Honestly, I used to be the guy who said you didn't need to spend real money on kitchen stuff because the cheap knockoffs were basically the same. Your post about the heating element sparking is exactly what changed my mind. I almost bought one of those Instagram fryers myself last week, and I was literally one click away before I saw someone mention the 60 day failure rate. The part about the return window expiring before you even got the item is what really gets me, that feels deliberately sneaky. Now I just assume any appliance from those flash sale sites is built to die right after the chargeback window closes. It's a hard lesson, but I'd rather pay double for something from a real brand than deal with a fire hazard in my garage.