It sounds as though you're looking for a round skillet. I have always preferred rectangular ones (so they hold more strips of bacon or slices of French toast), and for a long while the West Bend ones were the deepest (so they hold more chicken pieces when making various dishes). Unfortunately, West Bend doesn't have any rectangular skillets on their Web site now, but Amazon does have several if you search their Home and Garden section for electric skillets. Good luck, it is often difficult to replace an older, much-loved appliance with a new one.

I've often wondered why people used them to begin with? Is it to extend your cooktop space?

My ex mother in law always made sausage and potatoes in hers, for some reason... but she didn't have her stove top going at the same time. I never really understood why she didn't just use her oven or burners. Are they supposed to use less electricity?

Sorry you haven't found one like you had. I agree it is difficult to replace any kind of much loved item. Not just cooking things.

I hope you like your new one.

I use mine all the time. I like to take it outside on the patio when I'm frying something like fish or chicken so my house won't smell like fried foods for the next couple of days. Mine is oval. I also like to make pancakes in it because it holds so many~

A search on EBAY shows several Farberware skillets. I bought a gorgeous Farberware 8 qt. stockpot on EBAY,used, but in excellent shape, for far less than a cheap pot would cost (including the shipping) in the shops.
It may be worth checking out.
Pat

Here is a link that might be useful: Farberware on EBAY

Carol, I just brought my electric skillet out of hibernation. I end up putting it away and then forgetting about it. But it really does come in handy for many things. In the last two weeks I've used it to brown meatballs, make Moe pancakes, bacon and eggs, and breaded chicken breasts. Mine is an extra large (16 x 11) made by Rival.

Ann

Shaun, you've just sold me on the idea of one for the fish smell alone! Good idea. Other than that, I don't get it. I would love for someone to enlighten me.

I love my electric skillet and it's a very old one. I don't like the newer ones because it seems they don't get as hot. The reason I like them is because they are so much larger than a stove eye so they will fry much more at one time. I like doing salmon cakes and frying squash in mine. Back when I liked fish I could fry a lot in it at one time.

I bought a large round stainless one a couple of years ago and still have it. I used it only once or twice because it didn't get hot enough. I should have packed it up and sent it back.

Here is a link that might be useful: Round Electric Skillets

Thanks, Alice. I checked out Amazon, I went with the Cuisinart, it had a lot of good reviews, but then went back to check out some of the rectangle ones, also great reviews. I'm used to the round ones!

trsinc, for whatever reason, I found that the electric fry pan didn't splatter as much as frying on my stove. I had less of a mess, and I was used to the way my fry pan made the cutlets, if that makes sense. I use it for cutlets, meatballs and latkes, and it was deep and wide enough so I got through a lot of batches quickly. It's what I learned from my grandma, so that's what I use. It also has a temperature dial which made it easier for me, without using a thermometer. I always fried the cutlets around 350, today on the stove I had to play with the high, medium high and medium. I just "knew" with the electric. It's all what you're used to. I fried thirty cutlets up today on the stove for the freezer, and they still came out good. I just like the electric fry pan better :)

Beverly, those round ones are really nice, but is that the one you have that doesn't get hot enough?

Thanks for the ebay link, Pat, they have the one that I don't any more :) I chucked the whole thing, I could have sold just the lid. That was in perfect shape. I never used it!

I like that extra large one, Ann! Saving the link, just in case the Cuisinart doesn't work out. i never thought to get rectangle as I always had round, I never thought to make breakfasts in it. I will now :)

Shaun, cooking the fish outside is a good idea, but what do the neighbors say?

I never thought to make pancakes, or bacon and eggs on it. thanks, Shaun and Ann! French toast, too! This thing will probably get even more use now!

Thanks for the help!

Carol, the girls always used mine for grilled cheese sandwiches, neither of them had learned to turn the heat down under a skillet, LOL, and everything they put on the stove got cooked on high. Black sandwiches with no melty cheese in the middle, not a grilled cheese, but if they turned the dial to 350 they got a nicely toasted sandwich every time.

I always took mine when we travelled too, it was great for plugging in while in a motel room and make some quick burgers or chili, grilled cheese or pancakes. I saved money on restaurant meals that way.

I also use mine outside when it's hot so I don't heat up the kitchen and I use it as an "extra" burner when my stove burners are full.

Mine is old and I can't even read the temperature on the dial any more, I suppose I should consider replacing it.

Annie

Carol, those are not what I have. I will try to find mine tomorrow and post. I don't think any of them get hot enough any more.

With this age of the government thinking it has to protect people from themselves but not from someone else, nothing gets hot enough any more. Remember when irons would scorch? How long has it been since you scorched anything?

