Presto 04830 PowerPop Microwave Multi-Popper

The popcorn maker uses two innovations that concentrate microwave radiation onto the popcorn. First is a removable base that locks onto the transparent bowl. Second is a disposable paper cup that fits into the bowl's bottom. A package of eight cups accompanies the unit, and others can be purchased separately--each is good for about 12 batches when used with oil or 24 without oil. Both bowl and lid are dishwasher-safe. The popcorn maker is 9-3/4 inches in diameter and 6 inches high and carries a two-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

The size is great for us -- just about as much as a standard microwave pack per popperful. I do not see it as very feasible for more than four or maybe six people at a time, however.

While the Powercups do add to the cost, it still is cheaper than the microwave packs. Using the Yoder popcorn as an example (since the same popcorn is available either in bulk or microwave packs) and assuming that one gets 3 pops per Powercup (half of what Presto says is feasible) the cost comes out about as follows:

Premium white or yellow popcorn, 3.5 oz = $0.13
Olive oil, 0.5 oz = 0.10
Powercup = 0.08
Amoritization of popper = 0.02
Total = $0.33

By contrast, a 3.5 oz microwave pouch of the same popcorn costs $0.65 in bulk.

Actual final costs will be greater for both due to shipping charges, of course, but these do not favor one over the other.

Will O'Neil


Extremely convenient, works great!   July 26, 2001
Kate McMurry (United States)
75 out of 77 found this review helpful

I *love* this device! I experimented with it in my particular microwave and learned that the standard load of 1/3 cup of popcorn (you can use *any* kind) cooks perfectly at 3 minutes, 12 seconds. Any less than that, and some of the kernels don't pop. Any more than that and some kernels begin to burn. The directions say you can use oil inside it, but I don't, because I want the little cardboard inserts to last a long time. I empty the popcorn into a different bowl, then I melt butter in the microwave (3 tbsp. is about right), pour it over the popcorn, add salt and stir well. You can also pour anything else you want over the popcorn, like parmesan or other dried, grated cheese, or herbs and spices. The popcorn this device produces is really, really tasty. Far better than that from microwave popcorn packets, and without the horribly unhealthy trans fats they add to them, too.


Best microwave popping device and best air popper on the mkt   August 21, 2005
Teddy Bird (Deer Creek Mesa, CO)
52 out of 53 found this review helpful

I love popcorn and have about 4 or 5 different poppers of various types. I've also tried various homemade methods of popping corn in the microwave. None compares to this simple appliance. It's just a bowl, in which you place a special cardboard cup to hold the kernels. That all sits on a special base and you put the whole thing in the m'wave. You can use oil or not, up to you.

If you want light popcorn, especially if you want air-popped popcorn, there is no better method out there. I had a batch the other night using Jolly Time kernels and I only had 7 duds. The texture is excellent too.

The only drawback is that it's sometimes hard to find the special cups you have to use but luckily they have them here on amazon.


I've had mine for years!   June 7, 2006
Yahtzee! (San Francisco, CA USA)
38 out of 39 found this review helpful

My mom gave me this popper several years back (I'm talking, SEVERAL, when microwaves were still a novelty) and I still use it. I normally don't leave reviews, but I'm in grad school now, without a microwave oven, and looking for an air popper and saw that some folks had not given this popper the love it deserves, so I must point out it's beauty.

Let me start by telling you that I use zero oil, so the concentrators, I bought two little bags of ten (they were a couple bucks each) and I've only ever used about three of them. As long as they're clean and dry (no oil) you can use them over and over again.

Its bowl shape allows for easy storage. Pop the concentrator disk out, dust it off, wash the bowl and dry it, store the disk back in the bowl and you can even stack other bowls inside it. Nice!

I also have to tell ya that I hate plastics--I won't drink from plastic water bottles, I don't store my food in plastic containers, etc, but this is a dry product, with very little condensation on the lid to make the popcorn soggy.

In all, I find this thing absoluetly great! It's easy to clean, lasts forever, if you get a pack or two of the disks you'll probably never run out. (I used one disk maybe 30 times)

One downside: you need to have a microwave that's above the 500 watts the little dinky ones are--if you can call your oven "medium" sized, then it will work. I had one of those low low wattage ones and it never could pop the corn.

Worth every dime. Healthy popcorn too--no oil/fats/butter etc.
Takes 2:50 in my oven--and there's never an old maid!




Of course, you will need refills of special parts ...   June 16, 2001
24 out of 25 found this review helpful

We needed to eliminate the high fat, high salt content of microwave popcorn but didn't want another counter-top appliance. The popper makes good popcorn, but you will need to find a source for the cardboard inserts (called concentrators) in your neighborhood ...