What is the name of the machine that makes and then cooks the "blooming onions?" And do you know where I can purchase one?

 Well, for many years the news was not good. Yes, you could purchase the "Flowerin Onion Cutter," which is essentially meant for itinerant carnival people who travel from town to town (we assume you are not in with that crowd), and cost $445. But comparison, the "InstaBloom" was a bargain at only $300.

But those were the only products that cut and fried the onions. Other products, such as the Great American Steakhouse Onion Machine, which only cut the onions and were clearly made for home cooks, have come and gone from the market, and are occasionally still available on eBay. At this moment, though, there seems to be a renaissance of blooming onion cutters on the market — some of which, sadly, do not score highly in public opinion surveys. The best we've found is the Bloomin Onion Slicer. As for deep fryers, there are hundreds on the market.

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