Presto 5466 0ProFry Stainless-Steel Dual-Basket Immersion-Element 12-Cup Deep Fryer

In light of Shelley Ryan's excellent report on the problem she had with her Presto fryer, I thought I should report my own experience. I filled my fryer with oil and let it come up to temperature on the highest setting. I checked the temperature with my own thermometer when the light went out, and indeed the temperature was only around 340 degrees rather than 375 as it should be. But, after simply mixing the oil around a bit with the drip baskets, I found that within a few minutes the temperature rose right up to 375 degrees, as it was supposed to be. The heating elements are very close to the unit's internal thermostat, and I think that you need to get the oil moving a bit in order for all of the oil to heat uniformly up to the correct temperature.

Of course, once the food gets frying there is plenty of movement in the oil to even out the temperature. And given the substantial amount of oil and the amount of power supplied by the unit's heating elements, I find that...Read more

I ordered this because of all the glowing reviews here. (And because I wanted to make better french fries at home.) I've grown to trust what other Amazonian reviewers say about products, and I try to be thorough and diligent in my own comments.

Here is why I am returning this deep fryer to Amazon: It's doesn't get HOT enough! All the recipes I've been reading about quality fried food -- yes, there *is* such a thing -- say that you have to heat the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. That's why I decided to closely watch the temperature of the oil by using my immersible digital thermometer.

According to the fryer's instructions, it takes the unit about 20 minutes to reach 375, and then the signal light goes out. My signal light went out when it reached only 330 degrees! That's hardly "ready" for frying, but I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't used my own thermometer. I waited a few more minutes, and it eventually reached 359. Naturally, the temp falls...Read more

I can't seem to re-rate this review, but having had the thing for several months now, I've run across the same problem Shelley Ryan had with it: it doesn't actually get the oil hot enough!!! As it comes without a thermometer, you have to check the temps yourself, and I guess I'm going to have to try "Closer"'s approach of stirring the oil. As pointed out elsewhere, 375F is the recommended temp for frying, and some recipes call for a first fry at a lower temperature, which is VERY DIFFICULT with the ProFry's trial-and-error setting.

The Presto Profry requires a gallon of oil in it's square, removable reservoir. It comes with two mesh fry-baskets that fold up for easy storage. They'll sit side-by-side within the reservoir which is VERY convenient for, say, leaving the battered chicken to fry for 18 minutes while frying the onion rings for 5 and switching 'em out for some broccoli.

The temperature guage is indeed not accurate and one annoying note is that...Read more