West Bend 82386 Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster

Reviews of West Bend 82386 Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster

1.) I love this popper!
Reviewed by: A. Frisina Gilbert, AZ USA
Rating:
I shopped around quite a bit for a popcorn popper. I was tired of microwave stuff, and don't like the results from a hot-air popper.

There are several like this, with a motorized stirring rod and a cooking surface, but either they get poor reviews for reliability (Cuisinart), or were too expensive, difficult to maintain, scratched the Teflon cooking surface, etc.

This model is very similar to the West Bend Stir Crazy, but has two heat settings (nuts or popcorn) and - most importantly - a much thicker stirring rod. With the more basic Stir Crazy, the rod is thin and easily flexed (think coat-hanger) and diverted by the weight of the popcorn itself, causing it to be pressed into the Teflon surface while rotating, thus scratching the Teflon. This model has a MUCH thicker stirring rod (I took a few pictures and added them above to demonstrate) that never makes contact with the surface.

The popper pretty much performs like it's supposed to. I was curious to see if the lid stayed in place while popping a full batch, because is simply sits on top and is only held in place by the weight of the cover. It does in deed stay put.

It doesn't seem to matter what brand of popping corn you use. Name brand or generic seem to perform the same - very well. I have never used the butter well, because I don't like how you wind up with a few soggy bits of corn rather than all of it having a consistent flavor and texture. I've experimented some and found that simply adding several pats of butter to the oil and corn does a great job of giving you a nice mild butter flavor. I thought maybe the butter would burn, but that did not happen. I also reduced the oil by 1/2T Spoon, but don't recommend reducing the oil much more than that, since the distributed hot oil is what promotes the rapid kernel popping. I also added salt directly to the oil and popping corn at the beginning of the process, which worked well enough, but was more difficult to clean in the end. I'm also worried that it might over time scratch the Teflon surface, so I don't plan to do that again.

The bowl is moderate thickness, and appears fairly sturdy. It is not flexible, so I imagine a hard drop might crack it. Because it is a hard clear plastic, it is susceptible to scratching if you use any kind of abrasive to clean it. I'm not sure why you would, considering it only takes a bit of soap and hot water to clean popcorn/oil/butter residue, but whatever.

Finally, it comes with a few recipes in the manual. We've tried a couple and they turned out well. One of them was Scotcheroo Popcorn - which is a sort of gooey sweet treat that includes chocolate and butterscotch chips.

All together we are really, really happy with this popper. I recommend it without hesitation.


2.) Simple "FIX" Gave It 5 Stars * * * * *
Reviewed by: Tina New Jersey
Rating:
OK.. I could not wait to get this popper. I checked the reviews..and decided that this was the one. Amazon got it here super fast...and that was a Plus (+)
First batch I did...was a 4 Quart, and did the butter in the tower thing, and followed the instructions to a "T".

Flipped the batch over after unplugging the machine, and in doing so, Half the batch spilled when I was startled from my thumbs being burned (not seriously) as I started to flip. No Big Deal, and I was able to quickly salvage the popped corn that didn't fall on the floor. Ha Ha Ha

My husband cooled and cleaned the machine and did a batch by using 2 of the microwave buttered pop C. Just broke it up a bit after cutting open the bag..and I'm saying to myself,"Why not just micro pop it?" Well there is a good answer.
Everytime we Microwave pop, IT "BURNS". Hubby will not eat it.

NOW! With the WB Krazy Popper....the Popcorn came out beautifully popped, and white, and not a bit burned.

Also...on all the popping, there were only few unpopped kernels. Great in my books.
As for the Lid sliding off, and the little thumb burn from the handle where the screw mount is installed.....Dear Hubby just picked up two of those Binder Clips from the office supply....The big super ones, I guess 2" (inch) size, and now I just clip one on each handle to clip the Bowl and keep it in place so it doesn't fall off when inverting the machine and the corn. Also By not having to worry about the bowl slipping while inverting, I have better control over getting burned.

I know I should use common sense while working with hot items and such, but a little extra engineering from the manufacturer on the handle design would help a lot. But I know that will never happen, so the 49 cents fix finally lets me give this machine 5 stars. Or at least 4 stars to West Bend and 1 star to my husband!
So...if you buy this one....I recommend it. ps: Buy some binder clips too. I believe Amazon would sell them too!/?


