I used to have (and probably still have it buried in one of the cupboards) a microwave popcorn maker and it worked just fine. It was nothing more than a big, hard plastic bowl with a base that lifted it up off the bottom of the oven and a well vented lid. Put the popcorn in there, microwave it and pop pop pop. People use paper bags, bowls with a plate on top or whatever goes in the oven. This is silicone and probably would be nice enough but I wouldn't pay that much for it. Looks like it has the look of a "Jiffy Pop" to have it expand on the top as it pops. Probably cleans up easily enough but a popcorn maker really doesn't get that dirty in a microwave anyway. The reality is, a microwave popcorn maker is a container. You could put the kernels in there loose and they'll pop just fine. The bowl keeps it contained to make it easier to remove. I sure wouldn't spend a lot of money on a bowl. $30 is a lot for it, IMO. The one I had looks much like the Miles Kimball one on this page OK, so there's more than one MK I see - mine is like this one:

You could always take a microwave save bowl and put a plastic colander over it and poof, you have a microwave popper. For $30 I'd spring for a vintage popcorn popper like one of these. I have one very similar to this:

But the top on mine is different.

Its cool looking out I love my old fashioned whirled pop. Just as fast as a microwave.

We had a whirly-pop but it quit working. Then I bought a metal stove-top one with a crank handle. The gear that makes the arm stir broke. It was plastic.

I'm thinking of trying a plain paper bag to see if it works. I've read that it can, but I'm also afraid of it catching fire. I would think the bags for microwave popcorn is treated against fire.

It's so easy and quick when made in a regular stainless steel or enameled (not nonstick) saucepan, I'm not sure why anything else is needed. No fire risk, no burning risk.

I have this one Glass catamount. . .

Be sure to check prices for the one you are looking at I have seen it much cheaper including at the link I posted .

Silicone popper

I have one....it's going in the garage sale! I didn't care for it.

I like my Stir Crazy popper. I don't like microwaved popcorn. Don't care for air popped corn either.

I pop corn the old fashioned way. I use a 3 quart pot on a gas burner. I have also used a large skillet. A cast iron skillet works, but is slow to heat and responds slowly for adjusting temperature. However, cast iron containers tend to have even temperature across the bottom of the container.

I use the brown paper lunch bags to pop corn in the microwave, and I flavor it however I want, no problem. And no, the bags don't catch fire. Well, I guess they might if you let the microwave run too long. For some reason, when I pop corn on the stove, I end up scorching it about half the time. :>(

Rusty

I also use a brown school lunch bag, 1/4 cup of popcorn and fold the top closed and seal with a piece of masking tape, pop for only 2 minutes, you will have to experiment with it but it's my experience that only a few more second makes a huge difference and ends up scorching it. If you use some oil, it takes a little less time or it will scorch. I've decided that it does better with no oil at all. I will add melted butter after it's popped. Our microwave is 1100 watts.

I have a microwave pop corn popper. It is made by Presto. You can put oil in it also. I like it very well. I think when I bought mine it was around $30. Recently Aldi had a microwave one and I am not sure how much it was. I don't take time to pop much corn but do like it. Not sure how you would shake a pan of corn across a ceramic cook top range.

Sue

Thanks for all of your comments.

We do use a pot on the stove. Sometimes it turns out and sometimes it doesn't. The corn can be tough one time, and fluffy the next.

I'm going to try a paper bag, we have 'green bin' bags designed for the kitchen so I'll try one of those. I don't know if lunch bags can even be purchased, I haven't seen a paper bag in years and years.

I also like Cynic's suggestion of using a bowl with a cover. The kernels should pop, whatever is being used.

You can try the bowl, I did this just the other day with a microwave dish and the popcorn did not turn out at all. It hardly even popped but I could have done something wrong, maybe it takes longer in a bowl than the bag?

AKGirl, that would make sense to me. The paper bag should work the best.

