De’Longhi Livenza Deep Fryer with EasyClean System, Cool Zone, Adjustable Thermostat, Dishwasher-Safe Parts, Large Capacity, Easy Oil Draining, Stainless Steel

I had a DeLonghi Fryer for over 20 years that just recently gave up on me. Decided to go back with another one, which has much newer technology that the first one. The old one was a temperature dial model, no real electronic controls. The new one has digital Temp control with timer. This is great for frying different types of foods that require different temp ranges and time to cook ranges. It holds one gallon and best of all has a filtered drain that you can completely drain the oil for later use, and simply wipe out any residual. A great fryer.

This is an amazing machine. Up until now I’ve been frying in a Dutch oven or iron skillet. No longer. The temperature control is amazing and there is enough oil to maintain it’s heat as you cook multiple batches. It heats up quickly and there is little to no spattering. The outside of the unit stays cool enough that I don’t worry about it affecting our countertop. The cover helps control where the steam is released but I eventually just stopped using it while cooking. We made the best potato chips we’ve ever had as well as chicken nuggets, frozen cheese curds, and fried chicken. The amount of oil left on the food is very minimal if you let it drain and the food absorbs very little during cooking. The built in filter does a great job when draining the oil and I will be able to recycle the oil several times. Some reviews stated the power cord would not stay secure but I found that if you connect it correctly and isolate the cord a little it is not a problem. It cleans up easily and I’ve done it by hand and in the dishwasher. I’ve been cooking for 30 years and wish I’d have invested in one of these years ago. I will never fry in anything else.

I will admit that I was drawn by the sleek appearance and the promise of superior performance and ease of clean up. I was originally hesitant due to a reviewer's comments about the difficulty of even starting the fryer. It seemed that you needed to read an extensive operational handbook to get it going. That reviewer followed by stating that he/she would just keep pushing buttons till something worked. I must say that I do the same. It is really ridiculous that I need to figure out how to set the cook time before I can even begin to figure out how to set the temperature. I was however willing to forgo these inconveniences as a trade off for the superior performance it had promised.I will give it performance and heat times as a plus but that is about all I will do. Clean up? What a disaster that was. I have had many deep fryers during my lifetime and have always gauged how often I used it as well as to the types of frying I did when it came time to drain and replace the oil. According to the manufacturer this was going to be a piece of cake. Wrong! The drain spout is situated such that you need to move the fryer to the very edge of a level surface, no lip such as a sink edge or a countertop beveled edge. As such, when I attempted to locate a small container under the spout as there is not room for anything large, I found myself constantly trying to balance the unit as it drained without getting oil all over the floor. I did succeed mostly in that respect but not completely. Many paper towels in use during this drain process. To complicate this process further, the so called "cool zone" only added to the aggravation of cleaning this unit. All the solids that collected on the bottom gravitated to the screen sieve that is attached to the very short discharge spigot. So here's what I ended up with. I had one hand holding the container into which I was attempting to empty into, my arm attempting to balance the unit of the edge of my countertop, which has a beveled lip that is not conducive to the fryer's short discharge drop distance, and the other hand immersed into the oil in the fryer, trying to dislodge the food particles that constantly kept piling up against and into the residue screen inside the fryer basin.If, and when I do get this entire mess cleaned up, something I anticipated to be a half hour job, I will likely relicate this appliance to the graveyard of appliances which is currently in my garage but soon to be in the landfill.End of review? I would not advise buying this product.

Liked everything about it, once I learned all the procedures. The only issue are I had to get use to the controls and procedures, (theres No On or Off) only a start or call it a Enter program button. You plug it in, its On, unplug its Off. Easy to totally clean, however the safeties are too sensitive.1. Safery plug is polarized thats good!!!2. Magnetic plug in to unit only goes one way, thats good!!!3. Tank sensor must have minimum amount of oil or it will not turn on, which is good up to a point? I've had a hard time restating the unit after total recleaning. Even after pluging in, puting oil in, I had to keep pressing the tiny recessed Reset button. It gets scary, because it's full of new oil.I recommend just fill enough oil covering the heat coil so the sensor is well covered and unit starts the fill the rest of the way. Once you learn the controls and remember, too set the desired temperature, the timer must be turned on by (pressing the center start/enter button) to start the preheating of the oil. When the preheat temperature is reached(I set mine at 320 deg), you can reset the timer to the desired cooking time. Press the start/enter center button again. Its worth the cost after you learn how the controls work. Remember this is more of a professional frier. I use it just about every week.

I have used deep fryers since I was a kid at home. In my adult years I have owned 2 different fryers similar to this one. However, this one is definitely the best one I have had. I do like the fact that there is a drain with a screen so that oil can be drained and the fryer cleaned after use. This keep the fryer cleaner and the oil fresh. The lid is quality made, nice weight and design is perfect. I like it has the digital display to see exactly what temperature its at. The basket holds a lot of food and cooks everything evenly. Since I got this fryer, I have used it at least 2-3 nights a week. Glad I made this purchase.