3.) David
Reviewed by: David Chino Hills, CA
Rating:
Works totally as advertised. We bought to replace a standard West Bend Stir Crazy. I makes great popcorn just like the old one with the benefit of keeping the heating coils out of the cooking oil's harm's way. The higher pedetal where the stir bar is attached keeps the oil in the pan and precludes it from seeping into the heating element part. Great idea.

4.) Excellent Popper!
Reviewed by: "All around nice guy" Northeastern New Jersey
Rating:
Browsed around Amazon for good popper. Was looking at the Whirley-Pop when I came to this one. I figured, why should I stand by the stove cranking a handle when this machine does all that for you. It cost a little more, but it's kinda cool to just sit there and watch this cool machine do all the work. I followed the directions, added store brand popcorn and some Orville Redenbacher buttery flavor popping and topping oil and enjoyed a excellent batch of popcorn. The machine appeares to be of good quality. Nice"n" sturdy. I'm sure there's endless ways to make popcorn the way you like. It also doubles as a nut roaster. Great popper! Highly recommened!!

5.) yes, GET THIS ONE
Reviewed by: Rocco Paperiello Yellowstone National Park
Rating:
I was a bit worried about any popcorn popper of this kind after seeing all the bad reviews of other brands from weak and too thin stirrers, to Teflon coming off. But I tried this one with its good reviews.

So I'd like to add mine. I would recommend this one definitely.

It is easy to use, easy to clean, and pops most of the corn even without using so-called `premium' brands. And no burnt kernels! No burnt anything. If there is any negative at all, I am just a bit worried about the clear plastic bowl/lid. I would have liked to have a thicker one. But so far so good. The rest of the popper is quite ruggedly made. Nice heavy base, and well constructed stirrer.

One thing I also like is that I can add what `flavors' I like right to the oil. Something I did not like about the much harder to use hot air poppers.


6.) Kettle Krazy has Klass!
Reviewed by: Lucky Ducky Michigan, USA
Rating:
My family members(five households) have all used West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Poppers for YEARS. Big fans! But when I needed a replacement this time I spotted the ad for the West Bend Kettle Krazy and decided to give it a try. I am very pleased with my ohoice. The Kettle Krazy is a Klassy upgrade. It is handsome styling with a safer, more healthy design. The stirring wand is heavier duty (will not bend out of shape) and is bolted to the machine in a different style which is seamless (no grease seeping through to inner mechanisms)and more securely positioned (so it can't scrape the teflon surface). Through the years I used Crisco to make my popcorn but the Kettle Krazy stresses using oil. I reluctantly have switched but find the corn is still tasting good and most health authorities say this is a better way to go. So all in all I feel this was a very good upgrade and well worth the additional $10.

7.) Outstanding Popcorn Maker
Reviewed by: geocacher, Midlet developer Pfafftown, NC USA
Rating:
Our venerable hand crank popcorn popper finally just wore out so I wanted to find something that would really work well. After reading some of the reviews on this unit, I decided to give it a try. It has far exceeded my expectations! It is well built, the stirrer is more solidly built and attached than other "wire" units and has the muscle to stir the popcorn even if you go a bit "heavy" with the batch. The best thing is that we get far fewer "old maids" (unpopped kernels) than we've ever gotten even when using the local generic popcorn from Food Lion. We probably average almost nightly use and this unit is the most consistent unit we've had. For the money, you can' beat it. It is also very easy to clean. You won't find anything better at twice the price and at $40 or so this one is a real winner.

8.) Fantastic
Reviewed by: L. Bailey
Rating:
I highly recommend this corn popper. Our Stir-Crazy finally gasped it's last breath after ~25 years of service. This product is far superior and worth the extra money.

9.) great fun for the family
Reviewed by: Phillip Woody Fairmont, NC United States
Rating:
my kids love to crowd around and watch the popcorn pop now! Watch out though, cause the base does get really hot and sometimes a tiny bit of oil will pop through the small gap between the top and the pan. All in all through,this has made really good popcorn, been fun, and pretty easy to clean. We haven't tried nuts yet...sounds like fun!

10.) Best popcorn popper I've owned
Reviewed by: mw2 the 'burgh, PA
Rating:
I make popcorn once, sometimes 2x/day. I've burned out a Stir Crazy Westbend maker and gone through a Salton popper. I agree w/all the reviews about how great this popper is and how the design issues have been solved w/this model. You really have to be careful about the heat, not a model kids could handle.

