Presto 05420 FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer

For someone not needing to fry enormous amounts at one time, this little machine is ideal. It requires only a very small amount of vegetable oil. I've used it to fry chicken wings, quickly, to do french fries and onion rings, to do other smaller chicken parts, and it works beautifully. There is no thermostat; you just plug it in, wait 10 minutes, and the temp is 375. Having such a small amount of grease, it recovers heat more quickly than an electric skillet.

When you are through, if you plan to reuse the grease you can simply let the machine cool, snap the plastic top on, the put the whole thing in the fridge. I don't fry that often, and when I do, I tend to fry a lot, so usually I just discard the oil. Such a small amount is used (usually no more than 3 cups starting out) that I don't feel bad about discarding the oil.

The sides on this appliance are quite high, and splatter around the machine has never been a problem. I used common sense, though, when I fry, whether it's here or on the stove.

I'm sure the all-enclosed auto-fryers that are out on the market are nice, and if I fried a lot I'd probably get one. However, I only fry once or twice a month, and for that, this little machine is perfect. I'd recommend one to anyone--durable, simple, and does exactly what it's designed for!


Good for my frying needs   March 26, 2002
shoe lover (WA United States)
96 out of 98 found this review helpful

I fry things about 1-2 times a week, and I liked my fried things to be very crispy yet not laden with oil. I wanted something that would truly get to a hotter frying temperature, to make my frying quicker and more "healthful"...(healthy frying....is that an oxymoron or what?) Because I don't fry THAT often, I just needed something simple.

I like this fryer because the heat-up time is very quick, and there is much less splatter then if you were frying in a pot. When I fry, I usually do your typical fried foods: fries, onion rings, wontons, etc. I have not tried to do anything else in it yet.

If the oil is fairly clean after I use it, I will put it in the refridgerator, but not keep more than a week. This is a very simple fryer. If you are a more heavy-duty fryer, then you might want to look into a fancier one. The exterior is not cool-touch, and there is no basket. If you only do small batches of things, and don't really fry that much, or even if you do, then this will be a great fryer for you.


The best fryer I've ever used   June 25, 2004
Annmarie Lutke (Babylon, New York United States)
24 out of 24 found this review helpful

I love my Fry Daddy. My husband and I received it as a gift for our wedding 7 years ago and it is still as good as the day we got it. I love the easy storage and the frying quality. We actually have the grandpappy fryer which allows for a bit more room but we have fried everything from chicken cutlets, to wings, to fried zucchini and everything comes out perfect. The only caution we have is that the outside does get a bit hot and can stay pretty warm for some time so be careful even after you pull the plug.


Love my FryDaddy   August 17, 2006
McNellus (Shreveport, LA)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful

I should have bought this years ago. Yeah, it splatters some, but so does using a frying pan. I find that if I put frozen foods (french fries, etc.) in a collander and rinse the ice crystals off with hot water a few minutes before I put them in the hot oil, they don't splatter as much.


A new way to cook   November 10, 2006
Robert Rodenz (Minnesota)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful

Since buying the FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer my cooking has changed drasticly. Many meals are cooked completely in this deep fryer, without having the range, oven or other appliances turned on at all. The taste of frozen french-fries cooked in thia deep fryer, rather than having them dried out and hard from being cooked in the oven, is indescribable. And fish and shrimp are fantastic when fried this way. It makes me wonder why I delayed cooking this way for so long. I wouldn't be without it!