Presto 04820 PopLite Popcorn Maker Review

I've used a Presto PopLite popcorn popper for a few years now, ever since my original hot air popper (I forget what brand that one was, but it served me for about 20 years) finally bit the dust after many years.  So far, it looks like this one is proving just as reliable.  Since this wasn't very expensive to begin with, I feel like I've gotten a bargain. 

I've loved popcorn ever since I was a little kid and we still made it in the special stove-top pan that had the internal crank arm attached to the lid to keep the kernals from sticking and burning in the hot oil.  But ever since these hot air poppers appeared on the market, I've used nothing else.  The popcorn has a better taste (and is healthier, too) when popped with hot air instead of in hot oil.   

I do find, though, that butter or margerine doesn't melt quite as well in the melting tray provided.  My personal fix for that is to use a spray butter, which I just pump onto the popped corn as it blows out of the plastic hopper into the bowl.   No popper is ever 100% perfect, but this comes pretty close!