Presto! It's Gone!

At my house, this skillet is known as my “old” skillet. I’ve had it only a couple of years but it looks old. That may be the biggest complaint I have about the skillet. The aging process didn’t take long. I still use it because the size is great when cooking for two but I put it away when company is coming. The guests wouldn’t appreciate the way it looks after two years of use.

ABOUT THE SKILLET

The Base

The base of the skillet is square. It measures 11 inches by 11 inches. The base, inside, is covered with a non-stick surface. This surface has held up under lots of use. It doesn’t have any scratches and it still is easy to clean. I usually remember to use plastic utensils but slip up occasionally. When cooking meat in the skillet I always use stainless steel forks. Since I’m not always in compliance with the best tools to use with the non-stick surface, I have to assume that the interior is made of strong stuff. That’s important to me.

The bottom of the base is a metal material. The base is heavy so this may be stainless steel of some sort. It is difficult to keep clean. Each time I get a new electric fry pan, I vow to keep the bottom grease free. Once again, this has not been possible. It is one of the reasons that I don’t bring it out to use with company. While I’m sure there are special de-greasers that I could research, buy and use, limited time is the description of my life. Besides, I really believe that skillet manufacturers should devise a pan bottom that is easy to keep clean so that the skillet continues to look great even after many uses. If you think that’s true too, then this skillet is not for you.

The skillet sits on black plastic legs that are also the side handles. The handles are sturdy and I’ve only had to tighten the screws a couple of times.

The Cord

There is a removable cord that is attached to the temperature control. This temperature control has a prong that plugs into the skillet and then the other end of the cord plugs into the wall. Two minor complaints that I have with this part of the skillet is that the cord is a bit too short. To use the skillet you need to be close to an outlet. While that makes for some safety because you won’t have a cord laying free across your counter, it is not always easy to keep it next to a plug. I often like to serve from the skillet for a counter buffet or for stir fry dishes I like to keep it warm in the skillet and serve from the table. This requires approved extension cords and then you do have potential safety issues. The second minor complain is that the numbers of the degrees located on the prong part of the cord was painted in gold and has become really hard to read after using it and washing it off over time.

The Cover

The nice thing about the cover is that is a high domed cover. You can cook chicken and other things that require height. It is made of a plastic type of material. It is very lightweight. It is also very hard to keep clean. Imagine, if you will, grease on a plastic surface and you’ll understand why cleaning and keeping it clean is difficult. The cover has a light color and yellow greasy build-up is a big problem. I like that it stays cooler than other tops I’ve had but I don’t like trying to keep it grease free. It has also yellowed in places from the heat of the skillet. The top is high and takes a lot of storage space. The top has a knob on top that works well for lifting and removing the lid but it is located directly in the middle of the top which makes it hard to lift up without dangerous steam from escaping. This makes a possibility for burns on unprotected arms. If you are careful, you can avoid this hazard. The knob needs to be tightened often. You can wash the top in the dishwasher but I find that unless I scrub it by hand it never gets as clean as it should. It also takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher.

While I love the convenient size of this electric skillet, I can’t overall recommend it as a, “Buy This One!” When my Farberware electric fry pan wore out, I replaced it with this one. I thought that all I needed for my Susie Homemaker Blue Bird of Happiness Award would be a non-stick finish and a cheap price. I got it on sale for $19.99. I found out that I was wrong. The only positive about the purchase was that it was inexpensive enough to purchase that I’m not agonizing over the fact that I had to replace it within a couple of years.