Didn’t I just email & tell you that? I think I did.
Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself again. Did you read all about the Evil Popcorn Popper? It wants you to tempt death by electric shock each time you feel like making a tasty air-popped snack. Others chimed in on Facebook with their tales of appliance treachery. In the comments, I formulated an email. I sent it. Here it is:
Hello Presto®!
I recently bought one of your popcorn poppers because we had one when I was a kid and air-popped popcorn is always better than that microwave stuff. We can agree there, right?
I have a few questions about your design choices.
First… The butter tray. Why doesn’t any butter that I put in it melt? I’ve tried actual butter and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®” both to no avail. Did you guys test this out in the factory? Does anyone there own one of these poppers? They’ve never pointed out this problem? I can certainly melt it in the microwave, but it’s amusing to me that the popper has a butter tray that clearly doesn’t work (even long after all the popcorn has popped). Yes, I have sat there stubbornly for a while waiting for the butter to melt for many minutes after the last dead kernel spits out of the popper. When I was a kid, our popper had a metal tray. I think it did a better job of conducting heat & melting the butter. I think it even fit an entire artery-clogging stick (as long as my parents or the babysitter weren’t looking). Do you guys have any poppers for sale that actually pop popcorn AND melt butter? I’d like to see one.
Second (and more importantly)… The power switch, or lack thereof? It’s kind of scary. You guys seem to gloss over it on the video located on your site: http://www.gopresto.com/products/products.php?stock=04820
Is that guy a chef and an electrician? Is he certified to plug in live wires? Do you guys not see the spark(s) when you plug the thing in? Have you ever actually plugged one in? Do you feel that it’s dangerous? I almost want to plug it in to a mulch-outlet power strip with an on/off switch and use that to turn it on so I don’t accidentally put my thumb in between the prongs as I’m plugging it in.
Speaking of switches, you can get a nice rocker switch from Grainger relatively cheaply: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CARLING-TECHNOLOGIES-Rocker-Switch-1A822
I’m sure you can get them even cheaper if you buy in bulk… and I’m sure they’re not all that difficult to install.
Can you imagine if other electrical products didn’t have an on/off switch? Toasters? Curling irons? Hair dryers? (They almost all come with circuit breakers now!) Electric knives? Electric hedge trimmers or weed whackers?
You really don’t feel that it’s dangerous? Not so much as a warning label adorns the power cord? Do you use gloves to plug yours in? Why was the plugging done off camera in the video?
I really look forward to your thoughts on these issues. I might go make some popcorn while I wait. I’ll be sure to melt the butter in the microwave first, and I hope I’m not electrocuted when I plug the popper in so I can read your reply!
Inquisitively,
-Waldo
This was the reply:
From: Presto Customer Service <contact@gopresto.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 3:01 PM
Subject: RE: Where’s the switch?
To: Waldo Lunar <world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com>Good morning,
I’m sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction with your hot air popper. We have not received complaints of butter not melting in the butter melter. Please note that the instructions do indicate that soft/room temperature butter or margarine needs to be used, refrigerated butter will not melt during the short popping period. I do not recommend that you let the unit run after the corn has popped, as this could cause the unit to overheat.
Our hot air poppers are not designed with an on/off switch. I talked with our Quality Manager and he indicated that there are no plans to change the design to include a switch. The unit has been tested very thoroughly and meets all UL mandates. If you read and follow the instruction manual, you can feel assured that this appliance is safe to use.
Have a good day.
Colleen
NPI Customer Service
Shipments made to U.S. or Canada only
Well, that was unsatisfactory. Letting it run empty to melt butter is bad, but plugging in a live appliance is OK? I call shenanigans. Shenanigans because we keep butter in the ‘fridge, and shenanigans because plugging something in that sparks feels kind of dangerous.
I do find the sentence “I talked with our Quality Manager and he indicated that there are no plans to change the design to include a switch” highly amusing. They had a discussion about my email. This has never come up before? Say it with me: Shenanigans. I’d like to know what the quality manager really said.
Who exactly are Underwriters Laboratories and why do they put their logo on everything? How did they decided that plugging in a live wire is safe? Maybe I should write to them and ask about it?
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