Not sure how anyone can screw up using the Stir Crazy popper...I used one for 15 years and it's the only appliance my ex wanted to take when we divorced! I happily replaced the unit and enjoy crisp, tasty popcorn a couple of times a week. OK, so the butter melter doesn't really work...but the machine itself works flawlessly if you crank down the stirring rod properly.

Absolutely, I already posted once about this, but the Stir Crazy is fantastic. I can't believe this Slate story has it so wrong. My popcorn popper was the only appliance I brought to California during my move. Every one of my exgirlfriends purchased one after our breakup took the popcorn popper away.

It's a simple machine that makes great popcorn.

I can't help but wonder if the two above posters were once married. (-:

Seriously, though, I love the Stir Crazy, and (except for the butter thing, which doesn't work on any popper anyway) I was very surprised to see such a low rating on it. I've never had the stirring rod hang up on me as described in the article, and I've been using the thing for at least ten years.

I love my Stir Crazy popper, and have never had any problems with it!

Also, I use butter flavored cooking spray instead of oil and butter by spraying down the kernels until saturated, and it works great! A very light and healthy (and easy!) alternative to oil and butter.

I just had to join the chorus on this, as I was genuinely shocked to see the Stir Crazy come in last. It is THE BEST POPCORN POPPER, outside of a Cretors movie theater edition. The two things the author had problems with -- kernels somehow getting "stuck" under the rotator (?) and the unpopped corn ... something is wrong with that particular popper and/or the author. No offense.

I've had a Stir Crazy popper for over twenty years and it has performed flawlessly -- it pops EVERY kernal (assuming you've got decent corn), it doesn't burn (shuts itself off) and as for adding butter while you pop -- that's a rookie mistake. Do NOT add melting butter to popcorn, it makes the popped corn tough (which would explain the "chewy" popcorn she experienced. There's too much water in butter, it inhibits the popping process -- pop the corn in oil, THEN add butter when you're all done.

As you might have guessed, I LOVE POPCORN! So for an inexperienced writer to diss one of the best poppers ever made can NOT GO UNCHALLENGED! I'm glad to see my fellow West Bend fans rise to the challenge! ;-)