Hot air popper for puffed rice or other things?

Just got an old school hot air popcorn maker and would like to try it for other foods, but am a wee bit worried that smaller grains will turn turn into small flaming projectiles instead of toasty puffed rice or puffed barley.

Anyone tried mthis? Will any type of rice do the job?

What a splendid idea! Please share any tips.

Do you judge primarily by color when it's done? Does it leave a coffee taste in the popcorn chamber?

Check out the link below. That's where I learned how to do it. I've haven't had much luck with the Poppery IIs. The original one "The Poppery" works best for me. Next best has been the Wear-Ever "Popcorn Pumper." Do use a tin can with both ends cut out to extend the chimney, and do roast outside, because there will be a lot of chaff and a strong odor that would permeate your house. There will be coffee residue left in the machine, and the darker you roast your coffee, the more residue. It really won't be fit for anything else.

Jim

Link: http://my.execpc.com/~n9zes/homeroast...

I think the tech term is torrification. Might be worthwhile to google on it, see if you can find some conditions to compare against what the popper will do.

I got a new air popper recently, and was surprised at how much unpopped corn it spits out while doing its thing. Outside, or in some area to contain the mess sounds like a good idea.

We got a brand new hot air popper for roasting coffee some time ago. It's by Toastmaster, is a dead ringer for the Poppery poppers, and was only ten bucks. We tried making popcorn with it... once. Things went OK at first, but as the popcorn heated, it shed just enough weight that the kernels started to come out the chute and land in the bowl. The popcorn started to pop a few seconds later, and we found out that those kernels in the bowl had enough residual heat to still pop. Our dogs were torn between trying to eat the ones that had hit the floor, or scooting out of the way of all of the freshly popped corn shooting across the room.

Link: http://thecosmicjester.blogspot.com

Did you modify your popper in any way for roasting coffee, extending the chute as another hound suggested, or do you just throw the beans in?

[beulabelle]

i usually use a paper grocery bag. hold it up to the popper, pour the melted butter in the bag, toss in some cilantro & chili flakes or salt and close up the bag and shake vigorously. there you have some delicious evenly dressed popcorn. and much less mess to clean up.

I roast coffee in a hot-air popcorn popper, and it works great. I do it outdoors.

Jim

This was going to be my recommendation. We have a roaster, but many people use the popper. Once you've had home-roasted coffee, it's hard to go back.

Yet another potential candidate for burning down the house or electrocuting oneself with a small electric kitchen appliance.
Check out the "Hot Diggety Dog Product Review" post of some days ago - hilarious.