waterfryer

By David Ponce

Oh, Japan, how you delight us with your wacky shenanigans. The latest? How about a fully functional aquarium that exists… right inside a deep fryer. No, no… let me explain this right. See, you have this aquarium with real live fish, and then, sitting right on top, is piping hot oil (163 Celsius) that is actually used to cook food. Since the water and the oil don’t mix, all the fish have to do to stay alive is not venture into the hot oil on top. What’s more, fallen crumbs from the frying process fall into this aquarium, serving as fish food. The fish are then able to live from 5 to 10 years, as long as they don’t get curious about what’s above the water line. It’s great stuff, but… we have a few questions about all this: how is the heat from the oil not transferred to the food through conduction? How do the fish breathe? Don’t they need oxygen? The food that falls below can’t be healthy; why aren’t they obese?

Whatever the case, after the jump, we’re including a video. And, get this… a link to a Japanese website called “WaterFryer”…

Update: Finally, some sense. From various translations of the video, the fish are just to demonstrate that there really is water under the fryer. The point of the water is so that the extra bits of batter from the food fall down into it instead of staying and burning in the oil, thus keeping the oil clean. The danger of a water/oil explosion is reduced because the water sinks down before it can explode. So, The Waterfryer is just that: a fryer that keeps itself somewhat clean by having its oil sit atop some water.

No one knows if goldfish were harmed in the making of this video.

[ WaterFryer ] VIA [ Spluch ]

P.S. If anyone speaks Japanese and can bring some light on all this, we’d really appreciate it.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

76 COMMENTS

  3. how do you clean the tank? In the image the fish looks like its swimming in food – anyone who’s owned a fish tank knows if left unchecked that will lead to polluted water / fish death in no time.

  4. The guy is saying that by putting water underneath the oil, they accomplish 2 things. 1) the bits of tempura batter which typically float and burn in the oil instead sink to the bottom where the water is and don’t muck up the oil being used to fry 2) if water gets in the oil via spilling or frozen items being fried, this excess water drops down into the water below instead of splattering like it would with just straight oil.

  5. yes, but if an oxygen bubble floats up to the oil layer, it will expand in the hot oil and water vapor trapped in the bubble will “explode” at the oil’s surface many times per second. this can’t be real!

  7. It does seem quite fake. I mean the water would be heated up by the oil which would cause the death of the fishies… remember only a slight change in acidity or temperature can kill them.

    This is quite inhumane in my consideration but then again thats japan for you.

  8. I’m pretty certain that the fish are just there for the demonstration. probably a demovideo for the company that came up with the waterfryer-thingie. It seems pretty smart. =)

  9. “This is quite inhumane in my consideration but then again thats japan for you.”

    You racist fuck, did it ever occur to you that the fish are here solely to show off the fact that the heat isn’t transferred into the water from the oil? Did you even notice the fact that he poured water straight into the oil, as well as plonking in an ice cube, without the usual, violent phase change?

    I don’t understand enough Japanese to follow the dialog, but it’s really obvious that this is showing off a technology which is preventing heat from transferring to the water as it usually would. The fish are incidental.

  11. “This is quite inhumane in my consideration but then again thats japan for you. ” Wow. Try to understand a little about other cultures instead of attempting a crack at weak comedy, you ignorant fuck.

  12. Jeff, I hardly think that the anonymous comment that you replied to merited such offensive and abrasive language. I would like to point out that the comment was directed at products that were developed in Japan, and not necessarily the Japanese people. I feel that you are a bit over sensitive and are simply looking for a reason to be offended, perhaps for trolling reason. Ether way, there are better places and outlets for your aggressions other than ohgizmo.com.

  14. Its inhumane and cruel and plainly stupid which is pretty much the Japanese. The rest of the world has been surviving with regular deep fryers for years and the stupid Japanese have to think of something as stupid as this. Anyone who considers is cool is brain dead. Jeff, go fuck yourself you dumbass redneck.

