Nordic Ware Microwave Popcorn Popper, White, 12 Cup

I just ordered my second one because my first one's lid broke after a year and a half - the lid had warped and I snapped it trying to get it to flex back. The bowl still works if covered by something like a plate, but moisture and popcorn buildup can cause problems that way, so basically I'd rather just get another one and have a second large bowl for other use (or as a backup if one is dirty and I'm lazy, which seems likely!).Anyway, this thing is pretty darn good. You put in the kernels, put on the top, and listen for the kernels to pop less than once every 2 seconds, then shut off the microwave, and you get hot popcorn! You can also add salt and oil in before nuking and you'll get decent results (although too much oil can drown the kernels instead of aerosolizing and blend with the poppping corn), just top it off with a little more salt and oil at the end to get quality popcorn - perhaps not movie-style or stovetop, but also it takes less oil and salt to make this tasty, so there's a health benefit to be enjoyed. I occasionally will add tabasco sauce to the oil when I nuke a batch, it tastes great but it does fill the air around the microwave with pepper gas for about 15 minutes which stings the eyes and lungs, so um... don't do that without taking precautions.Keep in mind, if you put in too much popcorn and it can overflow, but it won't stop cooking; put on too much time and don't listen for popping to slow, and the popped corn will scorch (mother nature isn't a precision factory, every batch of kernels will pop differently so be responsible with your microwave popcorn or you risk burned popcorn or even fire).The popper bowl material is an unusual, strong, thick, amalgamted plastic like the other microwave cookware from Nordic Ware, it gets really hot but it survives that heat nicely. It also stays hot for a while, which at the bottom of the bowl can be too hot for some surfaces (like a glass table or one's lap), so I suggest using an old small wooden cutting board or something similar to set it on; a good side-effect of the bowl holding heat is it keeps the popcorn warm longer. The bowl quickly took some stains at the bottom (both inside and outside) from the heat, the oils in the kernels, or a combination, but continues to work with no adverse effects. Cleanup is easy, making dry popcorn you just wipe it down and it's pretty much ready to go; with oil popcorn it's a quick wet soapy sponge and dry (it's a big bowl, so you will likely get wet washing it by hand). The package only says the lid is dishwasher top-rack safe, says nothing about the bowl in the dishwasher, but since it can take a firm beating from the microwave oven, I figure it can handle hot water and Cascade liquid, and so far it's done great in the dishwasher as long as I sweep out the kernels and hulls first - I dunno, maybe your dishwasher will find a way to ruin it since it's not approved, but mine hasn't so far - it can take up a lot of real-estate in the dishwasher though, sometimes it's just easier to wash it by hand than cover up so much of the bottom rack (it's too tall for the top rack).The lid is a softer, clear(ish) plastic that has an X-shaped grip section and cutaways around the sides to let out steam (open it away from your arm and body, steam is hot!). Over time, the lid on mine warped so it fit the bowl even more loosely than it already had (to be fair, I was foolishly storing it upside-down right after cooking and that may have helped warp it) and then let out a few kernels and popped corn, but it otherwise continued to work. The lid is top-rack dishwasher safe, the top grip will gather a little water at the end of the cycle but otherwise it does fine; it really only needs cleaning when running oil with your corn, the oil vaporizes and collects on the lid along with the vaporized water from the kernels.It'll take a few rounds to get the right amount of kernels, I overpopped a ton of batches early - that's 12 cups of popcorn each from just a relatively small-looking amount in the bottom! Mine takes about 4 minutes to cook all that corn in my 800 watt microwave, however I find that the time is affected by the quality of the popcorn I'm buying, and the weather. The quality of the kernels also affects the number of unpopped and old-maid kernels (kernels that cooked but didn't pop due to a leak in the hull, an overly thick hull, or the wrong hull to germ ratio - each kernel is a natural pressure cooker that explodes a liquid into a solid when it hits the air), Orville in the jar is a significantly better pop with less hulls, as well as better to cook with, than the generic in the bag. Don't obsess about popping every last kernel, it's better to have half a dozen unpopped kernels among 12 cups of popcorn than to have part of your popcorn scorched, that blackened stuff is inedible and stinks up the unscorched popcorn as well as your house.Bottom line, for the price, I think this thing delivers pretty well. It has a few little drawbacks, but when all you need is a handful of kernels, this product, and a microwave to make 12 cups of popcorn, that's a great product - no extra stuff to buy, no oil required, no unitaskers (as Alton Brown would say) that are noisy and hog a ton of electricity and shoot kernels everywhere. This thing is quick, it's easy to use and to clean, it is a big bowl, and it's inexpensive.

With all the chemicals and unhealthy oils in prepackaged microwave popcorn, I was looking for an option for making our own healthier version and I think this Nordic Ware Popper fits the bill quite well, at a very reasonable price. I wanted to be able to use healthy oils, such as coconut or ghee, and add my own seasonings or salt and I liked that you could add these before popping, if desired. I chose this style over the collapsible silicone versions, as other silicone items I have tend to be hard to clean, especially if using oils that solidify. This one washes up very easily, and can be put in the dishwasher. It has taken a bit of trial and error to get the knack of achieving a perfect batch, and we did have quite a few no-pops and some scorches in the learning curve, but it is worth the trouble to find the right timing, technique, popcorn type, etc., for your own situation. When you get it right, you have delicious, crisp, healthy popcorn to suit your own tastes at a fraction of the cost of the unhealthy bags. I have experimented with adding 1-2 tablespoons of oil, along with Flavacol theatre-style popcorn seasoning before cooking. I have had better results preheating the oil and seasonings (along with the bowl) first, adding 1/3 C popcorn and swirling in the hot oil in the bowl, then cooking on highest level for a little more than 4 minutes. I did find that using oil tends to splatter the walls of the microwave due to the ventilation slots on the sides of the lid. This is easily remedied by draping an open napkin or paper towel kitty-corner over the lid while popping. So far, the popper and lid show little signs of use, no warping of the lid or discoloration yet, so I am hopeful that this popper will perform well over the long haul.

UPDATE, May 2025My recommended 9-inch glass lid from Cuchina for use with this Nordic Ware popper, appears to be discontinued. I'll continue to post my original review below which you can read in context but, sorry, that was the perfect lid to make this popper truly usable. If I spot a suitable substitute lid, I'll update my review.- Original review -We've used this wonderful popcorn maker for years and countless movie nights with family and friends. It's our best popper we've tried.Nordic Ware's popping bowl is their high grade, durable product line - but the lid is not durable, quickly warps, then it won't seal the bowl for popping. Showstopper? No. A fine popper - when used with the right lid. We use a durable glass, microwave safe, lid: the 9-inch Cuchina Safe Vented Glass Microwave Safe Lid sold as part of a set on Amazon:(UPDATE: The set containing the 9-inch Lid looks discontinued as of Dec 2024.ASIN B076TDZW36Item model number LIDS8N9)We position the Cuchina lid carefully atop the Nordic Ware bowl for vented cooking, as I show in the photo. Centered, so it won't leave gaps large enough for popped kernels to escape. Alternatively you might find a glass casserole dish cover can work if safe and durable, and if sized for venting this bowl.Summary:Buy this great Nordic Ware popper. Add a microwave safe glass lid from Cuchina. (We've given out this same combo to friends as gifts. It's been well received.)Hope this tip helps you as you shop. Enjoy delicious popcorn!