The Best Deep Fryers for Cooking at Home
Deep frying can be dangerous, it can be messy, and it can be time consuming without the proper equipment. Thanks to a wide array of product offerings, there are plenty of handy appliances for one stop deep frying available. In this resource guide, we will be taking a look at the best deep fryers on the markter, what they offer, and whether they are worth the money. They are list in no particular order, but generally represent the best selling deep fryers with the longest track records and highest customer reviews. The goal is to help you select the best deep fryer for your specific needs from among the top rated products.
Before getting started, it is important to categorize just what we mean by “best” when in comes to fryers. As it turns out, there are some objective criteria with which to compare fryers to each other. Deep fryers have so many options that it can be a bit overwhelming, but I have identified a few key points to consider that have made the most difference to me over the years.
The ability to control the temperature of your fryer can be crucial to properly frying your food. Different recipes can call for different frying temperatures, sometimes with precision being a very important factor. If this will be an issue for you, try to select a fryer with a variety of temperature options.
Ease of Cleaning: This is an under-appreciated aspect, but important nonetheless. Over the years I’ve had more than a few great fryers that were an absolute nightmare to clean and maintain. When you are dealing with hot oil and fat, it’s not laughing matter. I exclusively select fryers for my one needs that are easy to clean. Again, some companies do a great job at this while others….not so much.
** Safety: The last thing you want is another fire hazard in your house. Most models worth their weight will have a “closed seal” to make sure oil is contained within the device. Always check to see if there are any negative reviews about safety.
With these core points in mind, the following are the best deep fryers that fit the bill! Feel free to comment down below if you’ve had any particular experience with any of these models (positive or negative).
Presto FryDaddy
One of the features that I like is that the fryer has a snap-on lid. This means that I can store the oil in the fryer to reuse, instead of having to throw it away every time I use it. It is easy to use and stays hot without me having to mess with the controls, which saves me time and stress.
If you have a smaller family or prefer to cook in small batches, this 4-cup fryer is perfect. I have used it for wings, fries, and even onion rings with great success. It only needs to heat up for 10 minutes, too, which is great for those evenings when I am in a hurry to get supper ready. Due to the fact that it only uses 4 cups of oil, it is able to keep a more consistent temperature than other, larger fryers.
Something that I look for is how simple it is to clean a kitchen appliance. The Presto FryDaddy has a nonstick bowl, which is easy to clean, no matter what I decide to fry up for my family.
What could be different? The only thing that I wish that it had was an indicator light that lets me know when the oil is ready. While I know that it takes 10 minutes now, after using it for a while, at first I was putting the food in too quick, which caused the breading to fall off. All in all, however, I would recommend the Presto FryDaddy for its small size, low amount of oil needed, and its durability and cleanability.
Presto CoolDaddy
One of the best features that the CoolDaddy has is a viewing window. This means that I am able to check the food without opening the cover, allowing the oil to stay at a stable temperature. A locking cover and cool-touch outside makes it safer to use, too, which is essential when you have children.
The simplicity of the design and function makes it easy to use, and it is very easy to clean as well, due to the removable nonstick bowl. It simply slides out of the housing to allow you to clean it without any issue.
An exterior handle allows me to lower the basket with the lid closed, which means no splatters from the frozen foods. This is a big deal, as other fryers do not allow you to lower foods while the lid is closed, which means that you can be splattered with hot grease when cold foods come into contact with the oil. This, along with the locking cover and the outside housing that does not get hot, are great safety features.
While I have not had any issues with this fryer, others have complained that the fryer will not stay at a consistent temperature. Some reviewers also report problems with the mechanism that lowers the basket.
While others have had issues, I have enjoyed using our Presto CoolDaddy. It has been a decent addition to our kitchen and allows me to get that fried, crispy crust on foods without having to even leave my home. When compared to other fryers, there are definitely some issues but for the price it’s not a bad option.
