Deep Frying at Home

I know it may not sound that healthy, but I've always wanted a deep fryer for home. I've had visions of being able to fry my own fish, chicken, and onion rings. And who can pass up fresh French fries made at home? (Not me!)

The problem is, every time I got ready to get a deep fryer, I worried about safety and wondered how such an appliance would fit into my kitchen. Fortunately, I overcame my worries with the acquisition of a Kalorik Deep Fryer FT17444. This is a beautiful piece of equipment designed by European designer Neil Currie. As a small kitchen appliance it has both beauty and functionality with a lot of great safety features built in.

This deep fryer comes with a lot of different features. One of these great features is that the heat can be adjusted up to 375 degrees; just set the temperature dial and wait for the oil to get to the desired temperature. When the oil heats up to the desired temperature, the indicator light goes off and you know you are ready to cook. As the oil starts to cool down (such as when you immerse food in it), the heater kicks in and the light turns back on.

Part of the design for the fryer includes a removable glass bowl, which I found to be an added plus. The bowl is clear glass, so you can see into it. This makes examining the oil, heater, and food a snap, without needing to look in from the top. That means you can have the fryer's lid closed (to protect you from any oil popping) and still see what is going on. When you are done and the fryer has cooled down, you can also remove the bowl for easy cleaning or storage.

One part of the design that I found to be unique is the handle. It is attached to the food basket, but it also folds for storage. The folding is back over the top of the fryer lid, which means that the handle helps to hold the lid in place when the unit is being stored. When the fryer is in use, the handle is locked into the open position and can be securely attached to the fryer to avoid bumps and spills.

The removable fryer lid comes with a washable grease filter which helps makes cleanup easier. I found it interesting that there is an option of cooking with the lid on or off. When frying with the lid off the food is crispier; with the lid on the food isn't as crisp (which is an advantage for foods that need lighter cooking, such as donuts).

This bowl can hold two quarts of oil. There are stainless-steel guard rings around the bowl that help you to keep from getting burned by accidentally touching the bowl when it is heated. The bowl also is marked with a minimum and maximum amount of oil that can be added to the bowl. If you add too much oil, the fryer's power automatically shuts off.

The power cord itself is pretty ingenious, as well—it is magnetic. The advantage to having a magnetic power cord is that it is less likely that you'll knock over the fryer by pulling on the power cord. As you pull, it detaches from the fryer before there is a problem.

With the cool zone technology built into the fryer, the oil stays fresher longer, so there is no need to constantly change the oil. Yet, when the time does come to clean, the deep fryer is easy to take apart for cleaning and easy to reassemble after the cleaning.

I have seen this appliance go far as little as $89.95 up to $140.00 for the exact same deep fryer. Look around and there is a bargain to be found. The Kalorik is a good choice, even the higher price.