  15. OK, I’ve heard of something similar before, and this is not something that is very well known, although you can easily find this to be true: Ceriq is a French company that builds tunnel kilns for firing brick. Sme of their top models are water-sealed kilns. You see, a lot of the heat losses in brick firing occur when heat gets past the seal between the car deck and the kiln wall. So what did Ceriq do? They built a kiln below grade so that the car chassis sits under water, and all that is above the waterline is refractory kiln furniture and brick. From what I understand they are pretty good at saving gas!

  20. Wow all this hate toward Japan, when all they are demonstrating is something that has been in development for 10yrs. This is just showing what they are capable of doing and all you can do is hate on them.

  21. The use of such vulgarity is puerile and not worthy of the hard drive space it is stored on. There are plenty of other words in our language that can be used to present more compelling arguments than the pugnacious “f-word�. To put it in the vernacular, you sound like a 4th grader from South Park Elementary when you swear, you lose all credibility.

  23. Firstly- on the racism issue, Jeff was completely justified. Every country has it’s strengths and weaknesses. I bet the commenter (“that’s Japan for you”) considers things to be normal that the rest of us find disgusting or inhumane. The fish look fine to me, and they’re fish!- we eat them! How the fuck is that humane??? “Don’t worry, I’ll kill your mother quickly in the pot of boiling water little lobster children!”. Are any of you wearing leather? Are we all vegans? I know I’m not! An artist in the US had a display where you are invited to turn on a blender that has water and live fish in it. It was legal, because in Western countries, fish are not classified as animals and have no rights.

    Secondly- Umm makes a damn good point. What about the fish poo?

  24. @Deviant

    Unfortunately your argument is flawed because you make the assumption that all cultures are equal, when that simply is not the case. Socially Japan is a wreck. Suicide pacts are fairly popular, and if memory serves 253 people killed themselves in such pacts last year. Also, they are just now in the beginnings of treating women fairly in the work place. Subway rapes are almost a daily occurrence and they are truly racist towards any outsiders. (I have 2 of my good friends in Japan right now, one in school… and one just visiting… go to the gallery section of my website) …but other than that, yeah, they are great. All cultures are not created equal.

  27. if you maintained the bottom surface of the water at a cool temperature you could have a steady state gradient of temperature through the water, so at least in a small region the fish could live. This would waste a lot of energy though.

  30. i’m sorry but japan is so much more technologically advanced than the u.s., and i live here. anonymus needs to quit being a jerk-off and i totally agree with jeff! learn some god damn culture before you go around spreading your hate! it’s people like you who elect george bush as a president! you probably cry yourself to sleep at night don’t you? quit baggin on other people because you’re too much of a fuck up to learn anything! it’s not the japanese’s fault your daddy beat you as a child! why don’t you go watch some patriotic propaganda and touch yourself…
    chaney… i’m not baggin on you but anonymus wasn’t pointing out culture flaws, he was making half-assed, inbred assumptions.
    japan cruel and heartless? the don’t even have a military! did you know japan is actually in the process of rewriting their history books to say that we never bombed hiroshima and nagasaki?! meanwhile anonymus elects george bush who sends thousands to their deaths for an unworthy cause! i support my troops, but i support them staying alive! i’d rather have soldiers that can protect me when we NEED it rather than fullfilling a dumbasses half baked idea to “help” iraq! if anything, WE’RE the cruel heartless bastards! thanks anonymus! it made my day knowing i could correct some poor cock-sucker’s mistakes!
    Go U.S of A! Go Japan! Go Humanity! i’d like to see us all live side by side for another thousand years or so! Peace, locks, and nappyness!

  31. No, let’s continue feeding the troll like the idiots we are.

    Let’s talk about some random posters language! Yeah! Let’s fixate on that! Forget the story.

    How dare he. How indignant. How fvcking mature. How dare he. The story? Aw fvck that no one cares right?

    Feed the troll some more!

