Why does nobody talk about the danger of cheap plastic squeeze bottles for hot oil?

I used to keep my frying oil in those thin plastic bottles you get from the supply store, the ones with the pointy tip. It was fine for years, until one split open on me last month during a busy Saturday service. I had just strained some 350 degree oil from the fryer into it, and about ten minutes later I heard a pop. The seam gave way and sent hot oil all over my station and legs. I mean, I got lucky it wasn't worse, but I had second degree burns on my forearm. Now I only use the heavy duty metal ones, or I just pour it back into the original container to cool first. Has anyone else had a bottle fail like that? What do you guys use for hot oil transfer?

3 comments

3 Comments

grant.parker13d ago

The safety sheet for a deep cleaning product at my last kitchen had a warning about not storing it in certain plastics because heat could warp them. Made me look at everything in the kitchen differently. Those thin bottles are really only meant for room temp stuff, not thermal shock from 350 degree oil. Your story is exactly why our place switched to stainless steel pitchers for any hot liquid transfer, oil or not. It just isn't worth the risk.

david12313d ago

Yeah, "modern art sculpture on the counter" is about right. I've seen those bottles go from useful to a melted puddle faster than you can say "fire hazard." One time a guy at this diner tried to pour hot fryer oil back into its original plastic jug. Let's just say we had to replace a whole section of linoleum. Some people treat plastic like it's magic instead of, you know, melted dinosaur bones.

brian86513d ago

Guess you found out the hard way those bottles are basically fancy water guns for napalm. Serves you right for trusting a 99 cent piece of plastic with molten lava. My old boss used one until it melted into a modern art sculpture on the counter.