To have never deep fat fried anything

[KnittedBlanketHoles]

Not the sort of thing I grew up with. My daughter raves about dff chips though and so I'm tempted. I have about £30 I could blow on a fryer and Argos is the most convenient store. Do I want a round plastic one or a rectangular metal one, and why?

The four I've been looking at are www.argos.co.uk/product/4234920 www.argos.co.uk/product/4234528 www.argos.co.uk/product/4234865 www.argos.co.uk/product/9075919

But then is deep fat frying only for... I don't know... (whispers) 'bad' people?

My mum would think I've turned into a commoner if I bought one (ignoring the fact that I already currently live in social housing). I think I have some serious hangups. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with deep fat fryers is there, so why does it feel like an unreasonable thing to spend money on and bring into my house and life? Especially when it would make my daughter happy...

I suggested to DD that I buy a basket that can go in any stove top pan but apparently it's just not the same at all and I just don't get it. That suggestion was met with derision, a roll of eyes, and the implication that I am an alien.

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[RaymondinaReddington]

I don't dare buy a dff as I think I would just start frying chips all the time. Shame as I would love to have one to make pakora and Chinese / Indian recipes out but they're probably as bad as chips.

[AthenasOwl]

Airfryer! The chips are amazing :)

[Crispbutty]

You can't beat real chips twice cooked (low then high) in a deep fat fryer. No other chips can compare.

They are not difficult to clean if you do it regularly.

Also great for doing battered onion rings etc

[Bettyspants]

I'm one of those that never went to mc ds but loved chip shop chips as a treat. Kids don't like McD so I don't get the hassle . If I had a dff I'd use it every day(in secret) and pile on the pounds . I remember a friend had one when I was a child and she and her house smelt of the oil. Personally no I wouldn't get one. Another form of incredibly bad food freely available for my lack of self control!! Also very aware of the children's diet, youngest 2 are at the age where I control their diet and there's no issues. Also notice if you had or have an eating disorder op if it would affect you? You mention chewing on lots of mcd fries but not digesting them , would a dff encourage you to binge ?

[WiddlinDiddlin]

Proper DFF with a lid but with teh option to use it with the lid open if necessary.

Not one of the lidless ones that has to function 'open' as they have no filter and stink out the house - the lidded ones have a filter you can change that cuts down on pongs.

Make sure it has a safety cut out (they all should now).

Square fits in the cupboard better but put it in there on a tray of some sort as they will all inevitably create a wee oil slick on the bottom of the shelf after a while.

The Air fryer things look nice but.. you can ONLY do chips or fried meat or 'fry from frozen' stuff - you cannot use it to make your own donuts or anything you dip into fresh batter like Tempura stuff, so they are limiting and expensive.

I make my own donuts ... by using a can of croissant dough chopped into strips. They are moreish and delicious and terrible and wonderful. Sorry for telling all of Mumsnet about that.

[Etak15]

We never had fried chips at home as a child, but did have them out. I've had chips in an airfryer at a friends - they taste just like when you make them in the oven and take just as long. Dff is best for homemade chips we have one but is probs About A once a month ish treat, also make pakoras, samosas etc - again occasionally!
The rest of time our chips our oven chips or homemade wedges which are easier than chips because no peeling required! Also I do find oven easier because you don't have to stand watching over it for 20 mins and of course the smell. When have fryer on I have all windows and back door open and extractor fan on - And make sure coats are away in cupboard no washing out drying etc!! Smell still lingers for a day or two, it's worth it though for a bit of yummy fried stuff!! I wouldn't like to make a complete meal in it though because it would take ages standing there doing all the batches easier to just go to chippy!!
I am actually a bit lazy and keep the oil in the fryer put the whole thing back in the cupboard after then empty it after a few uses and give it a good clean out.
I save empty coffee jars for the oil and then put it in outside bin Never put it down the sink or drain !

[Etak15]

Make sure you get one where you can take the whole electric element bit out to wash it - some of them are surface wash only

[BertieBotts]

I've always been a bit scared of them because of the fire risk, but actually deep fat fryers aren't the fire problem, it's chip pans which is where you have a whole actual pan of oil on the stove. I didn't know those existed for years and years so thought deep fat fryers were the issue.

