Does anyone Roto Broil?

[dalangdon]

I found this at the thrift store today. I've seen 'em before, but never with the copper this nice, so I nabbed it.

Has anyone ever used one of these? It has a fryer basket, but no insert (like a crockpot would have). Is that correct?

 

[retromom]

Hey Dan:

Nice find! Love the copper too! I have a Sunbeam Cooker/Fryer that is set up the same way. It has a fryer basket but no removable insert (like a crockpot). I use mine for chilis, soups, and stews. I have some of those Reynolds crockpot liners, but have never attempted to put them in a metal vessel (for fear of a meltdown).

Enjoy your find. This seems to be the right weather for a good cooker!

 

[petek]

So how does it work? With a name like Roto-broil you have to assume there's some rotating action going on in there to add to the fun?

 

[dalangdon]

Unfortunately, Pete, Like a Frigidaire Stove or a Whirlpool refrigerator, the name says nothing about the product. It just sits there and heats up.

Speaking of heating up, when I was in college I worked for the University's cable TV channel. Tuesday night was "hospital night" where our programming extolled the virtues of the University of Iowa's Hospital and Clinics (Iowa's Tertiary Health Care Center!)

Anyway, they frequently ran a program about some toddler who pulled a fryer of hot oil over on herself. (she recovered - the hospital has a pedatric burn center) I think the fryer they showed in the re-creation was a roto broil. That show put me off frying for years. This is but one step on my road to recovery ;-)

 

[kenmore58]

GREAT FRYER!!

My former partner, Eric, found one of these at a yard sale for me, still in the box. It was $5. Put it down in the basement and kind of forgot about it until recently. Make fried chicken with it and I have to admit that it worked perfectly. Good temperature control, etc., etc.

Unfortunately, there was no paperwork with it, only the unit and the original box. If anyone has an instruction/recipe book that came with it, I'd appreciate a copy.

Also, my unit is stainless steel as opposed to copper, but it matches the rest of my kitchen.

 

[whirlcool]

I think that most fryers nowadays have "breakaway" magnetic plugs that will detatch from the fryer at the slighest possible movement, thereby preventing a spill over.

 

[MrX]

It's amazing that Apple Computer appears to have a patent on their "Magsafe" power connector which is along similar lines to the magnetic coupler you've described on a fryer.

Not sure how they patented something that's been on cooking devices for years!?!

Magsafe basically disconnects if someone trips over your laptop cable.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/design.html

 

[MrX]

Delonghi - Rotofryer (uses 50% less oil)

Here's a link to some detail about a similar product. Delongi's Roto-fryer.

http://delonghi.co.uk/feature_pages/newfryers_feature/rotofryer.htm

 

[rp2813]

ROTO BROIL

Roto Broil made rotisseries. I have one (a "Custom 400" model) from the mid 50's. If you look at the thread where '58Limited shows pix of his kitchen (vintage refrig thread?) in one shot there's a rotisserie in the background that looks almost identical to mine. I believe he said his was a Sears brand. They make better rotisserie chicken than you can get in any supermarket deli, and it's super easy.

Never seen a fryer by them but will check my owner's manual and cookbook to see if they mention it.

Ralph