VTG Hot dog cooker "electrocuting" ones

[kenmoreguy89]

Well, since a  post about an hot dog maker made me think about the "electrocuting" hot dog cookers, here is a question about them, i think they could be just convenient in some occasions (in lack of a microvawe) also they're so handy to bring with you, so I always thought about buying one.....

What stopped me is that I could  read several times about wieners cooked in these things having an "ozone" flavour......but also read of people claiming they have not any strange flavours...

So, i'm questioning  this here, if you have ever had any experience with them, and if it is true they  really tastes strange .

thanks

 

 

 

[fido]

Ones what?

Electrocuting ones what? the mind boggles! ;o)

 

[kenmoreguy89]

What's strange?  didn't you know that with an outlet, a prong  2 wires and 2 forks you can cook an hot dog?

The same principle with which "electrocuting" hot dog cookers works, just like this:

 

[kenmoreguy89]

love this red one:

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Simple principle!

 

[franksdad]

I had

a Presto hot dog cooker many, many years ago.  It did a great job but you couldn't eat the ends of the weniers you stuck into the electrodes.  They turned dark gray and had a very metalic taste.  I eventually threw it away. 

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Thanks

So not the whole hotdog? That is good,  that was what I was thinking as well but I was just not sure about it as people only talk of strange taste, not just of the ends, I don't mind to throw away the ends anyway... I would use it on travel mostly..

Thanks Jim

 

[franksdad]

You're welcome!

Mine was a Christmas present.  I was so looking forward to using it.  No matter what I did to remedy the problem, the bitter taste was on the ends.  Otherwise it was a great little cooker.  Like you said, if you don't mind throwing the ends away you should be okay.  For years now I have been microwaving my hot dogs.  I would have said I have been microwaving my weniers...but I've got 4 dachshunds who would be highly offended!  Jim 

 

[mattl]

I have one, used it for many years, never had an issues with the ends of the hot dogs tasting funny - or with ozone for that matter.  Still got it in a drawer, but don't eat hot dogs anymore...

 

[goatfarmer]

We bought a Presto HotDogger at a garage sale a few years ago. To me anyway, they did have a somewhat metalic taste. But it cooked 'em fast!

 

[wayupnorth]

Back in 7th Grade

I made this hot dog cooker for a science project in school after seeing one in a book. A piece of wood with 2 nails sticking up, spaced just the right distance apart and wrapped an old electric cord around both bases of the nails. Simply put the hot dog on the nails, plug in and it fries. Just dont touch the hot dog or anything else until it is unplugged. I am so surprised I got an A for doing something so stupid and dangerous.

 

[tolivac]

Did something different--how bout the "Electric Pickle"In an electronics shop I worked in years ago--was a slow day-so one of the workmates demenstrates the "Electric Pickle"Get an ordinary cord,electrodes,and a Variac.The pickle makes a good light bulb for a short time-glows a bright greenish yellow color-I don't think the unitiated should try this at home.Did not eat the pickle after it was electrified-same idea as that Hot Dogger cooker.You could probably put the pickle on the pins of the Hot Dogger-then its a light!Guess you could vary the "heat" to the Hot Dogger by connecting it to a Variac.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Thank you all for your input and experiences!

 

[fido]

On a vintage electronics forum they were talking about electrocuting weeds using a TV EHT transformer. I suppose it might be worth trying on something difficult to kill like Japanese knotweed.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Has this been entioned yet?

Isn't microwaving a hot dog like electrocuting?

My wife cooks her's this way... Me, I like to just put 'em in the conventional oven in crescent rolls...!

-- Dave

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes it is almost same thing, I cook em that way as well as mentioned when I'm in hurry but I prefer way more an oiled pan and or oven or of course at best a  wood or charcoal grill!

Yum! But while travelling etc... not always a microwave  is available, not to mention a grill.... that is the occasion in which I'd find it very useful! Also my microwave is  so slow at cooking! It takes 2+ mins at max to cook 3 normal size franks while these things get 6  franks read in seconds.....  right? Unfortunately I trusted and assigned  to my sister  the duty to buy a new microwave...for the series: " Bea (my sis) I reccomend, buy a decent  and normal one not a Barbie toy one! Okay? If you'll have doubts call me okay?" - "Don't worry my  brother  I'll"...well  she came home with a tiny  crappy compact plastic thinny Whirlpool  microwave made in china! "Eh.... but it was on 30% off Freddy it was a good deal!" she said!

   That looks rather a sardines can than a microwave, awful at work also! If only the lady from which I was purchasing that beautiful and normal  "VTG" Cook-o-matic microwave didn't let it drop from the stairs while she was going to ship it to me, now I'd have a decent microwave....well but that is another story.....

 

[tolivac]

At some long neglected AM broadcast transmitter sites-any weed touching an AM tower gets BURNED.You will,too.and climbing "Hot" am towers is not fun-have done it.your feet and legs tingle.Tower light flashers on these fail--just after a storm-when it is SNOWING outside.you use the wood or fiberglass ladder.Just DON'T touch the tower and ground!!!!the AM energy can burn through your shoe soles!RF burns are NO fun.Now only deenergized towers can be climbed.If only that rule was in effect on those nights years and years ago!!Birds also got cooked on AM towers if they got between a transmission line or sample loop.If the tower has high RF voltage on it-or 50Kw ND-Don't even think of climbing it while the transmitter is on.

 

[fester]

Two forks and wire cooking?

That's jailhouse technology! When /where were you down and how long? Inquiring minds want to know??? Nah, I'm just Kidding!

FEster

 

[perc-o-prince]

We have an older unit that works kind of like the Presto that was probably from the '30's or '40's. I know we posted a pic of it here a while ago, but I can't find the pic nor lay my hands on the unit right now. It would cook 5 or 6 dogs. There were two columns of bent prongs. You put a dog between two of the prongs across from each other then flipped the switch. IIRC there was a switch for each set of prongs. I did find the wording that's on the unit: Electrocuted Hot Dogs Are Delicious.

Here's an electrocuter for when you're out and about- kinda warms the bun right under the dog! The Wienie Wizard!

Chuck