Original Whirley-Pop Popper Kit - Nylon Gears - Silver - 1 Real Theater All Inclusive Popping Kit

I was wary of buying this because of the reviews warning about the plastic gears. But I did buy it because I wanted good popcorn! (And this thing sure makes it!!) I am just careful with it. If the turning mechanism seems "stuck", I reverse the direction I am turning, or jiggle the handle (or pot) a little to get it to move easily again. I do NOT put too much pressure on the crank. I don't try to turn it too fast either, we are just moving popcorn here, not making meringue! ha ha!! I do about one rotation a second. Near the end of popping, there is just too much popcorn and too little room for agitating. So I lift the entire pot and shake it to help any unpopped ones filter down to the bottom. I then turn off the heat and let the residual temperature of the pan, surrounding corn, and stove help pop the potential "old maids" for a few seconds while I set out the bowls. Most kernels do pop that way and I usually only end up with say 10-15 in the entire pot. You can feel when the stirrer doesn't want to move, and I know I could try to force it, but why ruin my popper? Even if there WERE metal gears, something else likely would torque or bend if you push too hard. So I use it as designed, not as a concrete mixer!I am currently using the Great Northern 4-Ounce Portion Packs which are super easy. Cut the top, dump it all in, and stir. Medium to a touch higher, but not-high heat. The packets have the oil, the corn, and the flavored salt already measured for me. There may come a time when I want to experiment with mixing my own proportions of corn, oil, salt, possibly sugar, etc., but I am happy with the results I am getting with those packets. In about 5 minutes, I have a kettle full of popcorn for my family to share (or to eat all by myself!! ha ha!!) It is SOOO much crunchier than microwave! And doesn't really involve that much more work or time. The 4 ounce packs fill my popper to the top. I also bought Wabash's Butter Flavored Topping. Now, I am a "real" butter fan for many things, but it just isn't right for popcorn, it sort of deflates it! Without the topping, the popcorn reminds you of the dry sort you often get in those cardboard boxes at a circus or fair, but sometimes I want the decadent movie kind!! I put the topping in a squeeze bottle like this. I dump a little corn, squirt a drizzled layer of topping, shake maybe a little more popcorn salt (I also bought extra Flavacol to experiment with...sometimes I like it salty, and repeat the layers of corn, topping, salt...sorta like a popcorn lasagne! ha! It is AWESOME!I lift the lid and shake a little to get the popcorn to come out...it is kind of packed in there at the beginning of pouring!I do wash mine. Sometimes we make popcorn a few days in a row and I don't. I don't even bother wiping it out! I just dump any leftover "skins" or kernels, and add a new packet. Usually though I wash the bottom (the top is completely removable) like any other dish. Regular dish soap and hot water. I don't re-season...nothing sticks. For the top, I use the soapy sponge on the flat parts, but there are too many cracks and corners to get into without spending 15 minutes on it (which I don't do.) I just let my tap water get as hot as possible and just sort of run it over the lid to melt off the splattered oil in those places. I don't submerge the thing, and I usually just let it air dry. If you put it back on your warm stove, it helps dry it more quickly. (However, I don't always do dishes right away...I am more interested in EATING the popcorn that silly dishes! they can wait!) It looks as shiny and new as when I got it (mine did arrive with a light scratch on the outside, it was so minor that I just kept it.)The ONLY thing that I haven't seen mentioned in reviews, is that it is designed for right-handed people. Now of course you can turn it 180 degrees and crank with your left hand, but when you pick it up that way to pour, the lid with no latch is on top! (One side of the lid has a latch to hold it closed, the other side doesn't.) I have tried to unlatch it (and it is HOT) but then the other top-half flops open and the popcorn spills out of both sides. Also, the handle is attached to the LID (not the pot) so there is no way to reverse it. I just stir and pour with my right hand...most lefties know well that we often just have to adapt to a right-handed world! :D The awesome popcorn is worth it.

I've had this for a little over a month now and we've used it almost daily, fighting over who gets to turn the crank while the popcorn pops. Cooking should be fun and boy, is this fun to use. It makes delicous popcorn and even with store brand popcorn we've rarely had any unpopped kernels. Best of all, we get to control what goes into it. Some kernels, some flavacol and some coconut oil for movie theatre style popcorn. And that's it. I've only recently become aware of the health concerns surrounding microwave popcorn, and I'm glad we found this alternative.I've noticed a few reviews mentioning their popcorn being stale or chewy. The occasions that this has happened to me were when I didn't immediately lift the lid and empty into a bowl after popping. When the popcorn is left in the steamy kettle for any amount of time, it can take on a chewy texture. Have your container ready so you can dump your popcorn into it as soon as it comes off the stove. Letting it sit for a few minutes after empting it into the bowl also seems to improve the texture.This model has metal gears, which is what you want if you're planning on using it often or with glazes. I found a caramel glaze here on Amazon. I think it's made by the same company that makes Flavacol. Anyway, it's amazing and works great in the Whirley Pop. Take it off the heat as soon as the popping slows down and there's no sticking or burning.It's easy to clean. We usually just wipe it off after use unless we're using sugary glazes. And it seems really sturdy. It looks brand new even after daily use and I predict it's going to last a long time to come.And did I mention that it's fun? Seriously, there's something incredibly satisfying about turning the hand crank as the popcorn pops away.

Follow the instructions closely -- don't preheat, just load up with popcorn and oil and put on medium high stove top. Turn crank continuously and don't force. Shake to settle unpeopled kernels. Remove from heat once crank doesn't turn anymore. You'll have wonderfully light fresh popcorn in a jiffy.