I’m really confused that this is for sale, but I’m tempted to buy one because our last one just broke after about 15 years and although it’s completely ridiculous, the thing made great popcorn.
@accumulator What is the source of your confusion? Why is it “completely ridiculous”? And for that matter, WHAT is “completely ridiculous”?
Inquiring minds want to know.
@Trinityscrew confused because of the email newsletter suggesting that this would be a mehrathon. Ridiculous because it’s a huge appliance that does exactly one thing, and that one thing is not exactly essential (like a rice cooker might be).
@accumulator@Trinityscrew It perhaps does more than one thing. I have heard one can also roast coffee beans or nuts in one of these. Then again, at my house popcorn IS essential.
@accumulator@steeltoesenator@Trinityscrew Do not make coffee or use coffee in any device that you use for other items (that you don’t want to taste like coffee). That shit overwhelms everything and it’s almost impossible to remove the smell.
Hmm, I have one of these (an earlier iteration actually), and I used it for years. The non-stick coating started peeling. I was thinking of getting another one, but I just got one of these in stainless steel instead, they work on the stovetop and you have to turn the stirring thing manually:
(I’d rather not eat non-stick coating, you see.)
So. Uh. Am I the only one spending less money on this site bc missing mehrathons? I mean. poke. poke. Literally DOZENS of dollars I have had to throw at geese rather than give to meh.
@Cerridwyn No, but the carb count for popcorn isn’t that bad, either. Depends on whether you can eat just a couple of cups, not the whole 6 quarts. Personally, don’t like popcorn, but I did have little amounts (like as a salad topper) when I did keto.
@IndifferentDude …but the damn smell when the bottom layer of popcorn goes from popped to charcoal (approximate time 1.23 seconds) all while trying to eliminate as many “Old Maids” as one can…It’s still stuck in my head as memory from Grandma H’s place, where this is all she ever bought!!
I am curious, but yes, we still make popcorn on the stove. Popcorn, and the butter we pour over it, come from whole grain so it’s technically a health food?! Is the popcorn from this as good? I tried one of those stupid upright air pop things which looked like it was going to be easier, except it makes like a cup and a half of popcorn and then has to cool off. #wasteoftime&money
@mc2d2000 well, yes. I had a brain fart for a moment, but the cows eat corn & make butter was my non-logical reasoning. Either way, hot butter, salt, & popcorn is always a win!
I assume this is much better than microwave popcorn - someone tell me it is and maybe like, why it’s better and then I think I should get it. Please and thank you.
@michaelant Actually what I want to know is if I can just make only a microwave bag’s worth of popcorn at once in this? I know it’s good for heaps of it. Is it good for a smaller amount?
@PHRoG Wow, very helpful, thanks! I actually eat quite a bit of microwave popcorn because it’s filling and I can accurately count the calories in a standard sized bag of it.
Maybe now I can still do that but get much better results. (actually this thing is so cheap I was going to try it anyway but thanks much for the reply!)
@michaelant yes, if you get those pre-measured packs, calorie counting is easy. They’re a little over $1/pack for the 6oz…a bit spendy, but, muuuuch better quality. You can buy the popcorn, salt and flavored oil in bulk to further reduce costs too.
A friend has one of these and I’ve been considering buying one for almost 2 years now…just was never important enough at the $50 price point. These are a steal at $22 new with full warranty.
When using those packs, it’s EXACTLY like going to the theater. Even better nowadays as most pre-pop the popcorn during off hours and store it in garbage bags in the back. So it’s cold and a bit stale when you get it.
@michaelant as “better” is subjective, I cannot answer for everyone. Some people like being able to choose what oil(s) and what quantity of oil(s) are used in production of their popcorn.
We have one of these, has worked great for almost 15 years. You do have to buy those little concentrators, but they last through multiple uses. You do have to watch your timing so it doesn’t burn, and if you add the butter and salt in ahead of time it’s hard to clean.
That said, I going to get one of these.
/giphy overt-curvy-beast
Hard pass. You could a) buy a unitasker that takes up space you probably don’t have in you kitchen, or b) make delicious popcorn in a saucepan you already have on the stove you already have.
