I have a deep fat fryer..if I were doing alot of frying. (like you possibly in your new endeavor) I'd spend the money on the fryer..Occasionally I'll do a sauce pot with a bit of Peanut oil in it..but usually it's the fryer...
I don't even know what mine is.. It's white..and had filters on the top...long gone now....LOL I've had it for atleast 5 years and still heats well..only problem..the temp light no longer works..

I wouldn't spend a lot on a fryer. Get the size you like...even the 29.00 ones at Wally world work really good.

Better than having that open pot of hot oil for sure.

Duane

I have Hamilton Beach 3 liter jobby, it was a gift from my best girl. I had a small one but I didn't like it, the small ones take too long for the heat to recover when you slide food into them, the longer cook time means things get greasy. No such trouble with the larger one I have now.

The major drawback to it is the footprint, it is BIG, on the counter and in the cabinet.

aug

Here is a link that might be useful: Hamilton Beach

Here's my long opinion on the matter...

Basically, the art of frying is about getting oil up to a specific temperature range, dropping food in and getting the oil back up to a reasonable temp as quickly as possible to prevent soggy, grease soaked food.

I've used home style deep fryers and have a couple opinions pro and con. The "pros" are actually cons ultimately in my experience for the most part.

Pro-
1. Most have a relatively small amount of oil and a basket that fits into a well, allowing maximum basket coverage in the amount of oil used

2. It has a dial or digital readout that allows you to set it rather than watch it

Con-
1. If a large amount of frying is required, most of the units are too small to accomodate except for multiple drops.
2. The electric elements are not all that efficient. When the cold food goes in, the instant temperature drop can take a very long time to come back up. Some obviously are better than others. You'll need to read reviews for that one.
3. Built in temperature dials are not all that accurate and unless it's digital, you have no way of measuring actual temperatures unless you use a thermometer anyway.
4. A real nuisance to clean. You've got the oil container, the housing, the electrical element.

My recommendation:
I prefer to use a pot on the stove and thermometers. This is nice because I can match the pan size to the job. You need to figure a way to hold the thermometer into the oil without touching the bottom; some come with clips or you can make a contraption with foil. I don't actually use this method anymore as I instead prefer the quick response time of a quick read thermometer. I can get accurate readings in a second and set the thing down. I also have a gas stove so recovery of heat is very fast. If you have an electric stove it will be slower but on the large burner, probably close to the speed of a portable fryer. Drop food in with a tong and pull it out with a wok style strainer.

The potential danger of the stove top method is the possibility of spills on an open flame and forgetting to pay VERY close attention to temperature. Anything 400 and above becomes a danger and at 400 degrees heat increases mighty fast. If you are an organized, not easily frazzeled type of cook this can be a very simple process. If you are easily distracted, I would stick to a portable unit and live with the cons. You just can't forgoet to monitor and adjust the heat.

If you fry often, very often, or will continue the project tommorrow or the next day, reuse the oil. Best results are had when you use a proper paper oil filter in a strainer to filter out particles of food. Don't filter hot oil into a plastic contaoiner by the way. Filter into a pan and transfer when completly cool. Cooked oil goes rancid, filtering adds a little time to it but you wouldn't want to save it for weeks

Cleaning is as easy as cleaning a pan.

Frying can be a blast; it's always exciting; can be amazingly delicious, but can also be awful (oil temp is crucial. It's obvious that fried foods aren't a good idea every day and working with hot oil can be dangerous

I do most of my deep fat frying in a wok, and you probably already have one. Mine has a rack that sits on the side for food to drain without getting cold. I use it for egg rolls, empanadas, hush puppies, tempura, fish, shrimp, {{gwi:1478735}}, falafel, etc. I always use grape seed oil for deep frying, as it has the least flavor and a high smoke point. I buy it by the gallon. I save the left over oil and use it when I make popcorn.

Lars

Eileen, as you know I'm not afraid of frying. I've had an electric fryer but got rid of it a few years ago. I much prefer a cast iron pot on top of the stove with a thermometer.

As Michael mentions you do have to be very careful. Especially when you are adding the food to the hot oil. I actually move the pot off the stove and sit it on a cookie sheet just to be on the safe side. That way if it does bubble up and over it isn't anywhere near the burner and the cookie sheet will catch any overflow. I have never had that happen, but better safe than sorry. I reuse oil that I have fried potatoes in, but I never save oil that I cooked meat in.

Ann

Ha! Your subject line made me chuckle.

I've always wanted a Fry Baby. Never got one. But one day I will.

