T-fal Compact EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket for Home Use, 1.8 Liter Oil and 1.7 Pound Food Capacity, 1200 Watts, Easy Clean Temp Control, Oil Filtration, 1.8 L

I did a lot of research before buying, including perusing Amazon reviews and having GROK AI do a comparison. I settled on this model, for a few reasons. 1) There were no complaints about the magnetic plug coming out. It does have one as a safety feature, and it sits solidly in the unit with no issues. 2) It's not digital. Yes, I looked at the super-fancy Breville, but a review from a chef advised that all of its digital presets were not accurate. So we went for a simpler, cheaper setup. 3) It has a great cookbook that tells you what settings to use. So far we've tried okra, eggplant and chicken. 4) The oil filtration setup. We did our research and of course said "NO" to using seed oils (seriously, why even suggest that?!). We settled on refined coconut oil, which is solid at room temp. This is very healthy and we've had zero issues with smoking, even though we've had it at the highest temp. 5) Everything is dishwasher safe. So last night, after making eggplant and chicken for stir fry (yum!), we let the oil cool for several hours and hit the filter setting before heading to bed. This morning, I dropped the oil pan, the lid (which keeps you from making a mess while cooking) and the basket into the dishwasher. Easy peezy. We're really happy with it so far!

I've had this fryer for over a year and I love it. I've made a lot of fresh cut French fries and fried chicken (hot wings) through the last 30 years and this is the best fryer I've ever had and I've had a lot of different ones. When this one goes out I'll buy another one if they're still available. There are 3 issues that I think are flaws, the first is that it only has 1 light and it lights up when it's switched on and then goes out once it gets to temp. It should have 2 lights, red to indicate that its on and a green light to indicate when it's up to the set temp. Someone can cut it off and then forget they cut it off and hit the switch again cutting it back on. I actually did this once and didn't realize it until the next day and of course the oil was totally burnt. I unplug it now when I'm not using it. The switch is in an odd place on the side and should be on the top. They need to either have the switch on top so it's easily visible or have the 2 lights or have both. The last issue is the filter, it doesn't really have one which is great for cleaning purposes but all that oily steam comes out all over whatever is above it which for me is a cabinet. I was shocked at this when I first used it, I was kinda dumbfounded. Why would they not put a filter on it? I have a lot of replacement filters from other fryers I've had so what I do is lay a filters on top of the opening and lay a wet paper towel over top of that and it cuts down the oily steam tremendously. That catches a lot of what would be coating my cabinet. These are some pretty major issues to me but besides that it fries good and is a lot easier to clean and store oil than my past fryers. I read where people were saying it leaks oil when filtering so I place a metal tray under it to catch any spilled oil and I luckily haven't had that issue unless it's tilted and the oil container overflows. I have no issues with spillage otherwise. It's a great fryer and I guess I could leave 4 stars because of the flaws I've mentioned but... It's the best fryer I've ever had so I wouldn't feel right about doing that. Maybe they will see this review and address these issues, that would be great.

