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Cookworks XJ-10302 semi-professional fryer review

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Cookworks stainless steel deep fat fryer

Cookworks XJ-10302 semi-professional fryer review

Pete Wise

Published: September 29, 2020 at 4:34 PM

4.5

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

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Deep fryers give foods a wonderfully crisp finish, and are great for cooking everything from chips to churros. Read our review of this semi-professional fryer by Cookworks.

Pros
- Excellent heating performance
- Very easy to clean
Cons
- Components don’t fit together as well as we’d like
- Relatively low food capacity

Cookworks XJ-10302 semi-professional fryer summary

With excellent heating performance and a simple, classic design, the Cookworks XJ-10302 is a great choice for those who prize frying power above all else. It’s not the fanciest of fryers, but it does its job well.

What were your first impressions of the Cookworks semi-professional fryer?

The XJ-10302’s classic, boxy shape makes it look and feel like the real thing. It’s easy and intuitive to set up and use, but the lid doesn’t seem to fit quite right. The power and heating indicator lights are nice and bright, and the thermostat has a satisfying 'click' to it that lets you know the appliance is heating up. We like that the basket can be rested on the lip of the fryer to cool.

We're also impressed with this deep fryer’s heating performance. It reaches 130C in the space of about four minutes, and, based on our independent thermometer reading, it does so with great accuracy. Further, the temperature recovers impressively quickly after adding cool chips to the oil, taking just a few minutes to get back close to 130C.

This fryer’s cube shape makes it relatively space-efficient, and therefore easy to store. Impressively little packaging is used, and much of it is recyclable. Be sure to read the instructional leaflet on how to assemble the basket and handle before use, as getting this right is crucial to the fit of the fryer’s parts.

How was the Cookworks semi-professional fryer to use?

The chips we cooked with the XJ-10302 turned out pretty evenly. The batches were all cooked through thoroughly, with dark, well-done skins and dense middles. If you like your chips to have a bit of stodge to them, you’d enjoy the chips we made with this fryer.

The fryer has sufficient capacity to cook two generous portions of chips. It must be said that the maximum capacity for chips, 600g, is quite low relative to the fryer’s maximum oil capacity of 3 litres. Plus, there’s not much leeway between the minimum and maximum oil capacities.

One downside in terms of safety and quality is that the lid and basket feel a bit rickety. As such, the XJ-10302 is perhaps not the ideal option for people who want to create the safest barrier they can between themselves and the oil in their fryer.

This is a particularly easy fryer to clean. All the components, including the frying bowl, can be taken apart and cleaned individually. The stainless steel body of the fryer is simple in design and wipes clean well.

Cookworks XJ-10302 Semi Professional Fryer specifications

Maximum temperature: 190C
Oil capacity: 3 litres
Food capacity: 600g chips, or two-thirds full
Power: 2000W

More on deep-frying

How to deep-fry safely
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Best deep fat fryers tried and tested
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This review was last updated in September 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.