*UPDATE*Sept. 2022... Still in LOVE, we still use it a LOT and the upgraded stainless steel to interior has not rusted one bit! In fact no where is rust appearing and we use the heck out of this thing. They out out a lot of steam while popping so I really did expect riding somewhere as so many reviews claimed. The switch from galvanized to stainless I'm certain was the difference. If I remember later I'll post a pic of it in all her current glory! Best splurge purchase we've made in years! I'm going to review because it is an awesome popper BUT... the reports of damage on delivery are true. I"ll re-review in a few months after the replacement arrives and I have had many hours using it. So that said...PROS: It makes ***AMAZING*** popcorn! We used cheap Walmart pop corn and generic refined coconut oil and were mind blown on the FIRST use! It's relatively easy, I followed no instructions, because I cook and no hjow I want things so away I went with my own popping recipe. It was SOOO good. Easy to use overall, set up not bad at all. I did it alone, all 107 punds of me, unpacked and set it up. It takes some attention while popping so you stop the heat before burning but that's really it. I do recommend preheating, it just works better. IF you aren't handy in a kitchen find recipes, many in these reviews. The oils and pre packaged popcorns weren't on my list since we have 2 with salt restrictions and myself with cholesterol restrictions plus they are pricey especially for a household like ours that can kill some popcorn! The rust everyone speaks of is easy to avoid, wipe it down after use, and give it a good coat of olive or coconut oil periodically. It would benefit to have built in top vents to avoid this with maybe a small vent fan. Being a home product, lighter metals are used and rust will naturally occur. I just dry it after its cooled a little with a paper towel and leave the doors cracked while cooking, steam just poor's out and up(keep little away if you crack the doors, only one piece has come out on me but it does happen plus they can pull the door and have a horrible accident), and am doing the oil application, really a no brainer to avoid the issue. Or you can go buy a heavy duty much higher priced commercial unit made of all stainless. I'll take this one all day and will re review my findings on this issue in about a year. It does also have a 5 year warranty which leads me to the CONS: It arrived in rough shape. The damage reviews are accurate, I did a lot of research before this purchase for a month. Damage was the biggest problem. I agree with the others, it isn't a shipping issue, the metal is thin to be lighter weight for homes and it is handled very poorly in the manufacturing and packing process. It is VERY clear that that is what is occurring. My box was banged up but none of the internal packaging was shifted or damaged AT ALL, it was VERY tightly packages with NO wiggle room. I immediately called the company who said they would issue a discount if I wanted to keep it, and a new door because one of our doors had a flaw in the metal hinge pin that disallowed it to set in place AT ALL! For 200 dollars I want it to look BRAND NEW! I don't live in elegance but that kind of price dictates appearance with the functionality until my family inevitably damages it somehow! Besides the door it had a large dent in the front and a long scratch and dent on the top, tiny paint chip off the side and the bottom brace were the tray slides in was VERY bent so I had to pull it down with heavy force to insert the tray. Again I expect a light metal to damage easily, but NOT before I even get it home! I called DTX (10 times before answering my call) the company that runs Great Northern I assume and was told they would replace or discount whichever I preferred and that the door would be replaced if I took the damage discount. She was VERY pleasant and understanding as well as very helpful. Please send email with pics, so I did! That's when I started getting angry. The night it was delivered after I sent pics on the 21st of March I started calling them. No answer, closed on the weekend, today is Tuesday and I JUST got them after trying literally again ALL day. 3 messages left, called repeatedly all day today, probably 30 calls in two days alone! Mind you I put my number and home address in the email so they could also contact me back. I left only 3 messages because my nice and patience was wearing thin! I finally got through at 5#0 tonight to be told oh I have your email right here, and I'm not sure why she said she could discount it, all we can do is send parts because it was sold and delivered by Amazon, you paid Amazon so any returns or refund has to come from them! She could send me the hinge for the door but also said she had no stocked parts available for this unit currently! She was VERY nice and apologetic which I believe was true but as I told her, one person is not enough to field the volume of calls and that was just the start of my frustration. I LOOOOOOVE the maker, the first girl said to go ahead and use it, we did and are addicted but I felt like I was in a catch 22 between Amazon and them. I called Amazon, who was as always fast to process return with no proof of issues but now I have to REPACK THAT BIG THING which is what I didn't want to do, we all know nothing EVER goes back the way it was when it came to you! So that said, I recommend this at the moment based on two uses, we LOVE it and I can't say that enough. But be prepared to do the same as myself and many others and have it replaced, go directly to Amazon to do so, CALL don't do the in app exchange return, and enjoy your popcorn and the fun that comes with using this bad boy, because it is the best I have ever had, at home or anywhere! I'll update this and add more as needed over the next maybe year or so. I have let the company know that I am not happy with the inability to get a call answered, a message returned and or an email correspondence they requested returned and that they need to revamp their manufacture floor and handling procedure so the one girl answering phones will be far less busy processing complaints and far more busy selling more items, I will be writing them a letter as well, it's a great product that they abuse before it ever ships and that's beyond a shame! UPDATE...New one arrived yesterday April 2, which was fast since it wasn't supposed to be here until the 9th. All set up, NO damage, it almost looked like it had been unpacked and examine before shopping. One door was iffy but it did go on, they have lumps of metal that hinder them, these two have it as well bit did go in the hinge with a bit of aligning. I'll repost update about every 3 months as we continue to use. I haven't tested this one yet. Oh...nice update almost forgot...I'm not sire if they heard the complaints and are changing the new machines BUT the inside top on my irst one was galvanized, hence unable to resist rust for long with out oiling it often, it does steak a lot during popping, the new one I just received 8s stainless steel inside top! Higher quality than the inside bottom price, not super high quality as it's thin but it is stainless steel. I did oil it anyways being thin, but it should help resist rust a bit longer than the galvanized steel. I'll keep udates as I use it.
