How to sabotage a deep fryer?

[flutterbee]

My son has one of those nasty things. His grandmother (NOT my mom) got it for him one year. I hate it. It stinks. It stinks for a long time. It makes me nauseous. It's 26 degrees outside and snowing and I have windows open in my kitchen. Because when Devon has friends over they use it ALL the time. I can hear their arteries clogging shut.

How do I sabotage this thing without it being obvious? I want it out of my house. It's the grossest thing.

 

[susiestar]

Well, you could "lose" it. Or you could insist they only operate it OUTSIDE. Or if the cord comes off you could bend one of the prongs. Or something could happen to the cord.

I iwll ask my husband. IF you can ruin an appliance HE CAN!

I am sorry it makes you sick to smell it. I would go for the outside rule. "It makes mommy vomit. If you use it inside (or outside an open window) and I get sick, I will get sick on you or on your video game console or your other most prized possession.."

I have used the "I will barf on you" quite successfully to curb some actions of my kids. and husband.

 

[flutterbee]

It's too big to lose. It's about the size of a bread maker and stays on the counter all the time. (I've already thought about that. ) I tried to 'lose' it in the move, but he brought it over in his friend's car. Apparently, it's a prized possession.

I told him to take it outside, but there is about 3 inches of snow on the ground so that would only electrocute him. Of course, then no one would be using the fryer..... But, despite the fryer issue I'm attached to the kid.

He does turn on the exhaust fan and try to make it better, but it will wake me out of a dead sleep on the other side of the house. Ugh. It's horrible.

When my dad tried to grow pot, my mom would pour a teaspoon of vinegar into the pot and the plants would die. I kinda want to do the same thing. Something inconspicuous (thank goodness for spell check).

 

[gcvmom]

Is there a wire you can disconnect... accidentally, I mean. I'm really good at taking stuff apart. I just can't always figure it out in reverse...

 

[susiestar]

I was being tongue in cheek about losing it. I sorta meant losing it in a big black garbage bag. (Bad Susie, Bad Susie!)

If you can empty it, look at the bottom and see if there are any screws. If so, unscrew them and see what you see. Just be careful to put the screws that hold the outer housing back on so he doesn't know you messed with the insides.

otherwise, maybe the end of the cord (where it meets teh plug) could somehow "accidentally" be cut off?

Surely the boy can take a small table outside to use it. Or a sturdy stool. Something to raise it up and a surface that can be easily cleared of snow. Maybe for Xmas you could get some used nightstand to set outside for him to fry on?

 

[flutterbee]

Oh, gosh. If I empty it, I will barf. I won't be in the same room when he does it to change the oil. Even thinking about it....

I told Wynter about this thread. She thinks it's great. She hates it, too. We're thinking along the lines of Gcvmom....finding some wire...oops, finger slipped. Maybe 'accidentally' spill something on it that would fry it.

Maybe I can figure out a way to cut the cord so it looks like it's been chewed through by one of the animals..... We don't leave it plugged in. We don't leave any of the small kitchen appliances plugged in.

Even if he had a table to take it out tonight...it's been snowing all day and still is. So, he'd still get electrocuted. This house has old wiring and the outlet out front doesn't have a ground. Actually, none of our outlets except in my bathroom do.

 

[gcvmom]

You could just LIE and tell him you were trying to make homemade tortilla chips when he was out and that it caught fire, and you had to use an extinguisher to put out the flames, but it ruined the unit and since there was a fire the fire department came to make sure you got it all out and THEY confiscated it because of the fire hazard it posed and they also told you that you are NOT allowed to have one in your neighborhood because of the plight of the protected pygmy moth that is ATTRACTED to smell of rancid cooking oil, only to experience a rapid, and deep-fried demise, and since it's on the endangered species list you simply could NOT ignore the risks involved and HAD to comply with their orders.

Or some other simple explanation like that. You'll come up with something, I'm sure.

 

[flutterbee]

*snort*

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I really like gcv's idea of the "pygmy moth". Otherwise I guess I would tell him to stop using it.

hugs
beth

 

[Andy]

One year I was very foolish and actually thought I wanted one. So, I get a very small one that was cool touch. Why was I stupid enough to think the newest littlest one would not have the smell? WRONG!

Anyway, after only a few uses, I either threw it out or put it on a garage sale or donated it to a church garage sale. I could not handle it anymore than the regular bigger ones.