11.) Ilove this popcorn maker
Reviewed by: Gerald J. Rosivach
Rating:
We make popcorn twice a week and it is always great.
We use Orvil Popcorn and oil.
We do not use the top to let the butter melt down we put the butter in with the oil and it works fine.
It is very easy to clean,you just have to wait for it to cool which we do while eating popcorn.
We have not tried the nut roaster so I cannot commeny on that.
This was a great buy for us.

12.) this is THE popper
Reviewed by: G. Clarkson
Rating:
This is a great popper. I had one back when I was growing up and didn't even know they still made them. Had been eating microwave popcorn for years and, although they're improved on it, it's not the same as something like this. Not as healthy for you as the hot air popped corn, but this is by far the most tasty popcorn you can make at home. This is also a very easy way to do it. Quick and easy setup and pretty easy to clean.

13.) Finally, light fluffy popcorn, if we do it right.
Reviewed by: David L. Gibbons
Rating:
We bought the Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper to experiment with kettle popcorn and roasted nuts, but also to see if it could produce really good regular popcorn. Our very first batch of regular popcorn resulted in the answer "yes and no." My wife flipped the popper to transfer the popcorn into the lid. She then poured some into a bowl for me. I savored light fluffy fresh popcorn. In the meantime, she ate out of the lid/bowl and complained of tough popcorn. For some reason, if we leave popcorn in the lid/bowl, it gets tough and chewy. If we pour it out of the lid/bowl immediately after popping, it's great. I don't know why, but don't care since we have a solution. (Maybe moisture stays in the lid?) Next: we will be roasting nuts. Yum.

14.) nice step up from the stir crazy
Reviewed by: John D. Cimermancic
Rating:
All around nicer product only used maybe six times but so far i pleased. Seems more durable even the rod that moves the seeds is much thicker and doesn't scrap the bottom

15.) Great Popcorn. Healthier Than Microwave
Reviewed by: J. Weber Texas
Rating:
After reading about how unhealthy microwave popcorn is, we decided to switch to this popcorn maker. Reminds me of when I was younger and no microwave popcorn existed. The popcorn tastes great and is easy to make. Just pour in 3 tablespoons of oil and 1 cup of popcorn. Four minutes later you have a bowl of great tasting popcorn. I haven't used the nut maker yet and probably won't, but the popcorn maker works great. It is a well-built solid unit. It cleans up easily. Just use a wet paper towel to wipe down the inside of the popcorn maker inside wash the top in warm soapy water.

16.) Popping corn has never been easier!!
Reviewed by: Nancy Geddes Santa Fe, NM
Rating:
As I write I am munching on my freshly popped corn seasoned with salt and New Mexican chili powder. This product makes it so easy to create thoroughly popped corn kernals every time. Plus, cleaning is a breeze because I just use a paper towel to wipe off the heating surface and soap and hot water to clean the cover/bowl.

There is absolulely no comparing to the microwaveable popcorn bags. You can use your own fresh oil and seasonings. I was also pleased at how Amazon ships so quickly and this product qualified with no shipping costs.

17.) Perfect Popper
Reviewed by: Jack East Coast
Rating:
The West Bend 82386 Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster has been a great addition to our appliances. We were getting tired of microwave popcorn and this little unit makes it very easy to make popcorn quickly and easily. Lots of fun to use and watch too. Also easier to clean than I thought.

18.) BEST POPCORN POPPER
Reviewed by: N. A. Ttee
Rating:
THIS IS ONE OUTSTANDING POPCORN POPPER. IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IS ADVERTISED, PERIOD. WELL DONE, WEST BEND!

