Presto 114316 04820 PopLite Hot Air Corn Popper
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Presto 114316 04820 PopLite Hot Air Corn Popper
Customer Review: Negative reviews unfortunately true
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm great at making popcorn on the stovetop, but as lazy as the next guy sometimes and liked the idea of popcorn with no added calories from oil. So I bought this popper.
Unfortunately, all the points brought up in the negative reviews are true.
1. The top is not stable on the unit
2. The popcorn tends to spray about. I have tried using a giant bowl under it, but it was round, and having a curve against the popper meant there were gaps for the popcorn to slip through. My square dishes worked better for those kernels but were otherwise too small and also let kernels fly out somewhere else. (How many deep square dishes do you have? Mine are all shallow) Either way, too much popcorn in too many places besides the bowl.
3. Unpopped kernels are very common
4. I'll add that the unit is pretty loud
5. I'll add that getting a bowl full, since there are so many unpopped kernels, takes long enough to be frustrating and long enough that your first popped kernels go cold
6. This popper produces the most dry popcorn I have ever eaten. The moisture is blown right out of the corn after it pops. I'm not sure how this can be fixed because it is simply a design flaw.
All in all, a distinct and very distant third amongst the ways I've made popcorn, falling far behind stovetop and microwave popper. (I never use the bags, but have tasted that popcorn -- meh, I say.) This popper, after a lot of experimentation, got shelved and eventually thrown out. I wouldn't recommend it.
Customer Review: Works wonderfully for the price
Summary: 4 Stars
I was a little wary of this product after reading all the other reviews (many are very negative), but I figured for $20 it wouldn't be a huge loss if it didn't perform. But so far, I have been very happy with the popper. It's nice to finally have fresh popcorn with real, fresh butter, salted just the right amount, rather than the microwave stuff.
Do not buy this product expecting it to pop 100% of the kernels... the first few that pop aren't hot enough to pop very large at all, and it will generally spit a few un-popped kernels out at the beginning and the end of popping. I have had the occasional incident where it shoots a kernel out real fast and throws a few pieces of popcorn around, but as long as you have a large enough bowl, it should usually fill it up without a problem. It would also be nice if it actually had an on/off switch, so you don't have to plug/unplug it over and over between uses.
Other than the minor issues above, it performs very well. I do miss my parents' old oil popper, but this gets the job done in half the time with none of the mess and cleanup. If you want to see it in action, do a search on YouTube, that's where I found a couple vids of people using it (one of a young child using it without incident, another with someone throwing butter in with the kernels - DO NOT DO THAT). Follow the directions, and this cheap little popper should work just fine for you.
Customer Review: Forget the microwave
Summary: 5 Stars
This popcorn maker was clearly made for the serious popcorn lover. The first day I got this thing, I filled it to the "max" line, figuring it'd make a nice bowl of popcorn while I watched a movie, and I got more than a bowl of popcorn, I got a kitchen full of it. It's not a complaint at all! It's nice to know that this thing could make popcorn for like 8 people in next to no time!
If I had to guess at the time for the popcorn to be done, I would guess about 3-4 minutes. It takes a little getting used to, as to how much to put into it, as well as the heat that it generates while cooking. Though I'm not a huge fan of pulling the plug to turn it off, but it doesn't seem dangerous. I've used this machine for almost a year now, and it seems as though it'll be something that'll last as long as I do. Like that one utensil your grandparents had that was so old, I have a feeling this machine will be my ancient kitchen helper.
In addition to the greatness is the price that comes with it! Forget paying so much for buttered microwave popcorn, with kernels and butter separate, it's so much cheaper! I've spent about $10 for this whole almost a year's worth of popcorn, and I eat it at least weekly. Compared to microwave popcorn, I'd say I've easily saved more than I payed for this machine in the first place!
I cannot recommend this product enough! I'm sure you'll feel the same way!
Customer Review: thanks to dave 5/17/2007....Oh yes, I love this popper too!
Summary: 5 Stars
Have had it a year and use it at the least once a week. Dave on 5/17/07 had the best idea about spraying with olive oil and that is exactly what I do! I have garlic infused olive oil spray that I keep at the ready, as the popcarn spills into the big bowl, I sphritz then sea salt, more garlic powder and then cayenne or chili flakes or chili powder or all ( yea, spice addict!) and keep doing this while it is popping. Kind of fun, really. And I am telling you, it is the best popcorn!!! not dry or chewy. And this pops so fluffy and hot. Better than movie popcorn!
The only thing is towards the end, the corn does fly out, so what I try to do is unplug at the end and the unpopped pieces settle and then pop anyway because of the heated unit with out blowing all over. I havent perfected this technique, I do find popcorn around the kitchen but it is worth every flying puff! I adore this popper and can not live with out it. In fact, I am out of popcorn as I write this and am tempted to run out to the store right now.... even tho it is 9 pm...yea, I am going to go now... bye! get this popper and have fun!
UPDATE 12/6/2009- I use this popper at least once a week, no problem, it works great, and I know now when to unplug it just as the popping is ending, so that avoids the flying puffs or kernels ( of which there are few) ...I love love love this machine and am buying one for my sister.
Customer Review: soggy popcorn & smelly plastic
Summary: 1 Stars
I had a presto on the shelf and my husband wanted to replace it for him to use. This one is a cheerful color, but the yellow plastic smells very strong so I put it in a bag with baking soda. So far, it still smells. Since he wanted to try it out,
I unscrewed the old black plastic unit on to the new, they are exactly the same so no problems
there. But the popcorn is chewy and not crispy as I have learned to enjoy from the stove-top popper I've
used most recently. My husband is not as particular so he wants to keep this new air popper. I think it's a waste of
space.
I've really enjoyed the Back to Basics stainless steel popper so much more. The popcorn is crispy and tasty, even
when not using much oil. I put olive oil in a misto sprayer and add in hints of taste in any finished batch where
less oil was used. This gives flavor without many calories.
This Presto item is lacking as it has the very smelly plastic part, probably not good to use around heat and the popcorn
comes out chewy. We made a full batch, put one bowl aside for 20 minutes and came back to an even chewier popcorn than the
first bowl. When using the Back to Basics one, I set a bowl aside for several hours and it was crispy then as it was when fresh.
Get something better than this.