Nostalgia Electrics RHP-310 Retro Series Mini Hot Air Popcorn Popper

by Nostalgia Electrics

Product Features

• Mini retro popcorn maker provides a healthy, low-fat snack
• Uses hot-air instead of oil
• Tabletop convenience for easy storage and portability
• Easy to use and easy to clean

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.3 x 11.8 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001CJKM24
• Item model number: RHP-310
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,292 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #84 in Kitchen & Dining > Small Appliances > Specialty Appliances > Popcorn Poppers

Product Description

The Retro Mini Hot Popper is a plastic replica of the old-fashioned, diner-style units of the 1950s. This convenient, tabletop-size electric popper uses hot air instead of oil, producing a deliciously healthy, low-fat snack. An included measuring cap assures the proper amount of popcorn kernels are measured before the unit is turned on. Enjoy the fresh taste of hot popcorn in minutes. Popcorn maker can be used at many different occasions like birthday parties, carnivals, sleepovers or simply for a fast tasty snack.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ejects 1/3 of kernels, October 24, 2010

By 

TomD - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nostalgia Electrics RHP-310 Retro Series Mini Hot Air Popcorn Popper (Kitchen)

This popper looks great but is poorly designed. Upside was it was less than $20. The biggest problem is that over the few minutes of popping time, about 1/3 of the kernels are ejected.

I've tried:
- Stale and fresh popcorn(not by design, I just had some stale corn...:))
- Different brands of popcorn
- Preheating the popper for ~5 minutes
- smaller and larger than recommended batches.

None of these things seem to have made a difference.
For kicks I 're-popped' the the ejected kernels from a recommended sized batch and got 2 more cups of popped corn out of it.

I bet a deeper or larger diameter well would fix this problem but oh well.
This popper is very lightweight, which doesn't inspire longevity.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it!, January 1, 2012

By 

Kris - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nostalgia Electrics RHP-310 Retro Series Mini Hot Air Popcorn Popper (Kitchen)

I read the reviews about how this machine spat out hot kernels, and was possessed, etc. But I took the risk and bought it anyway. To avoid burnt popcorn, flying popcorn, and unpopped popcorn, fill the little red cap so that the kernels barely cover the surface. That's how many you should use. And as soon as you stop hearing pops, turn it off and pour it into the bowl. I didn't have to repop anything, and it all flowed nicely into the bowl. And there are complaints about the noise. All air poppers make noise like this. Some worse.

I recommend this to teens mostly. It's fairly easy to use, and awesome for study sessions and slumber parties. Also great for movie nights. I love this product!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Popcorn tastes bad; leaves lots of kernals unpopped, October 8, 2011

By 

Occasional Reviewer from Michigan "Mark" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nostalgia Electrics RHP-310 Retro Series Mini Hot Air Popcorn Popper (Kitchen)

I usually pop white kernal popcorn in a pan on the stovetop, and it always comes out perfect. However, I saw the Nostalgia Mini-Retro hot air popper in the store, and I thought it might be a safer way for my teenagers to make their own popcorn. I had a hot air popper years ago, when I was in college, and it worked very well.)

I tried the Nostalgia popper twice, following the instructions inside the box. When I switched on the popper I immediately noticed that the motor is very loud, and the sound it makes is rattly and unpleasant.

Next, I noticed that the popcorn "measuring cup" (the red top of the popping chamber) is so wide and shallow that it is almost useless as an actual measuring device. Its width also virtually guarantees spilled kernals when one tries to pour them into the relatively narrow popping chamber.

When the popcorn stopped popping, about 1/4 of the kernals were still in the bottom of the popping chamber; they would not pop. When I pop the same corn in a pan on the stovetop, virtually all of it pops.)

Worst of all, the popped corn from the Nostalgia Mini-Retro Popper tasted stale; with a consistency that reminded me of styrofoam packing "peanuts," and just about as tasty. It seems that the designers paid more attention to making this product look cute, than to its intended function. I promptly returned the popper to the store where I had purchased it.

Unfortunately, judging by all of the other popcorn popper reviews on Amazon, it doesn't appear that anyone makes a decent popper today. I guess I will just keep using my pan on the stove.