I loved my little Fry Daddy for things like ravioli and French fries and mozzarella sticks. Cheap, didn't take up much storage space, very low-tech but totally functional. But it, ummm, followed one of my kids home... When I went to replace it, they were out of stock. Well, I had company coming and really needed one right then since fried shrimp was on the menu. So, like a dummy, I got talked into another kind that turned out to be such a total pain to clean that I used it twice and then found it a new home also. Sorry I can't remember the brand, but beware of any deep fryer that's white plastic. (That should have been the tip-off, right? A reaaal dumb decision!)

I'd recommend you buy a metal one. The plastic base felt greasy even after hard scrubbing, and I can't imagine that the plastic would hold up well over the long haul. Also, choose the smallest size that's practical for your intended use. Besides hogging storage space, a larger one will require a lot more oil to fill it to the specified depth. Since you can only recycle it a couple of times, that will make it much more expensive to use. (Of course, if you plan to make the cannoli on a large scale, the time saved by doing bigger batches might offset that.) I would say the two main things you want to check out, though, are how old oil is disposed of and what's involved in cleaning it. The
White Plastic Monster was bulky, and *nothing* lifted out. That meant you had to pick up the whole darn thing and tilt to pour out used oil. Very, very messy. And then you had to clean it without getting the heating element wet.

Now that I've confessed to my stupidity, I feel like a total idiot all over again. But learn from my mistake, barnmom. :)

We had a Fry Baby that I used to store in an un-heated garage with the oil (strained, of course) in it. It had a plastic lid. Last spring I took it off the shelf and noticed a small hole in the middle of the top.

Inside there were three drowned mice. I didn't bother frying them because I figured they were too old. Needless to say, I through the whole thing in the trash. UCK!

I now just fry stuff on the stove either in the wok or in a pot (and I don't store the oil in the garage.)

I loved my Fry Daddy until it wouldn't heat anymore. Basically an electric kettle....which you could also get...like a Presto....which is like an open kettle but with a lid and temp control. Those are very cheap and do a great job...if you don't want to bother with a plastic unit.

It doesn't have the filter but that really isn't a big deal.

That way you don't have to really bother with a thermometer. I know what Michael is saying, but you sound like you won't use yours very often and for a specific purpose.

Good luck!

Duane

I'm more afraid of getting grease all over my nice cabinets than I am of the actual frying so I try to do heavy duty frying outside when possible.

I also have a Fry Daddy - I keep it in the garage. If you get a kitty that lives nights in the garage, you don't get mice. :-)

DonnaR/CA

I've never understood the fear of frying. The smell is not there with good venilation and a few candle I currently have a waring model....okay for dinner for six or so...more if you want to hold some things in the oven. For big parties or gatherings we use one or more of those big turkey fryers. Like others have mentioned, maintaining and temp recovery are important. I gave one to one of my sisters for Christmas this year. It was from BB&B, most of it could be put in the DW after use. Sorry, can't remeber the brand name. It was in your price range and the one it replaced was at least six years old...she cooks for three if that matters.

I remeber your cannoli....I'll fry the dang shells if you will share the final product!!

David

DH had been wanting a fryer for ages for onion rings and malasadas (not at the same time), so when Aldi's had a house brnad one that looked exactly like ont we'd see at twice the price at Target, we indulged. I thing we've used it...oh...maybe a half dozentimes. We just don't eat that much fried food. But I think we paid a whopping $25 for it.

It has all the cons Michael noted except I don't find it that much of a hassle to clean.

I was a fry cook as on of my "starving teacher" jobs, so I'm perfectly comfrotable with a cast iron pot on the stove, but I can completely understand your trepidation. Fryers are one of those items that frequesntly show up at thrift stores because they are so bulky and seldom used. I'd check there first.

Whichever you decide to do, remember that the oil must be up to temp before cooking the next batch of shells or you'll end up with a greasy, chewy, unappetizing product. It's easy to get impatient with the home fryers because the recover time is so slow.

I didn't bother frying them because I figured they were too old

rofl carmen!!!!!!!

barnmom, I share your fear. I actually made onion rings and chicken fingers a couple months back. First time for me. They were awful. I wish this thread had been here then...

Stacy

I have a small, maybe 3 qt electric pot. It's metal, with a nonstick interior & a basket & can be used for a number of things. I use it solely for frying and it gets brought out once, maybe twice a year. It's a lifesaver on Christmas Eve, you can only fry things in batches that are easy to handle so there's no temptation for things to get out of control and it keeps a pretty even temp when frying. Unfortunately it doesn't have a nice cover like the purpose built fryers do, just a glass lid. things can get messy.

For things like struffoli, cannoli shells & fritters I use the popular large pot on top of the stove. I need to remember to keep an eye out at fleamarkets for a big, old cast iron chicken fryer but meanwhile I use an 8qt LeCreuset.