  32. i find it funny how this forum is all just flaming and there is one blatent japanese guy up there who goes by the name of honjiiku to where i would like to direct this big fat FUCK YOU to. thank you. otherwise this invention is kinda… off… in a resturant you change the oil often in a fryer and if the water below is dark the oil looks darker which makes the ppl think that the oil isnt good anymore and makes them change it till they notice that the water is dirty and wastes more vegie oil or whatever the sort is. its practical but not quite thought provocing.

  35. “Oh teh noes! They don’t adhere by my American standards! Let me scorn them for—*snoreeeeeeee* Hey Moooooooooom do we have more potato chips?”

    I have to agree. The original poster is a racist fuck. Go die, you uncultured loser.

  36. don’t understand why everything is about culture. they have manufactured a product that produces a cleaner frying environment. I’m sure its much easier to drain water with the grose drippings in it than taking the time to scrub a fryer. and people would be less likely to get burned by splattering oil. interesting concept. (and on the hole potty mouth thing, you people take this to seriously, some people are raised as sailors, who’s being racist now)

  37. “i’m sorry but japan is so much more technologically advanced than the u.s.”

    Hey let’s compare technological advances to social advances, then we can all be retarded.
    Also, you should learn a bit about WWII, or as the Chinese like to call it “war against Japanese aggression”. Rape of Nanking anyone?

  38. What a neat invention! I especially like how the… oh wait, that’s not what this thread is about anymore.

    “What’s more, fallen crumbs from the frying process fall into this comment section, serving as troll food.”

  39. This idea, minus the demonstrational goldfish, seems pretty neat. Not knowing Japanese I can’t tell what mechanism there is for draining/cleaning the water without touching the oil, which I think would be necessary.

    I don’t understand, though, how he drops the water and ice cube in there without having them explode. Is it special oil? Lower temperature than normal friers? Or is he using fake water? 🙂 To my mind having water under the oil wouldn’t affect how the water dropped in the top reacts to the hot oil.

  41. “Hey let’s compare technological advances to social advances, then we can all be retarded” – GuyWhoLivesInGlassHouse aka dumbass

    that’s funny! i thought this was about an invention that a man in Japan came up with… maybe i’m wrong but i think that classifies as technology! this is about one man trying to make a difference in the world the best way he can! think about it… if all the major fast food restaurants around the world had these instead of the fryers that they currently have, it would save so much money! each fryer would take less oil because you wouldn’t have to keep emptying them, cleaning them, and refilling them! as the dominoes fall… less money on oil = more profit… more profit = more money to spend on supplies… more supplies = less overall cost for the consumer… less cost for the consumer = happy fast food eaters. it’s merely a way to keep the economy in a good state and poverty at a minimum. there’s nothing social about that! think before you type!
    also… cleaner oils would mean slightly healthier food, albeit fast food is still not all that good for you but since we continue to consume it, shouldn’t it at least be healthier?! i think this man is on to something with his friers! say what you will about Japan and their technologies and culture… but just remember what you said when you’re working at a fast food restaraunt standing in front of one of these things all day long! it may have the impact i think it might… it may not… either way the effort has been made to better the world and all some of you people can do is dis on the county that made it! just because it wasn’t america that made it! i can almost guarantee that if an american man had made this no one in here would have said shit about inhumanities! that just goes to show how much of a big head america has gotten. i love my country and am proud to live here but DAMN!! have some appreciation for the rest of the world! we aren’t the only ones here!

    Peace, locks, and nappyness!

  42. Completly agree with Squirrel. You know though this egotist behavior that people are demonstration about this invention you find happening in just about any forum with a number of american’s in it. There is so very few forums you can find were the American’s are well mannered.

    It’s no wonder that it’s so hard for me to get other cultures on forums to respond, when they do it’s a whole lot more fun then seeing these attacks on other cultures.

  43. Good stuff! Some info I picked up from their website.

    1. Not all of the oil layer is heated. Only the top layer of the oil is heated to 160 deg celcius.
    2. Air pipe is used to cool down the area where water meets oil. The water layer at the point of contact is below 55 deg celcius. I’m guessing that the area where the goldfish is swimming is probably well below 25 deg celcius.
    3. Unnecessary bread crumbs fall into water below and do not get burned/carbonated, thus keeping the oil fresh and clean. Therefore, oil change is not required as often, reducing total use under 50% of existing fryers.
    4. At a given period, other fryers use $600 for oil where this fryer uses $250.