If you’re going to get this, I recommend buying a box of Flavacol Buttered Flavor Salt. You won’t regret it. Lasts for a long, long, LONG time. It gives popcorn that movie theatre taste and the salt stays on the popcorn instead of settling to the bottom of the bowl because the salt is ground ultra fine.
A heads up: use a light touch when seasoning for the first time. Since it’s so powdery, a heavy shake can be more than you need unless your looking for that salt lick in the middle of the meadow taste.
@rustyh3 No but I had a dorm kitchen incident involving a hot air popper and cockroaches that kept me from eating popcorn for years. I still can’t look at an air popper without cringing.
@steelopus Not quite: https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/adjectives/much-vs-many/
Usually the number of unpopped kernels is countable. So, “many”, not “much”. (But, who really pays attention to such things nowadays? Not even high school English teachers.) But definitely “fewer” rather than “less” here.
Actually, I don’t expect much out of copy writers now. Most don’t even appear to know the difference between adverbs and adjectives; use of I, myself, and me; etc.
@jerminate I have one of those but it’s either leave half your popcorn unpopped or burn a few and make the whole bowl taste bad. They’re great space savers though.
@jerminate@sammydog01 It entirely depends on the microwave oven. In our old house with a GE over the stove oven it worked perfectly - never burned the kernels. In our new house with a similar GE oven it works but you have to watch it like a hawk if you don’t want it to burn. In our Summer camp with a Panasonic oven all it does is burn the popcorn. Not possible to pop in it - even though the Panasonic has real variable power (unlike most ovens that just cycle the power for lower settings). Go figure…
I own one, it is still working fine, so I won’t buy another. I recommend them. Use one tablespoon oil per quarter-cup of kernels. That one should max out at four tablespoons oil (one quarter-cup of oil) and one full cup of kernels. The popcorn is hot and fresh and good and you can season it however you like.
100 bowls of popcorn at a movie theater would cost you somewhere around $400,000, which is especially outrageous considering that you can get it for free from those big plastic barrels that are always at all the exits. #ProTip #Frugal
The quality is terrible, though. All tiny broken bits, cold, and even more stale than the $15 stuff at the concession stand.
These (or at least the older version I had) are one of the best poppers out there. Unfortunately, they’ve gotten harder to find - The Presto poppers are more, well, "pop"ular. But the semi-straight stirrer in these doesn’t trap popcorn as badly as other brands. BTW, WM has these for $60 and up.
Back in May 2016 you sold me [2 stovetop popcorn poppers.][1]
[1]: I have one I use and a second one in storage for when something happens to the first one. While this being electric might be a little easier, I also have a silicon microwave popper. And honestly I don’t eat enough popcorn to buy a 4th thing to make popcorn with.
This same oil is other places for $7-9 for 14oz. This is $8.38 for 29oz. But this size is Walmart-exclusive - I found out about it from a Nutiva rep when I asked the company if they had larger sizes. We go through it pretty quickly with twice-weekly popcorn.
It’s coconut oil and healthy, but it tastes like butter - but real butter burns when used as the popping oil. They use a plant-based (vegan) vegetable blend for the flavor, but it really does taste like butter.
@MWPollard Try 1/3 cup of clarified butter with 1/4 cup of kernels. Clarified butter has a high smoke point and won’t burn. 1/3 cup may sound excessive, but it includes the butter that you’d normally add at the end.
I have a similar one (no handles) and it’s great if you are making popcorn for 1-2 people. I’d say buy the bigger one if you need to make more. I use my silicon one for a snack, but I use the large stove top when I want to make kettle corn or a lot of popcorn.
So that ‘bug’ you guys installed in my house the last time you were over finally paid off!! My popper took a sh*t last Saturday, so I’ve been on the hunt for a new one. Thank the Jesus for Meh!! TAKE MY MONEY!!!
