Presto 05420 FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer

Presto 05420 FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer

It Does The Job!
I've had one of these little fryer appliances since they first became popular in the seventies. The current model is the second one I've had, being larger than the original model that came out.

For someone not needing to fry enormous amounts at one time, this little machine is ideal. It requires only a very small amount of vegetable oil. I've used it to fry chicken wings, quickly, to do french fries and onion rings, to do other smaller chicken parts, and it works beautifully. There is no thermostat; you just plug it in, wait 10 minutes, and the temp is 375. Having such a small amount of grease, it recovers heat more quickly than an electric skillet.

When you are through, if you plan to reuse the grease you can simply let the machine cool, snap the plastic top on, the put the whole thing in the fridge. I don't fry that often, and when I do, I tend to fry a lot, so usually I just discard the oil. Such a small amount is used (usually no more than 3 cups starting out) that I...

The Pros and Cons
After spending more money on 2 faulty deep fryers (Rival is hit-or-miss for quality), I've finally settled on this little beauty.

Pros:
1.) Cheap and simple, a very compact and minimalist package overall. It is nothing more than a steel bucket with a heating element underneath.

2.) Fries at 350 degrees, 25 short of "ideal" but safe for cooking with lard and lower smoke point oil. Try lard if you never have, you can still get it in supermarkets.

3.) Milled steel bucket, cast aluminum base. Inside has a permanent synthetic non-stick surface. Clean up and changing oil is simple.

Cons:
1.) This fryer isn't for families with young children or dumb people. Hot oil is always dangerous to work around and this unit is a STEEL BUCKET FULL OF OIL. The outside is hot. The inside is hot. It's hot.

2.) Doesn't have a lid to stop the occasional spatter.

3.) The bottom and healing element are shielded, but it will still warm...

Good for my frying needs
I fry things about 1-2 times a week, and I liked my fried things to be very crispy yet not laden with oil. I wanted something that would truly get to a hotter frying temperature, to make my frying quicker and more "healthful"...(healthy frying....is that an oxymoron or what?) Because I don't fry THAT often, I just needed something simple.

I like this fryer because the heat-up time is very quick, and there is much less splatter then if you were frying in a pot. When I fry, I usually do your typical fried foods: fries, onion rings, wontons, etc. I have not tried to do anything else in it yet.

If the oil is fairly clean after I use it, I will put it in the refridgerator, but not keep more than a week. This is a very simple fryer. If you are a more heavy-duty fryer, then you might want to look into a fancier one. The exterior is not cool-touch, and there is no basket. If you only do small batches of things, and don't really fry that much, or even if you do, then...

Deep frying has never been so easy. Fryer automatically maintains a proper frying temperature with no controls to set. Handy snap-on lid lets your store oil right in the fryer to use again. Holds four cups of oil. Includes a scoop that stirs, separates, lifts, drains and serves. Nonstick surface makes for easy cleaning. Model #5420. One-year warranty.You don't need a 6-gallon oil vat to enjoy deep-fried foods at home--this petite deep fryer makes four big servings with just 4 cups of oil. A compact 7 inches in diameter, the fryer features easy controls for precision frying: it automatically maintains the proper frying temperature, letting you focus on cooking instead of fussing with the controls. The fryer features a snap-on lid, so you can store oil right in the fryer for reuse. All surfaces are nonstick for tidy cleanup (the fryer is not dishwasher-safe and should never be completely immersed in water). A hand scoop is included with the fryer for easy stirring, lifting, and draining, and the 120-volt AC cord unplugs from the outlet, while the attached handle makes the fryer easy to move around the kitchen. The fryer has a two-year limited warranty. --Ariel Meadow Stallings

• Saves money on oil; Efficient 4:4 oil-to-food ratio makes four big servings with just four cups of oil
• Built-in, preset thermostat for perfect frying every time; Nonstick surface, inside and out, for easy cleaning
• Handy scoop lifts, drains, and serves; No messy basket; Compact size for easy storage
• Makes crispy french fries, shrimp, chicken, onion rings and more
• Snap-on lid lets you store oil in the fryer without spills or odor