Beverly, the Rival's temperature goes up to 400°F which is high enough for anything that I would cook or fry in a skillet. In fact most of the time I have it set for 350°F to 375°F.

Ann

I have the same Rival as 'ann t' - I've had it for several years and I love using it. It's large enough to fry everyone's dinner at the same time, and I can do a large quantity of pancakes quickly. I find it's hot enough for everything except latkes - I like doing those on the stovetop in an old Farberware large skillet.

I had bought mine in Kohls - probably with a discount coupon.

Helene

Recently during a move, my husband bought be an electric skillet. We were in and out of Time Shares and hotels waiting for our house to be ready. I love it! I use it all the time. It heats evenly-perfectly. I use it for tons of stuff. I love sauteed spinach but it is very bulky at first. I use it for taco meat, chicken. I really like it. I had never used one before.

I found a great round ES at the Goodwill. I have been using it for 2 years to cook outside and to take to the cabin for extra cooking surface.

Like Annie, mine was used for cooking in hotels and motels. We traveled so much over the years with our Mustang teams that it was necessary to cut expenses when we could. We would cook the kids breakfast with the electric skillets then send to off to the field and we would do the cleanup. Then grilled cheese sandwiches or hamburger helper for dinner. Now we don't bother as so many hotels offer breakfast with the rooms.

We were staying at the Maui Hyatt Regency (used frequent traveler points). Imagine what the maid service thought--high-end hotel with low-end guest cooking in their room!

Lke Shaun, I cook fish on the lanai. (Neighbors--I don't think Shaun's neighbors are close enough to be impacted considering the size of her yard)

Beverly, the more accurate question would be "how long has it been since I ironed?' LOL!

My grandmother used as ES for fried chicken. She said it just did a better job than cooking it on the stove. She did make good fried chicken. My MIL left me hers, but I've never used it. I keep thinking it will come in handy for malasadas, then I talk myself out of making them.

Carol, I have the oval Cuisinart and love it. I use it mostly for fried chicken and steak. It is a good size and easy to clean up.

Hahah! Very true Cathy....

We live far enough from neighbors that I doubt they can smell anything cooking on my patio.

LOL, my neighbors would smell it, and my old neighbors would have come over for some :) We can hear the neighbor's music by their pool. Tempted to yell "Change the station" sometimes, LOL!

Renee, I googled Malasadas, don't talk yourself out of that, they look so good :)

LOL @ the Maui Regency, Cathy!

Helene, you do your latkes at higher than 350? Mine always burn!

Trixie, glad you like the Cuisinart, I'm sure I will, too, it got tons of great reviews on Amazon. Funny but the few negatives made me nervous!

gbrenna, I thought the same, the electric skillet heats pretty evenly for me, not so when I use a too big skillet on the stove!

Beverly, like Ann, I usually don't fry in the electric past 350 otherwise everything burns. Maybe your temp is off on your newer one?

Annie, it is good as an "extra" especially on the holidays. We used to use it to fry up blintzes

So hopefully they'll deliver before the holidays, I have ten pounds of latkes to make ahead and freeze!

Hi Carol!

I bring my two electric skillets out once a year, for Chanukah. One is a rectangular West Bend that was given to us as a wedding present 16 years ago:-) The other was my mother in law's, it's a Hoover. I don't know how old that one is, but it's deep and round and works great. We make potato latkes one night in them, then another night we make sweet cheese latkes. We also fry them around 350 degrees. I'd recommend either brand to you, but since I only use them once or twice a year, I don't really think my recommendation carries much weight!
DONNA

Maybe you aren't as large as I am beanthere. And I don't consider myself large. I'm afraid to dry my cotton knits in the dryer because I'm afraid they will draw up and I won't be able to wear them anymore, so I hang them, then have to iron.

The electric skillets, just like irons say they go to 400 and to hot enough for linens, but mine just don't. I have two skillets and neither of them get that hot, nor does my two irons get hot enough to scorch.

Carol, if I could have found it I was going to ask if you wanted it. It was a famous name brand like Cuisinart or something like that. I can't find it anywhere, not even in the garage or detached garage. Pray tell, how does anyone loose a large electric skillet!

Hi dishesdone,

I usually fry my latkes in the electric fry pan somewhere around the 400 degree mark - however, I find that while they get done OK, they're much crispier when I do them on the stovetop in the plain old, non-coated Farberware skillets - they seem to brown much better. I just use 2 skillets and stand over the stovetop!!

I love the electric skillet for pancakes and Chicken Marsala and Chicken Marengo, though!

Helene