ORDER NUMBER: outlandish-vain-dinner
In for one because of the Little House on the Prairie reference and because I have a LHOTP themed podcast named, Walnut GroveCast - check us out! www.walnutgrovecast.com
I’ve been looking for a new popcorn popper and wanted something like this! I didn’t even know they still made these. The price is right, too. I had to get a new microwave a couple of months ago and it burned my popcorn after very short time in (it’s a 1200 watt and, boy, is it powerful!). I tried the pan method and, while it did make excellent popcorn, I wasn’t thrilled at using up a pan for it and having to babysit it. I hate my air popper, so I’m hoping this will be the answer to my popcorn popping prayers!
@chienfou I’m thinking it should be, but always leave room for a little doubt so as to not be crushed by disappointment. I recall these were all the rage in the 70’s.
@chienfou@JAWGS I still have one from the 70s. Someone probably would have tossed it by now if it weren’t still in the box. Ah, fond memories of popping corn and watching The Love Boat and Fantasy Island as a kid.
@chienfou@syrethia We never had one, but I remember commercials! We had this type of popper that was electric, but you put oil in the bottom, put one kernel in, put the lid on, and plugged it in. Once that kernel popped,lifted the lid, added the rest of your popcorn, and replaced the lid and waited until it was done. I can still hear the noise of the popcorn hitting the lid as the popcorn popped. I had found a newer version at some resale store, but it didn’t last long and wasn’t as good as the one we had.
Oil? Oil? Whatya trying to sell here, russian oil? Mine runs on the hot air from congressmen, though I have to be careful that a little goes a looong way. No more than 5 minutes and then after, scorched earth.
In all seriousness though, PTFE starts to degrade at 250 Celsius. Now while your popper shouldn’t ever reach that high of heat, repeated uses will weaken the bonding of the surface to metal. So hard pass with me.
@TheMonkeyKing 250C = 482F, if you’re getting a nonstick surface that hot, You Are Doing It Wrong. The temp that this thing reaches in operation almost certainly isn’t much over 250F, if it even reaches that. While some sources say that you need 460F, it clearly will work at 230F. That’s what I measured once when trying to do it in the oven; not worthwhile! I can’t see them aiming for over 400F since they’d hit the smoke point for some oils, and the kernels would long since have popped and begun to burn. And the hotter the oil gets, the harder the pan becomes to clean up; these reportedly clean up easily, another indicator that the temp doesn’t get that high.
Just wanted to comment that after 2 years of Pandemic, on the days Meh isn’t selling us too-small face masks or UV sanitizers, they try to sell us something called “Stir Crazy”
By the way. The secret to corn popping is making sure that the moisture content inside the kernel stays high enough. We use one of those little ceramic stoneware bears that are typically used in brown sugar to keep it moist. Get a damp, put it in the jar with the kernels, seal the jar, and there you go! Just enough humidity to keep the kernels moisture content high enough without getting them moldy.
My wife made fun of this, so I bought it. I’ve made popcorn in it four times since it arrived (I am out of popcorn, now) and I think it was worth it. Now, I gotta figure out where it ‘lives’ when I am not actively having popcorn.
My popper arrived today and I used it tonight. I am seriously impressed with it! The same popcorn that just burned in my microwave, or didn’t fully pop when in the air popper, had just two or three un-popped kernels when it was done. And, WOW, was it fast! Once it got up to temp and the popcorn started popping, it seemed to almost pop all at once. I will use less oil next time, as I think I used too much, but I am otherwise thrilled with my purchase!
@ybmuG That’s what I used. The instructions even say you may need to adjust your oil amounts based on your experience. So, I’ll just use less next time. I put the oil and popcorn in at the same time. Worked out really well.
I didn’t realize until I read the instructions that the manufacturer doesn’t recommend using gourmet or premium popcorn. They don’t pop as big and not all the kernels pop.
Specs
Product: West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Popcorn Maker Machine
Model: 82505
Condition: New
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$46.99 on West Bend
Warranty
1 Year Westbend
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 4 - Friday, Apr 8
Specs
Product: West Bend Stir Crazy 6-Quart Popcorn Maker Machine
Model: 82505
Condition: New
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$46.99 on West Bend
Warranty
1 Year Westbend
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 17 - Thursday, Nov 20
Wha?!
@medz I know, two cool things in a row! Who’d have thought?
@sammydog01
/giphy oh you
These actually produce pretty good popcorn if you use coconut oil.
