Re: Home Fryolator Recommendation

[firefighterjake]

First off . . . I know, I know . . . eating lots of deep fat fried food is not healthy . . . which is why I typically only make fried sweet potato chips maybe once . . . possibly twice . . . in a month.

However, while I love slicing a sweet potato into thin wafers and frying them up in my cast iron frying pan, my wife does not appreciate the grease laden vapors in the air . . . or the odor.

As such, she has asked me to think about buying a lidded home-use fryolator . . . I'm hoping to not spend more than $50-$60 (which means the new-fangled air fryers are probably out of contention.)

Other than the price I am mainly looking for simplicity, reliability and the ability to not tick off my wife (not that she is ticked off, it's just that she typically wanders upstairs due to the grease vapors) . . .

Any recommendations?

 

[sportbikerider78]

Just a thought...when I occasionaly do really dirty frying, I use a propane stove and just do it outside. Works for me.

 

[semipro]

Maybe you need a better vent hood?

I'm wondering if a countertop convection oven would do what you want. We used to have one like what's shown below and it would "fry" anything we coated with oil. Its not the same as frying in an oil bath though.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Tayama-1...3mu690so-nGFX80J8fECRdiFwp2lltvEyuhoCI3Hw_wcB

 

[Highbeam]

I'm with your wife. All frying, even bacon, gets done outside. I have a deep fat fryer that I use outside and it works great. They're cheap and simple. I do not save and reuse oil so it's kind of expensive but the real work is cleaning. Due to cleaning effort and oil cost we might go on a fry binge one weekend every 6 weeks or so.

We don't eat seafood so doughnuts first in clean oil, then fries, then chicken strips. We've tried zucchini too.

Don't get a huge fryer or you'll buy lots of oil. Too small and by the time you've fried enough for a meal the first food is cold. You end up eating while frying.

 

[Jags]

As high beam said, pay attention to the minimum amount required to operate the unit, especially for a two person dinner. Get one with fully adjustable temps WITH TEMP NUMBERS, not low, med, hi. Red and green "heating or ready" lights are a nice feature, also. And to meet the objective of less oil smell pay attention to the filter on the unit. Make sure it is easily disassembled and washable. I still use mine outside or in the garage when cold. I am also not a fan of the fried food smell that lingers.

 

[Jazzberry]

We threw our electric fryer in the trash after watching a cooking show that showed us how bad most electric cookers work. We got a cast iron dutch oven with a cooking thermometer and it works much better.

 

[Highbeam]

As high beam said, pay attention to the minimum amount required to operate the unit, especially for a two person dinner. Get one with fully adjustable temps WITH TEMP NUMBERS, not low, med, hi. Red and green "heating or ready" lights are a nice feature, also. And to meet the objective of less oil smell pay attention to the filter on the unit. Make sure it is easily disassembled and washable. I still use mine outside or in the garage when cold. I am also not a fan of the fried food smell that lingers.

Our fryer has no filter, just a heating element and thermostat bulb in a tank of oil.

 

[Jags]

Our fryer has no filter, just a heating element and thermostat bulb in a tank of oil.

The lid of mine has a filter on it for the released steam. An easily removeable pad that is dishwasher safe.

 

[Highbeam]

Weird. Just a louvered lid on mine from target/walmart wherever. Basically China.

Speaking of oil. I'm enjoying a cup of coffee plus 2 tablespoons of coconut oil right now. Yummy.

 

[firefighterjake]

The lid of mine has a filter on it for the released steam. An easily removeable pad that is dishwasher safe.

If you used this inside would it still smell up the place?

Also . . . make and model . . . assuming you like it.

 

[Jags]

If you used this inside would it still smell up the place?

Also . . . make and model . . . assuming you like it.

It would still smell, but not nearly as bad. I would love to tell you make and model, but I keep it at the cabin for frying fish. It 90 miles away right now. I do like it, but it is one of the first home units to come out (quite a few years ago), I doubt the same model is even available, but I suspect there are better units out there now, as well. Let me take a quick look to see if I can find what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085ITAT6/?tag=hearthamazon-20
This is a comparable unit to what I have (mine is NOT a T-Fal if I remember correctly), but it has the features. Fully adjustable thermo, ready light, filter (you can see it ahead of the handle), etc. And the heating element is fully removeable for easy cleaning.

 

[AllenWalker]

I am planning to buy a new, can anyone recommend me some trustworthy brands for that.

 

[Highbeam]

I am planning to buy a new, can anyone recommend me some trustworthy brands for that.

These things are so simple. All made in the same China sweat shop so just shop for size at your favorite big box. You won't use it often. They are cheap and fun.