A popcorn maker for turning out delicious microwave 'corn quickly — in a ready-to-serve bowl. (Amazon)(Amazon)
Got a loved one who'd list popcorn as their go-to snack? Or maybe it's your favorite munchie? We've found something that'll delight everyone's palates while lowering 'corn costs and making the 'pop'ular treat healthier: the Popco Hotpop Silicone Popcorn Popper. Over 25,000 Amazon shoppers adore this gizmo for making tasty, perfectly popped popcorn in a healthier, more eco-friendly way than the microwaveable bags. Plus, it's on sale, so why not grab one for yourself and a few for friends and family?
I've been lucky to avoid power outages in my most recent home, with one exception: During the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. My wife and I were watching the Colorado Avalanche when the power went out. Bummed that I was going to miss the rest of the game, I looked out the window and saw that my neighbor had the game going via his outdoor projector, which was plugged into an Explorer 1000 v2. Lesson learned.
Its two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, one DC car port, and three AC outlets mean you can charge your tech as well as run a space heater. For an extra $250 you can add solar panels, which can charge this from 0-80% in just 2.4 hours.
Now the only question is, which of the 14 colors will you choose?
Once you try these gourmet baby white kernels, you'll say, 'Orville Redenbacher who?'
The popper is currently marked down to $14, which is as low as we've seen it in months. Prices vary between colors, but you can snag most for around $15 or $16; still a bargain in the long run, as buying your own kernels is typically far less expensive — and healthier — than purchasing the microwaveable popcorn bags.
Microwave popcorn is convenient, no question, so why not just grab a box of it at the store? For starters, there's all that packaging: The outside box, the plastic wrap around each bag and the bag itself — all destined for landfills. Plus, the store-bought stuff usually contains various additives and preservatives, to say nothing of enough oil, salt and/or butter to destroy any health benefits.
Meanwhile, the Popco is fairly ingenious: Just pour in some kernels, add a bit of oil and salt (or not, if you're trying to keep it super-healthy), then zap it in the microwave for a few minutes. The popper is also the bowl you eat from, so you're not dirtying multiple items. It's dishwasher-safe and collapses down for easier storage. (Like I said: ingenious.)
I've owned one of these for a couple of years; it produces flawless popcorn every time and ranks high on my list of must-have kitchen gadgets.
Amazon customers praise the Popco for its ease of use, affordability and health factor.
"Perfect for movie night!" raved one buyer. "Right out [of] the box, it is the perfect popcorn maker. Instructions are simple. ... The bowl and lid are made of silicone, which kind of feels flimsy, but it works perfectly. Collapses nicely for storage or for a lunch box."
Said another satisfied shopper, "So pleased with this simple popper. Air-popped popcorn has always tasted like styrofoam. For some reason, this popper creates tasty, healthy popcorn fast and easy. Not a drop of oil. Just add popcorn to one of the lines on the bottom. In 2 1/2 minutes or less, we have excellent popcorn. Almost zero cleanup and [it's] easy to store. We love it and are eating more of this healthy popcorn and other less-junky snacks."
"My household has been trying to switch out some of our routines for more eco-friendly alternatives, one of which is popcorn," explained a third. "We probably eat popcorn 3-4 times a week, so this comes in handy! ... Also, long-term, so much cheaper than buying all that bagged popcorn!"
"I love this popcorn popper," shared a generally pleased reviewer. "Keeps it low-cal, though I do add melted butter and seasoning after it’s popped. My only complaint is the popper does get hot, so removing it from the microwave is a bit of a challenge. However, it pops almost every kernel perfectly! Love it!"
"We are movie night people in our house, so finding a product we could use to make our own movie theater popcorn at home is great!" exclaimed a final fan. "This bowl is super easy to use and clean without a hassle. My only complaint is if you are going to use butter and seasoning, the lid will stain. After three uses, our lid went from clear to a yellow-orange tint from the butter and seasoning. However, it still gets the job done and serves its purpose, so I am giving it five full stars!"
Once you've got your hands on the Popco, it's just BYO kernels — which are incredibly cheap by any standard. For example, here's a 6-pound (!) bag of Amish Country Popcorn for $18. That's probably enough to accommodate a year's worth of weekend movie nights.
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
