Do you have a hot air popcorn popper?

[oceanbaby]

We eat a lot of popcorn around here. We currently use a Whirly Pop on the stovetop with a little oil. I thought it would be nice to get a hot air one so that the kids can do it themselves, so I bought one today at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I am not pleased at all. First of all, there is no on/off switch - you turn it on and off by plugging and unplugging it. Secondly, the plastic top gets really hot, like burn your hand hot. That's not something I feel comfortable letting my kids handle, especially since you have to reach past it to get to the plug. Also, some of the popcorn missed the bowl entirely and went flying around the kitchen.

Did I just get a bad one, or is this the way they all are? I searched through Amazon and it seems like not only are there not that many brands, but the negative reviews all had the same complaints that I did.

So, is this just the nature of the beast, or is there a better one out there?

[Drummer's Wife]

We use an air popper but it's like yours -- there is no on and off switch, just the plug. I haven't noticed the plastic getting too hot, but I don't touch it while it's popping. My kids love to watch it and I just make sure I have a big enought bowl (the largest pot we have works perfectly) so that there isn't too many that get away. I haven't let them use it completly on their own, though.

I really don't have major complaints b/c we paid less than $20 for and it allows us to have healthier, freshly made pocorn.

[Storm Bride]

IME, some are better than others, but I'm not a big fan. I get way more unpopped kernels with an air popper than I do on the stove, and I have the same complaint about the top getting too hot...and the kernels flying everywhere. It's also not uncommon for an unpopped kernel to fly out, land in the bowl, then pop violently, sending other popped kernels everywhere.

I thought a hot air popper was the coolest thing in the world the first time I saw one (think I was about 9 or 10). I've since lost interest. I have mine tucked away and had forgotten about it until now.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I've got one, same as yours with the no on/off - just the plug. Haven't had issues with flying popcorn, though,norwith the top being too hot (though it definitely isvery warm to the touch if you touch it right after it's finished popping) I got it at goodwill for less than $5, so I can't complain too much, LOL!

[annethcz]

Mine sounds similar to yours. I prefer an air popper to a whirly popper, I think it's much safer for my kids to use. Like others, I bought mine for a couple of bucks 10 years ago at a garage sale, and I'm content with it.

[cristeen]

Honestly, those were never things I even considered being annoyed with. :

The no on/off switch is a safety issue, I expect the top to get hot, since that air is super-heated (popcorn pops somewhere around 400 degrees IIRC), and flowing air causes air currents. I just use my biggest SS bowl to catch and serve it in smaller bowls. And I only tend to wind up with 2-3 unpopped kernels in each batch - and they tend to stay in the machine. If I under-fill the machine, I'll wind up with unpopped kernels all over the place, but if I put the correct amount in, it does much better.

But I most definitely would not expect to allow any children to pop popcorn unsupervised - air popper or no.

[jpamama]

My favorite subject - I LOVE air popped popcorn. We have a Sunbeam Hot Popper - it is an oldy but a goody. It does have an on/off switch which is good. The top does get hot but not burn yourself hot... also, popcorn does fly around but with years of practice I have perfected the perfect bowl We use a wooden spoon or something like that to encourage the popcorn to stay in the popper for longer (it is usually needed until the popcorn really starts to pop well), however, don't hold it in there too much as it will jam up the popcorn in the popper and then burn. Enjoy - don't give up on the air popper too quickly!

[oceanbaby]

Well, while I was hanging out the laundry they popped another batch themselves, so apparently it's working for them. I had them move it to the island so that at least they don't have to reach behind it to unplus it.

I guess I was just surprised at how hot the top is, and by the no on/off switch. I can handle popcorn flying around, as that's just more of a minor annoyance. But the only purpose in having this machine is for them to do it themselves. My older son is 8, and cooks often, so in theory it is something I feel comfortable letting him do.

I'll need to play with it further and see how I feel about it. I searched for the Sunbeam one and can't find it, so it seems they don't make it anymore. Would it have killed these people to put an on/off switch? I mean, no other appliance I own is missing one, why popcorn poppers?

[LemonPie]

Yep, mine's a Presto and it's very similar. No on-off switch, kernels go flying and the top gets hot. I actually have to leave the top in place until it cools or it will warp. I don't use it a whole lot, but my kids think it's fun so I pull it out every now and again. I do find that using about 1/2 the scoop of popcorn seems to send less kernels flying. Either way, I get about the same amount of unpopped kernels in a bag of microwave popcorn.

