mmcphee's Full Review: Presto 04820 PopLite Popcorn Maker
Like many people we use our microwave to reheat food and make popcorn. However, when we changed our eating habits, we couldn't find any microwave popcorns that didn't have added oils. We tried making our own popcorn in a plain paper bag, but we seemed to end up with more unpopped kernels than popcorn. That was when we decided to buy an air popcorn popper. The only one I could find locally was the $15 Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker.
Our Presto Hot Air Popcorn Popper An air popcorn popper works by swirling kernels in a cylinder with super heated air. As the kernels are exposed to the dry heat they pop and the air forces the light popcorn up and out a shoot while the denser kernels remain in the chamber to be popped. This method cooks popcorn with zero added fat, making it a great whole grain snack.
The Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker pops 1/2 of a cup of kernels at a time which makes over 4 quarts of popped corn, which is about what my family of five devours as a snack. A lid on the popping chamber serves as both a way to measure the maximum amount of kernels as well as a place to melt softened butter for adding to your popcorn.
Our Experience We love the popcorn that we get from our Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker, although results do depend on the type of popcorn used. The Orville Redenbacher available everywhere makes awfully, chewy popcorn that sticks to your teeth; it tastes and feels stale even though it is freshly popped. We really like Cousin Willies's popcorn found in my grocery store's produce section. It makes delicious, fluffy, light popcorn with a wonderful taste, even when it isn't coated in butter.
We usually end up with less than a dozen unpopped kernels in the bottom of the cylinder and bowl. Since the popcorn shoots out as it is popped it doesn't burn and any kernels that need a little more time to pop can have it without overcooking the quick poppers. A batch only takes about 3 minutes. You will need a large bowl, we use a 22 cup Rubbermaid salad keeper for our popcorn.
Price wise, the Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker pays for itself quickly. A 1 pound bag of our favorite popcorn costs about $2 and makes 6 family sized servings of popcorn. By comparison, a $3 box of 6 bags of microwave popcorn only makes us 3 family sized servings.
My complaints with the Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker are minor. I dislike the lack of on-off switch. To start the popper you plug it in, when you are done you unplug it. My kids love to watch the sparks fly when I unplug in but a switch seems safer. The popper is a bit noisy as well, on par with a hairdryer on low. Clean up just requires emptying the popping chamber of any unpopped kernels.
Although we do not add butter to our popcorn, I did try the butter melting container just to test it out. If your butter is really soft, the heat from the popper may actually melt the butter if you let it run for a few minutes after the popcorn has finished popping. For practical purposes, if you want butter on your popcorn you had better keep your microwave around. Because it is warm enough to melt butter, the plastic shoot does get quite hot, not hot enough to burn anyone, but care should be taken with young children.
Final Thoughts Our Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker once again makes popcorn a healthy snack. Even if you want your popcorn coated in butter, it is better than the additives and hydrogenated oils found in most brands of microwave popcorn. The taste of air popped popcorn is superior to every microwave brand I have ever tried, but plan on experimenting with different brands of popcorn to find the best taste. If you have the space to store another small appliance I highly recommend adding the Presto PopLight Popcorn Maker to your arsenal.
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