Presto 04867 Poplite Plus Hot Air Popcorn Popper - Built-In Measuring Cup + Melts Butter, Easy to Clean, Built-In Cord Wrap, 18 Cups, Aqua

I had an air popper in college. Somehow in adulthood I convinced myself that learning to make popcorn on the stovetop with oil was a worthy skill. And no, I don’t consider microwave popcorn a valid food item. 25 years later we decided to reconsider the effort and extra calories involved in the stovetop version, and this particular brand of popper was the no-brainer based on reviews here, on Reddit, and other sites. We went with this model for the on/off switch and metal butter cup.Holy cow- this machine is perfect. Fast. Almost no unpopped kernels. Fluffy, perfect. My only regret is not buying one a decade ago.

This popcorn maker is way more refined than I expected. The hard plastic shell has a soft-touch finish that feels premium and solid - like it’s built to last. It heats up fast, and the popping starts almost immediately. The interior design keeps things efficient, and the spout sends popcorn cleanly into the bowl without random kernels flying everywhere. It’s smooth, mess-free, and honestly kind of fun to use. A great upgrade for movie nights.

I don’t have much to compare it to. It’s the first hot airpopcorn popper I’ve bought. Could it be better? Sure but for the price I don’t think so.

I really loved my Bella air popper, which I think was decades old before it finally blew. They don't make them any more - and any out on the market are not available from a necessarily trusted source.This popper received mixed reviews - primarily due to un-popped kernels being thrown out during the first phase of heating. However, I've found a way to deal with it and really like this popper. Read on and you will note why I give it 4 rather than 5 stars.PROS: pops about 98-99% of the kernels and does it fairly quickly. Follow the instructions about measuring and it does a great job, and looks sleek and modern.CONS: at the start, when the un-popped kernels are being heated, they are thrown upward at a relatively high force and often some will shoot out of the opening. REMEDY: during this phase, I tilt the popper back about 15-20 degrees (holding it or propping it on something heat resistant) and the un-popped kernels do not shoot out. I always monitor my popper anyway for safety, so this is not an inconvenience for me. Once the kernels start popping steadily, I stop tilting the popper.Only once did popped popcorn jam in the opening, remedied by poking at it to loosen the jam and release the popped corn. It hasn't jammed since.

I owned the mushroom style popper from presto before, and this one is just as reliable, but cheaper, smaller, and more convenient due to the on off switch!

Healthy popcorn when you want it

Used it a few times, works great and the popcorn taste good. The power button is a nice feature as well vs having to unplug. Still prefer stovetop popcorn cooked with butter flavored coconut oil and flavacol, but this is a healthier option and there's plenty of healthy butter flavored sprays and toppings to do what you want with additional flavor.

Was working great, used it once every 1-2 weeks since January, and in April we noticed the plastic around the tray was melting. Now we can confirm it is definitely melting and impacting the popcorn. If you want something that will last, look for a different one. I'm very bummed this one failed us so fast. It's a popcorn maker that can't deal with the heat!