Chinese Popcorn Cannons

werehatrack had a video to watch said
7

For those who have been intrigued by these, I will offer the following personal-experience observations.

  • Yes, they work.
  • No, they don’t make amazingly better popcorn in my opinion.
  • Yes, they are fiddly about getting the pressure to just the right spot.
  • The internal passage from the corn chamber to the pressure gauge can get clogged with popped bits. It can be a pain to clear.
  • Sterno or a propane torch will do a much better job of heating it than the included burner can, even if you use denatured alcohol to fuel it. (I’m not going to recommend other fuel in that can at all. See next point.)
  • The included burner can, used with the included wicks, will smudge up the outside of the cannon when fueled with isopropyl alcohol or most other things, and it takes for fecking ever to heat the pot. Leaving the wicks and lid off can lead to dramatic unwanted results, DO NOT DO THIS INDOORS OR AROUND FLAMMABLE THINGS LIKE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OR THINGS YOU DON’T WANT BURNED. Extinguishing the can by slipping the lid on may not solve your problem if the fuel has begun to boil.
  • It’s possible (but fiddly and fraught) to make a stand that allows heating this over a gas stove burner, but not worth the effort in my opinion.
  • For best results, treat this as a party trick and not a default method.

I might decide to make a video about these things, but for the moment, here’s one that seems like it’s reality-based. In particular, his results with the lighter fluid and lamp oil are instructive.