This popper is made from gemstone, and feels as solid as a rock.  Be aware that this is a durable popcorn popper, but it definitely is not unbreakable.  I have received several reports of chips or cracks occurring after being dropped.  I don’t think that it is any less durable than your standard casserole dish though.  This gemstone material efficiently concentrates the microwaves onto the popcorn kernels, and pops them without oil.  What you end up with is a light and fluffy popcorn with none of the grease, oils, salts, or preservatives that are found in the microwave bag brands.  You can obviously choose to flavor your popcorn in any way you want to, but you are in complete control.

This is definitely the popcorn popper for the value-conscious consumer.  You can pick the Nordic Ware microwave popcorn popper up for under $10.00.  When you purchase your popcorn kernels in bulk bags, you will continue to realize the cost savings.

With almost 400 user ratings on a popular online retailer’s website, the Nordic Ware popper maintains a 4.3 out of 5 star rating.  A common thread in the user reviews focused on how surprised everyone was at how well this product actually worked.  I have read reviews on other brands of poppers where the buyers have experienced mixed results.

You can choose to use this popper with or without oil.  If you use oil, be aware that you only need a small amount.  Use caution when removing from the microwave, as the bottom can become very hot.  You should be fine if you handle it by the rim.

A lot of people will add seasoning or flavors inside the popper, so that it can be distributed as the popcorn pops.  You may notice that as the popping occurs, the salt or flavor may get blasted up on to the inside of the lid of the popper.  I would recommend that you add the flavoring after the popping is done, and toss the popcorn to mix evenly.  I have had much better results with evenly distributing the flavoring this way.

With the Nordic Ware 60120 twelve cup popcorn popper, you can once again make popcorn a healthy snack.  It is amazing how light and fluffy popcorn is from this popper.  I feel much better serving this type of popcorn to my family than popcorn from a microwave bag.

If you want to have some fun, experiment with different flavors.  There are a number of spices in your cupboard that can add a unique taste to your popcorn.  I’ve tried everything from onion salt, to cinnamon, to season salt and even crushed pepper.  The possibilities are endless!

The bags of microwave popcorn are just getting too darn expensive though.  Even when purchased in bulk, they still cost around 71 cents per bag.  This is where microwave popcorn poppers really come in handy.  By purchasing bulk bags of loose kernels, you can really save some money over the long term.  Take a look at the following for comparison:

A 12.5 pound bag of yellow kernel popcorn can be purchased for approximately $17.00.  A bulk box of 28 three-ounce bags of microwave popcorn can be purchased for approximately $20.00.  So after doing the math, the bags of microwave popcorn cost approximately $3.81 per pound and the loose kernel corn costs approximately $1.36 per pound.  If you are purchasing your microwave bags of popcorn in smaller quantities, then the cost difference is even more dramatic.  If your family eats as much popcorn in a year as my family does, then these are some savings that will quickly be realized.

The Catamount microwave popcorn popper is just as easy to use as a bag of microwave popcorn.  You simply line the bottom of the popper with loose kernels, put on the top, and microwave it for two to four minutes on high.  You need to be aware that microwave ovens have a wide range of wattage and cooking speed, so your specific popping time will vary from the next person’s.  After a couple of test runs, you will quickly learn how long it takes to make a perfect batch of popcorn in your microwave oven.

So what is so great about the Catamount?  Well, they just work great for starters.  The 2.5 quart size if perfect for making a batch of popcorn for the entire family.  The handle on this corn popper does not get hot, so you can remove it from the microwave without the fear of getting burned.

There are a variety of custom loose kernels that you can buy, and their flavor beats the heck out of the greasy popcorn that comes out of those microwave bags.   You can get away from the preservatives and artificial flavoring that comes in those bags too.

Cleanup is also a breeze.  The wide opening on the top will easily allow you to get your hand and a sponge in there to wipe it in the sink.  It is dishwasher safe though; so you can just pop it in the dishwasher and let it do the work.

The Catamount Glass Company in Burlington, Vermont makes this popcorn popper, and many other types of glass cookware.  This popcorn popper is made from a borosilicate glass, which is the same type of glass used for laboratory equipment.  This type of glass is durable, and can handle heats up to approximately 675 degrees.  The glass is clear, so you can watch the popcorn as it pops (which the kids just think is great and love to do).

