It's a serious question when you're thinking about getting a hot air popcorn popper. I personally didn't know what it all meant until I did a little research on it, and I was amazed at what I found. We all love our popcorn, and for the more experienced among us, I'm sure we've all thought about how to prepare the perfect popcorn in a popcorn poppers. However, I found out some interesting things about hot air popcorn poppers that might help you decide when finding the right popcorn popper for you.
Here's why corn pops. The corn is composed mainly of starch and water inside. When this is heated up, the insides of the kernel swells, and does so quickly, until the hull of the kernel can no longer hold the pressure and the whole thing explodes. The kernel turns inside-out so quickly that it creates that familiar pop.
Beware: the kernel (or popped corn) can jump as high as three feet when that inner pressure is released.
The traditional way of applying heat was by roasting it over a fire - and later, when popcorn makers were made, people used fuel such as gas to heat the kernels. Oil was used in order to prevent the kernels from burning, and to ensure that all the kernels were evenly heated. That way all the pops came at the same time and there was no charring. Butter and oil, aside from flavor, ensured the even cooking.
Hot air popcorn makers are different because they eliminate the need for oil or butter. We all know that certain kinds of oil (like coconut oil) are reputed to decrease health - and though this is debatable, popcorn without oil is a nice change at times. Not only does this provide a much healthier snack, it also creates a much less greasy atmosphere, hence the popcorn poppers are much easier to maintain and clean. Any home maker with a busy schedule and concern for the family members' health appreciates this. The only disadvantage found is that the instructions need to be carefully read, especially when there are children involved. But then again, all cooking appliances have those requirements.
For me, there's really no more question. Yes, I do appreciate some oil or butter on popcorn, because there's nothing like the old-fashioned taste of delicious popcorn. However, since munching on popcorn has become such a common activity for us, I find the hot air popcorn poppers much more convenient. There's no substitute for a healthy snack that doesn't require that much cleaning up.
