Thread Number: 38150
Farberware Electronic Ultra Chef Model 355
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Post# 566529   1/2/2012 at 18:09 (4,504 days old) by jan ()        

Here is a strange beast. I have only seen one other than my own on Ebay, and it sold for 81.00. Mine works fine, but the real problem is finding the cookbook that came with the original purchase. Farberware.com has been no help yet. Did they go out of business? The machine can be set on four automatic temperatures, but what are those temperatures. I did find one add explaining the machine, but it too was little help when it came to details.




Post# 566616 , Reply# 1   1/3/2012 at 04:34 (4,503 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

What on Earth is that and what is it used for?

It looks like a device for suffocating and cooking small animals..


Post# 566622 , Reply# 2   1/3/2012 at 05:15 (4,503 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

Need to see this machine working.

Post# 567497 , Reply# 3   1/6/2012 at 21:30 (4,500 days old) by jan ()        
Farberware Ultra Chef

There is a heating element behind the glass drum. 1500 watts heats what ever is in the drum through the glass. It has automatic heat control. They made a cookbook that goes with the machine, but so far no luck searching the web. Help solve the mystery.

books.google.com/booksQUESTIONMAR...

Copy and paste the address above and guess what it sold for in 1983.



Post# 567515 , Reply# 4   1/6/2012 at 23:46 (4,500 days old) by frontaloadotmy (the cool gay realm)        
Jan

I have one of those that I bought from a ministorage where I have a unit.

It was on one of several tables outside, from a unit that had been abandoned.
I don't know why I waited so long to ask the site manager if I could buy it.
I finally offered him $5 for if I could get it to work after it dried out. ( the facility is not one of those temperature controlled types of places !!!) It eventually dried well enough to operate , though I am not sure if it operates
according to original factory specs. I have often wondered what kinds of "ultras"
could be prepared in one of these. I tried copy&paste with your address but got zilch. All of the Farberware sites seem to be concerned only with more recent offerings. It just occured to me that I should check the used book stores in Grass Valley /Nevada City. Have you ever tried in the desert cities ? I would think your
area might be a bit of a gold mine for some period cookbooks. If I come up with
a score I certainly will post it here.


Post# 567517 , Reply# 5   1/7/2012 at 00:03 (4,500 days old) by jan ()        
Thanks

It looks to me like you are right. I may have to start looking through the used book stores in the area. I had no luck checking the used cookbook on the web. Farberware was no help as you say. Thanks for the message.

Post# 567522 , Reply# 6   1/7/2012 at 01:21 (4,500 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Farberware, Like So Many Other Iconic Houseware Brands

launderess's profile picture
Has been sold once if not several times. Each new owner often drops a thing or to in order to save money, often that is support for older products. One tried awhile back to obtain parts and the owner's manual for our Salon-Maxim oven, no such luck. The new owners scrapped much of everything going back *that* far.

The only time was rather surprised at customer service for older units was when several years ago needed the cookbook/owner's manual for my Wearever "Ovenette". Wearever's customer service not only had the stuff for our vintage oven in stock, but sent it right out for small fee.


Post# 567537 , Reply# 7   1/7/2012 at 02:51 (4,500 days old) by coldspot ()        

No not that thing. lol I think it did not last long at all on the market. It is easy to use but that is it. Try to empty it once the food is ready be ready for hot glass and burned foot arm leg. No joke it is not a safe thing to use and very odd at that.


The way it works is you add your food to the glass tub. Insert the prob. Set the temp and time and wait.

The glass tub turns as it cooks but then comes let's eat folks. Be ready it is now heavy glass with no way to hold it. So you have to fig out how the hell to get the food out.

Also it can fry deep fry. But once aging be ready for a fire. That had a problem with the seal on the units. It can leak in turn it can bust.


Yes the msrp was around 500.00 for real price was about $290.00 but after the first year about $70.00 they had to sell them off to not lose money on it.

Would I use it hell no. That said if you try it be warned it is very very unsafe.


