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.

I normally fix popcorn in a heavy pan on the stove. We were planning a kitchen renovation and I did not want to buy the microwavable popcorn as I have never liked the way it tastes. After reading many reviews, I decided to try this Nordic Ware Microwaver Popcorn Popper. Our microwave oven is a 1300 watt oven so you will need to adjust the popping time to your oven. I use the Jiffy Pop kernels that come in a bag. I measured out a level 1/3 cup of kernels and place them in the bottom of the bowl. I measure out approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and pour this over the kernels. Then I take the measuring spoon and stir the kernels until they are all coated with the oil. I then use the back of the measuring spoon to press the kernels down and out to spread them into a single layer. ( I don't know if this helps but I used to do the same thing in my pan on the stove so it made sense.) I place the lid on the bowl (it is not made to snap on the bowl like Tupperware, it just sits on the top allowing steam to escape while cooking, keeping your popcorn dry and fluffy. ) I experimented with the time based on other reviewers suggestions, and 2 minutes 12 seconds on high seems to be the magic time for me. Are there kernels left in the bottom? Yes. Maybe 10-15. Did I have kernels left in the pan when I did it on the stove? Yes. Is this a big deal (as some reviewers had complained?) No. I rather have a few kernels left in the bottom than to take the chance on burning the popcorn. The bowl is hot when you go to remove it from the microwave so use hot pads. I add my salt, Butter Buds, Garlic Powder and a shake or two of Tarragon. It is just as delicious as when I prepared it on the stove. The big difference is the clean-up. You just wipe the bowl and lid out with a paper towel then wash in hot soapy water. It cleans up so much easier than in my stainless steel pan which tends to become sticky all over from the oil that escapes. When my kitchen is finished, I will continue to use this product in my new microwave. I will need to figure out the new timing but I am so happy I gave this a try. At $8.95...it was a bargain!

From the very first bowl, this has popped excellently. I slightly "burned" the first batch, but even the "burn" was so mild, especially compared to what you would get with most microwave popcorn, that I didn't consider it a big deal. I've never had a batch that was bad, or that could not be eaten. I tend to give it a shot of Crisco butter spray, then might throw in some spices or whatever. I'll then usually finish with typical popcorn salt. Bowl will be very hot afterwards. If going to hold in lap, make certain you have a throw around to put it on top of first. :o) I have had the Presto before, and it does pop well. But I was really having a hard time making the discs last as long as they said they should. I think I might have needed to adjust the power controls down. I split one disc and burned it, after only ONE use, and the popcorn wasn't burned. Glad I don't have to screw with that. Oh, pretty much every kernel pops. Currently using Orville, yellow corn. I highly recommend it and encourage you to purchase if you eat popcorn even once a week. I cook it several times a week, so in just the few weeks I've had it now, it's already paid for itself. UPDATE: As many have attested, the lid is crap. But if it breaks, just throw it away and put a normal sized plate on top. My niece just purchased one on my recommendation and she says she's done that from almost the start. No worrying about trying to straighten it out and eventually breaking. So don't buy another whole set if just the lid breaks. Just put a plate on top. I'll let it keep the 4 star rating, since my overall satisfaction is very high and the amount of money I've saved from not buying microwave popcorn is great. Oh, I typically put some butter in the bottom, then heavily salt it. It will take it a bit longer to pop, but nothing will burn, you get a butter taste, without it being runny and mushy. Then you can add other flavors afterwards.

THE IMPORTANT PART: Normally, I would never write a review after the two uses, but this thing is impressive. Some of the other reviews mention having to experiment with time and intensity, but I didn't need to. I used Orville Redenbacher's White Gourmet Popping Corn (available cheaply pretty much everywhere) and followed Nordic Ware's instructions to the letter (exercising the option to add oil). The only change I made was adding a teaspoon of salt to the mix before microwaving. The result were virtually flawless. The kernels popped precisely to Redenbacher's specifications (and to my liking): tender (slightly chewy) on the outside and crunchy on the inside. The only change I would make to the recipe is using some other kind of oil. I used vegetable oil because it was literally within arm's reach. I imagine straight butter or coconut oil would be far superior. And by "imagine," I mean "know." THE RESULTS: Everything about this batch of popcorn was superior to the old bagged stuff. It was light, flavorful, and devoid of the heavy residue present in commercial bagged popcorn. Furthermore, popping corn this way is far healthier. There are no preservatives and much less salt. Furthermore, you can choose to forego the oil altogether, if you wish. The only concern I had with my first batch was a fair number of unpopped kernels, which seems to be uncommon among the other reviews. I attribute this to over-cautiousness. I'm so used to bagged popcorn burning that I pulled the plug too soon. Had I waited a little longer, the kernels would have popped sufficiently. THE PRODUCT: What you see is what you get. It's a funny-looking bowl with a funny-looking lid. It's off-white. It's very well-made. It's also pretty big, though I imagine it will fit most--if not all--microwaves. THE BOTTOM LINE: If you like popcorn, like healthier options, and like keeping more of your money, this is the way to go. I have not tried other products and do not intend to, unless this one bursts into flames. Seriously, it's $9.

