This is a great explainer on that topic. Turns out some are fine but most of them are just garbage which is why the warning

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Limpr1L8Pss

Just because the microwave has a button it doesn't mean the button does the right sequence of steps.

Technology Connections has a good video on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Limpr1L8Pss

The Hyperfixed podcast covered this recently too

Came here to mention this. The whole video is worth watching, but the short version is that some machines have a sensor that detects when steam releases from the bag and automatically stops then.

The problem is that there might be a difference of a few seconds depending on which way the popcorn bag is facing when it pops open. So you should still listen for when the popping slows down.

I use the popcorn button anyway and never have any problems. I think the popcorn makers just want to spite the microwave makers.

I use the popcorn button and popcorn button makes popcorn.

if it burns down your house they can say they told you to not to use it and not be held liable

You know what they say: all popcorn popcorns popcorn!

Because microwave popcorn sucks? Haha

That video also taught me about the sensor button. If you're reheating and your microwave has a sensor button, use it. So much better than trying to guess a time.

The Technology Connections video has already been posted, but for a quick written answer:

Cheap microwaves wire that button to mean "run for 2 minutes" which will probably ruin your popcorn. Mid-ranged brands will sense moisture. Higher end brands might have a microphone to listen for delay between pops which is what the popcorn bags instruct people to do.

Popcorn makers tell you to listen for pops manually because it's easier than writing "if your popcorn button sets a time or asks for bag size, don't use it because it's not using any sensors to determine when to stop and will burn your popcorn."

Some microwaves have a humidity sensor that determines if the popcorn is done and it works well.

Some microwaves have a preset cooking schedule for microwave popcorn and it doesn't work for all types.

Personally if I'm making microwave popcorn, I just set it to 99:99 and wait for the popping to stop.

Do you know a microwave with a legitimate pop button? I like to pop the corn.

I think it's more that the popcorn maker can't guarantee that you won't burn their popcorn, or wind up with half a bag of un-popped kernels, by using your microwave's internal settings. The warning is, "we take no responsibility for the outcome, if you press that button".

I use an app called popcorn expert from the old site I think that hears the popcorn pop and lets me know when to stop the microwave, nvr burned it

No. I ended up switching to this guy and has been awesome:

https://a.co/d/06A84yWM

I have one that air pops into a bowl. It usually works but occasionally there will be one that pops really hard and blows some of them out of the bowl. If you were to stand by when this happens you would be hit by popped pop corn, and in your shock, you would likely scream like a small child who stubbed their toe or realized Santa wasn’t real and therefore neither was the American Dream or hope for Humanity at this scale.

I've never encountered a microwave with a popcorn button, that seems oddly specific...

Sounds like it’s time to bring out the big guns!

american microwaves. mine just has a time knob and a power knob, as god intended.

Same here. Not in my long-legged life.

Delicious!! Too messy though!

Because the original popcorn buttons weren’t very good. They mostly just ran normally and just used a questionable-determined time to run. This resulted in them usually burning the popcorn.

Modern popcorn buttons use a sensor to figure out when onto shut off, and they’re generally pretty good at not burning popcorn.

The warming remained, however because it takes money to change and they can’t know if you still use a dinosaur from like the 80’s anyways.

Mine too, there are fancier ones with buttons and other gimmicks, though most people just use them the same way. I've never seen a popcorn button though. Americans...

I too like to pop corn but I can't beat hot beef tallow on the stove with some melted butter or chicken salt tossed through post popping

It has humidity sensors that don't have the reputation of being the most accurate.

I swear by the Costco stuff

My microwave has a bunch of different modes. Most of them are a bit more complex than "run at X power for Y seconds". Like, the "defrost" or "potato" settings (yes there is a "potato" setting) will cycle the power on and off in bursts, which gives you more even defrosting and less explosive potatoes.

Not sure about microwaves popping the corn, but there was this guy Jimmy who was cracking the corn, but honestly I couldn't be bothered with it.

I would recommend setting it to something like 6–8 minutes instead so that if something prevents you from being there to take it out when done (bathroom emergency, etc.) you don't potentially burn your home down

...that's just low power mode. magnetrons are designed for a particular input power so the only way to "lower" it is to pulse them.

Imagine thinking you are so special with a pulsing microwave, unlike the casual plebs, just to find out you are one of them.

Well TIL.

I've been lied to all my life!

Although come to think of it, I'm still not sure the timing is the same. When you run at "low" power, is it cycles of like 1-5 seconds, or more like 15-60?

Higher end brands might have a microphone to listen for delay between pops

NGL, that's pretty damn dope!

I mean most microwaves I use have a scale of 1-10 for power that changes how long it pulses for. For heating up leftovers with different densities it can be really handy, or anything that's like multiple different types of food. Full plates of thanksgiving leftovers or Chinese food come to mind. Instead of ending up with some things being molten and some being cold in the center, chuck that baby on for 60-70% power and it really helps to distribute the heat more evenly.

This might be controversial, but manual popped is better than microwave.

I switched to stove top loose kernels but that was due to the 2010's PFAS scare with microwave popcorn bags. USA banned it so Costco/Kirkland should be safe.

Canada is still lagging behind a little so I'd look for PFAS-free labelling here.

Nope. Someone got a patent on the idea in early days of microwave popcorn and they have effectively killed it by asking too high of a price to use.
But there are phone apps that will listen to the pop rate and tell you when it's done.

Mine uses moisture and also asks for the weight of the bag and it's ok, as it it never burns them, but it's kinda conservative, it leaves. Afew unpopper kernels. I mostly use an air popper tho

My god it does NOT need an app. It better be free.

Free. (But with in-app purchases) ;-)

My dogs come running when I get out the air popper because there's always a kernel or two that lands in the bowl before popping and sends a bunch flying. Yes I scream like a child every time which makes the dogs flinch, but not enough to stop them from hoovering up all the popcorn.

It's not the microwaves fault. There is a small percentage of kernels that will never pop. That's just how they are, and nobody knows which ones it will be until they bite into it during a movie.

No because i can press the +30 seconds before it finishes and more a few more pop without burning if I wait a few extra seconds (usually 10-15l

Patents only last 20 years. I’d be more concerned about when it expires and they actually have a plausible reason to put a listening device in your microwave

I must just be lucky. My popcorn button just puts my microwave on for 2m40s and my Kirky Sig movie theater butter popcorn comes out great every single time. I'd say one in 50 bags has had an issue with it being slightly overdone, if that. I appreciate that the button does 2:40 because I would never hit 2:40, it would either be 2:30 or 3m.

Why would you lie

I can’t imagine that’s controversial (I hope). Microwave is simply more convenient.

shrinkflation. original popcorn bags =~ 3.5oz.
today : as low as 1.1oz up to 3.3oz.

the machine was programmed for a certain volume of food. it changed.
most machine's have an adjustment for amount of food.
there's only one variable on the machine we change - time.

Humans learn to lie before we learn to talk. It’s in our very nature to lie and lie often.

Society itself is held up loosely by a web of agreed apon lies.