Stove top Popcorn Poppers
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010Now that an increasing number of people are choosing to watch movies at home rather than going to the theaters, they’re also looking for a good popcorn maker so they can supplement the home movie experience by enjoying this traditional movie snack. There are a lot of different methods for making popcorn, including popping it into the microwave and using a plug-in popcorn maker. But for many people, nothing beats cooking popcorn on the stove with oil to give it that authentic taste. However, stovetop poppers have one drawback – you need to constantly stir or shake the popcorn in order to ensure even popping and prevent the kernels from burning or sticking to the sides of the pot. Many brands of stovetop popcorn makers, however, have designed their units to address this problem. Here are reviews of a couple of the best stovetop popcorn poppers.
One of the most popular stovetop popcorn makers is the one made by Wabash Valley Farms under the brand name Whirley-Pop. The Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper makes it easier to stir the popcorn with its exclusive geared stirring mechanism; you simply have to turn the wooden crank handle and you can make up to six quarts of popcorn at a time. The popper also has steam vents on its lid to ensure that the popcorn comes out light and fluffy by allowing moisture to escape. The pot is made of aluminum while the lid is made of aluminum and stainless steel. It is covered by a 25-year guarantee on all moving parts.
There is one major problem that some users have reported, however, involving the gears in the turning mechanism. Since they are made of plastic, the gears have a tendency to come off during use, and popping them back in during operation may result in burns due to the heat and the steam. Other users have also reported that the plastic gears broke, rendering the popper unusable. The consumers who reported this problem also made a point of highlighting that the problem was not due to heavy use; they had only used the popper a few times before the problem started. It should be noted here that the current model is an update of an older unit manufactured by a company was absorbed by Wabash Valley Farms. The older model had metal gears which users who had owned one said made it more durable. To be fair, the company did replace these broken units free of charge provided they had been properly registered for the warranty.
Those looking for the best stovetop popcorn poppers that are more durable can go for the Back to Basics Stainless Steel Stovetop Popcorn Popper made by West Bend. This stainless steel popper features a 3-ply bottom with an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel to disperse the heat quickly and evenly; this construction also allows you to make popcorn without the aluminum touching the kernels, a must for those concerned about the possible negative health effects of aluminum exposure. The popper uses a rotary paddle mechanism with stainless steel gears and a wooden paddle to stir the popcorn; you can make six quarts at a time. The lid also has vents to allow moisture to escape and maintain optimum temperature for popping, and is hinged so you can easily put in the kernels and dispense the cooked popcorn.
Users expressed satisfaction with the quality of the popcorn that the popper made, since the kernels were light and fluffy without having to use a lot of oil for cooking. Other features they praised included the metal gears which were more durable than those of Whirley Pop’s, the stainless steel body which eliminated any possibility of exposure to aluminum and the fact that nearly all the kernels popped.
One recurring problem that was reported, however, is that the lid did not fit properly and the latching mechanism is poorly made. Because of this, the lid kept falling off during the popping process, forcing them to make popcorn by holding on to the lid to keep it closed. It is also more expensive compared to aluminum poppers, resulting in buyer’s regret as the popper was difficult to use and could not readily be replaced. Still, for the majority of users, this was one of the best stovetop popcorn poppers they had ever bought.
US $202.50
