Rotisserie Cookers Driving Uphill

[Antisocial_Worker]

I'm posting this because of a phenomenon familiar to most of us -- the fact that no matter how much you may love someone, eventually you'll notice that they have habits and idiosyncrasies that irritate the hell out of you.

Take my boyfriend, for example. One of his idiosyncrasies is that from time to time he'll get a little obsessed with something, and will research the hell out of it. It was worst when he was thinking about buying a new car, and consequently spent about three or four months researching which car to buy, up to and including watching youtube videos of various cars driving uphill in various weather conditions. Ever since, I have referred to one of these obsessive fits as "*obsession* driving uphill."

That's where you come in. Lately, the boyfriend has been seized with the idea of buying a rotisserie cooker. God knows why. If we get one, we'll likely use it twice and then shove it in a cabinet and forget about it. However, boyfriend will not be dissuaded. He wants me to research various rotisserie cookers, their prices, and the pros and cons of having one.

I will not. I have a life. And to that end, I'm hoping that some of you hardcore cooks out there will tell me whether or not a couple of buffoons like us need a rotisserie cooker.

So you out there... What are the pros and cons of owning a rotisserie cooker? Is it worth the expense? Do you use it often? Is it a must-have accessory for the casual cook? Drive those rotisserie cookers uphill and tell me about it!

[Aethian]

Mom and I had one and we loved using it. Of course we also planned meals around it and the slow cooker so they weren't useless items. We got the one where you could do kabobs and the basket.

So we used it for chicken, ribs, fish, kabobs, baked potatoes a few times, oh and a few times when I was on my own for food... I did a big ol steak in the basket.

If you do get one, don't forget to put food safe oil on the ends that turn.

[Kittish]

Con- Cleaning the things!!! Likely have to clean them twice each time, once before and again after you use it (it probably is really dusty cause it's been so long since you last used it).

Con- Storage space. Most kitchens are pretty limited on available counter top space and/or cabinet storage space. And really, you're even LESS likely to use it if it's shoved way back in the deepest depths of the deepest cabinet you have. Which is where it'll migrate to.

Con- Unnecessary duplication of equipment. You can get very similar results from roasting a bird in your oven on a baking rack (just make darn sure you have a pan under it to catch drips!).

[TheSHAD0W]

A rotisserie attachment for an outdoor grill might be a good compromise; depending on the climate, you can usually use a grill all year round if you've got a somewhat sheltered place to put it, and it's not usually an expensive add-on for a good grill.

[Food Lady]

I don't eat meat, so I have no idea. But I apologize on behalf of all of us uphill drivers. I get this way with recipes.

[Dentarthurdent]

I don't eat meat, so I have no idea. But I apologize on behalf of all of us uphill drivers. I get this way with recipes.

I have never used any such cooking apparatus, so I can't really comment, but would also like to apologize. My current obsession is with becoming agender, and I have an obnoxious number of tabs on the subject open at any given time.

[Jester]

I cook anything and everything. And believe I can cook anything in the world if I set my mind to it. So far, I've proven that theory on multiple occasions. I also have a kitchen well-stocked with just about every gadget and tool I need or want. Some of which I even use on a regular basis.

With that said, I've never had a rotisserie cooker, and never seen the need for one. He's looking for a toy, not a tool, pure ands simple.

[Ophbalance]

I agree with what someone had mentioned above. If it's to be part of a grill as an attachment, it makes sense. Otherwise it's just a pain in the rear to make room for. I've got one for our grill, and it makes pretty good chicken. HOWEVER, it's a pain to store the parts, and it's really a pain to clean said parts. I believe I snagged it on a sale, but it was still a good $100 investment at the time.

[mathnerd]

Honestly the only reason I can see for owning something like this is if you entertain large numbers of people frequently. I have a huge family. I remember one Christmas years ago when we required the kitchens at both my house and my parents' house, 4 bbq grills and several countertop appliances just to be able to get all the food cooked. We were feeding about 150 people. A rotisserie cooker would have come in handy that day.

Outside of something like that though, I just can't justify taking up the storage space when there are other options for cooking the exact same thing.

[dalesys]

Let him buy it under the condition that he uses it frequently and well. If he doesn't, he'll be wearing it as a fashion first in BBQ punk.

[42_42_42]

Both my husband and I are avid "foodies" and we have a HUGE amount of cookware and baking supplies including some rather specialized equipment and things purchased at restaurant supply stores (we converted the closet in the guest room into a giant dry goods pantry, wine rack, and equipment storage). My husband especially likes cooking meat. To that end we have a gas grill and a charcoal grill/smoker (green egg). A rotisserie attachment on a grill is wonderful for doing certain things, but thus far we've survived without one. I cannot imagine any circumstance in which I'd rather use a counter top rotisserie rather than just roast whatever it is in the oven or cook it on one of the 2 grills.

[Ghel]

Hubby insisted on getting a rotisserie both for the grill and a stand-alone one that sits on the kitchen counter. We use each of them 2 or 3 times a year. (The counter-top one spends the rest of the time on a shelf in the basement.) The one for the grill is a lot easier to clean up, since it's just the skewer and the motor that needs additional cleaning. The counter-top one is a pain to clean.

But on the plus side, the chicken and pork roasts we make in the thing are amazing! They always turn out juicy and tender. We fight over the ends of the pork roasts when we make them.

Something you'll need if you make anything on a rotisserie is butcher's twine. Always make sure there's no part of whatever you're making hanging down, both because that's the part that'll burn and because it'll put extra stress on the motor.