I think those things are so awful to clean. I had one, but got rid of it because deep frying using a heavy pot is not that hard to get the hang of, and cleaning is so much less hassle.

Have you tried Dawn or another grease cutter? Also, are you the only one who gets the pleasure of cleaning it?

I haven't used a deep fryer for several years, and only used it back then for home-made onion rings & apple/banana fritters. Changed the oil between those two different items, but never spent ANY time cleaning it inside---just wiped it down with a paper towel. Seemed a waste of time for starters. Figured that the bubbling temp of 450 would more than kill all possible "germs". And never was concerned about outsiders judging me on my housekeeping. If you want it to always look "pristine", I think you'll always have a problem.

Unfortunately the absolute best cleaner is not available now, however you can find it online sometimes but there's a different version. It's dawn power dissolver in the blue bottle. Spray it on leave it set for a while then wash the grease comes right off. Also decent is greased lightening spray. Greased lightning

Dawn power dissolver

I am the one who gets the pleasure......I soaked the top in pure vinegar. i guess the real answer is to buy a new one every so often. My kid would take the one I think is gross with him. The inside is clean I swear. ....Our family knows it is clean but company might be like ...what the heck

mimipadv , I live in a Civil War era house so our ventiation is opening a window

I've never had a deep fryer. What do you like to use it for?

Snidely...I use mine for tempura shrimp, mushrooms & onion rings. I can set the temp and it keeps it constant without me having to adjust it.

Mine is easy to clean. I have the self filtering one. When the oil cools, it pours automatically into a storage bin under it. I pull it out and store that in the fridge. I put the lid, basket and "bucket" into the dishwasher. The outside I've use an SOS pad to scour. It doesn't scratch it up and gets all the built up grease off.T-Fal deep fryer

debby_ab maybe I need to get a new one!

Snidley....we do fish, homemade fried mozzarella and that sort of stuff. Fish nuggets sometimes. Fried oysters and clams. Not healthy but darned good.

Put it on top of the washing machine when company comes. Problem solved.

LOL. Georgysmom. I should do that! I am the kind of person who uses a toothbrush to clean my toaster....I need to lighten up a bit. The outside doesn't touch the food anyway.

I have the same problem with the toaster oven. I hardly ever use it but DH uses it all the time. He never cleans it after he uses it to cook something in and then he uses it again and the grease spatter from the last time cooks on and I can spend hours and not get it looking good. I know it's clean but it looks awful. Whenever company came I would just unplug it, put it on top of the washing machine and close the doors to the machines. When I redid my kitchen 10 years ago, I had a cubby built for the toaster so I could close the doors and hide it. Problem is, the new good toaster ovens are too big to fit in my cubby so I'm stuck buying the cheap Black and Decker....good news is, they're so cheap when it gets really crummy looking I can just toss it and buy new! LOL

I don't use one of the new fangled fryers. I just use an older Presto Fry Daddy. It's black and just the right size for the two of us. I just take a scrungie pad to it if it gets a build up or even a gentle scrubbing with an SOS pad.

I can't imagine putting away an appliance for fear of what guests will think of my housekeeping habits. I cook. I use my range and my appliances. It's a kitchen, not a showroom.

I discovered the magic of baking soda to clean greasy messes. It is a bit abrasive, but does an awesome job without a ton of elbow grease and it's safe to rinse down the sink.

I am not saying that other cleaners aren't also safe, but we lived with a beloved dog with neuro issues and cleaner fumes caused him to have seizures, so I always looked for alternatives :-)

I have one. I clean it with a soap pad every time I use it. Don't let grease build up on it. Scrub it good and then clean it really well each time you use it.

watchme.......we're talking about a clean appliance that really doesn't look so good. I cook and use all my appliances, too, but a stained fryer or toaster oven, no matter how clean it is, just doesn't look that great.

Georgysmom- Exactly! The appliance IS clean, it just doesn't look good from wear and tear. My point is so what. What kind of guests (friends?) do people have that they would fear being judged because they have an appliance that actually looks like it gets used? I don't understand the need to hide it when guests come if it is normally out. Don't sweat the small stuff.

I bought this one from Amazon. It works amazing, it is cheap, and it is DISHWASHER SAFE!!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-Options-Electric-Multi-Cooker-Steamer/dp/B00005OTXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460657522&sr=8-1&keywords=presto+deep+fryer

I have that exact same one above the multi cooker, it does much more than fry and the whole thing can go in the dishwasher. Only the plug part can't get wet and it completely detaches. I think I got it at Walmart a few years ago.

I have a multicooker too, a Fago, even though I've only used it a couple of times, I think it will be worth the space it takes up in the pantry over time.

Our deep fryer was huge and I only used it a couple of times. Deep frying isn't a healthy way to cook so after my DH got sick, I tossed it out. I've never missed it.