I've never had a problem with the pot of oil on the stove but my hood is powerful enough to suck the cat in. I keep meaning to get one of those splatter shields but in the meantime I just wipe everything up when I'm done.

Nina

When we were in our temporary kitchen I bought a Fry Daddy, similar to the Fry Baby but larger. I think it was about $25 but I had a hard time finding one and had to call around.

The only thing I don't like about deep frying is the smell which lingers in my kitchen a few days. Now that we have our patio done, starting this summer I will deep fry outside. I had an exterior outlet installed just for my Fry Daddy and near the kitchen door.

Michelle

I've never had a problem with the pot of oil on the stove but my hood is powerful enough to suck the cat in.

Now there's a visual to contemplate! LOL!

Carmen, thanks for that post..we have a rat in the garage..I've heard it three time in the last week and oldest son saw it..I have 3 jugs of used strained peanut oil from Thanksgiving..better make sure there are no..naw marks on it..I'm waiting for my "pest" guy friend to drop off the "good" bait.
And funny he's told hubby that the best rat bait is a big male grey tiger. LOL Hubby hates cats..although one day he did ask me if we could make a cat live under the house. I said, no, we'd have to let it out!

oh and Eileen, my fryer is a DeLongi easy pour something or other.

Here is a link that might be useful: Upgrade fancy model..and FILTERS..LOL Might have to order those..

I've been meaning to get back to this thread but couldn't find it! I have been looking at fryers. I didn't care for anything at Target. They all seemed clunky to use. I'm going to check Walmart. They had one I liked online but are out of stock and don't carry it in the store close to me.

Steelmagnolia�"I think they had the big white monster at Target!

I appreciate everyone's advice. I think for me, being able to regulate the temp with a dial and time with a timer is good for this distracted multi-tasker. The kids used to joke that I used the smoke detector as my cooking timer. When I used to broil, it wasn't far from the truth.

I just bought and used a Presto multi-pot for deep fryer. Worked very well -- big, but not too big (some of them use wayyyy tooo much oil $$$$).

I just wish it came with a lid so I could store the oil in it.

sit fryi- that's what mine is! A 14 YO presto multi pot. I finally remembered to take a look at it this weekend. It's the 6 qt size & has a basket for frying. Mine came with a glass lid ala pyrex. Maybe you can find a pyrex lid that will fit for storing oil in the pot?

Carmen- your post reminded me...if my husband drained the brakes on his motorcycles & left the fluid lying out all winter he'd usually find "preserved" rodents in the cups
come spring.

I've heard suspicious scuttering sounds coming from the attic & just don't have the heart to toss the cat up there. Maybe a few deep bowls of peanut oil will do the trick?

Beanthere- It's a very powerful hood & she's a very small cat.

Nina

Eileen: Lots of good advice here. I had a deep fryer for a short time.
But for the small amount of frying I did, it wasn't worth
using all that oil.
It would sit for a while, then I had to get rid of it.
Because it sat too long at times.

I do like Lars, only I use a large Cast Iron Round Sided Skillet.
In fact, it was my Grandmother's. She didn't have a deep fryer either.

As for Canolli Shells, I'll use Pizzelles. Then I can eat all that break.

Carmen:
Your mouse story reminds me of when I was building my house.
I had an Assessory Building set up for Cooking, napping,
and hunting.
I came back up; one time, and I saw a hole in the cooking oil bottle cap.
I forgot to put it away, in the metal cabinet.
There were 5 mice in the bottle. Great mouse trap !!! Non toxic to Pets.

I didn't cook them either. They were there too long.

Nina:
Use a small glass soda bottle, with 2 tablespoons of Corn Oil.Works great!!!
I have something for you but I need your email address.

LOU

Lou- I sent you an email.

I like the soda bottle idea! This will also help to determine the size of what's making noises in the attic. If it's mice they'll be stuck inside of the bottle. If we find the bottles drained empty & the caps unscrewed we'll know that it's something bigger.

Nina

I don't really have a fear of frying but it's just too much a pita for me, and All That Oil, to strain, store, dispose of..... How DO you dispose of your used oil???

I did a lot of frying back in my youth (20s) in England where every kitchen had a chip pan on the stove for almost daily chips (french fries). Once when then-dh and I were talking to a neighbor at the kitchen door, we did end up with an oil fire. XH burned his hand because he didn't put the lid on ASAP before moving it.

We have a good exhaust and I usually have a candle burning in the kitchen but again...I'm just too lazy for this. I didn't know FryDaddys are history though. Workmate and I once thought about sharing one.