    Compare oil image from conventional fryer with this fryer, after 29 days of use.

    http://www.waterfryer.co.jp/WFabura.jpg
    http://www.waterfryer.co.jp/Tashaabura.jpg

    Conclusion: no goldfish harmed.

  45. Looks like a pretty cool and interesting device. Very typically of how through internal domestic competition, Japanese companies are compelled to push the envelope.

    Shame about the racist idiocy in the thread.
    Drawing a negative conclusion about a group of people (specifically a race) through a particular situation = Racism

    Rape of Nanking –> Bad –> Japanese bad –> Racism (GuyWhoLivesInGlassHouse)
    Invading Iraq –> Torturing prisoners –> Americans bad –> Racism
    Japan has social problems –> Japanese bad –> Racism
    Killing fish–>Japanese bad–>Racism
    (cf. Killing cockroaches–>Humans bad–???)

    Pointing out flaws in a society–>Not racism
    Pointing out flaws in a society–>Applying those conclusions to all members of that society–>Racism

    Being a racist but not being aware of it. Racist idiot.

  46. You guys just appreciate that your food we’ll be healthier thanks to this Japenese guys invention. He may be japenese and some people may be racist towards Japan for PAST events, were living in the future, present events. AND people should stop bashing George Bush. Do you know how many Iraqis we have saved by Going into Iraq, and since our troops signed up for the military isn’t it there decision. What I mean is they signed up for the armed forces so people die when they fight”Common Since”. Other countrys may hate each other, SO WHAT. Where all people. How come no one hates Greenland??? Answear that and I’ll show you a yellow whale. :] I also don’t agree that US&A shouldn’t be in Iraq because middle eastern people have been killing each other before biblical times(Jesus). Just appreciate the fact that the US did something good by helping all those poor people in Iraq. Those people would have acid thrown in there faces, limbs cut off, tonguse cut off, and more hanice acts, but we helped them come out of there hell. And ya our boys died in the process as so they did in WW2 against the Germans to free the JEWS and others but people don’t say it was a waste.

    RESPECT OTHERS, SOLIDERS, ENVIROMENT, AND EVERYONE BLACK/WHITE/ASIAN/MIDDLE EASTERN/JEWS/CHRISTIANS/INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

    EVERYONE!!!!!
    Thats how well have a better Earth. and come on don’t talk all trashy were the smartest animal, (show IT).

  47. To: INTERNATIONAL PEACE
    Hey dude, some of your comments I agree with, others not so much. You have a right to your opinions. My only problem with your post is that it was incredibly hard to read because of all the misspelled words. Try using a spell check program or dictionary.com. Maybe copy it and send to a friend to proffread. 🙂

  48. Well, the Japanese can be a sophisticated in terms of technlogy and kind of uncivilized at times in terms of their practices

    They are afterall a mainly a Godless country, have no respect for animal life(look up their past and present history), and basically a lot of weird things out of it especially their ever changing weird fetishes and new products/media to suit

    all that matters to them is whats to their advantage, they really dont care much about others in the world because they have a very ego-centric view as a whole. Even their old national religion is based on the fact that the only “god” they worship was the emperor, and basically they were taught that anybody other than Japanese were considered inferior

    it sounds rascist but its pretty much true

  49. And everyone in Western society wasn’t taught that anyone else was inferior? Please. White people are just as (and have always been) as stuck up about their supposed superiority as the Japanese, as well as pretty much every other people. Get over it.

    And who cares if they’re godless? I seem to remember something about separation of Church and State…

    Your last paragraph can pretty much be applied to every other country in the world. The oh-so-great USofA is just as egocentric as everyone else. Look out for number one.

