Turkey Fryer vs Presto - safety question?

[EricofAZ]

I have a presto that has the heating coil molded underneath the pot.  So basically the entire pot gets hot but no direct exposure of the coil to the wax. 

 

The turkey fryers (which have the advantage of holding more volume) have the coil inside in direct contact with the wax. 

 

I have no idea how the professional high capacity wax melters work with regard to the coil (some I think have water/oil jackets and again, back to the idea that the wax is not in direct contact with the coil.

 

So I was curious as to what folks think about safety.  To me, having the wax in direct contact with the heating coils seems a bit unsettling.

 

At what point do you retire the coil or replace it?  I think I know what happens when the coil breaks or burns a hole (saw that on a stove once when I was a kid, shot a flame out the hole in the coil about a foot long).

 

Any feedback?  Stories?

 

Eric

[justajesuschick]

I have both. I have only been using the turkey fryer for a couple of months. The recommendations I received on mine were from people who have used the particular one I have for years. I never heat mine beyond 200 degrees. It has an insert that is aluminum and that sits inside the unit itself. Mine heats very gently and while I wondered how it would work, if the wax would get overheated, etc., I can report that I have had to make ZERO adjustments and my melts are consistent with the melts I made with my Presto.

[pcbrook]

I was a little leary about the wax being in direct contact with the coil at first but I got over it.  I have had mine for a couple years without any problems.  I guess it is no different than having the oil in direct contact with the coil.