Microwave Popcorn Popper from Sur La Table

[LizD518]

I have been making popcorn on the stove top in a pan for a couple of years now. But my popcorn always comes out kind dense and every so often it burns. I've read through the thread on here about making it on the stoptop and I've tried different brands, etc, but I can't seem to make it come out fluffy and light like it would when we made it in an airpopper as a kid. So I am about to give up and go back to microwave popcorn, but I have almost a whole jar of popcorn that I can still play with.

Sur la Table has a new microwave container for making popcorn - you put butter in the top and it drips onto the pocorn as it meltss, so...score! But I am wondering if anyone has tried it. Here is the link: Popcorn maker

[andiesenji]

I have one but I have not been thrilled with the way it works with butter on the screen in the top.

It was also difficult to clean satisfactorily.

I use it with just the popcorn and it works fine - I just drizzle melted butter over it in the bowl and add a tiny bit of salt which will cling to the buttered popcorn, but not to the bare stuff.

[Lisa Shock]

I had one of those, and it never seemed to do a great job popping the corn.

A few years ago I bought the Presto 04830 PowerPop Multi-Popper from Amazon, and my family has been very pleased and had me donate that glass one to charity. It pops quickly and we only wind up with one or two unpopped kernels at the bottom. I don't use any fancy corn, just the stuff from the bulk bins at the local Sprouts store. The popcorn winds up very light and fluffy

Yes, it has a part that needs to be replaced every twenty batches or so, but, that intensifier really makes a difference. It does generate a lot of steam in the bowl and you have to be careful removing the lid.

[LoftyNotions]

We've also had good results from the Presto 04830 microwave popper. I think I slightly prefer popcorn from our air popper, but my wife feels that this device pops the corn better.

[mgaretz]

My sweetie can't eat popcorn so we don't make it any more, but a long time ago I experimented with ways to salt air-popped popcorn without adding oil or butter.

What ended up working pretty well was a solution of water and salt, sprayed on the hot popcorn with a VERY fine mist sprayer and a VERY light touch.

[LizD518]

Thanks for all the input! I don't want my popcorn making deficiencies to keep me from having good popcorn any more!

[Katie Meadow]

You might check out the Whirley Pop. It has a crank that mixes the kernels on the bottom; they have a very down-on-the-farm video about it on the website. But after making popcorn on the stovetop for years, I don't think mixing is necessary. I start with one layer of popcorn in hot oil, don't shake or stir, and get almost no unpopped kernels. It seems to me that once a kernel pops it ends up on top of the unpopped ones, so every kernel is sitting in oil until it's ready to do its thing. I do think the quality and freshness of the popcorn makes a difference, and so does the heat level.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I make popcorn 3-5 times per week, and have switched entirely to using a microwave popper, but one without the need for the disposable "intensifier" that some have. I do get quite a few unpopped kernels in this one from NordicWare, but it works well enough and I can avoid the unpopped ones. I like to keep the topping separate from the popping, so there's no concern about burning one vs the other while it pops. I imagine the one you linked to is going to be not only more expensive, but also will be more delicate, being glass.