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After doing some online research I bought this one today - a common complaint with electric skillets seems to be they don't get hot enough and this skillet gets no bad reviews for that.
I don't cook meat that often, mostly stir-fry vegetables or vegetarian curries, and sometimes omelettes or scrambled eggs. Once in a great while a really good steak, like bone-in ribeye. I figured an electric skillet would use less energy and be easier to clean up.
I'm going to break it in shortly with a burger and a big pile of chopped kale with spices. I have never owned or even used an electric skillet before. I just set it up, washed and pre-seasoned it.
What do you use yours for? What are the shortcomings and what are the advantages?
We have a Townecraft electric skillet from Chef's Ware. It has an oil core so it keeps the entire skillet at a constant temperature. We use ours for anything that requires a constant temperature higher than that of a Crockpot.
As you mentioned reading reviews, I couldn't get mine hot enough to sear either. I did try a few things in it but just got frustrated with it and gave it to my mom. She uses her for swiss steaks, those biaquick impossibly easy recipes and reheating ham. She likes it.
About the only thing I use mine for is when I pan-fry chops or chicken, and occasionally I will make pancakes in it. Mom gave it to me shortly after I moved out of the house in 1983 on the pretense that "it wasn't big enough for her and dad", but I think she just wanted me to have it. She did get another one, just like it. Mine is now over 30 years old and still works great. I put the lid on with the vent open to brown my meat, then I add some water or broth to the meat, close the lid and steam it (turn the temp control down to simmer). I then make gravy out of the drippings and I have a wonderful supper. I think it is a Presto brand.
I love to fry chicken in my electric skillet. My mother-in-law taught me. Put the chicken in put the top on and turn only once. Turning once helps the chicken stay crisp and soak up less grease.
I also use my skillet for making breakfast when I have several people to cook for. Breakfast meat first and then gravy.
Well I must say, it browned up the burger in minutes, then I sauteed the greens in about five minutes and added back the burger to reheat.
At the 400 degree setting it definitely was adequate for fast searing and much easier to clean than my cast iron skillet.
I guess the test will be, will it sear and cook a 1 1/2-inch-thick ribeye steak to be browned and savory on the outside but tender and rare inside?
If not, that is OK....based on my first impression it will do veggies and stir-fries quite efficiently.
When I had an electric skillet in our travel trailer I cooked everything I cook in it with no issues but I can use most any pan to cook everything I cook. Whatever is available I can cook in it.
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Mine is now over 30 years old and still works great. I put the lid on with the vent open to brown my meat, then I add some water or broth to the meat, close the lid and steam it (turn the temp control down to simmer). I then make gravy out of the drippings and I have a wonderful supper. I think it is a Presto brand.
