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Turkey Fryer or Presto Pot?


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Turkey fryers are the best.  Especially if you do large batches.  When I used the small prestos I was always waiting for them to keep up with the pouring.  The drain valve works awesome!  

 

Long story short.....if you are making a lot of candles do yourself a favor and get the turkey fryer!!  

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It depends which model you are considering. The newer models (Butterball) are rectangular like a bread machine. I understand that those have only a little drainage valve rather than mine with a nice spigot. Mine are by Masterbuilt and no longer made. I know some have a dozen Prestos lined up along a whole wall, but that did not appeal to me. Mine hold and melt 40 pounds of wax at a time. I prefer blending my wax in the fryer rather than having 1 pot full of one wax and another pot with another wax.

My Presto is the stainless model (I am also not a teflon fan) and it holds 8 pounds. I only use it now when I am completely emptying and cleaning a big pot. The element needs to start covered at the next use.

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With the turkey fryers, can you put your waxes in there to blend, melt, use what you need then turn it off with remaining wax in there?  Then the next time you are ready to pour, just heat the remaining wax to the proper temperature?  I don't pour enough right now to justify the turkey fryer, but if it's a good deal and saves time it might be worth the investment.  

Thanks

Marie

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Thanks for the replies.

The one on sale is the rectangular style.  I've been searching craigslist for the old style but they seem to be extinct due to us candlemakers!  I'm going to find one at a yard sale

one of these days.  I do pour a lot a melts and I run 2 Prestos and have to refill and wait several times right now so I think I can easily justify the big pot.

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Thanks for the replies.

The one on sale is the rectangular style.  I've been searching craigslist for the old style but they seem to be extinct due to us candlemakers!  I'm going to find one at a yard sale

one of these days.  I do pour a lot a melts and I run 2 Prestos and have to refill and wait several times right now so I think I can easily justify the big pot.

Definitely you can! It is so nice not having to fill and fill and fill! 

Here is one I found on ebay. It is new in box and has free shipping: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Four-Seasons-Electric-Digital-Fryer-FRY-BOIL-STEAM-28-Quart-BLACK-NIB-SEALED-/281880678633?hash=item41a165d0e9:g:-n0AAOSwnipWaNgq

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With the turkey fryers, can you put your waxes in there to blend, melt, use what you need then turn it off with remaining wax in there?  Then the next time you are ready to pour, just heat the remaining wax to the proper temperature?  I don't pour enough right now to justify the turkey fryer, but if it's a good deal and saves time it might be worth the investment.  

Thanks

Marie

Yes. Mine hold about 40 pounds. I fill, use and if I have not used all of the wax, I turn it off, put the lid on and heat back up and add more wax for next pouring.

 

I found this pic that I posted here a year or so ago. Shows scale. My stainless Presto holds 8 pounds, for reference. My whole business is wax melts. I would have to have a few of these if I made jar candles.

 

post-9853-0-63144200-1449847222_thumb.jp

Edited by justajesuschick
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Yeah, I am not sure how the spout would work on those rectangle ones!  I always wondered that myself because eventually we won't be able to find the Masterbuilt ones anymore!

I MIGHT be a round Masterbuilt turkey fryer hoarder! HA! When I find them new and unused, I am always tempted to buy. One was local to me on craiglist and was $25!! Box had been opened, and it had been stored in a barn but it had never been used.

 

I read somewhere that it is more a drainage valve or tube on the square ones. Located in a corner on the back. Not like a spigot. I have not seen one for myself so I cannot be certain what I read in a review was accurate.  

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I have a back up in the shop. Wouldn't dream of going back to anything else. The only other direction is to go with a water jacket melter and they're not cheap. The turkey fryer keeps the wax at 200 degrees and the heating unit is in direct contact with the wax but that has never been a detected problem for the integrity of the wax. You have to cover the heating elements with melted wax before loading it up and then its just a matter of replacing wax used in a pour session. I always refill while the wax is hot, easy peasy. I also have the pour spout and its great. Never clogs and pours fast into the pour pot. HTH

Steve

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I bought one on eBay used and haven't used it yet- it reaks of grease and has no instructions

It has a basket in it which I would assume you don't use....just use your own thermometer?