They do absolutely reek. DH is desperate for one and TBH I would love one for the samosa and bhaji potential, don't really want an air fryer... but I'm anxious about the smell. My mum had one and there was permanently a thin film of fat over everything in the kitchen and it was horrible and sticky and never washed out. I also used to hate it when DS would come back from his Dad's house and stink of chip oil. It's a horrible smell and we don't have a tumble drier so I do dry clothes near the kitchen.

Can anyone advise on the smell basis? At the moment my compromise is that we can get one when we have a garage or utility room to use it in! That is what BIL and SIL do and their house doesn't smell at all, so I wonder if I'm worrying over nothing, especially if it was used occasionally. I am really sensitive to oil smells and have to wash frying pans etc immediately or it bothers me. We do have an extractor fan but it's just one of the plug in ones which sucks the air through a filter, it doesn't actually take it outside.

Is there any specific feature which helps with the smell or way of using it apart from taking it outside (which wouldn't be an option)? Does it make a difference if you empty the oil every time for example?

[KnittedBlanketHoles]

Did you spit them out or throw them up or something? 😳

Both...

"Bad people?" Judgemental twat

I am sorry but I really am struggling to put food substances in my mouth, and I know it's ducked up but foods have value attachments to them in my mind.

I don't judge other people for what they eat, none of my business, it's something I really battle with- didn't mean to offend anyone.

[KnittedBlanketHoles]

Decisions decisions. Saving up for an air fryer would be sensible. Not sure whether DD would find that a frustrating mummy concession to what she really wants though.

Rectangular to fit better in the cupboard makes sense as it will probably live there once the novelty has worn off...

Interesting to hear my childhood wasn't so odd, that other parents didn't do frying or chips either.

[KnittedBlanketHoles]

I make my own donuts ... by using a can of croissant dough chopped into strips. They are moreish and delicious and terrible and wonderful. Sorry for telling all of Mumsnet about that

Sounds totally... Terrible and wonderful at the same time!

[Elphame]

I had a dff given to me as a wedding present 33 years ago. it's still there, in its box at the back of a cupboard. Never been used. You've just reminded me that it's there. I wonder if it's worth anything as an antique yet?

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Hope so, Elphame then my pasta maker will be an antique too.

[thecolonelbumminganugget]

DP wanted one for Christmas a couple of years ago which was a month after it bought him an ice cream maker for his birthday. After months of lotus biscuit I've cream and deep fried mars bars I threatened to cut the plugs off both. One day we may be a healthly weight again

God I miss battered mars bars and homemade ice cream (top tip- freeze the mars bars first and don't lower them in using the basket as the better gets stuck to it)

Oh god and spicy battered gherkin slices

[Catsize]

We had 'proper' homemade chips once a year when I was a child.

I've got to nearly 40 and never deep-fried anything.

[BertieBotts]

Am a teacher. You CAN smell "deep fat fryer smell" on some kids, but I don't know how common deep fat fryers are to know whether you can smell it on any child who lives in a home with one or a child who lives in a home where there's one which is used all the time/with dirty oil/the house is not well ventilated, etc. I have a sneaking suspicion it's the latter, but I don't know.

For example though, I have several kids from the one family in different classes and it's the one who is below school age and stays at home all day who you can smell it on immediately. I've never noticed it on the others.

I think I could cope with the smell if it only smells when it's being used and immediately after. It's if the oil reeks out the house for weeks it wouldn't be worth it. I mean when DH cooks burgers on the hob the house stinks anyway.

I've seen one in Aldi (Germany) for €25... tempted to get it... but I have no idea how you get the oil out for cleaning. It doesn't have one of those little tube things and the bucket you put the oil in doesn't seem to come out and the whole thing is quite heavy. Any perspective here?

[Mindtrope]

I wouldn't waste my money.

I don't deep fry often, it's usually pakora or tempura or sometimes chips.

I use a huge deep pan on the hob and an extractor fan which vents outside.

I can live with the risk- although I have worked in a chemistry laboratory for many years and done much more hazardous tasks.

[Surreyblah]

Oven chips are not chips!

[WiddlinDiddlin]

Knittedblanket It is.. throw them in a dish of cinnamon sugar and shake it about a bit..

THey make Krispy Kreme seem rubbish...

We do them approx twice a year, possibly even just once - that is how goodbad they are.