppers have been around for decades, and are still popular, because they do a pretty good job.  Here is one from Walmart....currently on sale for $15.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nostalgia-Electrics-Air-Pop-Popcorn-Popper-Red/40518265


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## NancyNGA (Dec 20, 2016)

Don M. said:


> These kinds of poppers have been around for decades, and are still popular, because they do a pretty good job.  Here is one from Walmart....currently on sale for $15.



Thanks, Don.  That's probably what I'll get. May stop by Walmart later today.  I notice it has an ON/OFF switch. If I just leave the switch turned to the ON position it might last a long time.  Ha!


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## NancyNGA (Dec 20, 2016)

Headed to Walmart.  Couldn't find that popper on sale.  Either it's a local area sale or they hid them somewhere special where no one would find them.  Anyway I got another Presto for $17.  Looks almost the same as my old one.  Tried it out already.  It works much better.  Bigger fluffier popcorn.  And it doesn't have a switch.    

So I had my dinner already---popcorn & butter.


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