I have had a few of these before and absolutely love them. It pops the kernels very well. Cleans out easily. I have broken the cover before on previous ones. The bowls get very hot so you will have to be careful handling after popping. It takes a few try’s to get the right time and kernel ratio without burning it I’ve had micro wave bags Air popper Stir crazy A small movie theater style popper The microwave glass bowl popper This is by far one of my favorite ways to pop popcorn The only reason I’m giving it 4 is because the one I received has minor damage to it as pictured

Got the 12 cup size and it fills almost completely up when I pop 1/3 cup of kernals, which is enough for two regular portions or one hungry person. When I add butter/salt and stir, the popcorn spills out. I could transfer the popcorn to a larger bowl but then I'd have two wash two large bowls. So I wish I'd gotten the larger size so I could add butter and stir right after cooking. If you don't add anything to your popcorn, then this size is great for 1-2 people. Otherwise, I love this product. Making popcorn is such a hassle on the stove -- heat up the pan, then stand over it jiggling the pan for ten hot minutes to keep it from burning. Thought about an electric popper but didn't want yet another appliance hanging around. As it turns out, this popper is perfect. Three minutes in the microwave and you have perfect popcorn with no scorched pan to clean. Tip: Melt the butter before adding to popped corn. When I add butter to stove-cooked popcorn, I just add it to the hot pan and stir as it melts. This popper doesn't get hot enough to do that so I melt the butter after popping the corn, pour it on the sides of the bowl, then stir to coat. That is when a bigger bowl would come in handy. My dog enjoys the floor popcorn. Also note that the instructions say to hand wash to prevent discoloration. Propbably they mean that the flimy plastic top will etch. The bowl was so sturdy I was surprised that the top was so lightweight. And it doesn't snap on the bowl, but just sits on top and sometimes moves around during popping. On reflection, it's obvious that its purpose is just to tamp down on the popping kernals, not to seal, which could conceivably cause an explosion. If you lose the top or it gets too ugly, you could substitute another plastic top or even a dish towel. So my bowl goes in the dishwasher. There's nothing magic about the actual bowl, since you can pop corn in a paper bag. But the design is good, with a lip that extends from the bowl and stays cool so you can take it out of the microwave without burning your fingers. The top also has a shallow crossbar that you can likewise grab to take it off without burning your fingers. Be sure to flip off the top right after popping to let the steam out so your popcorn doesn't get soggy. I was hesitant to buy what seemed like it might be yet another gimmicky product to clutter up my kitchen, especially since I'm trying to embrace minimalism. However, this is a product I use 2-3 times a week and it's well worth the 12 dollars for time and energy saved. Next time I will get the larger size.

I was looking for an easy way to make a healthy snack and a friend told me about her glass microwave popcorn popper that allowed her to make popcorn without oil. Her popper was many years old and came from a high-end kitchenware store, but she told me I could probably find something similar on Amazon. I have other Nordic Ware products that I am happy with and after reading the reviews on this product and for less than $9, I thought I would give it a try. I am very pleased with how easy it is to use, to clean and how few kernels remain behind. I have an old above-the-stove 1000 watt microwave. I put 1/3c of kernels in the popper, put the lid on and cook on High (not popcorn setting!). The instructions say timing is between 2 -4 min. For my microwave, the popping starts to slow down at about 2min 20 sec and I take it out about 2 1/2 min. I end up with the container being pretty full of fluffy popcorn and about a tablespoon of un-popped kernels. I am even using cheap brand of popcorn kernels and no problems. Items to note: label says this product is BPA & Melamine free, 12 cup capacity, they recommend NOT putting it in the dishwasher (so easy to clean, no need to) and recommend not to use metal utensils in the bowl as they may scratch the surface. Additionally they warn people that the bowl is hot, so use an oven mitt and not to try to re-pop unpopped kernels. I don't find the bowl to be much hotter than anything else I put in the microwave to heat up - it's basic kitchen safety rules....use oven mitts, open the lid away from you so as not to get a steam burn. I would recommend this product and think it would make a nice gift to anyone who is looking for healthier snack options.

