Delonghi F770 Coolwall Fat Fryer > Reviews > OK I eat chips, want to make something of it

Author's product rating:   

Performance	Good
Ease of use	Easy
Durability	Satisfactory
User's Manual	Good
Value for money	Good

Advantages:	cost, quality of fried food
Disadvantages:	dodgy handle

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I recently purchased a DeLonghi deep fat fryer as it was on special offer and I haven't had home made chips for years. (Cleaning the wedding present fryer become too hazaerdous without a biosuit and it went to the Great Kitchen in the Sky a decade ago.) This was a pure impulse buy and i have no real excuse for it - but it felt good and I may finally be able to understand why women need to buy more clothes when they can't fit what they already have into the wardrobe. (I would have thought buying a wardrobe would be logical, nut no, clothes it is.)

Since I seem to be rambling (without the benefit of alcohol) I will return to the fryer. Firstly I am not sure if this is the correct model - there is no model number on the box or fryer. It rejoices in the plain but informative name of "Electric Fryer". Which pretty much says it all. It is electric and ... well, you get the picture.

This is a fairly basic machine. You fill it with two litres of oil, switch on, let it heat and then add your unhealthy food item. (You can always serve it with salad to ease your guilt.) There is a window on the top to allow you the top treat of watching your meal turn golden brown and crisp. "Haud me back" as we say up here. In truth all you can see is some steam and bubbling oil, but it is the thought that counts. (And remember that on Sunday mums.)In a way it is like the viewing window at MOT stations - you watch because it is there, but you don't have the slightest clue waht is going on.

Other high tech innovative features include a cooler touch wall (note, this is not quite a cool touch wall but at least you avoid third degree burns.) There is also a replacable filter to stop your house smellying like a chipshop, assuming you would prefer that state of affairs.

In addition there is a cable holder at the rear which is a peice of plastic around which you wind the cable. Will invention never cease? The fryer will cook a kilogramme of food which is just over two pound in old money. A very big tattie in other words. Chips take about 14 minutes but make sure you have a watch because there is no timer on the fryer.

The only real drawback is the handle for the frying basket. It is a flimsy wire effort and you have to fiddle about to hook it into the basket. This strikes me as an minor accident waiting to happen.

i haven't cleaned it yet but the instructions to do so are straightforward.

Despite the jocular tone of this opinion I feel this is a good value product (it cost me £20 less a penny) and the chip butty I had within minutes of getting it home justified every penny spent. It is ideal if you don't fry often, but take care with that handle.