19.) WHATS POPPING?
Reviewed by: GADGET GIRL WISCONSIN
Rating:
FIRST OF ALL, I GOT THIS EARLIER THAN I EXPECTED, SO I WAS VERY EXITED!, BEEN USING EVERYDAY, IF I DONT WANT POPCORN SOMEONE HERE DOES. EASY TO CLEAN, EASY TO USE. IM VERY , VERY HAPPY WITH IT. I SEEN ANOTHER , AND THIS ONE SEEMS TO START POPPING FASTER. I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY THAT LOVES POPCORN, AT LEAST U KNOW WHAT IS IN. NOT ONLY THAT BUT WE ALL GET AROUND IT TO SEE IT POP, ITS LIKE A 4TH OF JULY POPCORN-WORKS IN HERE INSTEAD OF FIREWORKS. THE ONLY THING I THING MAYBE THEY CAN IMPROVE IS TO MAKE THE BOWL STRONGER. BUT I MEAN IT WORKS GREAT, AND TO HOLD POCORN IT WILL DO, JUST THE MACHINE LOOKS VERY WELL BUILT, AND THE BOWL CAN BE IMPROVED TO MATCH. BUT I STILL GIVE IT 5 STARS BECAUSE MAYBE ITS A MATTER OF WHAT I LIKE OR NOT. ITS WORKS GREAT, POPS EVERY ONE OF THEM.IM VERY PLEASED AND WOULD RECOMEND IT FOR EVERYBODY. U CAN MAKE SMALLER SERVINGS TOO. IM HAPPY WITH IT!

20.) Works like it should
Reviewed by: Kolleen Carrel La Grande, oregon United States
Rating:
Pops 99% of kernels, very big and fluffy. Plastic dome could be a little thicker, but so far works like it should.

21.) Great Popper!
Reviewed by: C. Lorquet usa
Rating:
I wanted a popper that wasn't messy and easy to clean but popcorn that tasted good. This popper is it! I love this popper , no mess , easy to clean , and great tasting popcorn. I haven't toasted the nuts in it yet, but that will be next.

22.) Kettle Krazy - great product
Reviewed by: James P. Brewer
Rating:
3 suggestions for improvements: (1) the power cord is too short - should be twice as long; (2) would be nice to have a cover for the clear plastic bowl in which the popping is done, to temporarily store the popped popcorn; (3) the top of the retaining nut, which holds the stir rod to the heating base, should be convex, not concave. The concave top of this part catches unpopped kernels, preventing them from falling back onto the heating base, and preventing them from popping.

The time required for popping, and the instructions for the amounts of popcorn & oil to use are very accurate. The unit is easy to clean & maintain.

23.) Fun little item
Reviewed by: ventgirl Missouri
Rating:
I like this popper/roaster.. When roasting nuts, it is an easy cleanup if you follow the directions given. The only draw back is that you can only roast 1 cup at a time. But-the results are good. The popper works well......

24.) West Bend Popcorn Popper #82386
Reviewed by: BrooklynYankee Central PA
Rating:
Very fast delivery time and a good price. This popper does exactly what is expected. The quality of the popcorn it produces got rave reviews by the grandkids (they loved watching the popping process and devoured the popcorn). The only problem is, you have to turn the entire popper over (while it is still hot) to use the top as a popcorn bowl. Be careful you don't get burned. Otherwise this is a good value and produces very good popcorn.

25.) Love it!
Reviewed by: L. J. Shafer Biggsville, IL USA
Rating:
After researching and reading too numerous to mention reviews, I decided on this popper. We love it! I haven't quite perfected my "perfect" combination of popcorn/oil/butter yet but keep trying. Whatever I do end up with, is delicious so it is a win-win all the way around! I have converted my kids over also and away from the microwave stuff! Love the smell that fills the kitchen. I did not have any problems with the stir arms scratching - mine was perfect out of the box - no adjustments had to be made. It is quick, easy, and makes the best popcorn! Very happy! Note to dieters out there...I have ate so much popcorn which is excellent in fiber by the way, that I have lost 5 pounds already without trying! And I still put butter on it!

26.) Much better than the Stir Crazy
Reviewed by: T USA
Rating:
I have a 20 year old West bend Stir Crazy and it works great. The plastic bowl, however, is on its last leg, so I wanted a replacement.

I tried TWO of the new (2010) Stir Crazy poppers and found that they lack the power to properly pop corn. The kernels burned and very few popped.

The more expensive Kettle Crazy model gets hot, though still not as hot as my old Stir Crazy. Still, if you let the oil heat a bit first, it makes nice popcorn and will pop all the kernels. I've never used it to roast nuts.

27.) Good....but
Reviewed by: Muleskinner HSV, Arkansas
Rating:
This item works great, is easy to clean up, and saves money especially for those that eat a lot of popcorn. However I was disappointed that I can't tell any difference in the flavor between the popcorn popped with this popper and similar good quality microwave popcorn.

28.) Recommended
Reviewed by: rjs
Rating:
This was my third popcorn popper in 3 months. The other "air" machines just shot corn all over the kitchen. This machine works super well and is easy to clean and care for.

