Fried foods are an all-time favorite comfort food, a beloved staple of the American diet and must-have on game days. Fried food lovers agree that the crispy crunchy outside, moist and succulent inside, compounded by the flavor sensations created by the hot oil and batter add up to a taste sensation that is hard to beat. Tell us you can resist fries with your burger, piping hot mozzarella sticks, or a crispy fried chicken sandwich. We’ll wait…
In recent years, we’ve experienced a kind of “fried food revolution.” Due to this rise in consumer demand, you may be looking for a new fryer as a replacement or as a new addition to your current set up. To help you in your search, we’ve done some deep digging to uncover the seven best commercial deep fryers on the market today.
Let’s explore a few fundamentals before learning about our best deep fryer selections.
What to Consider Before Buying the Best Commercial Deep Fryer
To help you choose the best commercial deep fryer for your frying needs, answer these five frequently asked questions.
- Do I need a gas or an electric deep fryer?
The utility availability in your location is the main consideration in gas versus electric. Gas fryers heat up quickly, while electric fryers offer precise temperatures for longer periods of time. Utility costs for gas fryers are commonly less than electric fryers, but energy-efficient electric fryers are available, with many offering utility rebates. - What do I plan to cook in my commercial deep fryer?
If you are frying French fries, chicken wings, or lightly battered foods, you will want a fryer with a cool zone that collects fallen food particles and keeps them from burning and contaminating the oil. Tube-type fryers have a larger cool zone than flat-bottom or open-vat fryers and are suitable for frying medium- to heavy-duty volumes. - Who will operate my commercial deep fryer?
Determine the skill level of your kitchen staff and the flexibility of operating hours versus employee work shifts. You don’t want customers coming in demanding fried foods and the only employees skilled to work the fryers aren’t coming in until later. More advanced fryers offer alarms, lights, thermostatic controls, and automatic shut-off features that enhance the safety of the fryer and make it easy to operate, while still delivering consistent frying results. - Should I choose a countertop or floor model commercial deep fryer?
Floor space is often limited in a typical foodservice kitchen. If space is tight, a countertop deep fryer may be your best choice. Many of these are lightweight and portable enough to set up and take down daily. However, if you are frying medium to high volumes of food, a floor fryer will be your best investment. That’s because it has a higher capacity to hold more oil and produce more fried food in an hour. Recovery time and oil filtering are faster, so fewer oil changes are needed. - What capacity of commercial deep fryer do I need?
This largely depends on how much food you need to produce. A simple mathematical equation of 1.5 to 2.0 multiplied by the amount of oil capacity the fryer has, will give you an adequate estimate of how much food that fryer will produce per hour. A 40 lb. fryer will produce 60 to 80 pounds of food per hour. This estimate can vary, depending on the types of foods fried.
The Best (Overall) Commercial Deep Fryer
For crispy and delicious fried food, this high-production, gas tube fryer features the patented Solstice Burner Technology, designed for energy efficiency and high performance.
Why we like it:
Solstice burners boost thermal power and enable the fryer to generate heat quicker cutting down on cooking and recovery times, this helps preserve the crispiness of the food with less oil absorption for better flavor. The self-cleaning burners save time and labor by reducing oil build-up, minimizing downtime and maintaining the quality and taste of the food. With the Pitco Solstice SG18S, durability and safety features are top priority.
Featuring a stainless steel front, door, sides, and tank, this fryer is built to last. The stainless steel tank can hold 70 to 90 lbs of your best cooking oil and the built-in cool zone will help extend the life of your oil, whether cooking frozen fries or freshly battered chicken.
The Best Electric Deep Fryer
For medium duty frying that offers consistent, reliable results, this dual tank fryer is a proven performer. Precise temperature settings give food the crunch your customers crave, and the easy-to-use controls offer flexibility for staff.
Why we like it:
Thermostatic controls and high wattage power make this electric fryer ideal for making crispy, fried appetizers and entrees. A great choice for cafes, food trucks, and concession stands, it doesn’t require a gas hook up or an exhaust hood. A versatile solution for fast-paced venues, you can fry two different foods at once with the convenience of dual tanks that offer 15 lb. oil capacity each and come with stainless steel baskets that lift out easily. In addition, a basket hanger is provided to drain excess oil for crispier, crunchier textures. A simple-to-use operation process and a front drain valve that makes draining oil safer and easier makes the Kratos 29Y-016 our choice for the best electric deep fryer.
The Best Natural Gas Deep Fryer
A great investment for adding fried foods to your menu, this medium-duty gas fryer offers innovative workmanship, lower energy usage, and higher production.
