DASH Hot Air Popcorn Popper Maker with Measuring Cup to Portion Popping Corn Kernels + Melt Butter, 16 Cups – Aqua

Pop away
It’s pretty good but not all the kernels pop so be careful when you’re eating the popcorn 🍿Also be careful some of the kernels pop out wildly so be careful that you don’t step on them…OUCH 😂 Overall a good purchase 👍

Reminds me of growing up in the 80s
I am not a popcorn person. Let’s start there.My nieces, however, love popcorn. They always ask me to buy “smart pop” popcorn and I’m always shocked at the price. I thought it would be easier to learn the old way of making popcorn on the stove, and that was a burnt mess…and a burnt pan when I was done.On a whim, I was looking at hot air poppers like the one my parents had when we were children (in the 1980s). I chose this because it had a similar look to the air popper of my youth and the price was attractive.I don’t eat a lot of popcorn, but when I do eat it I enjoy it. We did a test batch when this arrived, and I FELL IN LOVE with POPCORN again!!! Its great!! Its fun, the kids loved it, and it doesn’t burn the kernels…I feel its pretty mess free and clumsy proof.Even though I wasn’t someone that spent money on popcorn or ate it often, I am now enjoying it more because I have this. Cleanup is easy, takes a few minutes, there is no extra oil or grease. I do like plain salt and butter, and I melt my butter in a bowl in the microwave, but you could melt the butter in the measuring cup on top of the machine, too.Works quick, and it is nostalgic for me. No complaints!! Worth every penny!

Makes good popcorn; quite hard to put the cover on
Update after two months of use: I’m taking off one star because it’s very difficult to put the cover on the popper. It’s held on by 3 minuscule tabs that go into tiny slots. If the cover is out of shape in any way, the 3 tabs won’t line up with the slots. With time, as the cover heats up and cools down, it can change shape. To counteract this, don’t remove the cover until it has cooled. But actually, I had this problem with lining up the tabs from the beginning. Don’t force them—they are very thin and could easily break. Very poor design! Dealbreaker? No, because there’s nothing better at this price.UPDATE after one month of frequent use: This popper always leaves a circle of unpopped kernels about 1.5″ in diameter in the bottom—the exact size of the grill in the bottom. I think this is because when there are no kernels above it, the remaining ones don’t sit on or near the grill long enough to get hot enough to pop. I think this is a flaw but not a deal breaker. Another small design flaw is that the on/off switch is located on the “back” of the popper where you can’t see it. If you’re right handed, you will turn the popper so that the exit chute faces right and the bowl is on your right. This places the on/off button on the back of the popper.ORIGINAL 4-STAR REVIEW: I’ve only used this once and it worked fine. The popcorn came out nice and fluffy, aided by the air vents that allow steam to escape so the popcorn doesn’t get soggy. Compared to my last popper, this one is slower to begin popping. The whole process took about 4 minutes, which is reasonable. I put in one-half of the measuring cup, and about 15 kernels failed to pop. That’s reasonable too. These results—slow start and percentage of unpopped kernels—are consistent with reports by professional reviewers that rank it about #2 in air poppers. The price ($20) is reasonable for this product. I like that it has an on/off switch instead of having to unplug it to turn it off. The question is, how long will it last? My last popper lasted 30 years until I accidentally poured oil in it. The directions state to not let this popper run for more than 5 minutes, a hint that it could overheat.

It stopped working after a year
We’ve enjoyed this but there’s been a few occasions where it overheated and stalled. It just stopped working completely today and we are so disappointed.

Good product! It’s a bit weird looking and bulky, and when the popcorn seeds pop, some fly out, making quite a bit of mess, but it makes great popcorn! The best we’ve had in years. No need for oil or any grease. Adding butter at the end is optional. With some salt, it’s a pleasure having a healthier snack during a good movie!

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