@guybrush01 agreed that is what I use in mine
I love this thing. Have had it for years. Does it’s job
I’m really confused that this is for sale, but I’m tempted to buy one because our last one just broke after about 15 years and although it’s completely ridiculous, the thing made great popcorn.
@accumulator What is the source of your confusion? Why is it “completely ridiculous”? And for that matter, WHAT is “completely ridiculous”?
Inquiring minds want to know.
@Trinityscrew confused because of the email newsletter suggesting that this would be a mehrathon. Ridiculous because it’s a huge appliance that does exactly one thing, and that one thing is not exactly essential (like a rice cooker might be).
@accumulator @Trinityscrew It perhaps does more than one thing. I have heard one can also roast coffee beans or nuts in one of these. Then again, at my house popcorn IS essential.
@accumulator @steeltoesenator @Trinityscrew Do not make coffee or use coffee in any device that you use for other items (that you don’t want to taste like coffee). That shit overwhelms everything and it’s almost impossible to remove the smell.
@accumulator @Fuzzalini @steeltoesenator @Trinityscrew
Roasting nuts, though - that could be useful…
@accumulator @Fuzzalini @Kyeh @steeltoesenator @Trinityscrew
I roast pecans in my ancient gas oven. They are reliably better than any commercial roast pecan.
@accumulator @Fuzzalini @steeltoesenator @Trinityscrew
Okay, so despite my reluctance for this very reason:
I succumbed:
hot-dramatic-pegasus
I hope it earns its counter/cupboard space!
Hmm, I have one of these (an earlier iteration actually), and I used it for years. The non-stick coating started peeling. I was thinking of getting another one, but I just got one of these in stainless steel instead, they work on the stovetop and you have to turn the stirring thing manually:
(I’d rather not eat non-stick coating, you see.)
But these electric ones work fine.
@awk still have mine- bought it in '91.
I’d get rid of it, but it refuses to stop working.
So. Uh. Am I the only one spending less money on this site bc missing mehrathons? I mean. poke. poke. Literally DOZENS of dollars I have had to throw at geese rather than give to meh.
@jonfisher7 Unlikely to ever happen again. It’d be foolish to think otherwise.
@jonfisher7 Hmm. I go to sidedeal.com or morningsave. it’s like a mehrathon every.day.
@jonfisher7 I am spending less money on this site because they rarely offer anything I want to buy.
I have one, it’s Awesome. Not a lot of un popped kernels when its done.
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
/buy
@PHRoG It worked! Your order number is: exquisite-wet-wing
/image exquisite wet wing
/giphy exquisite wet wing
/giphy hmmmmmm
Sadly no a low carb food
@Cerridwyn No, but the carb count for popcorn isn’t that bad, either. Depends on whether you can eat just a couple of cups, not the whole 6 quarts. Personally, don’t like popcorn, but I did have little amounts (like as a salad topper) when I did keto.
@Cerridwyn And this West Bend model is likely to last for decades.
JIFFY POP RULES!!
/image Jiffy Pop
@IndifferentDude …but the damn smell when the bottom layer of popcorn goes from popped to charcoal (approximate time 1.23 seconds) all while trying to eliminate as many “Old Maids” as one can…It’s still stuck in my head as memory from Grandma H’s place, where this is all she ever bought!!
I am curious, but yes, we still make popcorn on the stove. Popcorn, and the butter we pour over it, come from whole grain so it’s technically a health food?! Is the popcorn from this as good? I tried one of those stupid upright air pop things which looked like it was going to be easier, except it makes like a cup and a half of popcorn and then has to cool off. #wasteoftime&money
@mc2d2000 what grains are in your butter?
@mc2d2000 Yeah, um, about that butter…it doesn’t come from plants, my friend…
@craigthom @mc2d2000 @Atomizer The grains the cows eat, duh.
@Atomizer @craigthom @mc2d2000 @phendrick Cow dung also comes from the grains the cows eat, so it’s a health food, too!
@Atomizer @craigthom @mc2d2000 @phendrick And grass, lots and lots of grass. No, not the dispensary kind.
@Atomizer @mc2d2000 maybe they’re calling margarine butter, which is made from grain… but not whole.
