Inexpensive Fryer on Woot?

[1beerbaron]

Sorry that I'm just copy and pasting my post from the AHA Forums, but I wanted your guys' opinions as well. Thanks.

http://tools.woot.com has a turkey fryer setup today. It's seems to be a good, not OMG!!! good, but a good price, from what I can tell. My question is this: Should I go for this burner? I've been wanting a Blichmann floor burner for a little while. I haven't gotten one partially because I'm poor, partially because my gas stove just barely gets to a boil, and partially because there are a couple things I want more.

I've heard the Blichmann burners are worth the money. I'm just wondering if I should jump on the burner on woot, since it's a deal (I'll need a second burner at some point anyway. I doubt that I'll want to haul sparge water from the house for very long). Currently though, there are a couple things I want more than a floor burner. What do you guys think? I'm just worried this is a better deal than I realize, and I should jump on it, then I can start boiling on a fryer earlier, and I'll have my second burner when I get a Blichmann. Thanks guys.

[Ozwald]

Looks alright. Might not be able to handle 10g batches, but it certainly beats the crap out of a stovetop. Personally I'd wait until the week or 2 after U.S. Thanksgiving. You can get some great deals on a ton of different turkey fryers.

Edit: Note there's a safety on the gas line that would have to be bypassed. It's not hard, but if you're not a DIY type of person it's something to consider.

[Beer_Baron]

I have seen several turkey fryer package deals that are similar to the one I got a few years back. They run about $50, (at Bass Pro Shops right now) and include a 7.5 gal. aluminum kettle, regulator and hose, burner, stand, long stem thermometer, and a hook if you actually want to use it to fry a turkey. It works great for frying turkey, but the novelty wears off quick when you have to buy $50 worth of oil to cook a $20 turkey. I have heard horror stories about how the thermometers are sometimes inaccurate, but mine works fine for brewing and has a nut to adjust.

The cast-iron burner is like this one: http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/bg10_cast_iron_burner.htm

The stand's paint burns off the first time you use it, like a lot of burner stands. There are two "safety" devices on the regulator/hose that are a bit of a pain until you get used to them. One is a thermocouple, where there is a probe that juts out over the burner - a switch shuts off the gas unless there is a flame or the override button is pressed. The other is a mechanical timer that shut the gas off after 20 minutes. You can remove both and replace with a standard propane regulator and hose, (about $15) but I have gotten used to them and they don't bother me so much now.

I have been meaning to tear it apart and use the burner as part of a stand, but I'm too lazy. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get away from using the kitchen stove, it works just fine. Also, the aluminum pot makes a fine hot liquor tank - I used it for that for a few years before I got a larger one.

[Ozwald]

I have seen several turkey fryer package deals that are similar to the one I got a few years back. They run about $50, (at Bass Pro Shops right now) and include a 7.5 gal. aluminum kettle, regulator and hose, burner, stand, long stem thermometer, and a hook if you actually want to use it to fry a turkey. It works great for frying turkey, but the novelty wears off quick when you have to buy $50 worth of oil to cook a $20 turkey. I have heard horror stories about how the thermometers are sometimes inaccurate, but mine works fine for brewing and has a nut to adjust.

The cast-iron burner is like this one: http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/bg10_cast_iron_burner.htm

The stand's paint burns off the first time you use it, like a lot of burner stands. There are two "safety" devices on the regulator/hose that are a bit of a pain until you get used to them. One is a thermocouple, where there is a probe that juts out over the burner - a switch shuts off the gas unless there is a flame or the override button is pressed. The other is a mechanical timer that shut the gas off after 20 minutes. You can remove both and replace with a standard propane regulator and hose, (about $15) but I have gotten used to them and they don't bother me so much now.

I have been meaning to tear it apart and use the burner as part of a stand, but I'm too lazy. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get away from using the kitchen stove, it works just fine. Also, the aluminum pot makes a fine hot liquor tank - I used it for that for a few years before I got a larger one.

I got the Bass Pro Shop kit for my HLT years back. It works great. It's quite a bit smaller than the Bayou & has a different style burner, but I loved it. To get rid of the safety's you don't actually have to replace anything. I can't recall exactly what I did to mine, but it didn't take too long to bypass the safeties. Since my kettle is the only thing running gas anymore, I mainly use the Blichmann & kept the Bayou SQ10 around as SHTF burner. I sold the BPS burner to my mechanic who's just starting out & he really digs it. It's doing fine on my converted keg for his main BK. I think I paid something like $40 the week after Thanksgiving, but that was a number of years ago. The turkey fryer pot could make a nice HLT, but I'd avoid it for a BK. I use mine under the grain mill. I had a 2nd converted keg for an HLT before I got the BPS kit, so I never actually did put liquid in it.