Not heating i have had one of these popcorn poppers since may 2007. it has worked GREAT until just a few days ago. it seems there is no heat in the kettle.what do i need to do to fix this problem? where do you need to go to get parts if needed?thank you clifford poplin

It is helpful to know brand and model regarding a query. The popcorn popper probably has a thermal switch to prevent overheating which may happen if the popper is over full. It is a cut off. And you generally have to wait about 15 minutes or a bit more for the unit to cool down so it works again.

If it heats up, your popcorn may be old and dried out. If it doesn't heat up and the stirring rod does not turn, check your power cord for defects. Procedure: plug in the popper (check both ends of the cord!), turn it on, and gently wiggle the cord right at the plug or where it goes into the popper, and watch the stirring rod to see if it moves. If it starts and stops as you wiggle the cord, you've found the break in the cord. Repair it or replace it (West Bend lists it online for $5) and be more careful with the cord in the future (never unplug by yanking on the wire, always pull on the plug itself).

If the stirring rod turns and there is no heat, the thermostat or thermal fuse is probably open. This can happen in some poppers if the air vents are blocked on the bottom. Remove the obstruction from the vents, let everything cool off, and try again. If it does not heat up from a cold start, there may be a blown thermal fuse inside. If you decide to replace the thermal fuse or thermostat, it MUST have the same temperature and current rating as the original.

the heat coil shorted the fuse blew; throw it away

Popcorn needs 400F to pop, if you machine is not hot enough it will not pop popcorn.
You did not include very much information to help fix it, but if it is a home use popper, you cannot repair anything on them.
A true commercial popper you can replace thermostats, and fix the problem.

West Bend took over this company and no longer provides plastic window replacements. I fixed mine by super gluing the window and attaching a small strip of wood on top of the 2 plastic window pieces with small bolts (super glue pieces so wood can be properly attached because glue alone will not hold up to the heat). Not attractive but it works. (West Bend rep told me windows break because of high heat, but I only used mine over medium heat; I think they break at the spot where the raised lid hits the gear mechanism holder.)

Is the heater heating? Please check it ... Plug it into the outlet ... and put your hand GENTLY on the burner to see if it heats up. Of course, if it gets hot ... remove your hand.

I suspect the heater is not functioning 'pop'erly ...


Thanks for your interest in FixYa.com

First, if you have another cord like this one (for example, a coffee pot cord) plug it into the popper and see if it works.

If it's not the cord, it's probably a blown thermal fuse inside the unit. Could be a heating element broken as well. If you don't have appliance repair experience, I would take it to a repair shop.

Align the tabs on the plate with the rectangular indentations on the base.
Squeeze tabs, set plate on base and release. This should lock the two pieces together.

heat mechanism is broken

Remember the strirring rod connects to the motor, but the heating element connects via the two prongs in the rear, so the motor can run without the heating element turned on (turn on the base without the plate on...the motor runs fine). Try reattaching the plate...it needs a good connection to the connectors in the back. It should heat up pretty quickly. Also, if you put the heating pad in the dishwasher, make sure it is dry and that the contacts aren't tarnished.

I'm certain over time the contacts will get loose and the popper will stop working, but our is going fine after a year.

Also, be careful not to drop the base...lots of cheap, hard plastic that will break and rattle around.