I've only used this appliance one time; but it did a fantastic job of frying chicken legs. Previously, I used a cast iron skillet to fry my fish or chicken. Love cast iron; but on the stove top, you have to continuously adjust the burner settings to keep oil temperature constant. This Secura deep fryer automatically makes temperature adjustments. As I cooked, I monitored the oil temperature with an infrared thermometer. It exactly matched the dial setting throughout the cook. It knows when to turn the elements on to raise the heat. And, it has a light on the panel that confirms this process. Setting up the appliance for first use was extremely easy. I didn't even read any instructions. (not advising you to take shortcuts.) Mostly it was common sense. The heating element can be removed from pot by simply lifting the control panel straight up. Clean the appliance before first use. There are a couple of cons. The power cord is very short. (about 30 inches.) I'm guessing the manufacturer made it short for safety reasons. If the appliance should ever fall off the counter, the power cord would easily detach because it is held in place with magnetic contacts. This sucks if you have 12 inch-deep cabinets that protrude over a two foot-wide counter. Putting the appliance at the very lip of your counter will still mean that the exhaust from the fryer will baste your cabinets with hot moisture. Could damage the finish of cabinet doors. I'm not advising anybody to connect an extension cord to this appliance. The manufacturer strongly says Don't. However, I do own a bunch of 10 gauge extension cords, ranging from 4 to 100 feet in length. Bought most of them from Amazon. 10 gauge is a safer wire than the 12 or 14 gauge socket you currently use. Just saying. I use my 10 gauge cords for a lot of heavy electrical drain devices such as pool pump, infrared heaters, induction cook top, welder, battery charger, log splitter, air compressor, etc. Again, not advising you to use a 10 gauge extension cord with the Secura Deep Fryer. Just saying it is the perfect length to allow me to place my deep fryer on top of my stove which has a vent fan to remove moisture and cooking odors. The next "con" involves the wire cooking basket. I suppose these wire baskets are common throughout the industry among all manufacturers. The mesh on these baskets is small. OK, insures you can fry peas or termites without items dropping from basket. Somebody please manufacture a basket that will not clog up with egg battered recipes. (half inch spaces between bars.) On your first use, I suggest you lower basket into hot oil BEFORE adding battered food. Otherwise, coating might stick to mesh basket. On my second load of chicken legs, they did not stick. In fact, drumsticks floated as they neared completion. Don't overload basket. Fried foods need lots of space between portions. Unlike competitors, the Secura will quickly reheat for the next batch. My oil was ready before I finished coating the next round. In summary, the Secura 4litre deep fryer is a great first buy for the typical consumer. Very affordable. Cooks perfectly. Heats oil quickly, and maintains desired temperature. As an Amazon customer, you know you can return any defective purchase, so don't put too much weight on those one-star ratings. By the way, large chicken drumsticks (twice battered) were done in about 14 minutes. Many foods will probably require less time. There is a glass port that allows you to see when food is floating. This is when you need to remove cover and check doneness with a food thermometer. YouTube is a great source for deep fryer recipes.
