Get a microwave popper and buy regular popcorn to pop in it.
And a cheapie microwave has nothing to do with the burning....you just cooked it too long.
You have to watch it and the instant it stops popping get it out of the micro.
Linda C

"...the instant it stops popping get it out of the micro."

But it doesn't stop all at once. When the popping slows down to two seconds between pops it's done. Count "one thousand one, one thousand two". If there is a pop during that time, count again.

I find that ACT II Microwave Popcorn works fine. I'm sure there are other good brands.

Does your microwave have a rotating tray in it? I think that helps.

Jim

All this talk of popcorn made me hungry....so I got out a micro safe dish with a lid, poured in about 1 tsp oil and a couple of tablespoons of popcorn....set it on 2 minutes....et viola! A dish of popcorn.
Longer would ahve been better, there were some un popped kernals....but it's good and not burned.
Don't use that stuff with that who knows what oil and stuff in it....just pop corn and your choice of oil and salt or not as you chose.
Linda C

"Longer would ahve been better, there were some un popped kernals...."

You didn't count 2 seconds between pops, did you? :-)

Jim

The TV was too loud.....couldn't hear...
Decided I'd just eat what was popped...
One way to limit serving size....what pops in 2 minutes...Yeah! good idea LOL!

My new microwave came with instructions to elevate the bag on an inverted saucer. Wonder if that would help OP? I made popcorn yesterday. Inverted the saucer and still burned it! Guess I didn't do Jim's 2 second count!

I am a popcorn freak!!! I don't use the microwave at all anymore. Get an air popper and then you control the oil and seasonings too. NEVER burns, no counting (I've had it burn even when there's less than 2 seconds between pops...sorry!! LOL).
I drizzle with olive oil and salt! Yummy!

Deanna

I have this microwave popcorn maker and have had it for about 8 years or so. It's amazing - you can make popcorn with oil or without and the bowl goes in the dishwasher.
I bought it locally at the Wal Mart.
After trying many different popcorns, I only use Orville R.

Here is a link that might be useful: microvave popcorn maker.

Yeahbut....an air popper makes pop corn all over the kitchen!
Whenever I get it out, the dog waits anxiously underneath!
And...pop corn is never so good as when it's cooked in grease!!

Linda! I never thought to make regular pop corn in the microwave like you did. I'm gonna try it!

***1 thousand 1 - 1 thousand 2 ..... ***

I have made micorwave popcorn before, just not in my microwave. I am not going to buy a new microwave, I am only working part time and cannot afford it. I'll do without popcorn if I have to. Plus, as you say, I can make it with oil in any old pot on the stove.

I did not leave it in too long. It burned immediately, as soon as the popcorn started to pop. I took it out way before the kernels stopped popping, as smoke was pouring out of the bag. The insides of the kernels were burned, even though the outsides were not. My microwave is small, I could not elevate it because once popped, the bag filled up the whole inside of the oven. And it isn't a particularly large bag. Maybe my oven is too small for popcorn. It is one I used to have at work for heating up lunch stuff. My larger one broke two years ago.

I actually like making regular popcorn with some oil in a saucepan, shaking it while it cooks.

If you get another microwave in the future, Healthy Pop is our favorite brand -- lower in fat and much high in fiber than others I've tried. We get it at Smart 'N' Final.

I pop corn in a lidded sauce pan over the burner with either organic coconut oil or grapeseed oil..

DELISH!

Personally, just the smell of microwave popcorn make me gag.

On the rare occasion that I do make popcorn, I make it on the stove, in a pot, with a little oil and it takes no time at all....seriously. The extra few minutes are so well worth the final product.

(And yes, Leona...I agree with Duane. Spam is not welcome here.)

Linda

Linda, Linda, Linda......Put a bowl under the popper!!!!

DARFC....

Deanna (who just dumps the grease on top!!)

If the popcorn started to burn immediately I'd say it was the fault of the MW. I buy Pop Secret Home Style for the kids because that's what they like. For me, I prefer regular old popcorn the old fashioned way, on the stove top. A bit of oil, almost cover the bottom of the pot in kernels, medium-high heat, turn off when popping stops (or slows considerably). Salt & eat. No shaking by the way, the corn pops beautifully with out it, with a very small percentage of old maids.

Not only is the stovetop stuff better tasting IMHO, it's also lower in fat and way cheaper.

I buy Pop Secret and Act II for work and it's OK. I like the new Orville Redenbacher black pepper stuff, I got a free sample.

