Popcorn during a short commercial break (stovetop popcorn is way way more involved)
Melted butter (using a saucepan is NOT more convenient than just melting it directly in a measuring glass)
Mug brownies
For popcorn there’s a third option: get an air popper! They’re fast and convenient, make great popcorn, and allow you to precisely control how much fat you add (since they don’t use fat to pop)!
I don’t see many actual commercials anymore but I do value being able to get up during a movie with other people and make popcorn without asking them to pause or missing much context.
Maybe I’m weird in this way but pausing movies breaks my immersion, even if I miss a bit of context while I’m out of the room.
Are you a fan of Alton Brown? He seems to be at the vanguard in the war against “unitaskers”. I would imagine he’d make his popcorn in a pot with oil, though!
You can make the argument that the end product is better, but that it’s superior in “all ways” doesn’t pass the sniff test even a little.