With all the chemicals and unhealthy oils in prepackaged microwave popcorn, I was looking for an option for making our own healthier version and I think this Nordic Ware Popper fits the bill quite well, at a very reasonable price. I wanted to be able to use healthy oils, such as coconut or ghee, and add my own seasonings or salt and I liked that you could add these before popping, if desired. I chose this style over the collapsible silicone versions, as other silicone items I have tend to be hard to clean, especially if using oils that solidify. This one washes up very easily, and can be put in the dishwasher. It has taken a bit of trial and error to get the knack of achieving a perfect batch, and we did have quite a few no-pops and some scorches in the learning curve, but it is worth the trouble to find the right timing, technique, popcorn type, etc., for your own situation. When you get it right, you have delicious, crisp, healthy popcorn to suit your own tastes at a fraction of the cost of the unhealthy bags. I have experimented with adding 1-2 tablespoons of oil, along with Flavacol theatre-style popcorn seasoning before cooking. I have had better results preheating the oil and seasonings (along with the bowl) first, adding 1/3 C popcorn and swirling in the hot oil in the bowl, then cooking on highest level for a little more than 4 minutes. I did find that using oil tends to splatter the walls of the microwave due to the ventilation slots on the sides of the lid. This is easily remedied by draping an open napkin or paper towel kitty-corner over the lid while popping. So far, the popper and lid show little signs of use, no warping of the lid or discoloration yet, so I am hopeful that this popper will perform well over the long haul.