Stamford resident perfects bird fryer By Harold Davis Chris Litwin loves the taste of deep-fried turkey, but not the danger that comes with it. The Stamford resident has developed Litwin Safety System, which lowers then retrieves a cooked bird safelyfrom a pot of hot oil. His invention reduces hot oil spills and other hazards such as burns. "I think of it as an insurance policy for your fryer. It gives you a lot of confidence and control," said Litwin, executive vice president of TSG Products LLC in Stamford. Litwin came up with the concept for his invention at a Thanksgiving 2006 gathering when he tried deep-frying two turkeys at the same time. "I thought that there's got to be a be a better way. I made a prototype that night, but it didn't work," he said. Litwin didn't give up. He worked on 13 prototypes over 18 months because he knew he had a great idea. Most deep fryers come with a "glorified coat hanger" to drop in and pull out the turkey from the frying pot, said Litwin, who did patent searches but didn't find anything related to his idea. Most deep fryers come with a "glorified coat hanger" to drop in and pull out the turkey from the frying pot, said Litwin, who did patent searches but didn't find anything related to his idea. "There was nothing that addresses the issue of submerging the turkey into the oil," Litwin said, who has a patent pending for his design. His device, which securely holds a bird in place, is made of extruded aluminum. It fastens to any size pot and allows the turkey to be easily placed and removed. Its handle holds the turkey for easy draining. Once Litwin perfected his invention, he consulted with Cleve Christophe, managing partner ofTSG Capital Group, a Stamford-based private equity firm, to develop with a business plan. They eventually became business partners. "This was his first endeavor with determining consumer need and bringing it to market. We forged a great friendship and we used so many local businesses to help out," said Litwin, who also runs Kiki Co., a dog event company. The Litwin Safety System has been on the market for three months. His first production nearly sold out, and he is placing another order. Litwin's invention is sold on his Web site, www.litwinsafetysystem.com, for $69.99. Litwin attended last week's National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, where he met valuable contacts from big-box stores, such as Costco, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart. He has a meeting with The Home Depot later this month. John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager with United Laboratories Inc. in Northbrook, Ill., said that despite manufacturers' efforts deep-frying turkeys still can be hazardous. "We very openly discuss the dangers of deep-frying turkeys, but we know people still use them and we know people love the taste," he said. Seeing Litwin's invention, Drengenberg said he felt that Litwin is headed in a good direction. "This hoist keeps a distance and allows a consumer to stand further away when putting the turkey in the fryer and pulling it out of it. It's a step forward in turkey frying," he said. Drengenberg was encouraged when he learn of Litwin's other upcoming turkey fryer-related products. A splash guard and splash collar are two products that Litwin hopes to market. "We have three other products, but right now we're working on getting this one out first," Litwin said. |
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