Sabotaged by Pop’t Secret

[Packard]

I bought a package of microwave popcorn.  The instructions said not to use the “popcorn” button, but rather to set the timer on 4 minutes on full power and listen to the popping.  When the popping got below 1 per second, to turn it off.

I figured that the instructions were designed to allow me to adjust the timing depending upon the wattage of my oven.

The first 4 bags popped perfectly at 4 minutes.  So after that I left the oven unattended while it popped the corn kernels.

The last bag I cooked burned the corn so badly that the entire house smelled of burnt corn.  Re-reading the instructions it was clear that they intended me to listen for that “one pop per second” measurement for every bag.  They expected changes from bag to bag.  (A quality control issue on filling the bag??)

The odor left the house, but the interior of the oven still smells like burnt popcorn.  I have washed the interior twice with little change.  The interior is mostly made of plastic.  Is there any way to eliminate the odor?  I’m thinking I will have to replace the oven.

 

[hdv]

Not sure if it will help you, but I have had great success with halved lemon. I was told to put to halved lemon pieces on a saucer and leave them in my microwave for a day. In my case it was burnt satay sauce. To my surprise it really did work. You never know, maybe it will for you too.

 

[semenza]

Try cleaning the plastic with baking soda and nuking some lemon juice in addition to hdv's lemon.

Seth

 

[tjbnwi]

Slice some apples, place in bowl, place bowl in nuker, close door, let sit ~8hours. The apples will absorb the odor.

Tom

 

[Packard]

I’m going to try both of those things.

It’s a fairly new (less than 6 months old) and I like it.  So I am motivated to find a way to salvage it.

I go to the supermarket on Mondays.  I will pick up the supplies then.

 

[hdv]

Nowadays most types of microwave have a closed inner cage, but if, by chance, yours has some slits or perforation, then it might be a good idea to try to blow out the smelly air in there with a compressor or something like it.

 

[squall_line]

Honestly, if it's a modern microwave, use the popcorn button.  They have sensors inside to detect the steam from the popping bag and stop accordingly.  The higher-end models also have a microphone that listens for the "1 second between pops" to stop, which is pretty much genius (and stupidly cheap to implement, yet almost no company does).

 

[Ron B]

Reheat some fried fish in it.  You will forget all about the popcorn smell........

 

[Packard]

Honestly, if it's a modern microwave, use the popcorn button.  They have sensors inside to detect the steam from the popping bag and stop accordingly.  The higher-end models also have a microphone that listens for the "1 second between pops" to stop, which is pretty much genius (and stupidly cheap to implement, yet almost no company does).

Here are the instructions.

 

[squall_line]

Right.

They tell you not to use the popcorn button because they don't know if you have a $20 microwave where "popcorn" means "3 minutes, always and every time", or a more sophisticated model with actual steam and/or sound sensors.

As with all things, your mileage may vary.

 

[Packard]

Right.

They tell you not to use the popcorn button because they don't know if you have a $20 microwave where "popcorn" means "3 minutes, always and every time", or a more sophisticated model with actual steam and/or sound sensors.

As with all things, your mileage may vary.

But why would they insist on the “listen” technique? A careful reading of the instructions makes it sound like an occasional outlier is to be expected.

 

[rvieceli]

Packard popcorn is a natural product. Kernels will differ in moisture content and that’s what makes the corn pop. Each batch will be different enough to require monitoring.

Another option is to just make it in a pan with hot oil. But you’d be monitoring that closely.

Ron

 

[woodbutcherbower]

*All the Brits reading this thread open-mouthed as they learn that US microwaves have an actual popcorn button*

 

[bobtskutter]

This Brit has a 1kW microwave that is able to vaporise the moisture inside glazed pottery - ask me how I know that

Nuking a bag of corn for 4mins would not end well.

Do US microwaves also have a setting for drying Dominos if they've absorbed too much moisture? 

Bob

 

[semenza]

This Brit has a 1kW microwave that is able to vaporise the moisture inside glazed pottery - ask me how I know that

    1,000 watt to 1,200 watt is pretty common in the US

Nuking a bag of corn for 4mins would not end well.
   
    I think you'd be good at about 3 minutes

Do US microwaves also have a setting for drying Dominos if they've absorbed too much moisture? 

    Only microwaves in Germany have his feature (sadly NAINA) . [wink]

Bob

  See inserts  ^^^

    My microwave is 1,200w. A batch of popcorn in a silicone popper bowl takes between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 minutes depending on the popcorn.  That's just using the regular high / full  power setting.

Seth

 

[Allano]

(sadly NAINA)

National Association of Indian Nurses of America

 

[semenza]

(sadly NAINA)

National Association of Indian Nurses of America

  Yup, no more popcorn for patients.

        Not Available In North America

Seth

 

[Packard]

This Brit has a 1kW microwave that is able to vaporise the moisture inside glazed pottery - ask me how I know that

    1,000 watt to 1,200 watt is pretty common in the US

Nuking a bag of corn for 4mins would not end well.
   
    I think you'd be good at about 3 minutes

Do US microwaves also have a setting for drying Dominos if they've absorbed too much moisture? 

    Only microwaves in Germany have his feature (sadly NAINA) . [wink]

Bob

  See inserts  ^^^

    My microwave is 1,200w. A batch of popcorn in a silicone popper bowl takes between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 minutes depending on the popcorn.  That's just using the regular high / full  power setting.

Seth

The first 4 bags (which I listened to) were perfectly popped on 4 minutes.  So I stopped listening.  A few bags later—catastrophe.

On my way to the supermarket this morning.  On my shopping list is baking soda, apples, and lemons.  I will report later. 

However the resin interior has changed in color so I am not optimistic.

I may try my time-tested method too:  Exposure to the sun.  Exposure to the sun (direct, not through glass) is easily the best way I have found to eliminate odors.  In the summer, 6 to 8 hours has usually done the trick.  However, you do run the risk of fading colors.

 

[squall_line]

We (the royal we) basically lit a sweet potato on fire in our microwave a few years ago.

The discoloration will never go away, or, at least, there's little point in trying.

The smell took a few months of just running it with no special cleaning other than "I took the flaming machine outside and tossed the potato on the concrete and then wiped the thing down thoroughly".

We haven't made the same mistake since.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

We (the royal we) basically lit a sweet potato on fire in our microwave a few years ago.

A number of years ago, I spent six weeks in the South of France working on a UK customer’s newly-purchased château. Two weeks in, the plumbers still hadn’t finished the internal pipework, and the only available water was a standpipe in the yard. I hit upon the idea of washing my smalls using that, but the following morning they were all still wet. I decided that gently microwaving them would dry them out. I pressed the ‘start’ button and then my cellphone rang. You know the rest. Three pairs of shorts and three pairs of socks in flames.

Beat that, anyone.