The Small Kitchen Appliance From The '70s That's Still Popular Today

The 1970s saw a rise in unifunctional kitchen gadgets, including one dedicated to a classic, timeless snack. Popcorn is a food that we've been eating since ancient times, and it's a uniquely satisfying and fun-to-eat snack. Sure, it's a great accompaniment to watching a movie and it's a delicious starting point for a coating of caramel or cheese, but beyond its taste and texture, there's just something so delightful about hearing it pop. And if you're looking for that unmistakable sound, there are many different ways to pop it (for example, you can pop popcorn on the grill). But one simple and more health-conscious way to make those kernels explode is by using a countertop hot air popper. This popular method of popping corn was first introduced in the 1970s.

What exactly is a hot air popper? It's exactly what it sounds like — it produces hot air to heat the small amount of moisture inside each popcorn kernel until it turns to steam, causing it to pop. The advantage to this method is that it doesn't use any oil, resulting in healthier, less caloric kernels. In addition, you may wind up with fewer loose kernels at the bottom of the bowl, since hot air is known to pop corn more consistently than oil.

Today, there are a wide variety of air popping popcorn makers available in different styles and at different price points. You could spend less than $20 for a small model or nearly $8,000 for a commercial-grade one. You can even get a popper shaped like R2D2 or a minion. Despite how cheap some air poppers can be, it's the type of kitchen gadget that feels way more expensive than it actually is, since it's easy to get so much use out of it year after year. 

Users on social media are still particularly nostalgic for vintage air popper models. But some people don't need to rely on nostalgia, because their old poppers are still working all these years later. One Reddit user shared a model called the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper that's been cooking popcorn since the '70s, noting, "They last a long time." Another user shared a photo of a Popcorn Pumper that they've had for over 30 years (or maybe even longer) and bragged that they still use it multiple times a week. And a picture of yet another vintage model, the Wear-Ever Popcorn Pumper, was shared by a Facebook user who noted, "My son has become obsessed with popcorn ... [I r]ealized my mom still had the one from when I grew up. Still working great!" Some of these poppers were clearly built to last, so if you ever uncover a vintage model at a thrift store or estate sale, try cooking up a batch of popcorn to see if it's still working!