They have packages of brown lunch bags at the grocery store they are usually around the foil and other wraps etc. You probably were just never looking for them. I have done it in the paper bags too with good results. I have to test a few times to get the perfect time on any microwave. I have not made any yet in the new one.

No. But I used to have one of these. I liked it but I don't know if they still make them.

When niece was younger (now away at college) we'd have a girl's weekend around this time of years. Do some decorating, do some crafting and do lots of eating. I found a clear, glass lid that fit my Dutch oven... a few TBSP oil and enough kernels to make a solid layer. When they started popping, you would have thought it was the latest/greatest video game! She was mesmerized! Had NEVER seen popcorn actually pop. SAD!?!

Same weekend, decided to dust off waffle iron to make waffles to go witth the copious amount of bacon we planned to cook/eat. When I put it on kitchen counter, she had no idea what it was. Not even after she opened the lid?!? She had NEVER had a waffle that didn't just come out of the freezer to be heated up in toaster! SAD!!

I haven't made popcorn since I got the glass top stove, I guess I could use a stainless steel pot and just shake it now and then but my pots are really heavy. I don't care for store bought microwave popcorn and every time I made it for the kids even though I followed instructions and timing the popcorn caught on fire, same as when I use a paper lunch bag, the popcorn catches on fire so I have given up. I miss hot buttered popcorn.

Klseiverd, I am 60 years old, I never had a homemade waffle or seen one made until I stayed at a hotel a few years ago in Niagara on the Lake where they had a breakfast room where you prepared your own breakfasts, I have recently thought of buying a waffle maker but the ones I have looked at cost more than $90.00. Grew up eating pancakes and still make them from scratch but we never had a waffle maker

Cherryfizz, a good waffle maker is the Cuisinart that's often on sale at Canadian Tire. I look at it, as we love waffles, but I don't need another small appliance to store.

Thanks Jasdip, I will check that out. haha I have no room for another small appliance either. I don't even have cupboard space for all the extra food stuffs that come with having my sister here, my counter tops are overflowing. She comes with stuff I would never buy for myself

I have an air popper like missy mae, and it is great. I pop it into a large bowl and then add butter and popcorn salt. It pops almost every kernel and never burns any. I also have an old fashioned waffle iron that my sister gave to me for our first anniversary. They weren't that expensive 50 years ago. It came with a great recipe for the batter which I use to this day. When Belgian waffles became popular, waffle makers became an expensive small appliance.

Thrift shops usually have waffle makers. And yard sales.

I'm a peasant, I like microwave popcorn. ;) I buy Popsecret.

Oh, I forgot about your sister, and her stuff!!!! Sorry Cherryfizz! :-)

For a bowl to not work I can't help but think, aren't virtually all of the microwave popcorn poppers nothing more than a semi-glorified bowl?

I still buy the packets but I stick to PopWeavers. Cheaper and I like the taste better than any others I've tried.

I still prefer the original thinner waffles. I'm glad I held on to my old Toastmaster square waffle iron. The plates reverse to flat for using as a griddle or as a sandwich grill.

Watchmelol, that is the kind I have, and it is great. The original, thinner waffles seem to stay warm longer than Belgian ones too.

Jasdip=what do you mean by your whirly pop quit working? I was referring to the aluminum hand crank type on the stove. Get one and give it another try. It makes the BEST popcorn on earth! Turn on the burner to 7 or 8. Added oil and 2-3 kernels of popcorn. When they pop, add 1/2 cup and stir once or twice. When it starts popping, stir continuously until they stop popping or its so full the crank won't turn. Dump, add popcorn salt and enjoy! This is foolproof. BTW if cooking for a crowd, the popper has to cool completely before re-using of the next bath will be tough,

Gosh--I think my Presto microwave popcorn maker is at least 35 years old! No kidding, and it is still going strong. I just googled it and am amazed it is still around. It is less than 12.00!

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-04830-PowerPop-Microwave-Multi-Popper/dp/B00005IBXK