Electric Skillets

[Marlene]

I recently dropped one of these and broke it. I use an electric skillet quite often and I need to replace it.

I don't need the Hamilton beach griddle/skillet combo anymore, but would prefer a good solid electric skillet.

I'm considering this one:cuisinart electric skillet, which I kind of like because it's dishwasher safe.

I used to have a really nice deep electric skillet that in one of my less brillant moments I gave away. I can't seem to find them anymore. Are electric skillets a dying breed?

Do you use one? If so, which one do you swear by?

[andiesenji]

I have several electric skillets but the thing I use most is the

Presto Dutch Oven

seen here

It has many more uses than a skillet and is great for carmelizing big batches of onions.

It is dishwasher safe and it gets used a lot outdoors for fried chicken, fried fish - will hold two whole fish easily.

I took it to the eG potluck last October for the wild boar carnitas in verde sauce. It heated the chilled meat in short order.

I also use it for heating/serving roast pork loin on top of a bed of carmelized apples.

It is very versatile and I think it is a real bargain at this vendor.

I paid $69.95 when I bought mine a couple of years ago.

[Marlene]

Excellent. This looks very similar to the deep skillet I once had. I'll have to see if I can find this in Canada. Thanks, andie!

[andiesenji]

I was just checking on availability and apparently, although Presto still shows it at their website, it is not currently on any vendors in stock list.

I saw one not too long ago at K-Mart and also at Gottschalks Dept store in Palmdale.

I will check to see if they have any in stock. It wouldn't hurt to have a backup, just in case, since I use it a lot.

[Jake]

Marlene, I have an old (15 years probably) Black and Decker electric skillet. It is heavy, deep and maintains heat well, and evenly. I doubt it was very expensive, but I'd buy it again in a second. It has some sort of non stick finish as it cleans up fabulously, but doesn't scratch.

Here's a pic of what they sell now, still really cheap.

Electric skillet

[Marlene]

yes, yes! That's it! Well, I'm like you. I recall now, that mine was a black and decker. But I don't recall the pan being dishwasher safe. I recall at the time B&D was the only manufacturer of the really deep skillets. and it appears they'll ship to Canada. Bonus.

sold.

Speaking of Black and Decker, anyone else remember the Kitchen Tools line? Best coffee maker I ever had.

[andiesenji]

Marlene,

Apparently Wal-Mart has this GE 16 inch x 12 inch deep skillet

That is about as close as you can come to the Presto Dutch Oven and the price is right.

The Presto skillets are not as deep but have the 12 x 16 cooking surface.

If you have a Wal-Mart near you, give them a call and see if they have them in stock so you can at least look at it before you buy.

It doesn't say if it is dishwasher safe, however it does have the removable control which usually means the appliance is immersible.

I also have a large round Villaware non-stick electric but it cost over $100. and I only use it when I need an additional one. It doesn't seem to heat as rapidly as the Presto but that might be my perception (sometimes I get a little impatient) of the time.

[andiesenji]

All Black and Decker small appliances were originally GE. B & D bought most of GEs small appliance patents when GE opted out of the small appliance field in the early 80s.

Now GE is again producing a few small appliances. For many years, in the U.S., it was GE and Sunbeam who produced the best small appliances and they were neck and neck. Toastmaster was next in line and the rest trailed along.

I remember visiting one aunt, when I was about 12, and mentioning my grandma's Sunbeam toaster.

Aunt Louise replied, "We have only GE appliances in this house!" I was suitably admonished and never mentioned "that other brand" again during my visit.

Edited April 6, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[Jake]

Marlene, I'll bet Canadian Tire still carries them in the stores.

[Marlene]

Thanks Andie and Jake. I have both a Walmart and a Canadian Tire here, and I'll check both of them out!