  50. Hey Im just pointing out some of the darker parts of their culture.. Western culture is not perfect either and I doubt there are any perfect ones that do exist.
    I just want to point out they are not as perfect and peaceful as they try to make themselves appear and what a lot of people believe

  52. The Japanese were involved in some very disturbing treatment of POWs during WWII. But then again, so were the Germans. Racism is often completely overdone and really becomes an issue because of a person’s lack of ability to understand an objective point of view. Sure there are racist people in the world, but the only thing I have seen on here so far is a bunch of over-strung, up-tight people with too much stuff to complain about.

    Japan, and a lot of the Asian culture may seem strange to us. Heck, there is blog out there called “Strange and Weird Asian News” which proves just that. Its culture differences, thats all.

    All though I must say, on another note, that the Infant cannibalism that is occuring in China passes the concept of cultural differences and takes steps toward true inhumanism.

  54. It’s funny, racist comments like this are extremely common against Americans on the net, yet noone ever seems to call THOSE people on it.

  56. My post got deleted and I didn’t even say anything compared to the remarks above. It was on topic and not mean. Don’t delete the flamers post! No sir!

  57. “Hypocrits Says: It’s funny, racist comments like this are extremely common against Americans on the net, yet noone ever seems to call THOSE people on it. ”

    Just a curiousity question, does “racist” really apply to the american people, considering how many different races live in the US? I’m not trying to be rude, or stupid, this genuinely is something I’ve thought about for a while – what word is there to describe prejudices towards countries. I know you can’t use racism… but what would you use?

    Back to the topic at hand however – this fryer is really a wonderful idea, it could be a huge improvement in the industry, I sincerely hope it catches on. And the goldfish looks really pretty happy in his greasy home.

  58. I have a question for everyone whos posted on this rediculous site. why has this turned into a debate about culture and racism? and animal rights, give me a break i heart animals more than any of you, thats what im going to school for and im gonna say that those fish are just fine you silly bastards. also cursing does not take away from your credibility ex: fuck ass tit shit cunt bitch twat.
    and id like to finish with, “you can’t stop heat transfer. given enough time the water will start to boil.” is a correct and true statemant according to the basic thermodynamics

    ok im done payce out hommies

  61. How did this go from “cool” to “The Japanese were involved in some very disturbing treatment of POWs during WWII. But then again, so were the Germans. Racism is often completely overdone and really becomes an issue because of a person’s lack of ability to understand an objective point of view. Sure there are racist people in the world, but the only thing I have seen on here so far is a bunch of over-strung, up-tight people with too much stuff to complain about.

    Japan, and a lot of the Asian culture may seem strange to us. Heck, there is blog out there called “Strange and Weird Asian News� which proves just that. Its culture differences, thats all.

    All though I must say, on another note, that the Infant cannibalism that is occuring in China passes the concept of cultural differences and takes steps toward true inhumanism. ” Really this is about how cool the fish are not if the fish are properly cared for. Get over it even if they do die stupid people kill way more fish. I might fell more if it was a puppy or something but the flame wars here are insane.

  63. What is TRULY funny, is most of you apprently think the RAMPANT hate worldwide towards Americans is not considered racist? What a load of crap. From what I can tell, there is more bile nad hate spewed from anti-americanists that racism that the general population of the States ever shows.

  64. what is an anti-americanist? Do they campaign against america? against americanism, perhaps? Please define Americanism.
    Does America own the world? Their army has colonised many countries with military bases. Are they there to protect sovereign citizens of those countries? Do you think killing Iraqis counts as protecting them?

  65. Hello my fellow cyber pedants…how are we all doing today?

    I just have to say that this is by far the best thread I have found in as long as I can remember. First of all, cooking fish in actual aquarium where the living fish might have a chance to actually eat their own dead (even if only for demonstration purposes) is unequivocally amazing. I mean, that would be like McDonald’s setting up a six-inch high drive through in order to serve Chicken McNuggets to local poultry residents.