At home, though, I make popcorn in a skillet with a lid or I walk up to the local Wesco station. Every year they sell "popcorn buckets", they are about $7 each, a plastic bucket with a lid. You can get it filled all year free if you buy the bucket, and Elery loves their "movie theater" style popcorn. I always take a bucket of Wesco popcorn to the Princess and Bruvver on Sundays.

It's high in fat and calories, although very good, so I think I'm going to try to use freshly ground black pepper on my stove top popped hot popcorn.

Anyway, L, try Pop Secret, it pops in my cheapie microwave I have at home, the $50 special I got at the Evil Empire.

Annie

Did you know you can just put regular popcorn in a paper bag and pop it in the MW? It bugs me to pay so much for "special" microwave popcorn in bags. Now I just put a few tablespoons of popcorn in a paper bag (lunch size) and fold it in a similar way to those mircowave bags, so it unfurls as the popcorn pops.

Then, this is the best part, melt real butter for the topping!

Linda, I can highly recommend this Nordic Ware microwave popper. I bought this one for Moe about 10 years ago and he is still using it.

Like you I hate the smell of microwave popcorn. Disgusting. But this is just regular popcorn , air popped, without any oil. Quick and easy. One of the few things that Moe actually cooks for himself. LOL!!!

Ann

I also love the Nordic Ware popper. Got it at Target years ago after my original one melted. but I agree doing it on the stove with oil is the best.

I love the Nordic Ware popper for my lunchtime popcorn at work!

Actually, it's a really bad idea to pop corn in the microwave. Yes, there's usually a popcorn button, but if you have a problem with your microwave oven and the manufacturer determines you used it to pop corn, the warrantee, in most cases is voided. Popping corn in the microwave isn't good for the appliance.

And as to using an ordinary paper bag? NEVER EVER do that--even if you do decide that it's worth the risk to pop your popped corn in the microwave. Bags are often made from recycled materials and contain bits of metal, foil, or metallic paint--yet another dangerous microwave no-no

why in heaven's sake would popping corn in the microwave be bad for it?

I used to like Blast-0-butter, but now I enjoy Orville Redenbockers kettle corn. I always put it in for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Most of the kernels pop and I've never burned at home. We won't discuss 2 years ago at work when I almost caught the place on fire and ruined a brand new Samsaung microwave!

Popping corn in the mw voids the warantee? Hmmmm.... Then why is there a Popcorn button right there on the face whose function is specifically and exclusively for MW Popcorn bags?

I buy it all the time simply for the convenience - I agree it's just as easy to make on the stovetop, but with the microwave you don't have a greasy pot to wash afterwards! My kids eat it a lot too and I just don't trust them with oil and the stove - they're liable to walk away and start a fire or something.

That being said, I probably wash more microwave popcorn "residue" out of the inside of my microwave than anything else. It coats everything. I just envision weird chemicals - then again I envision weird chemicals in everything "ready to eat" like that. I try not to get too paranoid about that stuff, but I would rather just have a bit of oil and popcorn and add things myself so I know what's in there.

THAT being said, I'll probably still buy it because of the kids. Altho because it's the kids (they're 19 and 21, not babies) I SHOULD make it the more natural way.

Oh, I'll drive myself crazy over it!!!

Lisa

Tonight I have achieved microwave popcorn success!!
I bought Orville Redenbacker's mini bags of lowfat popcorn. I think that maybe that other bag I made was very old (I know it was at least 3 years old) and maybe the kernels were too dried out to pop well. I'm glad to know it's not my microwave.

I've had a thing for Orville every since I saw him on TV on the Merv Griffin show years and years ago. I believe he is no longer living. But anyway, back then Merv was having a show with the theme of self-made millionaires, and he had Orville on. He was such a down to earth, self effacing guy. He was a corn researcher at University of Nebraska or something, and he just decided to get into the commercial end of things. Merv asked him how he spent his millions, and he said, "Well, we had five children you know and we put them all through college." He was one of the first to get on the bandwagon of coming out with "gourmet" versions of things. It takes a bit of chutzpah to realize that a name like Orville Redenbacker could be used as a marketing device.

Now I see on the back of the bag that "Orville Redenbacker's" popcorn is now produced by ConAgra.

There a pretty hefty scoop of old maids at the bottom of the bag, but I was conservative on the timing this go round.

I've tried the mini bags as well. Seems like just the right amount. Glad you had some good success :o)