[Anna N]

I just bought this electric skillet. I am sure it is not what you need, Marlene, but I just love it. It is sharp enough to bring to the table and large enough to handle food for at least four. When I was first married, the house rule was that if it couldn't be made in an electric skillet, it simply couldn't be made! I had no clue about cooking and the only recipes I had were in the book that came with the skillet. For years I have not had one. I looked and looked but did not want a non-stick or another aluminum one. When I saw this, I fell in love but could not justify buying it as I have no place to store it. But the temptation was too much for me. I must have been meant to have it! When I asked about it, I found out it was the last one and because it was a display model, got it for $20.

[Marlene]

Very nice Anna. It's hard to read the name. Is it a Rival?

[Anna N]

Very nice Anna.  It's hard to read the name.  Is it a Rival?

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Yes, it is a Rival.

[fifi]

That is a pretty skillet. I am sorely tempted.

When I was a latchkey kid, gloriously responsible for starting dinner, the old Sunbeam skillet was my friend. All this talk about electric skillets brings back memories.

[Marlene]

After searching around forever, I finally purchased this electric skillet.

Rival

It is a non stick, which is ok, and the glass lid as opposed to the plastic flimsy lid on the black and decker model sold me. I haven't had a chance to use it yet though.

[Anna N]

After searching around forever, I finally purchased this electric skillet.

Rival

It is a non stick, which is ok, and the glass lid as opposed to the plastic flimsy lid on the black and decker model sold me.  I haven't had a chance to use it yet though.

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Very nice, too!

[Chris Amirault]

I'm bumping this up to see if anyone has any shopping tips for buying a used electric skillet. I see them all the time at yard sales and at thrift stores, but I'm fearful of a blown thermostat or something. Is that unreasonable? Thoughts?

[Anna N]

I'm bumping this up to see if anyone has any shopping tips for buying a used electric skillet. I see them all the time at yard sales and at thrift stores, but I'm fearful of a blown thermostat or something. Is that unreasonable? Thoughts?

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Most of the "works" are in the cord if you find one that has a detachable cord and these are easy to buy new so you should be fine.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks. New question: I'm having a hard time finding a good internet source for information about the cords. This page has some information about Farberware -- but of course the skillet I'm trying to fix is a 100-series, for which cords are no longer available. Does anyone know of a better listing?

[Chris Amirault]

OK, I'm giving up on this quest for a variety of reasons (exorbitant cost of the piece, lack of confidence in the used base), and today I saw this Rival skillet at Target for $50. Does anyone have experience with this? I'd be using it almost exclusively for frying chicken, hushpuppies, etc., so I'm most interested in how it maintains the temperature of fry oil.

[Anna N]

Chris,

The reviews don't sound good for even heating and one review seems to indicate that the surface is non-stick. I always think non-stick is the last thing you need if you are going to deep fry. The surface just does not hold up under long periods of hot oil. Just my experience.

[Chris Amirault]

That was also my initial hesitation, but it is night impossible to find these things in non-non-stick.

Marlene, is that the same skillet as the one you bought? I can't get that link from two years ago to work.

[SundaySous]

I fear what A Brown had to say 3 years ago is largely true today.

Sadly I think even Kitchenaide mixers are going this route. Plastic gears?

I really hope those Rival models especially the $50 one are an exception.

I really wonder if this is the same in Europe? Cause if they are getting quality, I mean you buy a food processor and it lasts 20 years then I am upgrading electrical to what ever I have to so I can use it.

I am the proud owner of a 1958 Waring Blender. If I see anything like this at a garage sale consider it mine.

[Marlene]

That was also my initial hesitation, but it is night impossible to find these things in non-non-stick.

Marlene, is that the same skillet as the one you bought? I can't get that link from two years ago to work.

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It's close, but mine does not have a removable base. I have used it to deep fry chicken and had no problems with either the non stick finish or retaining the fry temp. I rarely use it these days though. I should probably bring it up to the cottage since I could use it to fry chicken up here.

I used to have a Hamilton Beach that had a removable base and I had a lot more trouble with temp control and even heating. I think there must be something about the removable base that interferes with that sort of thing.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks, Marlene. It really makes sense that the problem would be the removable base, when you think of it: at Target, when I lifted off the pan, I was surprised at both its light weight and the gap between the pan and the heating element.