Hamilton Beach
Hamilton Beach Electric Hot Oil Popcorn Popper 73400
$34.99250+ bought last month
View on Amazon
Lekue Silicone Microwave Popcorn Popper Review
Our verdict
The Lekue is the simplest popper here: a collapsible silicone bowl that pops oil-free in your microwave, then folds flat and goes in the dishwasher. It's a strong fit for small kitchens that want fast, low-effort snacks over machine-level capacity.
Check price on AmazonBest for
Apartments, dorms and anyone short on counter space who wants a quiet, oil-free popper that cleans up fast and stores flat.
Skip if
You're feeding a crowd or want a dedicated countertop machine. At 4 quarts and microwave-bound, it's built for one or two people, not big movie-night batches.
- Capacity 4 qt
- Popping method Microwave
- Oil needed No
- Butter tray No
- Dishwasher safe Yes
- Weight 0.8 lb
- Priced 43% below the category median ($39.99 across 7 tracked models)
- Capacity of 4 qt - smaller than 83% of the 7 models we track
- Weight of 0.8 lb - lighter than 100% of the 7 models we track
Our scorecard
4.4/5
overall
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Owner rating4.4/5
4.4 average across 8,700 owner ratings
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Popularity3.6/5
8,700 owner reviews, more than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other popcorn makers we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Specifications
| Capacity | 4 qt |
|---|---|
| Popping method | Microwave |
| Oil needed | No |
| Butter tray | No |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lb |
| Footprint | Compact |
| Color | Red |
| Noise | Low |
Overview
Among popcorn makers, the Lekue takes the opposite approach from countertop machines. There's no motor, no heating element and no wattage of its own. It is a food-grade silicone bowl that you fill with kernels and run in your own microwave, which keeps the footprint compact and the price low at $22.99.
Capacity is 4 quarts, the smallest in our lineup, so think single bowl rather than party batch. Because it pops with microwave heat instead of oil, it's an oil-free option, though many buyers add a small amount of oil or butter for flavor. There's no built-in butter tray, so you season after popping.
The big practical wins are cleanup and storage. It's dishwasher safe and weighs just 0.8 pounds, and the silicone body collapses to store almost flat. Noise is low since the only sound is your microwave, and the red silicone is a tidy fit for tight kitchens.
Pros
- Oil-free popping in your existing microwave, no separate appliance to power
- Dishwasher safe and collapses flat for easy cleanup and storage
- Very light at 0.8 lb with a compact footprint for small kitchens
- Low noise, since the only sound comes from the microwave
- Budget-friendly at $22.99
Cons
- Smallest capacity here at 4 quarts, best for one or two servings
- No butter tray, so you add seasoning after popping
- Results depend on your microwave's power, so timing takes a test run
- Requires a microwave, unlike standalone hot air or stovetop poppers
Performance notes
With 4 quarts of capacity, the Lekue is sized for a single bowl rather than a movie-night crowd. Pop time is tied to your microwave rather than a fixed wattage, so expect to dial in the timing for your unit to limit unpopped kernels and avoid scorching. Going oil-free keeps the calories and the cleanup down, and the dishwasher-safe silicone means rinse-and-go between batches. For one or two people who want a quick, quiet snack without claiming counter space, the numbers line up well.
What buyers say
Buyers of silicone microwave poppers like this one tend to praise how compact and easy to clean they are, and how the collapsible design tucks away in a drawer. The oil-free option and dishwasher-safe body are common favorites. Frequent gripes center on dialing in microwave timing, since results vary by oven, and on the modest serving size for larger households. With a 4.4 rating across roughly 8,700 reviews and around 900 bought in the last month, it reads as a steady, well-liked budget pick rather than a high-capacity machine.
Similar popcorn makers to consider
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Frequently asked questions
Does the Lekue popper need oil?
No. It pops kernels with microwave heat, so it works oil-free. Many people still add a little oil or butter afterward for flavor, since there's no built-in butter tray.
How much popcorn does it make?
It holds 4 quarts, the smallest capacity in our lineup. That's a single generous bowl, ideal for one or two people rather than a big movie-night batch.
Is it easy to clean and store?
Yes. The silicone body is dishwasher safe, weighs just 0.8 pounds and collapses nearly flat, so it cleans up fast and stores in a drawer without taking counter space.