@mc2d2000 well, yes. I had a brain fart for a moment, but the cows eat corn & make butter was my non-logical reasoning. Either way, hot butter, salt, & popcorn is always a win!
@mc2d2000 Actually, imitation butter flavor is vegan, and even more strange, so is imitation bacon flavor.
Real truffle infused olive oil is the bee’s knees. Not grocery store “truffle oil”.
If you see this stuff at Costco, get it. Worth the $25.
I was soooo ready for a “Pop Goes the Weasel” joke picture, I would have even settled for Weezer.
Paperbag in the microwave.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/plain-brown-popper-recipe2-2125480
/buy
@craigthom It worked! Your order number is: definite-disillusioned-porter
/image definite disillusioned porter
nuh-uh.
it won’t fit in my microwave.
@alacrity hold my beer
@alacrity I feel your pain - my microwave is 600w.
Annnnd, one for the kiddo and a friend!
/buy -q 2
@PHRoG It worked! Your order number is: sloppy-wispy-alarm
/image sloppy wispy alarm
/giphy sloppy wispy alarm
I assume this is much better than microwave popcorn - someone tell me it is and maybe like, why it’s better and then I think I should get it. Please and thank you.
@michaelant Actually what I want to know is if I can just make only a microwave bag’s worth of popcorn at once in this? I know it’s good for heaps of it. Is it good for a smaller amount?
@michaelant yes, you can. See this review:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RLICYHCM51TYE/
2.5 oz pack - enough for one person
4 oz pack - enough for 2-3 people
6 oz pack - enough for 4 or more (fills stir crazy machine completely up)
@PHRoG Wow, very helpful, thanks! I actually eat quite a bit of microwave popcorn because it’s filling and I can accurately count the calories in a standard sized bag of it.
Maybe now I can still do that but get much better results. (actually this thing is so cheap I was going to try it anyway but thanks much for the reply!)
@michaelant yes, if you get those pre-measured packs, calorie counting is easy. They’re a little over $1/pack for the 6oz…a bit spendy, but, muuuuch better quality. You can buy the popcorn, salt and flavored oil in bulk to further reduce costs too.
A friend has one of these and I’ve been considering buying one for almost 2 years now…just was never important enough at the $50 price point. These are a steal at $22 new with full warranty.
When using those packs, it’s EXACTLY like going to the theater. Even better nowadays as most pre-pop the popcorn during off hours and store it in garbage bags in the back. So it’s cold and a bit stale when you get it.
@michaelant as “better” is subjective, I cannot answer for everyone. Some people like being able to choose what oil(s) and what quantity of oil(s) are used in production of their popcorn.
@michaelant Making popcorn with this won’t contribute to workers needing lung transplants, so there’s that.
https://www.cdc.gov/os/wewerethere/diacetyl/index.html
/giphy jackson popcorn
@IndifferentDude
Ugh, close your mouth when you chew, Michael!
Disappointed that I searched for “idiotically large popcorn jug” and didn’t actually find a 7-lb container.
@Bingo Here’s 12lbs
https://www.amazon.com/4195-Great-Northern-Popcorn-Jug/dp/B01BZ5ON3I/
We have one of these, has worked great for almost 15 years. You do have to buy those little concentrators, but they last through multiple uses. You do have to watch your timing so it doesn’t burn, and if you add the butter and salt in ahead of time it’s hard to clean.
That said, I going to get one of these.
/giphy overt-curvy-beast
/giphy overjoyed-paunchy-insect
I prefer my popcorn air-popped because it is healthier. Then I smother it in butter and salt.
@ohhwell makes sense, cuz butter can burn easily and that’s what makes it unhealthy.
Hard pass. You could a) buy a unitasker that takes up space you probably don’t have in you kitchen, or b) make delicious popcorn in a saucepan you already have on the stove you already have.
I know which I’ll choose.
@jgoldshlag I love it when people say “saucepan” instead of “pot”
@ekw @jgoldshlag I believe this is know as “The Babish Effect.”
@steelopus That’s more usually pronounced “saucepin” or even “saucep’n”.
Could you use this without oil?
