I bought one of these from Amazon a couple months ago. It was priced, as I recall, around $79.99.
Used it once for fried chicken but I prepared the chicken the wrong way (with a flour coating) and the chicken was not good.
I haven't had the courage to try again yet. Now that I see your success with French fries I will get it back out and try again.
I wait eagerly for others' reports on their successes as well.
(I have to admit to being a sucker for gadgets and small appliances.)