29.) corn popper
Reviewed by: kittybelle Mission,TX
Rating:
I love the heavy duty stem for stirring. I don't like the lid doesn't fit tight onto base. I called company, it's suppose to be for venting. the top has holes to vent. it pops good, just don't use too much oil, or else when you tip upside down, it will run out.also unlike the other stir crazy,the cord doesn't disconnect from machine, harder to clean,otherwise machine does a good job of popping the corn.I haven't tried nuts, so I don't know how that does.

30.) was expecting better popcorn
Reviewed by: old man West Chester OH USA
Rating:
Was disappointed that it did not give better popcorn especially when I tried to use one of the recipes in the booklet for sugared popcorn. It totally destroyed the popped corn. I used Redenbachers gourmet popcorn.

31.) West Bend Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster
Reviewed by: Daniel McCreedy University Place, WA USA
Rating:
This unit performs thoroughly and reliably in producing popcorn. Nut roasting feature not yet tested. On/Off and Selector switch a good convenience over Stir
Crazy model.

32.) Not up to the standard of the Stir Crazy Popper
Reviewed by: Terry Norfolk, NE
Rating:
We had a Stir Crazy popper for years and it performed very well even with a broken top and leg. We paid more for the nut feature and expected equal performance on the popper. The only way to make the glazed nuts is with the purchase of a separate nut glaze, which isn't available where I live as far as I've found. There are no recipes included to make your own glaze. The popper always leaves more old maid and when we used it last weekend the heater shut off when only half the kernels were popped. I wish we'd saved money and gotten the standard Stir Crazy Popper.

33.) Crazy Krazy Popcorn No-popper
Reviewed by: F. Williams
Rating:
This "popcorn popper" failed to pop even 20% of kernels, leaving 80% un-popper kernels in nearly their original state. I tried several different brands to no avail. Finally, I let the thing turn endlessly to see if there was any chance it would heat up and perform as advertised. I met with no success. Perhaps they just shipped me a defective machine, however, before I would consider purchasing any Popcorn Popper, I will now have to have an in-person demonstration.

34.) Worst popper I ever used!
Reviewed by: C. One
Rating:
I've used just about every type of popper, Electric, Hot Air, Stovetop, but this is the worst by far. I don't like the taste of Hot Air popcorn, so that's not an option for me. I've been using the Whirly Pop stovetop for quite some time, and it does a great job of popping. However, it's a manual process, which gets old after a while. I though I'd try this one because it's automatic.

The biggest problem I had with it was it didn't pop all the corn. If I waited for it to pop the corn, the already popped corn started to burn. Not good! I tried a few different types of corn with no luck, but all of which popped perfectly on the stovetop Whirly Pop. The problem with this unit (which is a problem with ALL non-stick cookware), it doesn't get hot enough, quick enough. My opinion is that ALL non-stick cookware is nothing more than a gimmick. This is no exception. The other issue with the non-stick surface is, it started to scar from the rotating kernels from just a few times I used it. I can see the surface wearing out in no time, which is another problem with non-stick surfaces.

The other problem with this popper is it's a pain to clean. Sure the non-stick surface is easy to wipe up, but the lid and arm is not. And, of course it says not to put in a dish washer. How dumb!

Last but not least, this popper is bulky. It doesn't fit in a cabinet very well, and it looks real dumb sitting on the counter.

Do yourself a favor and stay away from this gimmick, and go with the Whirly Pop, at least until they come up with something better. Which may never happen.

Features of West Bend 82386 Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster

Nut roaster and popcorn popper in one unit. Enjoy those delicious mall kiosk glazed nuts in the comfort of your own home. The West Bend kettle krazy automatically stirs and glazes your favorite nuts or popcorn. So choose your favorite snack and this machine will have you enjoying either one in just minutes.

1.) Electric 6-quart (24-cup) popcorn popper and 3-cup nut roaster;
2.) Motorized stir rod keeps kernels or nuts in constant motion;
3.) Simple control knob; see-through lid doubles as a popcorn bowl;
4.) Stay-cool handles; dishwasher-safe, removable, nonstick heating plate;
5.) Measures approximately 12 by 15 by 9-1/2 inches;

Package Height x Length x Width: 13.3 in. x 13.3 in. x 13.3 in.
Package Weight: 6.75 lbs.