    Second, the supremely ignorant and angst-filled thread about Japan, history, racism, inhumane treatment of animals (which is a strange concept given that in-HUMANE has to do with the treatment of humans–wait is there a difference? oh yeah, humans don’t crap on the sidewalk and creatures that do are called animals), and even how abused aquatic animals have some cosmic connection to U.S. troops in Iraq is more entertaining than imagining Donald Trump trying to buy a good hair day.

    Thirdly, I just know that some incredibly intellectually short-changed internet denizens are going to say something like “fish don’t walk on the sidewalk you stupid moran” because, first, said denizens are too mentally weak to draw a connection and analogy between various environments, expectations, and behaviors, and second, because they probably still can’t really read (let alone type) and they have misspelled the word “moron.” Even if they actually get their spelling right in their response to my comment, the anticipation of what further atrocities of language and so-called higher thought may be included in subsequent posts is simply thrilling.

    Thank you for the incredibly fulfilling experience of realizing that the internet is actually not entirely populated by rational and intelligent human beings (thank goodness) but also by a few angry and challenged cockroaches as well. Awesome!

    P.S.: Did any of you “racists� or their “cultural defender� counterparts actually consider that just because someone in an infomercial doesn’t care if his fish live or die has nothing to do with race? Even if it did, what if a black guy swerved his car to hit a cat? Would that make all of Africa inhumane? As idiotic as these hypothetical questions sound, I love this thread because I know at least one or two people will actually post a response for both sides of the argument! You guys are the best! What would the world be like if we couldn’t pawn off all of our minimum wage jobs to people like you?

  66. I have nothing to say about the above social commentary, but I have actually purchased and used the demonstrated fryers in a busy restaurant in Kansas City. It is a great product, defies everything you might think you know about fryers, saves money, easy to clean and shows that we don’t think outside the box too much.

  67. It’ s a very cool illustration of a simple principle. The oxygen and heat transfer is a puzzling question though. Clearly it’s just an example piece, not an actual working, long-term fish keeping method. The water will heat up and the level of available oxygen will drop. The ammonia problem will rear its head as well.

  68. I just have to say that this is by far the best thread I have found in as long as I can remember. First of all, cooking fish in actual aquarium where the living fish might have a chance to actually eat their own dead (even if only for demonstration purposes) is unequivocally amazing. I mean, that would be like McDonald’s setting up a six-inch high drive through in order to serve Chicken McNuggets to local poultry residents.

  70. For those who don’t believe this is real, the product development manager was saying it took him and his team 10 years to develop this fryer. It was very brief in the end, but he also mentioned there is some kind of device they created (located in around where the water and oil is separated) preventing the obvious and more common occurring result we know which was also shown in the video.

    As someone mentioned, the fish is more of a demonstration that the water still stays cool and it is the sole discretion of the user to put the fish in. Unfortunately he did not disclose how it is done… I sure as hell would of love to learn the science of this!

    Hope this helps

    cheers,

  73. Even if this could work aquarium water is ussually really nasty and you are cooking on top of it. Plus I doubt very seriously that the fish could live on a steady diet of fried food dropings. There would be way too much food for them to eat and all that mess would accumulate at the bottom of the aquarium. And even if you had to clean it less frequently it would be a nightmare when you finally did have to clean it. And how do you clean the aquarium part on the botom? I suspect this thing is fake like the bonsai kittens. The Japanese have a wierd sense of humor. Japanese are not bad they just have a different culture.

  74. Even if this could work aquarium water is ussually really nasty and you are cooking on top of it. Plus I doubt very seriously that the fish could live on a steady diet of fried food dropings. There would be way too much food for them to eat and all that mess would accumulate at the bottom of the aquarium. And even if you had to clean it less frequently it would be a nightmare when you finally did have to clean it. And how do you clean the aquarium part on the botom? I suspect this thing is fake like the bonsai kittens. The Japanese have a wierd sense of humor. Japanese are not bad they just have a different culture.

  75. That is interesting and a very creative idea indeed. However, with that kind of setup, how are they going to do proper tank maintenance? And talk about falling crumbs, wouldn't that lead to uncontrolled feeding? I would love to find out how they go about with this. We need a translation 🙂

    -sockyee-

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