A Caveat for using the Nostalgia Electrics Hot Air Popper from Target

My Nostalgia Electrics Hot Air Popper from Target

ffgeeks inquired if I would recommend the Nostalgia Electrics Hot Air Popper from Target. My quick answer is YES. For $39.99 plus tax, bring the box home, open it up, plug it in, pour in 1/2 a cup of green coffee beans, turn it on, turn your timer on, and in 8-9 minutes you’ve got yourself some home roasted beans. It is that simple.

But let me describe the battle wounds my Nostalgia Electrics Hot Air Popcorn Popper has received after using it for the last 5-6 weeks every 2-3 days. Remember that the popper was not made to maintain the higher temperatures for the length of time needed for roasting coffee beans. So things MELT.

Inside the plastic cover

So here is the inside of the plastic cover of the popper. As you can see the plastic is melting. When the popper was brand new, there was a aluminum cylinder used to guide the popcorn that is poured through the hole in the top of the popper. A measuring cup, that also doubles as the container to melt butter, is supposed to sit on top of the hole while the popcorn is popping. The very first time roasted coffee in this popper, I kept the measuring cup covering the hole, just in case it would help help maintain the temperature in the popper. Well it certainly helped maintain the temperature. Actually the popper got so hot that the aluminum cylinder melted from the plastic cover and fell into the hot air chamber.

I’m a little slow, so I kept the measuring cup over the hole in subsequent roasting sessions. The plastic around the hole continued to melt, producing little red plastic stalactites hanging down. A couple times the plastic stalactites melted onto some of the beans. Then I finally got the idea – I no longer kept the measuring cup over the hole.

So the Nostalgia Electrics Hot Air Popper from Target is not perfect, but nothing is. The popper was not made to roast coffee beans. But it was made with enough power to roast coffee adequately. I don’t know how long it will last. But I will let you know when my popper coughs its last breath.

In the meantime – ffgeeks, welcome to the wonderful world of home roasted coffee. It’s been only a couple months for me. But I’ve enjoyed every day of it. It is really hard for me to drink coffee I have not roasted. I’m really spoiled.

Starbucks Beans over Thanksgiving

Being unedjumakated in describing the taste of coffee, I’m going to give it my best try. My wife’s youngest brother bought four bags of Starbucks coffee beans by the time the weekend was over.

French Roast – I thought it was rich and smooth, but nothing that really stood out.

Cafe Verona – Not as rich as the French Roast, but it gave me the sensation of tea.

Ethiopia Sidamo – Seemed lighter than the French Roast and the Cafe Verona, maybe even brighter?

Komodo Dragon – Rich like the French Roast, but more distinctive – unfortunately, I don’t know how to describe it.  My inability to articulate the taste in coffee shows through.

Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot – Hit at Thanksgiving

My wife’s family with all of her cousins (on her mother’s side) typically get together over Thanksgiving. They’ve been doing it for over 20 years or more. It’s becoming more of a challenge since we are now spread out in cities like Nashville, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Rochester, NY.

This year my wife asked me before going, “So are you going to bring all of your coffee stuff and at least try them out on my brothers?” (She is the only girl among three brothers – although only two out of the three brothers are coffee drinkers.) My wife’s youngest brother was responsible for bringing the coffee beans. I brought my Cuisinart Grind and Brew, a French press, and my Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot.

Overall the vacuum pot was the hit. First of all, watching it brew the coffee is entertaining in itself -  the mad scientist effect. Second, by brewing the coffee for 3-4 minutes, it becomes as rich as the French press, yet without as much of the grit.

Crazy Mocha

Thursday, 11/20/2008, I got a medium light roast from Crazy Mocha, within walking distance from my lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Better than Kiva Han, but a little too weak. My coworkers who also got coffee ended up throwing their cups into the microwave to heat them up. Again, sorry for the brutal honesty.

disclaimer: I’m no expert. Just an average coffee consumer.

Kiva Han

I had a medium light roast from Kiva Han Coffee in Oakland, PA on Wednesday, 11/19/2008. Sorry to be brutally honest – it was a terrible cup. Weak and watery. The service was great. But not good coffee.

disclaimer: I’m no expert. Just an average coffee consumer.