Presto Digital ProFry
The digital temperature controls, with four thermostat presets, allow perfect cooking of a wide variety of different foods. With a quick heating time (just 10 to 15 minutes) and audible sound alert when the oil is ready, I only have to listen for the beep and put in the food. It maintains the temperature even when I put in frozen foods, which means that my food will be crisp and delicious.
My favorite part of this fryer is the large size. I had a smaller one years ago, but it just did not do the job that I needed it to do, because I could not get enough food into it to feed the family. I had to do separate batches and this made my cooking time much longer than it does with the Presto Digital ProFry. Now, I can cook the entire bag of French fries to allow everyone’s food to be hot and ready to eat.
The easy to lower basket allows me to cook just like my favorite restaurant does. Due to the large size, this one is not as easy to clean and it does not have an oil drain, which means that you have to carefully drain it to change out the oil. I think it could have been made easier to clean and drain, but for the money, it has been a good choice.
Waring Professional Deep Fryer
While it is larger, it is not so large that it cannot be used on a regular basis. I thought that it would take forever for it to heat up, but it takes only around 10 minutes to preheat. This means that we can have perfectly fried chicken fingers or French fries in almost no time, which is perfect for my busy family.
While some fryers leave you wishing for restaurant crispiness, the Waring Professional Deep Fryer had me wishing I had bought this one sooner. It offers the crispy fries and other foods that I always wanted to cook at home.
You would think that this fryer would be difficult to clean, but it has a built-in spout that lets me pour the oil out without mess. In addition, the non-stick inside and great construction lets me remove the bowl and just simply wipe it out. It can even be put into the dishwasher for maximum efficiency.
The three baskets – one large and two small – allow me to customize the use to the meal I am cooking. If I am having two fried foods, I use the smaller baskets, but if I am cooking fried chicken, I use the large one. It could not be simpler or easier to whip up some delicious fried foods with this fryer.
Great to look at and convenient and efficient to use, the Waring Professional Deep Fryer has made my cooking of fried foods easier and tastier.
Waring Professional Mini
With a two-quart vat, you can cook quite a bit of food. One thing that I did notice was then even if I am careful to fill only to the fill line, the food displaced some of the oil enough that every once in a while there is some overflow. I make sure that I carefully add the food or move the basket to keep it from doing this, but with slightly taller sides this would not be an issue.
The heat stays largely consistent between batches, which means that I can cook food back to back, instead of having to wait. This makes cooking fried food much quicker for me to get supper on the table.
The Waring Professional Mini Fryer is easy to keep clean. While I don’t clean it every time I use it, I do clean it on a regular basis. When I do, I only have to remove the heating element, the enamel-coating insert, and then pour the oil out of the bowl. The pieces can be put into the dishwasher as well, which is not the case with other mini fryers that I looked at.
The small size is perfect for my small kitchen and I don’t have to worry about moving it from place to place, as it is light and easy to move. I have been very happy with the food that I have cooked in it and would buy this fryer again for home use.
T-Fal Ultimate Easy Clean Fryer
Some deep fryers are difficult to clean, but this one claims that it is easy to take care of from its name. The parts are dishwasher-safe, except for the heating element. It has an oil filtration and drainage system, which means that you can reuse the oil until you are ready to dispose of it, and it is easy to drain from the machine. Cleaning a fryer can take a significant amount of time, but not with this T-Fal Fryer.
This fryer has a capacity of more than 2 pounds. This is quite a bit of room for French fries, onion rings, fried shrimp, or your other favorite fried food. It requires almost 32 ounces of oil to fry at full capacity, but it heats up within just minutes and stays at a consistent temperature to give you crisp and thoroughly done food.
The sealed, lockable lid makes it safer to use and I can use the viewer window to check on my food without having to open the lid. This means that the oil stays hotter, as the heat does not escape through the top each time I check it. Foods are cooked quickly and thoroughly to allow me to have dinner on the table in just minutes.
While some consumers say that it quits working after a few times, it does have a one-year warranty. I have never experienced an issue and have had it six months, but it is something to keep in mind.
