I had a Whirley Pop. It made popcorn. The second the bowl was full I slid it behind the Vitamix. I told myself that was just how popcorn makers were.
I almost didn't try The Popsmith Popper, because I already owned a popcorn thing. Then I made a batch on the same burner as the rest of the cookware.
The pan is too thin for the dishwasher.
You cannot put a Whirley Pop in the dishwasher. The pan is too thin. It warps. The gears trap water and do not dry. So you wipe it with a paper towel, or you stand at the sink with a greasy lightweight pan. I did both.
The Popsmith Popper goes in with the rest of the load. Lid, body, stirring arm. Friday stayed Friday.
The cheap design fails when the popcorn is good.
The stirring idea is why anyone bought a Whirley Pop. Then they put nylon teeth on it, and two clips on the lid. When the bowl fills, their own instructions tell you to stop turning or you will strip the gears. I have felt that resistance in my hand. You are so close, the kitchen smells right, and the plastic is done. I have had the clips slip. I have had the lid spin. I have had popcorn go onto a hot burner, which is a smell you do not forget.
They will sell you a replacement lid with more nylon, or metal if you want to pay again to finish the product they already sold you. I do not want a relationship with a gear catalog. I want a bowl of popcorn.
I hid it because I did not want anyone to see it.
This just doesn't feel like something that belongs in a modern kitchen and it was awful to look at.
Popsmith is the best popcorn I've ever made at home.
Kernels, oil, medium heat, turn the handle. About five minutes, a full bowl, still hot. The sound starts and people come into the kitchen without being asked. Someone always wants the handle. The Popsmith Popper is the popcorn I actually want to serve.
It is beautiful in my kitchen.
I use The Popsmith Popper all the time. People comment on it. People love it. I got the gold handles to match the fixtures. Cream sits against the backsplash like it was always there. It lives on the stove.