Best Deep Fryers

Types of deep fryers

Standard deep fryers for home use are usually round with handles and lids. These fryers generally hold 1 or 2 quarts of oil and have stay-cool plastic housings and non-stick, removable bowls. Their fry baskets may or may not be removable for cleaning.

Pro-style deep fryers, on the other hand, have metal housings and baskets. They look like smaller versions of fast-food restaurant fryers, and their bases, baskets and bowls are usually dishwasher-safe. Generally speaking, their heating elements, which remain immersed in oil during cooking, are not removable. Pro-style fryers tend to be more efficient than standard fryers, because they take less time to return oil to the correct frying temperature after food is added (known as "recovery time"). They can turn out bigger batches of food than standard fryers, but they require more oil and are thus more costly to use.

If you'd like the option of frying different foods -- such as fries and chicken tenders -- at the same time, look for a pro-style fryer with dual baskets. Unless it's been used to fry foods with a strong odor, such as fish or shrimp, used cooking oil can safely be reused two or three times. This brings down the cost of frying significantly.

In order to prevent hot oil from splashing or spilling, today's deep fryers are equipped with magnetized power cords (or "breakaway" cords) that slip easily out of the outlet if the fryer is bumped or becomes caught. Some owners complain that these cords fall out a bit too easily. Many standard fryers have windows that allow you to see your food as it cooks, but experts say that these can quickly fog over and aren't really necessary.

Some owners dislike the fact that, for safety reasons, some deep fryers have a set maximum temperature of around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to turn out truly crisp french fries and deeply browned battered fish, look for an electric fryer such as the DeLonghi D895UX Roto (*Est. $105) that can reach at least 370 degrees. If you don't want to stay within an electric fryer's set temperature range, stick with a large, deep pot and a thermometer.

Best countertop electric deep fryers

A special basket sets the DeLonghi D895UX Roto Electric Fryer (*Est. $105) apart from the majority of deep fryers on the market. This mechanism, which is set at an angle and spins like a turntable, allows you to use half the usual amount of oil and makes for somewhat healthier food, because the food is spinning in and out of the oil and absorbs less of it. Reviews say that the Roto is safe, sturdy and easy to use. One owner posting to Amazon.com says he has used this fryer for four years, and it's still going strong. Owners love the integrated drainage system: Oil flows through an integrated tube into a filter set in a receptacle. While some fryers do not fry at temperatures above 350 degrees Fahrenheit, this fryer has a maximum temperature of 370 degrees and four other temperature settings. We read a few complaints about the filter basket, which can fail to rotate if not situated correctly, and the lack of an included recipe book. In Fine Cooking's tests, the Roto performed beautifully with drier batters, but wet batters adhered to the Roto's fry basket, complicating clean-up.

We found one other deep fryer with a rotating basket: the George Foreman Lean Mean Fryer (*Est. $120). This deep fryer spins the food after cooking, a process which is supposed to remove up to 55 percent of the fat absorbed during cooking by using centrifugal force. Although the manufacturer claims you can go "straight to the plate" and bypass draining or blotting foods prepared in the Lean Mean Fryer, a food blogger (known only as "Sonja") disagrees with this claim. Writing for Umamimart.com, she finds that dumplings fried in the Lean Mean Fryer did seem lower in fat, but leave some grease behind on a paper towel. She finds the fries and mozzarella sticks she prepares in the Foreman fryer especially crisp, but she doesn't recommend this machine for delicate foods, such as tempura-battered vegetables. It's worth noting that although the manufacturer claims that this fryer can "knock out" as much as 55 percent of the fat absorbed during frying, the fine print on the George Foreman websites states that the average reduction of absorbed fat is 38 percent. This is probably because the basket rotates only when in the raised position, after frying is complete. In essence, the Foreman fryer is only spinning off excess oil, not reducing the amount of contact that oil has with food.

The Presto 05411 GranPappy (*Est. $50) Electric Deep Fryer represents a step down from the DeLonghi D895UX Roto deep fryer in both features and build quality. With no insulation, the bucket-shaped GranPappy can become hot, and it lacks a fry basket, an odor filter or a thermostat. These drawbacks aside, reviewers say that the Presto GranPaddy works well and is capable of heating oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a 6-cup capacity and a snap-on lid, so you can store oil right in the fryer. More than 30 owner reviews at Amazon.com contribute to its above-average ratings. The only really negative review reports that although it works great, the GranPappy is not much more than a bucket to hold oil. Presto also makes the FryDaddy 05420 Deep Fryer (*Est. $25), which has a 4-cup capacity; and the DualDaddy 05450 Deep Fryer (*Est. $50), which has an 8-cup capacity and a divider that allows you to fry two types of food at once without any flavor overlap. With their bucket-shaped, black housings, these fryers look alike and perform similarly, reviews say.

Pro-style deep-fat fryers

A pro-style deep fryer usually holds more oil so you can fry up larger batches. Some have dual baskets so you can fry two batches or two different foods at once.

Reviews say that the pro-style T-Fal FR7008002 Ultimate EZ Clean Pro Deep Fryer (*Est. $120) delivers a large quantity of crisp, golden brown food quickly. It can hold a little more than 3 liters of oil and, with the exception of the heating element, all the parts are dishwasher-safe. Owners praise the odor filter, drainage and filtration system, and built-in oil storage. The metal housing can become hot, and a few owners report oil leakage, but most are very pleased with this professional-style fryer, which has a long-handled fry basket. Owners say that they simply place their T-Fal fryers on baking sheets to catch any excess oil. T-Fal also makes the Emerilware FR7009001 Deep Fryer (*Est. $140), but Emerilware name aside, the two fryers are virtually identical. The T-Fal Pro Fryer has a dial thermostat, while the Emerilware's thermostat is digital. Reviews indicate that this feature isn't worth the additional money, so we've included the T-Fal FR7008002 Ultimate EZ Clean Pro Deep Fryer in the ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section.

The Presto 05466 Stainless Steel Dual Basket ProFry (*Est. $80) is another highly-rated professional-style fryer. Like the T-Fal FR7008002 Ultimate EZ Clean Pro Deep Fryer, the ProFry has a large capacity (12 cups of oil), a removable bowl and heating element, and an odor filter. A few owners complain that this fryer doesn't bring the oil up to the correct temperature for frying, but most are delighted with its efficiency and performance. The ProFry's dual-basket system allows you to cook two different foods at the same time, but the Presto ProFry does not have an integrated oil-drainage system. Nor does it come with an oil filter or storage container. For these reasons, we've selected the T-Fal Ultimate EZ Clean Pro Deep Fryer for inclusion in the ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section over the Presto ProFry.

The Waring Pro DF250B (*Est. $100) performed admirably in tests at the Los Angeles Times, but editors don't like the fact that the heating element is not removable for cleaning. Owner ratings for this pro-style fryer, which has a capacity of just over 2 pounds, are mixed: some owners call this fryer an excellent value, while others say that the heating element is underpowered, and oil never gets hot enough to turn out truly crisp French fries. Like the Presto Dual Basket ProFry, this fryer has dual baskets, but it lacks a system for draining and storing oil.