I need to clean it up and try it - this making batches of candles in the presto is so time consuming and hard to make big batches

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I have a back up in the shop. Wouldn't dream of going back to anything else. The only other direction is to go with a water jacket melter and they're not cheap. The turkey fryer keeps the wax at 200 degrees and the heating unit is in direct contact with the wax but that has never been a detected problem for the integrity of the wax. You have to cover the heating elements with melted wax before loading it up and then its just a matter of replacing wax used in a pour session. I always refill while the wax is hot, easy peasy. I also have the pour spout and its great. Never clogs and pours fast into the pour pot. HTH

Steve

AGREE!!! 

 

I bought one on eBay used and haven't used it yet- it reaks of grease and has no instructions

It has a basket in it which I would assume you don't use....just use your own thermometer?

I need to clean it up and try it - this making batches of candles in the presto is so time consuming and hard to make big batches

Not certain what model you got but here is the instruction booklet digitally for the ones I have. 

SUPER easy to use. Plug in (after it is cleaned, though!), melt wax in a presto and pour into the turkey fryer before you turn it on. Just enough to cover the element. I use manual temp of 200. I use a digital probe thermometer. My husband crafted me a cool aluminum bar that goes across and the thermometer suspends into the wax from it. Add as much wax as you need and turn it on. The only time it is emptied past the element is if I have gobs of gunk from the wax in the bottom and I completely empty for cleaning. You skip the Presto step unless you need it. You will not use the basket.

 

I can also email a pdf of this to you if you wish to message me an email address. pdf cannot be uploaded here.

IM #SEDTFV-Eng.doc

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Wow thanks for the replies, I've learned a lot here.  I found one of the older style 28 qt with spigot on Letgo but I'm not sure the person will ship it as Letgo is primarily a "local"

thing.  This one has the digital temp not the dials.  I'm on a mission now to find one before Karen buys them all up!

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 I'm on a mission now to find one before Karen buys them all up!

hahaha!!

I think I am set for a bit. I do search locally since I do have the hope of finding "just 1 more" and more at the price I got my first one for locally. Shipping, since they are big (not super heavy) would be tricky due to their size/shape.

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Thank you jajc

Now another question.....I am going to scrub it tonight and give it a try but I have always used a presto and have always made a certain batch size- example a 3 pound batch I measure 3 pounds of wax dry and melt it adding my additives and then I transfer it to a pour pot with my FO in it measures for 3 pounds of wax- 1.5 ounces oer pound which would be 4.5 ounces of FO- I then let it cool to pour temp and get X amount of jars plus a tester that I burn to make sure the batch is good

With the turkey fryer if I melt say 15 pounds of wax with my additives but only need 3 pounds for one fragrance.....is 3 pounds of melted wax the same as when I measured it dry?

I get confused on the whole volume vs actual weight - I don't want and can't afford to mess up a bunch of jars

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I tare out my pour pot (tempered glass coffee carafe) and measure out how many ounces by scale. Usually, there is little to no waste if measured correctly (I use 15 ounces wax and 1 ounce fo for two 8 ounce candles). I've tried marking the outside of the pour pot with tape and pouring to the mark but its easier to just weigh it. Most of the time my eyeballing is pretty close. Be careful how you place the tub back into the shell with the elements. The first time I cleaned mine out and put it back together it wouldn't work and I freaked out. Proper alignment fixed the problem. HTH

Steve

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Would this fryer be similar to the old turkey fryer (which appears to be nonexistent now)? I read on one site that this is the same fryer, but was purchased by Bruce Foods. Just wondering if yours has a separate heating element.

http://www.turkey-fryers-online.com/bruce-foods-2217401932-cajun-injector-electric-turkey-fryer.htm

http://www.turkey-fryers.com/etfv_turkey_fryer_kits.htm

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Ok I scrubbed and soaked mine

It was used but hardly used just smelled

Got it all dried and started filling it with wax to cover the element and I have floaties!!!! It's like grease floaties from a turkey- I am so beside myself right now that was a lot of wax to just cover the element

Wax doesn't smell but how am supposed to get these out without pitching all that wax and what's to say it won't happen again

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