If you have not been familiar with hot air popcorn poppers until now, you might be confused on whether they are actually handy small appliances. This article reviews the pros and cons of these devices by comparing them with other methods of making popcorn.
The key difference between the conventional methods of making popcorn and hot air popping is that you do not need to add any oil when doing the latter. This gives you unparalleled control over the calories you take and you can avoid eating burnt oil that often results from using it for cooking. As for the taste, while no fat is certainly the best choice for your health, some may find it too bland. However, this is hardly a problem because you can always add some butter or spray some olive oil on it after it comes out of the unit. This is definitely healthier than using the oil to fry the corn and as most people would agree, it is tastier.
Another good thing about a hot air popcorn popper is how quick and simple it is. All you have to do is to fill the unit with some corn and plug the unit in. It does need some supervision as it does its job but that will not take more than a few minutes. Moreover, it needs little if any cleaning afterwards.
People often end up heating corn in a pan or microwave because they do not want to spend money on a hot air popcorn popper they will use only rarely. What they forget is that these devices help you save on ingredients and energy. To make popcorn in a microwave, you need to buy special corn sealed in paper bags with oil and other ingredients, which costs more than plain corn. As for the pan, you waste a lot of heat when heating the corn in it on the stove, which will add to your bills. A popcorn maker that costs $20 can let you save a few pennies every time you make yourself a snack. Indeed, there is good reason to think that this very cheap device will pay for itself over time.
One of the tops arguments against hot air poppers is that they are plastic and may contain Bisphenol A, which is a chemical hazardous to health. This is not a just argument because the plastic parts of the unit almost never comes into contact with the corn. Moreover, some there are models that contain strictly no Bisphenol A and that should reassure people with concerns.
In short, a comparison of different methods of making popcorn shows us that hot air popcorn poppers have significant advantages. One of these little electric devices can let you make a delicious snack within minutes without adding any high-calorie ingredients.