TL;DW: Some microwaves have a popcorn button that just runs a timed cycle. Some better microwaves have steam sensors that attempt to divine when your popcorn is done, and a select few Whirlpool/KitchenAid models actually have acoustic sensors (microphones) that listen for the pops and stop the cycle when the popping slows down. Makers of microwavable popcorn don’t know what kind of microwave you have, though, so they all warn you not to use the popcorn button.
Also microwave popcorn bad, sheds microplastics, use an air popper or a whirly popper instead
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/eating-microwave-popcorn-increases-the-level-of-pfas-in-body
I had a hot air popcorn popper as a kid and the popcorn was always way worse than the stuff from the cinema. Instead, get a big metal bowl and use the Alton Brown methode
I got the Presto Poplite and I’ve been very happy with it. Pretty straightforward. I don’t exactly have a good butter distribution set up… but otherwise I’d recommend it.
Altons method is very similar to the whirly pop, which was the other option I read about. For pretty much the same reasons Alton puts out: Thin metal, move popcorn, even heat distribution.
Might try using smaller salt next time :) ty!
My old microwave made perfect popcorn in 2 minutes. The new one burns a bunch of kernels in 1m45s but leaves a shit ton unpopped. They’re supposedly the same wattage.
You’re old one may have had more even wave distribution inside, or a better rotating platter.
Show some support for this guy. He’s one of the few decent sized creators that joined the fediverse but has faced a bunch of harassment. Masto: https://mas.to/@TechConnectify
I love TC, but I’m not on mastodon. What sort of harassment was he getting?
Maybe it was people upset that they just spent an hour of their life watching a video about his retro fridge. I didn’t want to do that. Especially when I clicked the video and saw that it was an hour long. But, here we are an hour later and I understand fridges and fridge design evolution better but still need to do work. STOP BEING SO INTERESTING!
He doesn’t specify, which is understandable. Here’s the thread if you want to read more https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428308227305812
Mine just sets a timer for 3 minutes. Luckily that seems to perfectly cook the brand of popcorn I buy, so it’s fine lol
Damn, my nightlight probably has more watts than your microwave.
Mine does 2 mins 30 seconds. Which is about 30 seconds too slow. So I just press +15 sec. twice and perfect every time 😄
are you sure it does not work with other brands. Its supposed to use humidity sensors.
I have a really cheap microwave. I doubt it has a humidity sensor. And it puts 3 minutes on the clock as soon as you hit the button, so the time isn’t dynamic at all
That’s essentially what the video is about, there are two (technically three) types of popcorn buttons, ones that use a humidity sensor, ones that have a pre set time based on average popping time of bags of certain sizes, (and super fancy ones that have the humidity sensor as well as a sound sensor that listens for the “x number of seconds between pops” sound sensor)
I find it insane that people can’t even be bothered to spend a couple minutes in front of an appliance.
Microphones to listen to corn pop? Really?
I use a silicone popper bowl with plain kernels, and I do use the popcorn button on my reclaimed LG microwave. It heats until it detects steam, then it gives a countdown. In my experience it tends to overcook the popcorn so I actually just stop it when the pops are 2-3 seconds apart, as it says on bagged popcorn. Though it depends, different varieties and batches of popcorn can pop differently. I have actually had to add extra time for some kernels.
