[khedoros1]

My parents had a pot with a top, and a crank in the handle that could be turned to stop the kernels from sticking. I suppose it's the more commercial version of what you grew up doing. It looks like they're still available for $20 or $30.

[abakker]

Those hand crank popcorn poppers can be pretty good at roasting your own coffee, if you're interested.

[jdironman]

I don't know about others, but I for one would like to learn more. Do you have any links or further info?

[mattw]

http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/stovepopmethod.php

I've been roasting coffee stovetop for about a year. Takes me about 10 minutes to roast 12 ounces, the result is great, and it only ends up costing about $1/lb more than what I used to pay for roasted beans at Costco. If you like coffee at all, I highly recommend giving it a try!

[abakker]

Yep - me too, and I've used a variety of beans from that same source to great effect. Good luck. Also, if you're in the bay area, I'll be happy to give you a demo if you need it.

[fiddlerwoaroof]

I used that for a while, eventually we switched to a hot air popper which seemed to do a better job with less fuss. Then, in December, I got a Behmor 1600+ which is really nice.

[hexane360]

And from experience, they're hands down the best option in every factor but convenience. Air poppers are basically flavorless (you need the oil), and electric auto-stirring machines are bulky and don't get hot enough.

The brand we've always had is Whirlypop.