MY FAMILY HAS USED A STIR CRAZY FOR YEARS, WE'RE ON OUR 4th ONE .... NOT THAT THEY'RE PRONE TO STOP WORKING , THEY'RE QUALITY MACHINES !! WE USE OURS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK --- MOVIE NITE !! THIS YEAR , I BOUGHT THE 8 QUART VERSION ---- LOTS OF POPCORN FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE ! USES THE SAME AMOUNT OF OIL TOO . THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 6 QT. & THE 8 QT. IS THE SIZE OF THE CLEAR BOWL/LID !! THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME WATTAGE, etc,etc.... ! WE LIKE THE YIELD OF POPCORN THAT YELLOW CORN OFFERS vs WHITE ... WE ALSO HAVE FOUND " REESE GOURMET POPCORN OIL " TO OUR LIKING AND OUR MOVIEGOERS . JOLLY TIME POPCORN IS USED. BEST RESULTS FOR STORING POPCORN --- A COOL,DRY PLACE -- IN A PLASTIC , GLASS { preferred } AIR-TIGHT CONTAINER . OFF - BRANDS OF POPCORN YIELD LESS/MORE OLD MAIDS .... HAS TIME AND AGAIN PROVEN THIS OUT, DESPITE BEING STORED PROPERLY.OK, A NOTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE A STIR-CRAZY THAT DOES NO LONGER HEAT/WORK ..... CHANCES ARE THE HEATING ELEMENT IN THE BASE, HAS A BROKEN WIRE ----- THIS WIRE, BEING THIN , IS THE ONLY REAL DOWN-SIDE TO THESE MACHINES. MATTER OF FACT, IF I HAD KNOWN THIS, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FIXED OUR ORIGINAL STIR-CRAZY !! ALTHOUGH THE TEFLON COATING DOES WEAR TO AN EXTENT , IT'S THE FAILURE TO HEAT-UP THAT CAUSED ME TO THROW AWAY SAID UNIT[s].THE STIRRING ACTION WORKED JUST FINE !! IF YOU WISH TO REPAIR THIS UNIT YOURSELF , IT'S REALLY VERY EASY IF YOUR ADEPT AND LIKE TO UN-SCREW THINGS .... AND, YOU COULD SAVE SOME MONEY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING,RIGHT?! ANOTHER BONUS IS YOU CAN CLEAN ANY BUILD-UP OF OIL EASILY, ONCE THE UNIT IS TAKEN APART .... OUR STIR-CRAZY NO. 4 STOPPED HEATING ONE NIGHT , AFTER A TWO YEAR RUN . CURIOUS, I TOOK THE UNIT APART THE NEXT DAY --- REMEMBERING HOW THINGS WERE IN PLACE, BEFORE DISASSEMBLY. PICTURES TAKEN OF THE PROCESS WOULD HELP YOU, IF SO INCLINED ... SO, ONCE ITS APART , AND THAT THIN WIRE IS TELLING YOU I'M THE CULPRIT !! AHAA !! BROKEN HEATING ELEMENT WIRE !! THAT COILED WIRE HAS A BREAK -- IN MY CASE, IT WAS BROKEN AT THE POST W/NUT. SIMPLY, UNSREWED THE NUT, REMOVED UNATTACHED WIRE ON POST --- GENTLY PULLED WIRE TOWARD POST TO RE-ATTACH , PUT BACK NUT ON POST , TIGHTEN CAREFULLY, CHECK COILED WIRE FOR OTHER BREAKS , PUT UNIT BACK TOGETHER,CAREFULLY RE-ATTACHING ALL WIRES ---- DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN !! ONCE TOGETHER, TEST-UNIT FOR PROPER OPERATION ---- PLUG IT IN -- CHECK FOR HEAT ..... IT SHOULD HEAT QUICKLY !! VOILA !! A JOB WELL DONE !! NOW YOUR READY TO MAKE A BATCH TO REWARD YOURSELF .... JUST REMEMBER, THE SMELL OF POPCORN WILL INVITE ALL IN THE HOUSE TO SAVOR & ENJOY YOUR SUCCESS TOO !! GO AHEAD ---- SHARE !!!! MAY YOUR POPPER CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU WELL .... MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU !!