West Bend Stir Crazy Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Maker
- Put in the oil, put in the kernels, put on the lid, press the button
- When it’s done, the lid can be a bowl
- Easy to clean!
- Can it make margaritas: No! Can’t you read?! It can make popcorn!
Poppin' Off
Microwave popcorn feels like the final frontier, in terms of quick and easy consumables.
Like, you can get a machine that’ll make great espresso from a pod. And you can enjoy that espresso along with a delicious frozen croissant from Trader Joe’s. Then, later when it’s time to relax, you can pour yourself a nice strong cocktail from a can while you eat a tasty slice of frozen pizza.
Now, are any of these things as good as they would be in the hands of a true pro? Of course not! An expert barista is gonna pull a better shot. An expert baker is gonna get you more flaky, buttery layers. An expert mixologist is gonna shake you up something mind-blowing. And an expert pizza maker is gonna bake a pie no one would confuse for DiGiorno. Still, our point is none of the pre-packaged options are gross.
But microwave popcorn is. It’s got that weird powdery faux-butter residue that coats your mouth for hours after you eat it. Also, it’s not as easy to make as you’d think. There’s a two-second window when every bag of microwave popcorn is perfectly popped. If you stop the microwave a second before you get there, you get a handful of popcorn and two cups of kernels. Pull it out a second late, and the entire bag is charred.
So why do people eat microwave popcorn? Because, despite all this, it’s still not as big of a pain in the ass as making it on your stovetop. You gotta heat up the oil, put in the kernels, and watch it like a hawk, shaking the pot, and hoping to avoid molten hot popcorn projectiles.
To use infomercial parlance: there’s gotta be a better way!
And there is. It’s this thing, from West Bend. You put in some oil, then some kernels, you lock on the lid, and hit the button. When it’s done, you can flip the whole thing over and use the lid as a bowl. And that lid/bowl is dishwasher safe, btw.
Eventually, someone will figure out how to make microwave popcorn that doesn’t suck. Until then, there’s this thing.