So if you are in the market for a popcorn popper, then give the Catamount microwave popcorn popper a closer look.  At less than $30.00, it is affordable for any family.  It also makes a unique gift!

When I was growing up, we bought bags of popcorn kernels and popped it the old fashioned way.  We cooked it in a pan on the stove.  We had to line the bottom of the pan with oil and shake the pan rapidly until the popping stopped.  Inevitably, we always had a little burned popcorn on the bottom of the pan.  Well, those days are long gone.

The Presto PowerPop (model number 04830) is a highly rate microwave popcorn popper.  With well over 300 customer ratings at a large online retailer, it maintains a 4.2 out of 5 star rating.  It is actually endorsed by Orville Redenbacher, and carries his signature.  To be endorsed by Orville, you know it has got to be good.

The PowerPop was manufactured to fit in most all microwave ovens, including the compact ovens.  You can pop three quarts of popcorn in approximately two and a half minutes.

Virtually every kernel of corn will pop, thanks to a couple of innovative features that concentrate the microwaves on to the kernels.  The removable base is the first feature, and it snaps onto the transparent bowl.  The second feature is a disposable cup that will sit in the bottom of the bowl and contain the kernels.  Eight cups are included with the Presto microwave popcorn popper.

Each of these cups is good for about twelve batches of popcorn (if you are making it with oil) or twenty-four batches if you are not using oil.  So you can expect to get 96 to 192 batches of popcorn before you have to buy more of these disposable cups.  An additional package of 8 Presto PowerCup Concentrators costs just over $4.00, so this is a negligible expense.

If you are cooking with oil, you can even add salt up front.  As the popcorn pops, it will be evenly distributed.  For a buttery flavor, you can add one to two tablespoons of butter to the concentrator too.

One of the things that I like best about the Presto PowerPop is that you can serve the popcorn directly from the bowl that it was popped in.  There is no transferring to another bowl, or dirtying additional dishes.  Cleanup of the Presto microwave popcorn popper is a breeze.  Everything but the base is fully submersible and is dishwasher safe.

So make popping popcorn fun again with the Presto PowerPop, and save a little money while you are at it.

One of the most popular glass microwave popcorn poppers is the Catamount 2.5 quart corn popper.  The clear glass design makes it easy to watch your popcorn as it pops, which the kids just love to do.  You will love the silicone lid that allows you to butter you popcorn as it pops.  By placing a pat of butter on the lid, as the kernels pop the butter melts and seeps through the holes and drips onto the popcorn.

Most of the glass popcorn poppers are dishwasher safe, so cleanup is a breeze.  Even if you choose to clean them by hand, you can quickly clean this type of popper right in the sink with a dishrag.

If you are concerned about the durability of a glass popcorn popper… don’t be.  Most are made from a borosilicate glass.  This is the same type of glass used in laboratory applications.  They are typically heat resistant to 675 degrees.

These popcorn poppers provide you a great way to quickly and easily make healthy popcorn at a moment’s notice.  Forget about those messy disposable popcorn bags, and keep trash out of the landfills.  You get to choose your favorite brand of popcorn kernels too.

Using a glass microwave popcorn popper is easy, and no oil is required.  Simply complete the following steps:

• Fill the bottom of the popper with one layer of kernels (approximately 1.5 oz).
• If you want buttery popcorn, then add the desired amount of butter to the lid.
• Place the lid on the popcorn popper.
• Place it in the microwave and cook on high for approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds.  (Note that this time may vary depending upon the wattage of your microwave.)
• When the popping slows to just one pop every one or two seconds, you should stop the microwave to avoid burning the popcorn.

After you have been through this process a few times, you will know exactly how much time your microwave requires to pop the perfect popcorn.

It takes a little bit longer to cook popcorn in a glass popcorn popper than it does in the disposable popcorn bags.  But the bottom line is that you can make healthier and better tasting popcorn this way.  Best of all, you can save money.  By purchasing the bags of popcorn kernels, you can save approximately 80% of the cost of microwave popcorn bags.  Popcorn can now be an inexpensive treat again!