DeLonghi D895UX Cool Touch Roto Deep Fryer

I read the reviews...I bought the deep fryer...It rotated for my first batch of chicken...then stopped! Now, while the fryer is cooling off (so I can drain the oil)--so am I (cooling off, that is).

I'm a southern girl who can fry some SERIOUS chicken--cast iron skillet and all. That's not bragging--just a fact! Now I've never desired a deep fryer, but my husband indicated (AFTER Christmas, I might add) that he really would have loved a deep fryer for Christmas. Too bad I didn't know that earlier, or he may not have had the nice new leather jacket Santa left under the tree for him : )

Anyway, since he's a BIG fried chicken fan, and although I can actually fry it--no problem there, I don't do it that often. Mainly because I hate the smell that lingers over the house for seemingly an eternity. In an attempt to surprise him, I bought this fryer (after reading several epinions which rated it very favorably). I might add that I've been pretty pleased with other epinion ratings I've used in the past.

But...I have serious doubts, after my initial experience with the DeLonghi Rotating Deep Fryer. My experience turned out to be no more than that of using a "glorified skillet". (My husband hadn't even used it yet, but our daughter wanted chicken legs--so I thought we would try the new toy).

Yes--I did read the instructions--several times I might add. I bought the recommended peanut oil, and followed all the steps. I put 5 legs in the basket and set it for the recommended 6-7 minutes (I actually used 7). The basket did rotate...but this was not enough time to give the chicken a nice golden brown like I can achieve in my trusty skillet. The chicken didn't always "turn over" within the basket to allow even browning. So I ended up raising the basket and actually turning the chicken so that it would have even browning.

Note that when the lid is open (and you do have to be careful for the escaping steam) that this allows the infamous and lingering "chicken smells" to escape also. I also had to add more time to allow the chicken to brown sufficiently. Granted a couple of the legs were very large (like the chickens had been on steroids or something). But you haven't been sick until you've eaten undercooked chicken, so I didn't want to face that menace too!

Anyway, when I added my second batch (of 5) chicken legs, the darned basket didn't rotate. I raise the basket and made sure that there was nothing obstructing the basket and the little "knob" in the middle of the bowl that rotates the basket. I hadn't used a lot of flour for my coating, so that wasn't the problem...the darned thing just wouldn't turn. I ended up doing the "glorified skillet" thing again, and also letting the chicken stay in longer than the recommended 6-7 minutes.

I must say that I had high hopes for this fryer (and so did my husband); however, right now I am EXTREMELY disappointed with its performance. My husband will have to "see for himself", I'm sure--but first impressions are lasting, and it will have to put on a stellar second performance for me not to put it back in the box and send it back to the company from which I ordered.

Another thing...the instructions indicated that the lid is removable for clean-up (minus the filter, of course), but we have had the hardest time trying to remove the lid.

For those who enjoyed the performance of their fryer, I'm very pleased for you...nothing like a nice hot piece of fried chicken. But this just may not be the product for our household.