Popcorn maker claims are full of hot air

Free to a good home: One sad-sack hot air popcorn maker.

In keeping with the previous surprises I’ve encountered during Gadget Week, my planned review of a garlic mandolin will have to wait. Instead of presenting you with a tasty recipe for garlic and rosemary popcorn, I’m forced to expose the dark underbelly of hot air popcorn makers (or at least the failings of my cheap White Westinghouse excuse of a popper).

I became suspicious when the 1/2 cup of organic popping corn failed to yield the expected 12 cups. The resulting kernels not only smelled like singed hair, a good number refused to pop, as seen in the photographic evidence below. Allow me to present Exhibit A.

Curious as to whether I’d been duped into buying over-priced yet inferior corn, or if the popper was to blame, I made a batch via the conventional stove-top method. Which worked better? You be the judge. Both bowls contain popcorn from 1/2 cup dry kernels. The bowl on the left is from the hot air popper. The bowl on the right from my gas range. We shall call this Exhibit B.

Gadget Gauge: The dry, Styrofoam-like kernels aren’t worth the saved calories. You’ll need a lot of butter to disguise the singed undertones. Better to save the money and shelf space and go with the hot oil method. FYI: Using the stove-top method took about the same amount of time and almost every kernel popped – light and fluffy.

Ah, but with the advent of microwave variations, do you remember the stove top method? It’s easy if you follow these guidelines.

Perfect Stove-Top Popcorn
Printable recipe

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• cooking oil (canola works well, don’t use olive)
• salt to taste
• melted butter if you insist, but it’s not necessary (honest)

Instructions
1. Use a large, heavy sauce pan with a tight fitting lid. I used a stainless steel Dutch oven.
2. Pour in enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add 3 kernels.
3. Cover pan and turn heat to medium-high. Do not touch the pot or lift the lid until you hear the 3 kernels pop.
4. Once the kernels have popped, immediately pour in the 1/2 cup of kernels, put the lid back on and begin to shake the pan back and forth while keeping the bottom of the pan in contact with the element.
5. Keep shaking the pot. Maintain contact with the heat and do not lift the lid. The popcorn will begin to pop in a minute and build to a crescendo.
6. When the popping slows to a second between pops, remove the pot from the heat. Keep the lid on until the popping stops.
7. Once the popping stops, immediately empty the popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle with butter if you must. Sprinkle with salt and toss well.

If you look closely at this photo, you’ll see flecks of pepper and rosemary. How did I do it? Tune in tomorrow.

In the meantime, I’ve got a hot air popper up for grabs for anyone who needs oil-free packing chips.

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