Before I bought this, I had tried making popcorn in brown paper lunch bags and also in plain glass or corning bowls in my microwave oven. I must have tried 10 times using both oil and without oil. I could never make it work, getting only a small quantity of kernels to pop and ending up with a burned mess. I figured since my microwave was 20 years old and underpowered, that was the problem. It's just 700 watts. I saw this and thought I'd give it a try. If it didn't work, I figured I could use it as a large kitchen bowl or to heat stuff in the microwave. I'm thrilled to say this worked brilliantly! I put 1/4 cup of kernels, 2 teaspoons of canola or olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt in the bowl, mix well for a minute, then microwave for 4 minutes and 45 seconds. The popped corn is nearly to the top of the bowl. Works well with and without oil. There is a small amount of unpopped kernels at the bottom every time but it's really minor. I put the bowl right on top of my microwave carousel, which raises it about 1-1/2" off the bottom of the oven (so that may impact popping time). The fact that this bowl is relatively inexpensive makes it a great bargain. So if you're looking for an easy and fast way to microwave popcorn, buy this! You won't be disappointed. TIPS: If your corn is old and/or dried out, it might tend to burn more easily and you'll get more unpopped kernels. Put the kernels in an airtight container, then add a few teaspoons of water, close the top, shake the container a little, and let it sit overnight. All the water will be absorbed by the next day, and the popcorn will pop more uniformly with fewer unpopped kernels. Also, as an alternative to buying expensive and hard-to-find popcorn salt, you can grind regular table salt in a spare coffee grinder. This is what I did, and the finely ground salt melts better in the oil and coats the popped corn much better.

Contenitore di ottima qualità, molto resistente e capiente. E' l'unico prodotto dei vari che ho provato che funziona perfettamente con i popcorn nel microonde. Contiene tranquillamente due porzioni. Attenti che appena esce brucia un bel po'. Dopo alcuni tentativi la nostra ricetta è la seguente: mettere un filo di olio per friggere nel contenitore, aggiungere una bella manciata di sale e versare i chicchi di mais (80g per due persone). Mescolare in modo da far adedire l'olio e il sale a tutti i semi. Nel nostro microonde i popcorn sono pronti in circa 5:30 minuti alla massima temperatura. Non teneteli troppo anche se li sentite scoppiare ancora altrimenti si bruciano! La stessa ricetta funziona con i popcorn dolci, basta mettere lo zucchero invece del sale (mettere comunque anche un pizzico di sale!). Buon film!

I have used many such popcorn makers & bowls. This is simply the best of them all! The design hasn't changed much since I have owned mine, over 9 years back, it still works as well as day 1!

Little tip after popping your popcorn, use a stainless steel bowl (a chicken bowl, for example) to mix your oils or butter. This will help prevent the plastic from staining and becoming hot. Be careful with the Nordicware bowl lid. Although effective, it may be subject to deformation under high temperatures. It's a small inconvenience, but worth mentioning so never microwave butter. another tip add two sheets of paper towels just under the lid so the popcorn won't come out. In our house, this bowl has been used several times a week for years. Some evenings when a lot of people are at home we can use it 3 to 5 times one after the other. Think of the savings compared to pre-packaged bags of popcorn! Plus, you have total control over what you put in it (no popcorn that's too salty or full of additives). Nothing beats the taste of homemade popcorn. With this bowl, prepare to rediscover this simple, authentic, and incredibly tasty pleasure. In summary, this popcorn bowl is an excellent choice for those looking for a simple, healthy and economical solution to making homemade popcorn. Despite some small drawbacks, such as the sensitivity of the lid, its advantages far outweigh it. So, ready to transform your movie nights at home? When it comes to making homemade popcorn with your Nordicware bowl, one crucial aspect is often overlooked: the quality of store-bought popcorn. This can greatly influence your dining experience. Variety in Quality: The varieties of popcorn available in stores vary greatly in quality. Some brands offer kernels that pop evenly and crisply, while others may produce less satisfactory results, with lots of unpopped kernels or popcorns that are too hard. Orville Corn Seeds are famous for their exceptional taste. They offer a delicious and authentic taste experience that is loved by many people. The rich flavor and crunch of this corn make it an ideal option for snack and popcorn lovers.

Es de plástico cosa que no me gusta mucho pero hace unas palomitas estupendas, se pueden hacer sin aceite pero con un poco de aceite quedan más sabrosas,Entre dos minutos y medio o tres según cantidad es lo que tarda a maxima potencia en microondas.

great item.