We spent a lovely weekend with friends in Windermere at the weekend. When it comes to this wonderful corner of the country there are lots of attractions – walking, climbing, cycling, breathtaking views, country pubs…and of course, the large Lakeland store!

We had an hour’s mooch as we drove in. The store is full of useful things – some you knew you needed before entering the store – others that suddenly seem essential as you wander round. They always have a good selection of  kitchen appliances on display, and we got to mulling over the deep fat fryers. Our last one gave up the ghost a few years ago and we never replaced it. We used to use it for tempura, fried Camembert, crispy onion rings – and of course, delicious home-made chips.

There are all manner of fryers on the market – electric and stove top options – with various oil reduction, cleaning & filter systems. We’ve chosen three at various price points. What’s the first thing we’ll make when we get ours? Will it be the spicy vegetable tempura? Maybe… but probably not – the chips will no doubt win the day. We can almost smell the salt & vinegar!

1. LOGIK L30PFS12 professional deep fryer – stainless steel: £19.99, Currys
2. Premier Housewares enamel deep fryer – black: £32.99, Argos
3. Sage™ The Smart Fryer™: £117.00, Lakeland