Nostalgia Electrics KPM-508 Vintage Collection Kettle Popcorn Maker
by Nostalgia Electrics
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List Price: Our Price: $63.94 You Save: $36.01 (36%) Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Nostalgia Electrics KPM-508 Vintage Collection Kettle Popcorn Maker
Customer Review: Nostalgia Popcorn popper KPM-508
Summary: 5 Stars
We used healthy olive oil and the popcorn was huge and tasted great! Fun to watch as well.Customer Review: More work and mess, but worth it for the popcorn lover.
Summary: 4 Stars
The biggest issue of this popper is that unpopped kernels tend to fly out of the container, like hot air poppers which blow many of the good kernels out. You should monitor it and shake the handle when popping starts to minimize waste. Quality gourmet popcorn like Orville Redenbacher's is a larger kernel and will yield bigger, fluffier popcorn per batch.
Naturally, you will have to wipe out the inside before the first use to get any dust and loose styrofoam out. Then rinse and dry the kettle, plug the kettle in, slip on the mount, and screw in the handle counterclockwise.
Instructions say to run the kettle empty 3-5 mintues just to heat up BEFORE you add 2 teaspsoons of oil and popcorn. The instructions get fuzzy at this point. It says, "... add _ cup of popcorn..." Cup of what? I called and found out just one scoop - equal to 1/4 cup. Don't double it or you risk burning and stuck kernels. It yields 2 quarts which is pretty good. Measuring spoons are provided for oil and popcorn, but no scoop. But the door and opening tray should make popcorn retrieval easy enough.
The sound of the motor spinning is much quieter than hot air poppers which sound like rattling blow dryers. This should let you make more popcorn mid movie with less distraction. This unit is more work for popcorn. However, we live with the trouble because we want theater quality popcorn, right?
As I understand, theater's use coconut oil. I use peanut oil because of the high burn temperature, it will never smoke and hydrogonate. You can make batch, after batch, of delicious popcorn, but sooner or later, you have to turn it off and clean the kettle. Unplug the unit, wait for it to cool, unscrew the handle, unplug the kettle and remove it. Then a nice soak in hot soapy water. Again, done for the love of popcorn.
There is even an overhead light to help you see the popcorn, but this appears to be an ordinary lamp. It is decorative and in no way keeps the popcorn warm. Just like the wheels which are decorative and do not spin.
The unit is fairly large, and takes up under 9 x 12 inches of counter space. Roughly 18.5" tall. Easily, twice the size of a hot air popper. Home theater owners won't mind the space, otherwise, you may need to make room.
It normally comes in the nostalgic classic red, but I have seen green available, and I bought mine in a pleasant black. Certainly, more trouble than normal for popcorn, but the quality is great.
Health conscious people may bally hoo the oil aspect, but that depends on how healthful an oil you use. Healthful fat in your diet, like olive and peanut oils, are better than no fat at all.
In short, if you are a popcorn lover who tires of the over salted bag popcorn, the dry hot air popcorn, or the burned microwave popcorn, this is for you. But, it's a lot more mess. Just remember to clean it regularly to keep it from smoking. Otherwise, start stocking up on Jiffy Pop.
Thanks for your vote!
Customer Review: This product can be improved by the owner
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this item at a Goodwill. The former owner maybe used it once or twice and donated it or returned it to the store. Maybe they didn't read the instructions or couldn't figure out that the dumping handle needs to be attached to the pot counterclockwise. The handle was off and laying in the bottom. Whatever the reason, I got a great deal. However, there are very few perfect products in the world, and this popcorn maker has some flaws that can be improved by the owner.
First, the popcorn drops to the bottom and is hard to scoop out and clean. Line it with aluminum foil and maybe even add a rectangular container to catch most of the kernals.
Second, it can create too many old maids. This problem has several solutions that can be deployed. Make sure that the pot is preheated by at least 5 minutes, maybe longer, before putting the oil and corn in. Maybe use a bit more oil than recommended and allowed to heat slightly. Make sure that you use fresh, good quality corn. The lids are light weight and of a lower quality stainless than the pot bottom and thus magnetic. Place two magnets on the the lids to prevent excessive premature lift.
Third, it is somewhat difficult to clean. Always dismantle and then wipe down the sides first with white vinegar and then clean with water. The pot can be cleaned spotlessly by rinsing in hot tap water first and then cleaning out any popped corn under the stirring mechanism by a round wooden toothpick. There is a product made by Zep to clean BBQ grills and microwaves that I bought at the local big box lumberyard. It's a degreasing foam. Other bio-degradable spray degreasers are available elsewhere. Apply, let soak and then lightly scrub and rinse. Then proceed with soapy water as instructed.
For the best popcorn, you need the best products. Only use high quality corn. As for the popping oil, theaters traditionally have used coconut oil until recently; it can't be beat. Popcorn salt is very fine so that it sticks to the kernals; regular salt doesn't work as well. Regular salt can be used if it is first processed in a blender, spice mill, or something similar. As for butter, you can't just melt butter and expect theater quality butter corn with non-soggy results. You need to get rid of the water and milk solids in butter. Use either clarified butter or buy some ghee. Theaters usually use a butter flavored hydrogenated soybean oil. Clarified butter or ghee is healthier and better tasting.
Customer Review: Cute little machine..
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this popcorn maker for my son's first birthday. After I read almost all the reviews about nostalgia products. I was so uncertain to buy any of their products. However, I took my chances and bought this one for it had almost the best reviews among similar products from the same company. Well, the machine looks really cute to the extent that before trying it, I said to my wife "well, if it doesn't work, we can still use it as a decorative serving piece and fill it with already made popcorn". To my surprise, it made quite tasty popcorn. First it requires very little and easy assembling. then you run the machine for 3-5 minutes to heat up then you turn it off before you add the oil. It comes with 2 measuring scoops, one for the oil and one for the popcorn kernels. You add 2 scoops of oil and almost 3/4 of the kernel scoop. You switch the machine on and in no time you can hear the sound of the popping kernels. One more minute, and the popcorn starts to push the kettle's cover and fly out. Not really much unpoped kernels, which was my concern in buying this machine. Almost 1 out 6 kernels comes out unpoped, which is why I suggested that you do not fully fill the kernel's scoop. Only two shortcomings I can mention about it. First, It came with some tiny scratches in the body(really not noticeable but still),and I can see part of the white glue that holds the edges of the stainless bottom with the body of the machine. Second, the kettle is a bit hard to clean. with a fixed center and two moveable sides, I found it really difficult to use a soapy sponge to clean it. My hands couldn't really reach inside. So the best way to clean it is to fill it with hot soapy water and leave it for at least 20 min to reduce the grease, then you can use a brush with a long hand. You can't immerse this part in water because it is the part with the motor at the bottom. For these only two flaws, I gave this machine 4 out of 5. Otherwise, it is great and I would highly recommend it for popcorn lovers.Customer Review: Good little workhorse
Summary: 4 Stars
Generally I'd say this is a good popper. I admit it took several batches (about 10) to find the 'right' popcorn and the right oil. I bought some specialized popping oil that is a blend including several different oils, including Coconut oil and betacarotine (which gives it that distinctive color) that finally made the cut. As others have said, smaller kernels tend to just get pushed out and wasted, so get a larger-kernel corn. Specialized popcorn topping also helps....combine all the factors and the well popped corn and it's as good as the movie theatre...but in smaller batches. Overall I'd recommend this but personally wonder if a larger version might not have been better (despite the counter space such a unit would make).