@Macoland No, you need oil to keep the spinner thing at the bottom working properly.
@Macoland yes, vegetable or even olive oil works fine
@Macoland If you like burnt unpopped roasted rock-hard kernels, sure. The oil is needed with surface conduction heating.
If you’re going to get this, I recommend buying a box of Flavacol Buttered Flavor Salt. You won’t regret it. Lasts for a long, long, LONG time. It gives popcorn that movie theatre taste and the salt stays on the popcorn instead of settling to the bottom of the bowl because the salt is ground ultra fine.
A heads up: use a light touch when seasoning for the first time. Since it’s so powdery, a heavy shake can be more than you need unless your looking for that salt lick in the middle of the meadow taste.
Damn! 1982 again! Throw this stuff into a large Tupperware bowl–with the handles, and watch me some wrestling on the TBS.
Old skool- Meh!
Anyone else, back in the day, use this for cooking in their dorm room? Hotdogs, Fried balogna, Grilled cheese? Sometimes popcorn…
@rustyh3 No but I had a dorm kitchen incident involving a hot air popper and cockroaches that kept me from eating popcorn for years. I still can’t look at an air popper without cringing.
White elephant sorted
/buy
@lehigh It worked! Your order number is: rascally-marred-cup
/image rascally marred cup
I want it but so far I’m resisting the urge to buy it. It takes up a lot of real estate and I don’t pop corn very often.
/giphy musing-vintage-class
Seven pounds for twenty dollars? Mine is eight and cost $11.78.
So I guess I can afford a new popper.
/giphy slim-drain-manager
Full credits to the copy writers in that video using proper grammar. “Much fewer unpopped kernels”
@steelopus Not quite: https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/adjectives/much-vs-many/
Usually the number of unpopped kernels is countable. So, “many”, not “much”. (But, who really pays attention to such things nowadays? Not even high school English teachers.) But definitely “fewer” rather than “less” here.
Actually, I don’t expect much out of copy writers now. Most don’t even appear to know the difference between adverbs and adjectives; use of I, myself, and me; etc.
@phendrick me think u make point good cuz they should of use many sted of much ur smratee pants
@phendrick @steelopus I can’t read. Can u just link 2 a yt video instead? thx
Can you roast green coffee beans in it? Or is the popper version that blows out chaff better?
@kjschweitzer came here for this question too
@kjschweitzer @triplebud me three
@kjschweitzer @pmarin @triplebud
One of the reviews on Amazon shows pictures of coffee beans being roasted.
We got one of those silicone microwave popcorn poppers, easy, folds flat-ish, and makes great popcorn, way better than the air popper we had before…
@jerminate I have one of those but it’s either leave half your popcorn unpopped or burn a few and make the whole bowl taste bad. They’re great space savers though.
@sammydog01 Huh, that hasn’t been our experience, but you do have to watch and wait for that 2 second gap in the pops…
@jerminate Maybe you have a better microwave? Or it could just be me.
@sammydog01 I guess it’s a pretty good microwave, if GE is good. That’s probably it
@jerminate @sammydog01 It entirely depends on the microwave oven. In our old house with a GE over the stove oven it worked perfectly - never burned the kernels. In our new house with a similar GE oven it works but you have to watch it like a hawk if you don’t want it to burn. In our Summer camp with a Panasonic oven all it does is burn the popcorn. Not possible to pop in it - even though the Panasonic has real variable power (unlike most ovens that just cycle the power for lower settings). Go figure…
@jerminate @retasker I have the cheapest microwave that fits the shelf it goes on. But I probably saved over $22 so still a win?
I own one, it is still working fine, so I won’t buy another. I recommend them. Use one tablespoon oil per quarter-cup of kernels. That one should max out at four tablespoons oil (one quarter-cup of oil) and one full cup of kernels. The popcorn is hot and fresh and good and you can season it however you like.
The quality is terrible, though. All tiny broken bits, cold, and even more stale than the $15 stuff at the concession stand.
These (or at least the older version I had) are one of the best poppers out there. Unfortunately, they’ve gotten harder to find - The Presto poppers are more, well, "pop"ular. But the semi-straight stirrer in these doesn’t trap popcorn as badly as other brands. BTW, WM has these for $60 and up.