I'm a Senior. I use to own a Snack Food Manufacturing Company. I made Potato Chips and Fried Pork Rinds just for 2 items. As a teenager (so many years ago) I worked for several major Fast Food restaurants who made fries and learned the best way to make them. Therefore with this experience I know exactly how to make good fried foods. Fries, Fried Chicken, Shrimp Fritters, Fried Shrimp, Fried Okra, Fried Zucchini, etc. This Fryer works great. What I mean is that it holds the proper temperature during frying. When any food is to be fried and goes in either frozen or at room temperature.. it will immediately drop the temperature of the oil. This fryer has a fast recovery. That means it's thermostat is excellent and as it sees a drop in temperature it immediately turns on the element(s) to keep the temperature where it should be. I also like the method T-Fal has invented to clean the fryer. It's easy to drain and strain the oil and clean the frying bowl. The fry basket is large and I can get two potatoes worth of fries in one basket. For these reasons I highly recommend this fryer. Below is some info for a novice in the proper way to fry fries and other items. Fries: » Use a high quality potato slicer which you can purchase here on Amazon. Otherwise cut your peeled potatoes 1/4" thick. Wash them in cold water and agitate the slices until you see the water turn milky. This is taking the potato starch out of them. » Dry the fries on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. I actually have a small fan that I use just like we did in the fast food restaurants in the old days. This reduces FOAMING and even loss of oil. When wet products are placed into the hot oil you'll see foaming as oil and water don't mix. In fact, as the water turns to steam it drops the temperature of the oil which means a longer frying time and makes the fryer work harder to keep the temperature up to the correct frying temperature. Note also as the water turns to steam tiny (micro) drops of oil cling to it and you'll have a 1% or 2% drop of oil each time. And where does that oil go? Into the atmosphere and it will cling to your filter or wall or anything else. Dry your fries as much as possible. » Fries should be fried twice. Bring your oil up to 350f for the 1st frying. Place a basket full of dried fries into the oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Your NOT going to cook them all the way through. This is a BLANCHING method. This will drive most of the moisture out of the fries and make them crispy for the 2nd frying. » After blanching for a few minutes bring the fries up out of the oil and let them cool down to room temperature. I spread mine on a bakers rack which sits on a big baking sheet (found here on Amazon). » Bring the oil up to 375f for the 2nd frying and fry them for 2 or 3 minutes until they turn golden brown. They will be nice and crispy. » There are 2 Secret Ingredients that makes my fries taste so good... Lawry's Seasoned Salt! Yes, it's much better than plain salt and can be found here on Amazon. The 2nd ingredient is TALLOW. Lard is rendered pig fat. Tallow is rendered Beef fat. It has no smell and is pure white. It almost lasts forever! You can purchase it here on Amazon in buckets. For the average fryer you'll need 2.5 lbs to 3 lbs. It's pricey but for a reason. It's EXCELLENT and it's healthy. And here's a secret from the old days. That restaurant with the Golden Arches.. you know the ones.. Before the mid-80's - they use to fry their fries in TALLOW and 7% Peanut Oil. I do too! You need the peanut oil to just cover the heating elements at the bottom of the pan. Why? Tallow is kind of like lard in that it is soft white but not an oil UNTIL it gets hot. So if it's directly on the heating elements it will smoke! Don't do it! Put in the Peanut Oil first then put in the Tallow until the oil rises up to the Max line inside the frying bowl. For several years I've been purchasing the Peanut Oil in 1 Gallon containers from Amazon. It's an excellent product and arrives fast. This is what made our Fries so tasty back in the day. If you study Tallow many doctors will even tell you how healthy it is. There are video's about it on the internet. How about frying Shrimp, Okra and Zucchini or Chicken? Here's a great product also found here on Amazon. It's called Louisiana Shrimp Fry. Actually the Louisiana Chicken Fry also seems to be the same ingredients.. just a change in the package labeling. » Take 5 tablespoons of the Louisiana Shrimp or Chicken Fry and mix with 1/2 cup of water. Place your Shrimp or Okra or Zucchini or piece of Chicken into this mixture. » Next place the rest of the dry ingredients (Shrimp or Chicken Fry) into a breading bowl or 1-gallon plastic bag. Remove your whatever you're going to fry from the liquid mixture and place into the breading bowl or bag and shake vigorously to coat the item. » Bring the temperature of your oil up to 350f. Fry the shrimp for 2.5 minutes (not to exceed 3 minutes) and 3 minutes for Okra or Zucchini till golden brown. For chicken it will take longer depending on what part of the bird you're cooking. Use an instant read thermometer. This will give you some of the best Southern style food you've ever tried.

Seems decent quality overall. The short of it: 1) Wish it would get 10-20 deg hotter. Doesn't seem to ever quite get to the set temp & sluggish. 2) Shallow oil depth. Pretty limiting on actually submerging items. 3) Electrical cord ridiculously short. Positives: 1) Easy clean. Oil storage works great. 2) Generally seems to give consistent results. 3) Main items with oil contact dishwasher safe other than element. 4) Decent size for family cooking

This T-fal 3.5L Stainless Steel Deep Fryer is great for all your deep frying chores and offers consistent results every time. It is easy to use, featuring temperature control and a digital timer. The appliance excels with its good oil filtration and storage functionality, which makes cleanup much simpler. Furthermore, the unit is durable and lasts well, as our last one served us reliably for almost ten years. This fryer is a solid long-term investment.

The T-fal 3.5L Stainless Steel Deep Fryer is an excellent addition to any home kitchen. With 1700W of power, it heats up quickly and maintains a consistent temperature, which makes frying food evenly and efficiently. The temperature control is precise and easy to adjust, and the digital timer is a very convenient feature that helps prevent overcooking. One of the standout features is the built-in oil filtration system. After frying, it’s incredibly easy to filter and store the oil for reuse, which saves money and keeps cleanup simple. The stainless steel exterior looks great on the countertop and is easy to wipe clean. The basket is sturdy and holds a good amount of food, making it perfect for family meals or small gatherings. Safety features like the secure lid and cool-touch handles add peace of mind during use. Overall, this fryer delivers restaurant-quality results at home with minimal mess and effort. It’s well-built, reliable, and thoughtfully designed—highly recommended for anyone who loves fried food done right. So good we purchased one for our son.