I really do think he can set up a place outside. Even on a sturdy small table that can be taken in and out of the house so it doesn't stay out all winter. Frying anything really does have to be an outside activity. If he is not willing to clear an area of snow, set up the table, then set up the fryer, then no frying.

Does he atleast clean it after every use?

 

[trinityroyal]

Oh Goodness, Heather.

And if D isn't changing the oil frequently enough, that's a smell that could stop a wild boar in its tracks.

I kinda like the gypsy moth approach.

If it's anything like the one I have (given to me by my brother in law...secretly intended for husband and difficult child, now hidden in the BACK of the deepest cupboard, known as The Appliance Graveyard"), the heating element is a separate unit that you can pull out of the fryer.

If you can stand the smell, you might be able to *accidentally* ruin the heater. If the oil can't get hot, the fryer is useless. A dent in the fryer casing around the heater, so that the element won't fit back in properly, might be a nice "second accident", in case you can buy a new heating element.

 

[meowbunny]

It's on the counter, near the sink? How about a dizzy spell and you lose your balance? Woosh with the arm and right into the sink full of water. No one's electrocuted and it doesn't work anymore. Just a thought. If not, go for the endangered pygmy moth spiel.

 

[hearts and roses]

This really makes me howl with laughter because H BEGGED for a fryer a few Christmases ago. I studied them all, researched them all, and finally bought one I thought he would like on line. Well, yes, you guessed it, he "didn't want that one...he wanted ___ one". So, we returned the original one and went together to BBB and bought the one he wanted.

Flash forward 6 years (YES 6 YEARS) and he's never EVER used it. I am so thankful. I hate fryers - the smell, the mess, ugh. Just so gross to me. You know why he won't use it? Because he can't find oil in a large enough container to use. What a dufus -

Years ago, exh bought easy child a small fryer that, thankfully, died after a few uses. We threw that out. I thought H would cry.

I feel you. I think I'd 'accidentally' drop it down the stairs or something...the very tall, double story stairs.

 

[susiestar]

I get so frustrated with fryers. It just takes so LONG to fry enough of anything to feed my crew. I cannot imagine how long Devon and his friends run it to fry enough of whatever to feed them.

HAve him get a job at Long John Silvers. He won't fry ANYTHING for quite a while - AND he will have a paycheck! My bro worked there for a few months in high school. He couldn't even stand teh smell of something frying in a small amt of oil on the stove!

Make it a rule that he can't use it when it is snowing or raining, and that he can only use it outside. It really isn't fair of him to smell up the house with something that lingers for several days when 2/3 of hte household is sickened by it. He would be more than welcome to fry anything he wanted when he has his own place.

Do you have a garage or carport? That might be a place he could fry. Or let him take it over to a friends. One of those friends who enjoy it at your place. "loan" it to the friends' mom - long term?

PLEASE do not knock it into a sink of soapy water. ESP not with oil in it. It iwll kill your pipes and could hurt you very very badly.

If I think of anything else I will let you know.

 

[flutterbee]

Pygmy moth story it is.

 

[goldenguru]

I have one. I FORBID it to be used in the house. A few times a year I haul it out to make eggrolls. We use it outdoors on the patio table. In the winter, I go out to the garage.

If you hate it that much - I like the idea that it meet an unfortunate end. *sinister cackle*

 

[Lothlorien]

If the smell from having it out on the counter all the time is bothering you, put it in the refrigerator. That should keep the smell down.

I wouldn't know how to sabotage it....but, he just might go out and buy a bigger one next time. (squeak!)

 

[Andy]

LOL, Loth! Does anyone really have room in their fridge for a fryer? I vote deep freezer. The chest kind that you have to fall into to get to the bottom. Put it in the very bottom and bury it with things you really want to get at.

 

[flutterbee]

I told Devon and his friend today the pygmy moth story. When I told them that they are attracted to it and then they end up getting fried, they just, said, "Mmmm. Protein." They're not buying it. So, I just told him he was going to come home one day and find it missing. Brat.

Loth, it doesn't smell sitting on the counter. Only while in use.

 

[meowbunny]

I still vote for dropping it in the sink (unplugged, of course). Or just offer to clean it, pour the oil out, then drop it into the water. Oops! Sorry, son.

On the plus side -- at least it's being used as opposed to just money being wasted. Yeah, I know, no consolation for you but I really hate to see $$ being wasted. Thus speaks the ultimate cheapskate.