We picked the Cookworks Signature Compact Deep Fat fryer as we wanted to start cooking our own chips but wanted something small and easy to use. We saw the Cookworks Compact on offer in Argos at the time for just £15.99 so decided to get that one.

The Fryer

The Cookworks Compact is very small at just 17 x 15 x 15 cm and a food capacity of 0.4kg. So it wouldn't be any good for a family's needs, but for just me and my boyfriend it is just enough. The temperature is controlled my a dial ranging from 130'C to 1.90'c and can hold 0.9l of oil.
The fryer has a removable lid, viewing window and filter. All removable parts are dishwasher safe. As it is such a compact design it can also easily fit into your kitchen cupboards. The fryer also has a cool wall feature so the fryer is safe and non-slip feet.

When we first used the fryer we were surprised at how small it actually was. If you are cooking chips then to cook the chips nicely you can only have just over a handful in the fryer at one time. We found that if we did only need a few chips each it would just hold enough.

The oil heats up quickly and cooks the chips fast too. The design of the fryer is stylish and modern, if a little basic. The controls are very basic and you only have a limited range in temperature. The food goes in a little basket inside the fryer and you have a handle that slots into this. The handle is beyond basic, and is just a rod with two hooks on the end that you squeeze into the basket. I found this dangerous especially when the oil is at cooking temperature. Also the hooks do not easily slide in to the basket and I have found myself lifting out the basket with a pair of forks instead!

Overall the fryer is very basic and looks nice. We have had to buy a new one as it was just not big enough for our needs. The basket and handle just did not feel safe enough to use. At the moment it is at only £12.99 in Argos and in this case you do pay for what you get! I wouldn't recommend this fryer to anyone as its safety is not up to scratch.