I have looked at both. The cajun is a very solid fryer. It is much heavier built than the bayou. As you said the bayou is made of ss, but if you feel the bayou it seems much lighter and not as well built as the cajun. I work every day in a metal shop and as far as quality the cajun gets my vote. As far as actual operation of the unit I have never seen the bayou in action, but the cajun is one heck of a frying machine.