@MWPollard
I like that!
@MWPollard side note: f “WM”….
Back in May 2016 you sold me [2 stovetop popcorn poppers.][1]
[1]: I have one I use and a second one in storage for when something happens to the first one. While this being electric might be a little easier, I also have a silicon microwave popper. And honestly I don’t eat enough popcorn to buy a 4th thing to make popcorn with.
@remo28 I wouldn’t recommend putting silicon in your microwave.
@steelopus I apparently missed my e on that. It is a silicone microwave popcorn maker.
Speaking of WM, this is the best deal I’ve found on the best oil I’ve found: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-Oil-with-Buttery-Flavor-29-fl-oz/884458531
This same oil is other places for $7-9 for 14oz. This is $8.38 for 29oz. But this size is Walmart-exclusive - I found out about it from a Nutiva rep when I asked the company if they had larger sizes. We go through it pretty quickly with twice-weekly popcorn.
It’s coconut oil and healthy, but it tastes like butter - but real butter burns when used as the popping oil. They use a plant-based (vegan) vegetable blend for the flavor, but it really does taste like butter.
@MWPollard Try 1/3 cup of clarified butter with 1/4 cup of kernels. Clarified butter has a high smoke point and won’t burn. 1/3 cup may sound excessive, but it includes the butter that you’d normally add at the end.
Buy this instead! You can use it with or without oil, it’s easy to clean, goes in the microwave, and it is silicon (not plastic!)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SDF3Q1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a similar one (no handles) and it’s great if you are making popcorn for 1-2 people. I’d say buy the bigger one if you need to make more. I use my silicon one for a snack, but I use the large stove top when I want to make kettle corn or a lot of popcorn.
So that ‘bug’ you guys installed in my house the last time you were over finally paid off!! My popper took a sh*t last Saturday, so I’ve been on the hunt for a new one. Thank the Jesus for Meh!! TAKE MY MONEY!!!
ORDER NUMBER: outlandish-vain-dinner
I’m tempted because we have a popcorn connoisseur in our house, but we already have microwave bags, and air popper, and a theater style oil popper.
Ah what the hell, why not
/buy
@mbersiam It worked! Your order number is: baffled-shaggy-light
/image baffled shaggy light
I already have the Presto PowerPop. And now I’m for some reason buying this as a secondary popcorn machine. Should I expect any difference in taste?
In for one because of the Little House on the Prairie reference and because I have a LHOTP themed podcast named, Walnut GroveCast - check us out! www.walnutgrovecast.com
That does not bode well for a popcorn popper.
@phendrick
/giphy perfunctory timid smell
I’ve been looking for a new popcorn popper and wanted something like this! I didn’t even know they still made these. The price is right, too. I had to get a new microwave a couple of months ago and it burned my popcorn after very short time in (it’s a 1200 watt and, boy, is it powerful!). I tried the pan method and, while it did make excellent popcorn, I wasn’t thrilled at using up a pan for it and having to babysit it. I hate my air popper, so I’m hoping this will be the answer to my popcorn popping prayers!
@JAWGS
in my experience… it will be! These are excellent
@chienfou I’m thinking it should be, but always leave room for a little doubt so as to not be crushed by disappointment. I recall these were all the rage in the 70’s.
@chienfou @JAWGS I still have one from the 70s. Someone probably would have tossed it by now if it weren’t still in the box. Ah, fond memories of popping corn and watching The Love Boat and Fantasy Island as a kid.
@chienfou @syrethia We never had one, but I remember commercials! We had this type of popper that was electric, but you put oil in the bottom, put one kernel in, put the lid on, and plugged it in. Once that kernel popped,lifted the lid, added the rest of your popcorn, and replaced the lid and waited until it was done. I can still hear the noise of the popcorn hitting the lid as the popcorn popped. I had found a newer version at some resale store, but it didn’t last long and wasn’t as good as the one we had.
Oil? Oil? Whatya trying to sell here, russian oil? Mine runs on the hot air from congressmen, though I have to be careful that a little goes a looong way. No more than 5 minutes and then after, scorched earth.
