Just because the microwave has a button it doesn’t mean the button does the right sequence of steps.
Technology Connections has a good video on it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Limpr1L8Pss
Why does the microwave button have a "popcorn" button when every microwave popcorn brand says "DO NOT USE THE POPCORN BUTTON"?
Submitted 6 hours ago by Z745812939054@lemmy.zip to [deleted]
Comments
slazer2au@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Rhaedas@fedia.io 6 hours ago
That video also taught me about the sensor button. If you're reheating and your microwave has a sensor button, use it. So much better than trying to guess a time.
Brkdncr@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
This might be controversial, but manual popped is better than microwave.
sik0fewl@piefed.ca 10 minutes ago
I can’t imagine that’s controversial (I hope). Microwave is simply more convenient.
i_need_your_bones@piefed.social 6 hours ago
This is a great explainer on that topic
themeatbridge@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Came here to mention this. The whole video is worth watching, but the short version is that some machines have a sensor that detects when steam releases from the bag and automatically stops then.
The problem is that there might be a difference of a few seconds depending on which way the popcorn bag is facing when it pops open. So you should still listen for when the popping slows down.
Dagnet@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
I use an app called popcorn expert from the old site I think that hears the popcorn pop and lets me know when to stop the microwave, nvr burned it
Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 hours ago
I use the popcorn button anyway and never have any problems. I think the popcorn makers just want to spite the microwave makers.
Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 6 hours ago
I think it’s more that the popcorn maker can’t guarantee that you won’t burn their popcorn, or wind up with half a bag of un-popped kernels, by using your microwave’s internal settings. The warning is, “we take no responsibility for the outcome, if you press that button”.
LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 6 hours ago
Some microwaves have a humidity sensor that determines if the popcorn is done and it works well.
Some microwaves have a preset cooking schedule for microwave popcorn and it doesn’t work for all types.
Personally if I’m making microwave popcorn, I just set it to 99:99 and wait for the popping to stop.
janus2@lemmy.zip 4 hours ago
I would recommend setting it to something like 6–8 minutes instead so that if something prevents you from being there to take it out when done (bathroom emergency, etc.) you don’t potentially burn your home down
anothermember@feddit.uk 5 hours ago
I’ve never encountered a microwave with a popcorn button, that seems oddly specific…
lime@feddit.nu 5 hours ago
american microwaves. mine just has a time knob and a power knob, as god intended.
AnAmericanPotato@programming.dev 4 hours ago
My microwave has a bunch of different modes. Most of them are a bit more complex than “run at X power for Y seconds”. Like, the “defrost” or “potato” settings (yes there is a “potato” setting) will cycle the power on and off in bursts, which gives you more even defrosting and less explosive potatoes.
anothermember@feddit.uk 4 hours ago
Mine too, there are fancier ones with buttons and other gimmicks, though most people just use them the same way. I’ve never seen a popcorn button. Americans…
Diddlydee@feddit.uk 5 hours ago
Same here. Not in my long-legged life.
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
I use the popcorn button and popcorn button makes popcorn.
Klear@piefed.world 6 hours ago
You know what they say: all popcorn popcorns popcorn!
reksas@sopuli.xyz 6 hours ago
if it burns down your house they can say they told you to not to use it and not be held liable
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
Because the original popcorn buttons weren’t very good. They mostly just ran normally and just used a questionable-determined time to run. This resulted in them usually burning the popcorn.
Modern popcorn buttons use a sensor to figure out when onto shut off, and they’re generally pretty good at not burning popcorn.
The warming remained, however because it takes money to change and they can’t know if you still use a dinosaur from like the 80’s anyways.
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 6 hours ago
Because microwave popcorn sucks? Haha
Malica@lemmy.zip 4 hours ago
I swear by the Costco stuff
BurgerBaron@quokk.au 2 hours ago
I switched to stove top loose kernels but that was due to the 2010’s PFAS scare with microwave popcorn bags. USA banned it so Costco/Kirkland should be safe.
Canada is still lagging behind a little so I’d look for PFAS-free labelling here.
Malica@lemmy.zip 4 hours ago
It has humidity sensors that don’t have the reputation of being the most accurate.
threeonefour@piefed.ca 6 hours ago
The Technology Connections video has already been posted, but for a quick written answer:
Cheap microwaves wire that button to mean “run for 2 minutes” which will probably ruin your popcorn. Mid-ranged brands will sense moisture. Higher end brands might have a microphone to listen for delay between pops which is what the popcorn bags instruct people to do.
Popcorn makers tell you to listen for pops manually because it’s easier than writing “if your popcorn button sets a time or asks for bag size, don’t use it because it’s not using any sensors to determine when to stop and will burn your popcorn.”
criticon@lemmy.ca 1 hour ago
Mine uses moisture and also asks for the weight of the bag and it’s ok, as it it never burns them, but it’s kinda conservative, it leaves. Afew unpopper kernels. I mostly use an air popper tho
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
It’s not the microwaves fault. There is a small percentage of kernels that will never pop. That’s just how they are, and nobody knows which ones it will be until they bite into it during a movie.
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 hours ago
NGL, that’s pretty damn dope!
ripcord@lemmy.world 30 minutes ago
Why would you lie
Blibittyblah@futurology.today 6 hours ago
Do you know a microwave with a legitimate pop button? I like to pop the corn.
Dozzi92@lemmy.world 40 minutes ago
I must just be lucky. My popcorn button just puts my microwave on for 2m40s and my Kirky Sig movie theater butter popcorn comes out great every single time. I’d say one in 50 bags has had an issue with it being slightly overdone, if that. I appreciate that the button does 2:40 because I would never hit 2:40, it would either be 2:30 or 3m.
MIDItheKID@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
Not sure about microwaves popping the corn, but there was this guy Jimmy who was cracking the corn, but honestly I couldn’t be bothered with it.
CannonFodder@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Nope. Someone got a patent on the idea in early days of microwave popcorn and they have effectively killed it by asking too high of a price to use.
But there are phone apps that will listen to the pop rate and tell you when it’s done.
s3rvant@lemmy.zip 5 hours ago
No. I ended up switching to this guy and has been awesome:
a.co/d/06A84yWM