The microwave that came with my house is the first time I’ve ever had a microwave that had perfectly working popcorn setting. It has never burnt a bag of microwave popcorn.
Mine has only 1 button, to open the door.
And I like it this way.
So, it turns on automatically when you close it? Should be a switch somewhere as well
These are 2 turning knobs. One for the strength (nearly always full on), one for the time.
Ah, right
I use an air popper
I try it to see if it works. Most of the time it’s too long but sometimes there’s that perfect microwave that has the steam sensor and it pops with no kernels.
When I want a quick bag, sure do. Kirkland (Costco) popcorn is great and dirt cheap.
But when I want great popcorn we use our popcorn popping machine with some coconut oil, flavocol, and butter topping. This is the recipe the movie theaters use.
The Flavacol is key. More important than anything else if you want theater-style popcorn.
I use a whirly pop with a little oil and then just the butter salt (Flavacol I guess?)
Still tastes good, but much healthier.
It’s gotta be Flavacol or nothing if you want it to actually taste like theater popcorn.
Is that different than “Butter flavored theater salt”?
Completely different. Flavocol is a commercial product and a trade secret. You have to buy it online.
The only difference I can tell is that it’s the commercial version.
This … This is the way
My LG microwave suffered a major malfunction and broke the magnetron. I replace it but the humidity sensor apparently broke also so my popcorn button and with other features dependant on that sensor don’t work.
Just another example of the enshitification of consumer products. Now I have to cook my popcorn like a savage. I don’t know how many bags of popcorn I ruined because my attention span is shorter than the 1-2 seconds between pops.
Yes, but my microwave’s popcorn button is customizable, so it’s easier.
Yes, because my microwave uses a sensor for it.
If it was just a guesstimated time like some cheap microwaves, I wouldn’t.
How do I check if mine does have it?
Throw a bag of popcorn in there and try it out.
Yes, but I never let it run for the full amount of time. I have to stand there and listen for when the kernels stop popping, otherwise it will burn.
My wife prefers the popcorn button and I prefer to mash +30secs. You have to hit the popcorn button three times to get the right setting, but then they’re both cooking for two minutes.
She gets there in four presses and it takes me five, but +30s is right next to Start so I’m not sure one is better than the other. I guess she’s causing less wear on the button
Don’t buy a microwave with just a dial. My last one had an actual keypad of buttons, I could just press 2 + Start and it was wonderful. Nowadays I have to scroll over hells creation to get the right setting, or change the clock, and it’s awful
My experience is very different. Sensor-based popcorn button, so I just have to press “popcorn.” I’m not sure I even have to press start.
I spent the extra money for the sensor cook, so damn right I use that popcorn button
Unfortunately my fiancée does not like pocorn
And that’s something you can live with?
Not all popcorn buttons are alike. Per Alec at Technology Connections, some microwaves merely engage a timer and in those microwaves following the instructions on the bag are probably better,. Others have a sensor that looks for the poof of steam that comes from the bag opening its vent. Based on how long it takes for that poof of steam to occur it can deduce the size of the bag and thus how much longer to cook for. On these microwaves I use the popcorn button.
Ah, a fellow Alec connoisseur!
One of the best channels out there
I’ve never had a microwave where the popcorn button doesn’t burn it, so no.
I use the popcorn butter.
There are many buttons on my microwave. I have paid no attention to any of them but I know hitting the one at the bottom-right makes numbers go up by 30s per boop, while food go warm.
My microwave popcorn recipe is:
- Put in
- Boop liberally so you know it’s over 5 mins, probably 4–5 days
- When popcorn pops average about one every 3s, start counting to five
- If you reach five, serve
That’s an ominous “if”…
I see we share the same brain cell.
