Customer Reviews

Toastmaster 6203 Popcorn Popper

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(32)

 

 

I only gave it one star because there isn't a category with negative numbers. This popcorn popper is the worst I have ever had. Like someone else mentioned I used it 3 times and threw it away. I thought I was doing something wrong when UNPOPPED kernels started flying all over my kitchen. They explode into the bowl causing the small amount of popped corn to fly as well. But I was not doing anything wrong the product is just bad. Please save your money. I bought mine at Target as well under the name Toastmaster but it seems to have other names as well. BEWARE. I almost got hit in the eye with flying kernels.

I, too, just got this (today, actually) from Target (under the Chefmate label, but same product). Very dangerous as, even warmed up, I was shocked at how many hot, unpopped kernals fly out as the other kernals are popping and then these super heated duds explode in the bowl or wherever they happen to land (which is everywhere). A little too much excitment for me over a simple bowl of popcorn. Plus, about a third to one-half of the kernals never popped, so it's really wasteful, too. I'm taking it back tomorrow.

Horrible machine. The top easily slides off and if it is popping at the time you have a volcano on your hands. I had the exact same problems of others with superheated popcorn kernels flying all over the kitchen. Having a bowl under it does not guarantee the popcorn will go into the bowl. How could they put such a product on the market?

We bought this popper a few months ago at Target (under the Chefmate brand) because we were dissatisfied with the Chefmate air popper we inherited from my mom. We had a horrible experience with this popper. Kernals flew everywhere during popping, although we could tolerate that. At least 1/3 of the kernals didn't pop, although we could tolerate that too.

The thing that really was the worst about this popper was that the popcorn came out very stale tasting. It was hard and chewy and just awful. It was so bad, I didn't even want to eat it. When I make air popcorn, I put some flax oil (healthy oil) on top of it with some salt and sometimes some parmesan cheese. But this popper was so bad that I didn't even enjoy the popcorn with the toppings on it.

I was perplexed because years ago, my dad had a popcorn popper and the popcorn came out great. I've heard that the older air poppers were made better and something about the design about the newer ones doesn't allow the air to flow properly or something like that - resulting in stale tasting popcorn.

We took this popper back and are ordering the Presto Redenbacher popper - which I've read is the same as the Presto 4280. Those two poppers are rated pretty highly and seem to be the best option available at this time. I wanted the 4280, but I can't find it from Amazon, only private sellers. After I test the Presto, I'll write another review comparing it to this one.

Literally, like hot kernels all over the room. Like the other reviewers, I too bought a popper like this from target under the chefmate name. If you are using this product make sure to wear full protective gear as a hot kernel landed in between my toes (ouch!) and an unpopped kernel that did land in the bowl exploded in my face! Needless to say I am taking this product back...buyer beware!

Bought under the "chefmate" name, but identical product. It's unstable. Overheats. Seems to be a device designed to spew superheated unpopped kernels all over my kitchen. What kernels do pop are small. Seriously, in order to make a full bowl of popcorn, I have to load the kernels, then run the popper. 2/3 of the kernels fly unpopped into the bowl or ricochet out into the room. Superheated kernels fly into the bowl like grenades with the pins pulled and explode, blowing popcorn everywhere. I shake the bowl to get the hundreds of unpopped kernels down to the bottom. Then I scrape off the popped kernels and pour the unpopped back into the machine. Run it again. Repeat literally three more times before the original kernels are 75% popped, at which point I give up. The machine sits in the middle of a circle of unpopped nibs and popped corn all over my floor and countertop.

A piece of [...]. Just don't do it.

this product is terrible, I bought mine at Target too. It is loud and only pops half the kernels while spitting out lots of unpopped kernels into the bowl which then start to pop in the bowl because of the heat and popcorn goes flying all over the place.

Pros; The kids get a kick out of the flying popcorn and the dog gets a tasty snack by eating the popcorn off the floor!

I have had air poppers since they came out and loved them. This one is awful. The corn doesn't pop well and comes out tough. I have tired putting in less corn, shaking it, etc. and no better. Unfortunately most stores in my area tell me poppers are seasonal products for Christmas. When someone offered me an old one they didn't use anymore, I jumped at it and my family is very happy with it.

This has to be the worst hot air popper on the market. The popcorn does not pop well & what does pop, comes out tough. I thought there couldn't be much difference in air poppers - WRONG! Popcorn flying all over the kitchen, machine overheated/sparking! I used the Toastmaster 3 times & threw it in the trash. I didn't want to give this to Goodwill - afraid someone might burn their house down or worse. Then bought the Presto (which I had owned previously but dropped on the ground & broke). The Presto pops so much better. Spend the extra few dollars & get a decent machine.

i too purchased this machine from target, mine says toastmaster, not chefmate though. When the popcorn popper that i grew up with died a year or so ago (im 30, by the way), i was very upset, air-popped popcorn is my favorite snack, and it got thrown in the trash before i could look up the company (in 20 some odd years, i never paid attention to the maker, though i do know they referred to it as a popcorn pumper, and had a seperate compartment where you could melt your butter, but we never used it). Not too many weeks later i came across this machine on sale at target, i snatched it up... needless to say i have only made popcorn with it about 4 or 5 times... my old machine did take about 10-15 minutes to make what this one makes in about 4, but my old machine popped nearly every single kernal, and they were big, soft, airy pieces... this machine, when it is functioning at it's best (when warmed up for 3 minutes or so), will pop the majority of the kernals, BUT they are only about half the size you expect them to be, and you run the risk of messing up your teeth if you bite down on a piece you think is fully popped but really isnt... i know we live in an age of speed, and convienance, but i'd kill to have an air-popper that worked and took a little longer than the mediocre machines they sell these days.

and all small appliances are fire risks, and few popcorn poppers these days have on/off switches, and this one does, though it is a small bonus on an otherwise inferior machine.