I did extensive research and read all the comments available from both Amazon and other websites, before I purchased this T-fal deep fryer. I misjudged the amount of time to heat up the oil; however, once heated, the capabilities of the deep fryer cooked my 6+ pounds (5 batches) of shoestring fries perfectly. The size of this appliance is big, and fortunately I have pantry space to accommodate. I also purchased the cover to also protect the fryer when not in use. Appreciated the tip from another reviewer to keep a baking tray under the fryer, while in use, to catch any (there were very few) oil drips. The oil filtration system works well (read the instructions) and can be easily stored for another use. All parts that are dishwasher safe cleaned up beautifully with no oily residue, and the heating unit can be easily washed with soapy water by hand. Recommend reading the instruction manual often, which provides clear instructions to operate this appliance with very successful results. Very happy with this purchase!

The concept that provides the primary benefit of this system - hassle and mess-free cooking oil management - is novel and noteworthy, and long overdue as far as I'm concerned. Health issues aside, I'd deep fry certain foods much more frequently - there are no better French fries - if not for the messy hassle and extended oil management and clean up associated with each use Sadly, this product (note, I didn't say the unit or fryer itself) fails to live up to T-Fal's otherwise stellar position in this product space. This isn't because of any defect or manufacturing shortcoming but because the fryer's documentation for effective use is severely lacking. Rather than wax prophetic on the "why" behind this, I'll provide the practical advice that the owner's manual doesn't and hope you have a better initial experience with this fryer right out of the box. First, go online and learn a lot more about using this fryer. Learn a lot more about the entire oil management, cleaning and care of the device. I didn't do this to enhance my experience, but to salvage respect for an otherwise noteworthy system. Here are some specific tidbits that you might want to pay attention to. ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT: My fryer came out of the box with the thermostat (heat setting dial) cranked fully 270 degrees around and fully outside of the temperature scale area. I thought it odd that the wider, "fatter" part of the twistable knob seemed backwards but with nothing to the contrary in the instruction manual, when I went to use it the first time, I adjusted the knob to the desired setting, waited for the light to go out indicating that the oil was at the desired temperature and put my basket of fries in the oil. Small bubbles appeared indicating the unit was heated, but it was obviously heated well below any cooking temperature. Leaving the fries in the oil for the suggested cooking time thinking that the new technology was showing me something I didn't know, the fries just absorbed oil and I ruined two russet potatoes-worth of fries that I'd hand cut, washed and soaked for cooking (overnight process). Worse yet, when I figured out that the dial was positioned improperly, turning it clockwise and into range offered enough resistance that I was afraid I was going to break the thermostat. Once I got the dial properly oriented to the cooking temperature imprint, the unit heated properly, and I was able to use it. OIL BOX LID: As the instructions say, remove the oil box prior to the first use as part of initially cleaning the unit (I didn't) but make absolutely, positively sure that the lid is snapped firmly onto the oil box. My unit came out of the box with the lid not secured and since (me bad) I didn't wash the oil box and actually check that it was secure, after first successfully using the unit and the oil had filtered itself and drained from the removable bowl (where the oil actually heats and cooks the food) and into the oil box, when I pulled it out, oil sloshed and spilled everywhere creating a bigger mess than I would have had with a non-filtering unit. Prior to every use, go all the way around the edges of the oil box, firmly pushing down on the lid and make sure it's secure. OIL LEVEL MANAGEMENT: As I went to use the fryer the second time, I poured the oil from the previous use out of the oil box and into the removable bowl and noticed that oil had cooked off and the fill was between the minimum and maximum levels marked on the side of the bowl. I added additional oil to bring the oil level up to the maximum level as I was cooking the maximum amount of food the fryer is designed to hold. The cooking went great this time and I turned out some world class fries that everyone at the table was outwardly impressed with. I let the unit cool and when the auto function filtered and drained the oil, it overflowed and again spilled everywhere. Make absolutely sure your oil box is completely empty every time you go to use it. The oil box is not a sealed unit, is not designed to be tipped away from its horizonal position unless pouring the oil from the oil box back into the removable bowl for reuse, and even then, I highly recommend you hold the lid and the box itself together as you pour. ELECTRICAL AND AUTO FILTERING SYSTEM: The owner's manual does not clearly indicate that no electricity is needed to power the filtering system and that (at least on my unit) you can go straight from the Fry Position to the Automatic Oil Filtration Position after cooking. The oil filtration system is simple. Gravity allows the oil to flow through the system when an internal thermocouple senses that the oil temperature is cool enough to safety move from the Removable Bowl to the Oil Box. This means your hot oi is going to sit where it's sitting until the oil sufficient cools, requiring washing the Removable Bowl once the oil is gone from it. I don't have the luxury of a dishwasher so I wash the parts and pieces by hand, and with a little TLC the entire unit can be kept squeeky clean and like new for a long time. I don't bother washing the Oil Box. Hope this helps.....