Post# 567539 , Reply# 8   1/7/2012 at 02:54 (4,500 days old) by coldspot ()        

Oh what can be made in it. soup,Candy,Depp Fried food, you name it.

Post# 567631 , Reply# 9   1/7/2012 at 13:35 (4,499 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

You could also roast meat in it according to the ads..

Post# 567692 , Reply# 10   1/7/2012 at 18:29 (4,499 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
thankfully there'll probably never be an end to kooky cooking gizmos

Post# 567719 , Reply# 11   1/7/2012 at 21:15 (4,499 days old) by jan ()        
Big chicken roast in the hot drum!

Thanks for the good messages. How to empty the hot drum of contents could be a serious problem. I will wear my welding gloves and leather jacket. Welding hood to. :) The big problem at this time is to find the 4 temperature settings. 1,2,3,4, buttons stand for some heat setting but what would that be.

Below is the address of an article that shows the machine and tells what it is used for, but no temperature settings. Wish I could find the cookbook that came with the machine.

Tomorrow night is the first test cooking. I will take pictures of the results. Wish me luck, and thanks for the comments. :)


CLICK HERE TO GO TO jan's LINK


Post# 567732 , Reply# 12   1/7/2012 at 21:53 (4,499 days old) by jan ()        
Finally refound the one on Ebay

The site below should show you the one on ebay that sold for eighty bucks with the cookbook included. I have tried to search the web for the cookbook with no luck. I am going to try and contact the buyer to see if they could email me the temperature settings. Having too much fun with the funny rotating roaster. Enjoy the pictures on ebay.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO jan's LINK on eBay


Post# 567734 , Reply# 13   1/7/2012 at 22:12 (4,499 days old) by jan ()        
Found the buyer

Sent the message through the ebay system. Maybe I will find the temperature answer, I hope, I hope.

Post# 567740 , Reply# 14   1/7/2012 at 23:13 (4,499 days old) by coldspot ()        

Been a long time since I been around one. Forgot the temp. but think 1 was low 2 med 3 med high 4 high,

I would also check a library to see if they might have a copy of the book.


Post# 567996 , Reply# 15   1/8/2012 at 22:50 (4,498 days old) by jan ()        
I used the machine for the first time

The machine works, but the chicken was overcooked. The above buyer said she would be glad to send me some instructions for the cookbook, so I can operate the machine.

Post# 567998 , Reply# 16   1/8/2012 at 22:52 (4,498 days old) by jan ()        
The drum is ready to go!

Another picture of the strange machine

Post# 568004 , Reply# 17   1/8/2012 at 23:35 (4,498 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

What on Earth does the probe like thingy sticking out of the top of the glass jar (Attached to the white cap, which has the baby sucker like thing on it) and going into the bottom do?

I'm sorry, I don't know the correct names..


Post# 568158 , Reply# 18   1/9/2012 at 21:15 (4,497 days old) by jan ()        
The thing on the end is

That is the temperature probe. On the front you can see four buttons which set the four temperature settings. The probe senses the heat and holds the drum at one of these four temperatures.

Post# 570818 , Reply# 19   1/23/2012 at 21:06 (4,483 days old) by jan ()        
See the Farberware Ultra Chef in action on the link below

I signed up for You Tube and did a demo with the machine. Pretty funny for my first video. Hope it answers some questions.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO jan's LINK


Post# 570820 , Reply# 20   1/23/2012 at 21:35 (4,483 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
Wow.. looks like fun and/or a neato laser gun. How did the meal turn out from your video?

Post# 570830 , Reply# 21   1/23/2012 at 22:43 (4,483 days old) by frontaloadotmy (the cool gay realm)        
Yes,

We must know how the vittles turned out. Where do the "23" minutes enter the
picture? Do you add those after the first five get "the chef" preheated?

Did the Ebay contact ever come through with a copy of the recipe book?


Post# 570875 , Reply# 22   1/24/2012 at 02:38 (4,483 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

What a novel cooking device. My wife would kill me if I bought one of these. If I ever do see one at a flea market, I'll have to pick it up none the less. Hopefully, there won't be too much blood...

