Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

after you read a hundred fryer reviews, you realize many have different expectations of their fryer, so their reviews are biased by their own priorities, not if the fryer is worth the money or not. my priority was speed to achieve and maintain the oil at true 380°F frying temperature, while being small and cheap enough to be worthwhile for once a week use serving 1-2 people. using highest smoke point Rice Bran Oil, the first quart covered the heat coils to the bottom of the basket, while another pint to quart was needed to properly immerse the food. using a 500°F digital thermometer (calibrated to boiling water at 210°F), i measured the oil getting from room temperature to 380°F in 4 minutes, while the DF55 dial was set at 355°F. i dropped a half pound of french fries in, and measured the oil dropped down to 310°F within a minute, then raced back up to 380°F 2 minutes later. this is a TRUE food fryer which seals the food by flash frying the outer coating, then maintaining the heat needed to cook the inside properly, which is really critical when making Tempura. thanks to Amazon, i got an open box unit ship+tax still under 60% off MSRP. my second choice was Presto 06006 Kitchen Kettle Electric Multi-Cooker and Fryer because it appears easy to clean, with cover and thermostat for the same price as a Fry Daddy, however I was not confident a Presto 1200w bowl embedded heating element unit would get as hot as fast as this Waring 1500w exposed heating element unit. Fast heating also means you can make many batches of fry food fast, so this small 4x5x7" basket size won't matter since you can make multiple batches with Waring faster than a large bowl fryer like the Presto GranPappy.