popcorn

Design always has, and always will, play a big part in our purchasing decisions. Kitchen gadgets are, of course, not immune to our personal preferences. Perhaps they are even subject to a more stringent set of deliberations, seeing as additional kitchen appliances require the reduction of a valued commodity: counter space. However a device that may be frivolous or unnecessary dressed in one design sense may look the part of high fashion in another.

Depending upon personal tastes, the Nostalgia Electrics Retro Stir Popcorn Popper ($39.99) may or may not be the perfect accessory for your kitchen countertop. Those … Read more

You say the word "pop." A piece of popcorn comes flying directly at your mouth, as if by magic. You catch it and eat it. You are truly a god among men.

This isn't just a lazy football weekend snack fantasy. The Popinator is a project/publicity stunt from bagged popcorn maker Popcorn, Indiana. … Read more

Hot-air popcorn poppers are not delicate pieces of engineering that require precise manufacturing to achieve popping perfection. And this shouldn't come as much of a surprise; the appliances are more akin to hair dryers than to any other device or gadget found in the kitchen.

Regardless of the provenance of hot-air popcorn poppers in general, for the most part they all look the same. Operation is simple: pour in some kernels and turn it on. The hot air circulates around the kernels, pushing them about until they pop and emerge out of some chutelike contrivance. It's a basic, … Read more

As the days get longer, many of us start to dream about spending more time outside. Good weather, of course, means good food. But while the protein-packed goodness of seared burgers and franks will be wafting through the air, another, more sugary, tradition also awaits.

Like a carnival midway ride, the Great Northern Popcorn Vortex Cotton Candy Machine stands ready to jolt patrons (except instead of whiplash, this ride produces a sugar rush). Complete with cart, the home appliance produces one cotton candy cone every 30 seconds. An optional bubble top "eliminates potential dangerous sugar spray," and provides safe operation.

The magic of the midway in the comfort of home isn't the only appeal of this machine designed to be used for gatherings of all sorts. No special installation is necessary; the base is secured to the kettle via four clamps that reduce vibration. After a two-stage warm-up period that lasts a total of six minutes, the sugary goodness is ready to go--anytime of the year.… Read more

Homemade fresh popcorn is really where it's at. Aside from the important aspect that most anything freshly made is at the peak of its potential, when it comes to homemade popcorn the flavor can be precisely controlled. However, getting all that great flavor incorporated can be a tricky undertaking. And more than a bit messy when using sticky ingredients.

The Cuisinart EasyPop Plus Popcorn Maker offers a convenient method for popcorn popping, and adds the capability to stir in flavorings to the resultant batch. After all the popcorn has popped, the switch can then be flipped over to the … Read more

A night in at the movies can be an entertaining and relaxing way to spend an evening. Modern home theater systems have evolved to the point where it seems unnecessary to venture out to the local multiplex. The comfort of home can never be topped; while you may or may not have a screaming child or a crying baby in your house, you will in the movie theater. Of course, there is one last thing to consider for movie watching, at home or away: that would be the popcorn.

For whatever reason, movies go down better with a tub of … Read more

Maybe you've got a giant home theater system that can make an audience feel like it's in a full movie theater. Maybe you've got a smaller TV for your family to just hang out around. Either way, a batch of popcorn is perfect for whatever movie you'll be watching next. The EasyPop Popcorn Maker, from Cuisinart, takes the necessary steps to make sure that you'll have a great bowl of popcorn every time you need it. The popcorn maker includes a motorized stirring mechanism to reduce the number of unpopped kernels, as well as specialized … Read more

Growing up, my family relied on the microwave or an electric popper to turn out popcorn, which always left me wondering how anyone managed to get popcorn before every house was wired up. I did eventually find out that it was the heat that popped the popcorn, rather than the electricity, which led me to consider how I could popcorn outside the house. The answer is the Nordic Ware Grill Popcorn Popper: it can pop popcorn anywhere, from your stove top to your grill. It can even make popcorn on a campfire. Considering how many places you can take this … Read more

Popcorn is some pretty amazing food. It can be spicy or sweet, buttery or cheesy, or even covered in caramel or chocolate. It's fair to say that no matter the preference, there is a flavor of popcorn that can satisfy anyone. Mirroring this spectrum of flavor possibilities are the amount of ways to prepare popcorn. From odd-shaped contrivances that expand on the stovetop to look like a bloated silver UFO to prepackaged bags of kernels that expand in the microwave, popcorn can be cooked a variety of ways. However, if there is one issue with these convenient methods it … Read more