[MoonStarFalling]

Ours is the same. Same complaints. My 7 year old got it for christmas and he uses it several times a week all by himself. He also loves the hot sandwich maker.

[mrs joe bubby]

Had 2 of the air poppers in college, same complaints. I had to use an enormous pot to keep the kernels from flying all over the kitchen. I gave up on them.

[rebyell]

How about adding an extention cord like for a Christmas tree with an on off switch on the cord?

[Ola_]

That's weird, mine has an on-off switch right on the side of the popper. I don't get why they wouldn't put one in. It does get hot though but it kind of has to in order to pop the corn, so I'm not sure if you can avoid that. Mine does get some unpopped kernels which is my only complaint, I will have to try Cristeen's trick as I don't measure it very closely.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by cristeen

The no on/off switch is a safety issue,

I remember seeing that somewhere before. How is no on/off switch a safety issue? Having to reach around/behind a hot appliance to turn it off doesn't seem very safe to me...never has.

And I only tend to wind up with 2-3 unpopped kernels in each batch - and they tend to stay in the machine. If I under-fill the machine, I'll wind up with unpopped kernels all over the place, but if I put the correct amount in, it does much better.

That's pretty good. I've heard that before, but it never worked for me. The amount of wasted popcorn I've had with air poppers has been appalling. I'm not sure what kind I have, but I know I've tried a few of them, and they all did it.

I used to like popping it on the stove, in a large sauce pan...and probably got the best results that way.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

I remember seeing that somewhere before. How is no on/off switch a safety issue? Having to reach around/behind a hot appliance to turn it off doesn't seem very safe to me...never has.

Safety as far as having electricity potentially running through an appliance capable of burning down the house. Without a switch, it must be unplugged after using, and the risk of it catching fire that way is not much.

[Storm Bride]

That does make sense. I'd never thought of it that way before. I personally hate appliances without on/off switches. I check for that now, and I won't buy anything that doesn't have one. I've never actually burned myself (no marks) on any of them, but I've come close, because of having to unplug them while they're hot.

[Karamom]

Originally Posted by cristeen

Honestly, those were never things I even considered being annoyed with. :

The no on/off switch is a safety issue, I expect the top to get hot, since that air is super-heated (popcorn pops somewhere around 400 degrees IIRC), and flowing air causes air currents. I just use my biggest SS bowl to catch and serve it in smaller bowls. And I only tend to wind up with 2-3 unpopped kernels in each batch - and they tend to stay in the machine. If I under-fill the machine, I'll wind up with unpopped kernels all over the place, but if I put the correct amount in, it does much better.

But I most definitely would not expect to allow any children to pop popcorn unsupervised - air popper or no.

yes, my thoughts exactly. I love mine! :

[RunnerDuck]

Back in the day we had one with a built in butter cup on top that made good use of the fact that the top got so hot. Alas... I guess now they figure if you're eating air-popped corn you are too morally and ethically superior to then want to drown it in butter.

So I have to melt my butter in the microwave. :

We used a really big bowl and don't have much problem with flying kernals or underpopped ones. I don't know what brand mine is... it's a cheapie... I've had it a good 10 years though and it's still going strong. I think the lack of on/off is a cheaping-out thing not a safety thing. It doesn't really bother me though.

I had one I liked better in college but I read somewhere that you can take amaranth and pop it "just like popcorn!" so I put it in the air popper. If you are not familiar with amaranth it is very tiny. SO I filled the popcorn popper and waited and nothing much was happening, then I looked inside and since it is so tiny it all got blown inside the hot air blowing whatever and then got so hot it caught fire and that was the end of that popcorn popper.

SO just a heads up, don't try popping amaranth in it.

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by RunnerDuck

Back in the day we had one with a built in butter cup on top that made good use of the fact that the top got so hot. Alas... I guess now they figure if you're eating air-popped corn you are too morally and ethically superior to then want to drown it in butter.

So I have to melt my butter in the microwave. :

mine has the butter cup on top, so they still sell them. I don't use it, though, because I don't want to have to wash it out afterwards. I melt my butter in the microwave in a coffee cup. What good would popcorn be w/o butter all over it?

[Thalia the Muse]

I think the Whirley Pop makes vastly superior popcorn -- IMO the hot-air poppers don't get the corn hot enough to pop properly, and they always seem half-popped and tough to me.

LOL at the amaranth story! Oh dear!