Secura Triple Basket Fryer
I found that even after putting in frozen foods, the oil temperature stayed consistently at the same temperature, which is great for ensuring that your foods are crispy on the outside and completely done on the inside. With adjustable heat control, I can cook my fried chicken perfectly and get the perfect crust and the perfectly cooked inside without any stress over whether it is done or not.
The 4.2 liter oil tank is easy to remove, which allows me to clean it with very little trouble. I have had other fryers that have been difficult to clean, which caused me to not use the fryers as much. With this one, I can cook as often as I want, because it is simple and easy to clean and drain. While it is large, I still have room for it on my counter and, if I want to move it, it is not that heavy where I cannot.
While it is big, it is also amazing, in that I am able to fry the whole package of fries for our meal, instead of having to separate them into smaller batches. In addition, I can cook two fried foods at once, which is a big boon for this busy mom of three. No more soggy fries for us. We love our crispy fries that we get from the Secura Triple Basket Deep Fryer!
Emeril Digital Emersion Fryer
You would think that a fryer this large would be difficult to clean, but that is not the case with this deep fryer. Once you are done cooking, you simply flip a switch and after the oil cools, it automatically filters and drains the oil into a storage reservoir that is built into the fryer. This means that the oil is free of debris and can be used again. Additionally, the parts are all dishwasher safe as well (except for the heating element), to allow you to get everything clean.
I am not a patient cook, but even when I put an entire bag of fries into the fryer, they cook perfectly. It maintains the oil to the perfect temperature even if frozen foods are used, which means no more soggy fries. Even larger fry jobs, such as fried chicken, can be done in this fryer. It has changed the way I think about fried foods, simply because I previously thought I would always have to get them from the fast food joint, because they just did not taste good when made at home.
While it is a larger fryer, I am happy to have it in my kitchen. Whether the kids are wanting cheese sticks, fries, onion rings, chicken tenders, or we are cooking up some fish, I don’t have to worry about it not fitting in the machine or not cooking it evenly. The Emeril Digital Immersion Deep Fryer is one of the best deep fryers and the best purchases I have made in a long time.
Delonghi Roto Deep Fryer
Features on this fryer were great. No only does it have a digital removable timer to remind me to check the food, but it also has adjustable thermostat and indicator light to let me know when the fryer is ready. It holds quite a bit of food, too, with its 1-1/2 cup capacity basket.
Reviews on this fryer were very mixed. It seems that the newer models have some issues that need to be addressed, including making it simpler to drain the oil and clean, as well as adding an on/off switch. A short power cord has many consumers crying foul, as it limits where you can place the fryer for use.
The basket has to be carefully removed from the fryer, as the spinning mechanism sometimes releases, which sends fries into the floor. The construction of the fryer seems to be a big issue, as many long-time Delonghi fryer users say that it is made of a cheaper plastic that is not holding up to normal wear and tear.
As far as my opinion, I can see the point with the fryer basket, but you should be careful anyway, simply because you are dealing with hot food and grease. The other issues are not as noticeable to me, as they are things that you just need to get used to, as you do with any other new appliance.
Oster Cool Touch Deep Fryer
It only took about 6 minutes to heat the oil to 375 degrees, which is great. In addition, I can raise or lower the basket with the lid shut, which means no more spattering me with hot oil when I lower frozen foods. I have found that the built in timer has been a godsend, as it cooks so fast I sometimes lose track of time. I set the timer for the amount of time it will take to cook and can make sure that I don’t burn the fries.
The ability to clean a fryer is something that I really considered, but Oster seems to have a handle on making appliances that are easy to keep clean. This ensures that I use it even more often, which makes my entire family very happy.
This is one of the highest ranked fryers of this size. Comments are largely favorable, with only a few people saying that their fryer just stopped working after a few uses. Mine has worked great for almost a year now, however, so I think that those reviewers just got a bad fryer to begin with. I would definitely purchase this fryer again. It keeps me happy and my family’s tummies full.
Hopefully, one of these fryers is sufficient for your needs and we hope that our overview of the best deep fryers has helped you. For a side-by-side comparison of features, see below: