Microwave Popcorn Reviews, Best Microwave Popcorn

No compromise butter-flavor popcorn

*Est. $3 for three 3.5-oz. bags Compare Prices

It has a whopping 13 grams of total fat (and 2.5 grams of saturated fat), and eating a whole bag of Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter amounts to about 600 calories, but popcorn critics praise this microwave popcorn as… tasting most like what you'll get in a theater. Be aware that since the diacetyl scare in late 2007 (see our Full Story section), Pop Secret no longer adds this chemical to its popcorn (nor do any major manufacturers).

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Real Simple: Real Simple magazine says it microwaved "nearly 75 bags" but lists just four winners and doesn't say which products failed to ...

ConsumerReports.org: Consumer Reports rates eleven microwave popcorns, including two varieties of Pop Secret (although not Theater Butter), but a ...

Cook's Illustrated Magazine: Cook's Illustrated used staffers for this taste test of nine microwave popcorns plus a ringer -- regular popcorn microwaved in a ...

AudioVideo Revolution: This review says it tried "virtually every brand and type" of microwave popcorn, but we'd like to see a specific number as well ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Best compromise

Smart Balance Light Butter

*Est. $3.50 for three 3.5-oz. bags Compare Prices

If you're torn between movie-theater buttery flavor and the need to watch calorie and fat intake, reviewers point to Smart Balance Light Butter as a good compromise (though one reviewer seems to have bought a bad batch… that didn't pop properly). One serving (three servings per bag) contains about 120 calories, with 4.5 grams of total fat - 1.5 grams of which is saturated fat. Smart Balance microwave popcorn doesn't contain added diacetyl.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: Editors give a brief summation of its ratings of eleven microwave popcorn brands. You'll need a subscription to see the ...

Health Magazine: Editors at Health magazine rate 14 microwave popcorn varieties with an eye towards healthy eating -- choosing Smart Balance Light ...

The Boston Globe: The Boston Globe used an unspecified number of testers to taste six microwave popcorns. The story says Pop Secret Light Butter is ...

Men's Health: Men's Health says it "searched every aisle" for its picks in 125 food categories, but there's no indication how many contenders ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Top-rated 94% fat-free microwave popcorn

Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop 94% Fat Free Butter

*Est. $3.50 for three 3.5-oz. bags Compare Prices

We actually found the best reviews overall for this reduced-fat popcorn from Orville Redenbacher. Although it doesn't have that butter-overload flavor you'll get at the movies, critics say Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop… has a light and natural taste. One serving (three per bag) contains about 120 calories, but only 2 grams of total fat (0.5 gram saturated fat), so it's guilt-free compared to competitors' butter flavors.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: Consumer Reports' editors sum up the ratings of eleven microwave popcorn varieties, though you'll need a subscription to see the ...

Men's Fitness: Men's Fitness regularly covers "nutrition" but does not give any hint about its testing methods for this roundup of six "healthy" ...

The Miami Herald: The weakness of this review is there are just three brands and three tasters. It's strength, however, is that it addresses health ...

Cook's Illustrated Magazine: Cook's Illustrated used staffers for this taste test of nine microwave popcorn varieties. Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop 94% Fat ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Amazon Marketplace

for $22.19

Organic microwave popcorn

Newmans Own Organics Pops Corn Light Butter

*Est. $3 for three 3-oz. bags Compare Prices

Although it's not top-picked by reviewers as often as Orville Redenbacher or Pop Secret, Newman's Own Organics receives convincing recommendations from Health.com, and it's the best supermarket microwave popcorn if you… want something that's certified organic. It uses natural flavorings and vitamin E as a natural preservative. Each serving (three per bag) contains about 140 calories with 4.5 grams of total fat (2.5 grams of saturated fat).

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Health Magazine: Health magazine has a "User's Bill of Rights" that guarantees a separation between editorial and advertising content. This ...

Cook's Illustrated Magazine: Cook's Illustrated used staffers for this taste test of nine microwave popcorns plus a ringer -- regular popcorn microwaved in a ...

Amazon.com: We'd like to see at least ten customer reviews for anything approaching a fair consensus, and at this writing there were just six ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Microwave Popcorn: Reviews

No compromise butter-flavor popcorn

Best compromise

Top-rated 94% fat-free microwave popcorn

Organic microwave popcorn

Microwave Popcorn by Price Range