Why we like it:
Durable construction including a stainless steel cabinet, doors, and tank, offer long-lasting durability and lower replacement costs. This tube-fired fryer features three heat exchanger tubes for maximum heat transfer, so you get crispier fried foods that taste delicious. Your best cooking oil is preserved with a large “V” shaped cold zone that prevents fallen food particles from burning and contaminating the oil. The Vulcan LG300 40 lb. fryer requires fewer BTUs to fry up to 57 pounds of French fries per hour, resulting in less energy use and bigger savings on utility bills. The fast recovery time boosts production so you can cook more and spend less with this highly efficient, energy-saving natural gas fryer.
The Best Propane Gas Deep Fryer
If you are searching for a propane gas powered commercial deep fryer, this 40 lb. fryer is our choice for medium- to high-volume frying.
Why we like it:
This profit-driving unit is perfect for venues looking for an alternative to natural gas fryers. It features three 30,000 BTU heating tubes to offer the power you need to fry up to eighty pounds of fries per hour. The heavy-duty stainless steel construction ensures long-lasting durability, and it comes with two chrome-plated mesh fryer baskets, which offers the flexibility to fry two batches simultaneously. A built-in basket hanging rail allows for full drainage of excess oil and gives your food the crispy texture fried food lovers demand. It’s an easy-to-operate fryer with thermostatic controls that offer precise temperatures from 200° to 400°F., so it is easier for staff of different skill levels to operate this fryer safely and efficiently.
The Best Countertop Deep Fryer
Get floor fryer results with the convenience of a countertop fryer when you invest in the Globe PF32E Countertop Electric Fryer.
Why we like it:
Using only 32 pounds of your best cooking oil, this electric countertop fryer can cook up to 50 pounds of fries in an hour. This energy-efficient dynamo boasts an initial warm up time of less than 10 minutes and recovery times are about 5 minutes between batches. Perfect for medium-duty frying, it has a high-temperature thermal limit control to keep operators safe. Thermostatic controls offer precise temperatures between 70° to 375°F, perfect for cooking chicken tenders, fries, and more. This unit includes two chrome-plated fry baskets that allow for frying two batches simultaneously. It’s a great choice for restaurants, bars, cafes, food trucks, and concession stands looking to add or expand their fried food offerings.
The Best Fryer for Food Trucks
Deep fry your customers’ favorites to perfection in this portable, compact dual tank countertop fryer. It’s our top pick for food trucks and concession stands.
Why we like it:
It’s lightweight and portable, which makes it easy to drain, clean, and store when it’s time to travel or to simply close-down for the day. The dual tanks are perfect for multiple food truck and concession stand offerings, and the fast response time helps to get orders out quicker, while they’re still hot. This electric countertop fryer features precise temperature controls that make it easy to multi-task while frying. When space is a challenge, an electric countertop fryer or two, can be your best solution for adding or expanding fried foods on the menu.
The Best Budget-Friendly Gas Fryer
If you need to produce 60 to 80 pounds of fries per hour, this 40 lb. fryer performs well and costs less.
Why we like it:
The impressive, stainless steel construction and three 30,000 BTU tube burners offer the durability and performance of the standard 40 lb. fryer. The lower initial investment cost allows operators to start making a profit as soon as the oil gets hot. This ETL-certified fryer is designed for easy operation with adjustable thermostatic controls and temperatures that range from 200° to 400°F, making it easier for lower-skilled staff to operate. The large cool zone keeps fallen sediment away from the cooking process to keep the oil cleaner and the flavors preserved.
One Last Thing to Mention…Preserving Your Best Cooking Oil
We are often asked, “What is the best cooking oil to use in a commercial deep fryer?” Canola oil and peanut oil are good choices as they have a high smoking point of about 400° to 450°F., respectively. Average frying temperatures range from 375° to 400°F., making these oils more stable at higher temperatures. For a deeper comparison of cooking oils, and to choose the best oil for your deep frying needs, check out our guide.
Once you choose the best cooking oil for your fried food needs, you will want to get the most life out of every tank of oil you use. The best way to achieve this is by filtering your best cooking oil. This can be accomplished in a few ways—manual filtering and automatic filtering. Manual filters, such as filtering cones and cone holders are affordable but time consuming. Commercial deep fryers with built-in filtration are the most efficient for filtering oil between batches and ensuring the flavor and consistency your customers demand. Portable filters are available to save time and labor by easily sliding under floor fryers for quick filtering and efficient draining. For heavy-volume frying with a battery of fryers, you can filter one fryer and continue frying with the other.
Lastly, just like with all kitchen equipment, it is essential to keep your fryer clean. We’ve put together a quick tutorial.
Our selection for the seven best commercial deep fryers describes only a few of the best deep fryers available. Contact one of our experienced deep fryer specialists today for more information on finding the best commercial deep fryer for your business.