Post# 570881 , Reply# 23   1/24/2012 at 03:17 (4,483 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

So THATS how the Farberware cooking machine works!How novel!Kinda neat.Just don't drop the container!

Post# 571062 , Reply# 24   1/24/2012 at 21:25 (4,482 days old) by jan ()        
The meal was great.

The meal was great and it was ready in 25 minutes. Cooked the chicken perfect. I you find one grab it. If you are lucky to get the cookbook grab that too and run.

Post# 801966 , Reply# 25   1/2/2015 at 08:23 (3,408 days old) by Marion ()        
Ultra Chef

I have emailed Jan to tell her that I will be glad to copy my ultra chef cookbook for her but haven't heard anything back about where to mail it. Have had my ultra chef for many many years. Somehow I got 2 cookbooks and am willing to share. Marion

Post# 802000 , Reply# 26   1/2/2015 at 13:32 (3,408 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

rp2813's profile picture

It appears Jan popped in to start this thread exactly three years ago today and hasn't been heard from since.

 

Don't count on successfully making contact, and don't beat yourself up if it doesn't happen.  It was a kind gesture.


Post# 872678 , Reply# 27   3/15/2016 at 15:17 (2,970 days old) by Maxfluffers60 ()        
Ultra Chef

Was at a thrift store with my friend and the Contraption got my eye so I bought it ,I guess I was curious on how it worked and what it was and the price was only $20.00....even the lady at the thrift store didn't know what it was.....well we knew it was some kind of cooking device, but I had never seen one in my life and I'm 56......I guess im lucky also to have the cook book which was stuck inside the glass dome.I'm using it again tonight .......it works well.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO Maxfluffers60's LINK


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Post# 872690 , Reply# 28   3/15/2016 at 16:14 (2,970 days old) by bellalaundry (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)        
Super

bellalaundry's profile picture
cool unit! I'd love to find one!

Post# 872920 , Reply# 29   3/16/2016 at 19:31 (2,969 days old) by retro-man (- boston,ma)        

The link is not working for me. It flashes for a second then states cannot display.

Jon


Post# 909356 , Reply# 30   12/2/2016 at 11:25 (2,708 days old) by RichTinNH (Nashua)        
I own one of these!!

OK, folks. this was an ill-timed appliance from Faberware - designed to save time and steps, it came out in 1984 at a price of around $400 - which is what the first microwave ovens cost. Needless to say, it wasn't a success.
There are four settings - 1 is a low heat, roughly 265; 2 is medium, roughly 325; 3 is the typical cooking mode, roughly 350, and 4 is for frying, roughly 400. the way the system works for cooking is you put in the food and set the timer for the time specified in the manual - example, Osso Bucco has a setting 28 on heat 3, but it actually takes about 40-45 minutes to fully cook as there's no pre-heating.
I have found it's a little difficult to adapt other recipes to this (though I finally figured it out) - it's not a full seal, but a close one, so you use less liquid, and also fewer spices as everything gets concentrated. The probe actually senses that the desired temperature has been reached which is cool in that everything is that temp, so they were right - versus an oven, this is faster, and versus a saute, there's no stirring required.
Multi-function appliances are having a comeback - there's a new cooking blender from Cuisinart, a multi-function cooker (with stir tower) from Kitchenaid, and of course the Bellini Kitchen Master (and the Thermomix units from Germany). But yes, the Farberware 355 was quite unique for its day - and still is. By the way, it does a great job.


Post# 909366 , Reply# 31   12/2/2016 at 12:11 (2,708 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)        
I suspect

panthera's profile picture

This would be one of those appliances which is brilliant, absolutely irreplaceable at one or two recipes and no-better-than at everything else.

But for those one or two, probably there's somebody out there who has had hers recapped and makes sure to plug it in often enough to keep things going.

Saw an RR10 at a thrift shop the other day with everything carefully packed inside. Had to be dragged away physically - and that's the same thing: Great for one or two things and that's it.



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