In all seriousness though, PTFE starts to degrade at 250 Celsius. Now while your popper shouldn’t ever reach that high of heat, repeated uses will weaken the bonding of the surface to metal. So hard pass with me.
@TheMonkeyKing It seems odd that they state PTFE as the top bullet-item “feature”
Are we sure it wasn’t supposed to say PTFE-free?
EDIT no apparently it is
@TheMonkeyKing So now that I think about it, I guess it was the PFOA that was supposed to be “bad” and maybe the PTFE is semi-OK??
On the plus side this technique does not use microwaves.
@TheMonkeyKing 250C = 482F, if you’re getting a nonstick surface that hot, You Are Doing It Wrong. The temp that this thing reaches in operation almost certainly isn’t much over 250F, if it even reaches that. While some sources say that you need 460F, it clearly will work at 230F. That’s what I measured once when trying to do it in the oven; not worthwhile! I can’t see them aiming for over 400F since they’d hit the smoke point for some oils, and the kernels would long since have popped and begun to burn. And the hotter the oil gets, the harder the pan becomes to clean up; these reportedly clean up easily, another indicator that the temp doesn’t get that high.
Just wanted to comment that after 2 years of Pandemic, on the days Meh isn’t selling us too-small face masks or UV sanitizers, they try to sell us something called “Stir Crazy”
@pmarin
Nice catch!
Alright, I thought about it long enough.
/buy
@steeltoesenator It worked! Your order number is: spongy-ungainly-salad
/image spongy ungainly salad
@mediocrebot That salad actually looks tasty. Should it have popcorn croutons sprinkled on it?
/image torn-corny-hair
/giphy torn-corny-hair
(First time using the image thingy)
There’s a pretty hilarious question and answers on the Amazon page for this:
https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/Tx102SNSU7E9QNT/?
@Kyeh I had to add one; In Glorious Kitchen Revolution, workers will free ALL gluten from oppression!
@werehatrack
I like it!
/giphy tense-chilly-cottonmouth
In for one! Just a note, if you add sugar to the oil it makes the most amazing kettle corn. Love these things!
Huh I really thought this one might sell out!
@a13z It still could. Notice that it’s not too late yet…
@werehatrack hey you’re right! So when do they retire it now?
Very good pitch, looks like a pretty awesome product. I almost bought it, and I don’t eat popcorn.
POKER! JOKER! NOT MEDIOCRE! AWESOME!
By the way. The secret to corn popping is making sure that the moisture content inside the kernel stays high enough. We use one of those little ceramic stoneware bears that are typically used in brown sugar to keep it moist. Get a damp, put it in the jar with the kernels, seal the jar, and there you go! Just enough humidity to keep the kernels moisture content high enough without getting them moldy.
A wonderful gift for my sister for Easter! Thanks Meh!
My wife made fun of this, so I bought it. I’ve made popcorn in it four times since it arrived (I am out of popcorn, now) and I think it was worth it. Now, I gotta figure out where it ‘lives’ when I am not actively having popcorn.
My popper arrived today and I used it tonight. I am seriously impressed with it! The same popcorn that just burned in my microwave, or didn’t fully pop when in the air popper, had just two or three un-popped kernels when it was done. And, WOW, was it fast! Once it got up to temp and the popcorn started popping, it seemed to almost pop all at once. I will use less oil next time, as I think I used too much, but I am otherwise thrilled with my purchase!
@JAWGS we found that is the key - less oil (we used coconut oil) and get the oil good and hot first.
@ybmuG That’s what I used. The instructions even say you may need to adjust your oil amounts based on your experience. So, I’ll just use less next time. I put the oil and popcorn in at the same time. Worked out really well.
Got mine and tried it for the first time tonight. It works surprisingly fast. Popcorn came out delicious. Solid purchase!
@mbersiam Did you see the Clawz discussion in the Irk reveal thread?
@Kyeh
you get yours yet?
@chienfou
Yes! Looking forward to trying it.
I didn’t realize until I read the instructions that the manufacturer doesn’t recommend using gourmet or premium popcorn. They don’t pop as big and not all the kernels pop.
@tyrsman
/giphy bonus!