Popcorn Poppers That Use Oil

Stovetop and electric popcorn poppers use oil to add flavor

Popcorn poppers that use oil come in two basic types: electric and stovetop models. Both cook up flavorful popcorn that's higher in calories than air- or microwave-popped corn. Old-fashioned stovetop models are cheaper than electric popcorn poppers, but they can be tricky to put together and tough to clean.

The Whirley Pop Popcorn Popper (*Est. $25) from Wabash Valley Farms is effectively an aluminum saucepan with a hinged lid and a wood-and-metal crank. This stovetop popcorn popper can be used over just about any heat source, including a camping stove. Most professional reviewers are partial to this entertaining device. Popcorn takes just four minutes to pop and comes out so light and crunchy that The Wall Street Journal's testers "couldn't stop eating" it. The vast majority of owners posting to Amazon.com say that the Whirley Pop makes great-tasting popcorn quickly and easily, but we read a number of vitriolic reviews about the Whirley Pop's plastic gears and thin aluminum construction.

Significantly, Cook's Illustrated doesn't recommend the Whirley Pop Popcorn Popper, citing its sharp stirring rod and light, thin construction. The Whirley Pop does carry a 25-year warranty that covers all moving parts, and a number of owners praise Wabash Valley Farm's customer service. Even owners who are happy with the Whirley Pop say that the design makes it somewhat difficult to clean (it's not dishwasher-safe), but unless you're making sweetened or flavored popcorn, you can wipe out the Whirley Pop with paper towels after each use. In general, the Whirley Pop looks like an expensive popper for occasional use. If you eat popcorn more frequently, you may want to invest in a sturdier popper, such as the Presto PopLite.

The plug-in electric West Bend 82306 Stir Crazy 6-Quart Popcorn Popper (*Est. $30) earns both the highest and the lowest ratings in two professional reviews. You put oil and kernels in the nonstick bottom, then turn on the heat. This domed plastic popcorn popper has a metal stirring rod that agitates kernels. The Wall Street Journal testers admit that while the Stir Crazy is messy, it boasts "excellent temperature control" and a "time-tested design." Testers couldn't get enough of the flavorful popcorn it churned out.

Slate's Torie Bosch, on the other hand, found the design of the West Bend popcorn popper "cumbersome" and the unit "inconvenient" and inefficient. What's worse, popcorn came out chewy instead of crisp. To settle the matter, we turned to Amazon.com, where we found nearly 400 reviewers giving this popcorn popper above-average reviews. In fact, 250 of them give it the highest possible rating. Most owners call this popper fast and easy to clean, but a few report flaking Teflon and bent stirring rods. Even owners who like this popcorn popper say that the bowl's exterior can get hot to the touch. West Bend also makes an 8-quart version, the West Bend 82308 Stir Crazy (*Est. $50), which has a slightly different lid design.