I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.

donald girod wrote:

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.

A good sturdy pot, leaving the lid cracked during popping has always been my
preference.
Goomba

in article , donald girod at
wrote on 12/27/03 9:13 AM:

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.


It would seem to me that about the only thing those "pasta pots" with the
colander in the lid is good for is popping corn.

it's a reasonably heavy bottomed pan, and the vents in the lid allow the
steam to escape.

Frankly, I like microwave popcorn but I realize I'm in a minority here on
that.

In article , "donald girod"
writes:

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.

If the "best" is what you desire only a commercial corn popper will do, the
type found at carnivals and in movie theaters... otherwise choose your
favoritre heavy pot and practice, practice, practice.... and here again is
where a gas cooktop is far superiour to electric.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

donald girod wrote:
I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.



When you say "best," do you mean least expensive? Fastest? Least
likely to burn kernels? Easiest to clean?

My best popcorn maker is an ordinary sauce pot. I put a little oil on
the bottom, maybe 1/8th of an inch. I put the kernels in to cover the
bottom of the pan. Cover. Put it on medium heat and wait until you
hear popping. When the popping dies down, look at your watch and count
15 seconds. If you hear a pop, start over. When you get up to 15 with
no pops, remove from heat, apply butter, salt, spices, whatever.

--Lia

Goomba38 wrote:
donald girod wrote:

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker
out there (not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for
packing material in my opinion). I have one of those overpriced
aluminum pots with a crank, and it is fast and does a decent amount,
but the bottom of the pot warped almost immediately, and the thing
manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the popped corn, so that it
can be tough sometimes.

A good sturdy pot, leaving the lid cracked during popping has always
been my preference.
Goomba

Good stirdy pot, and forget about leaving the lid cracked. Just shake the
heck out of it over the flame and let it go to town!

Jill

donald girod wrote:
I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out
there (not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing
material in my opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum
pots with a crank, and it is fast and does a decent amount, but the
bottom of the pot warped almost immediately, and the thing manages to
trap quite a bit of steam in the popped corn, so that it can be tough
sometimes.

I love popped corn over a wood fire. Upon Sheldon's recommendation I got a
Bromwell non-stick corn popper (was it last year or the year before?) which
I use in the fireplace. It comes with an extention handle for the
fireplace, but can also be used over the eye of the stove. Wonderful
popcorn!

Jill

donald girod wrote:
I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out
there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material
in my
opinion).

A heavy saucepan and a strong arm are really all that you need to make
popcorn!

That said, West Bend made a decent popcorn maker - looked like a giant
dome top with a bar at the bottom that rotated like a clock hand. You'd
put in oil and kernels, fit the lid on, and that was it! It is a
standalone electric thing. It's been years since I've used one, but I
bet they're still around.

I'm an airpop gal myself, though lately I've been eating the microwave
ones without the fat.

-j.

"donald girod" wrote in message
...

I would like opinions on what you think is the
best popcorn maker out there (not air-popped,
that stuff is really only good for packing material
in my opinion).

The West Bend Stir-Crazy, hands down. Perfect popcorn every time.
The only down-side is that it takes up cabinet space. That's not a
huge issue for me, since the popper is something I've grown up with
and don't begrudge its space, but it's something to consider.

And the best popcorn popper isn't worth what you paid for it if you
don't use the best popcorn. I'm an Orville Redenbacher fan, myself.
It's a rare popping where I have more than five or six unpopped
kernels to eight quarts of popcorn (roughly 2/3 cup popcorn to two
tablespoons oil). Pretty impressive performance for both the machine
and the popcorn.

-j

"jacqui{JB}" wrote in news:bskfs1
:

"donald girod" wrote in message
...

I would like opinions on what you think is the
best popcorn maker out there (not air-popped,
that stuff is really only good for packing material
in my opinion).

The West Bend Stir-Crazy, hands down. Perfect popcorn every time.
The only down-side is that it takes up cabinet space. That's not a
huge issue for me, since the popper is something I've grown up with
and don't begrudge its space, but it's something to consider.

And the best popcorn popper isn't worth what you paid for it if you
don't use the best popcorn. I'm an Orville Redenbacher fan, myself.
It's a rare popping where I have more than five or six unpopped
kernels to eight quarts of popcorn (roughly 2/3 cup popcorn to two
tablespoons oil). Pretty impressive performance for both the machine
and the popcorn.

-j

I totally agree. My Stir-Crazy finally gave up the ghost after years of
use and I haven't replaced it yet, but it made the best popcorn I've ever
eaten. We often splurged and used coconut oil or palm oil for popping
which made it that much better, though not very healthy. G I will
definitely buy another one.

Wayne

Julia Altshuler wrote in message news:TmhHb.677023$Fm2.584244@attbi_s04...
donald girod wrote:
I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.



When you say "best," do you mean least expensive? Fastest? Least
likely to burn kernels? Easiest to clean?

My best popcorn maker is an ordinary sauce pot. I put a little oil on
the bottom, maybe 1/8th of an inch. I put the kernels in to cover the
bottom of the pan. Cover. Put it on medium heat and wait until you
hear popping. When the popping dies down, look at your watch and count
15 seconds. If you hear a pop, start over. When you get up to 15 with
no pops, remove from heat, apply butter, salt, spices, whatever.

--Lia


I do exactly the same thing but add a little extra popcorn, which
tends to make it less oily, overall, and they still all pop. Nothing
tastes better than popcorn made the "old fashioned" way.

-L.

In article , "donald girod"
wrote:

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out
there (not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing
material in my opinion).

We've loved both our West Bend Stir Crazy poppers.
--
-Barb
12-23-03: Tourtiere pictures and recipe have been
added to my site: www.jamlady.eboard.com
"If you're ever in a jam, here I am."

I would like opinions on what you think is the best popcorn maker out there
(not air-popped, that stuff is really only good for packing material in my
opinion). I have one of those overpriced aluminum pots with a crank, and it
is fast and does a decent amount, but the bottom of the pot warped almost
immediately, and the thing manages to trap quite a bit of steam in the
popped corn, so that it can be tough sometimes.


I use my wok w/ a gas ring for my gas stove.
I just happen to have a lid that fits. It works perfectly every time.



~Kat


"I think I would like to call myself 'the girl who wanted to be God'. Yet if I
were not in this body, where would I be--perhaps I am destined to be classified
and qualified. But, oh, I cry out aginst it." --Sylvia Plath

jacqui{JB} wrote:

And the best popcorn popper isn't worth what you paid for it if you
don't use the best popcorn. I'm an Orville Redenbacher fan, myself.

I'm not impressed with Orville Redenbacher. Before putting
the corn in the popper, I always spread the popcorn out
in a dish or something and inspect it for bad kernels. I pick
out all the bad kernels (especially the ones that are black
at the tip) and discard them. I do that because corn is the
second biggest source of cancer-causing aflatoxins in a
typical U.S. diet. (Peanuts are the #1 source.)

If you've ever noticed a piece of popcorn that had an
off taste, it was made from one of these bad kernels.
It's caused by a mold.

In doing these inspections, I've found no difference between
Orville Redenbacher and the cheaper brands. They all
contain about the same number of bad kernels.

I vote for the West Bend Stir Crazy too. It makes
great popcorn. I always put a half of sugar in the
oil before starting. It gives a popcorn a slightly
sweet taste that goes very well with the salt. Don't
use too much.