With a deep fat fryer in your kitchen, you no longer have to depend on fast food joints to enjoy your favorite meals. Whether you’re looking for crispy chicken wings, fish, or chips, this versatile kitchen appliance has you sorted. More importantly, using a deep fat fryer is safer than using a regular frying pan.

However, how do you choose the perfect deep fryer? Read on to find out.

6 Key Features to Look for in a Deep Fat Fryer

1. The Number of Frying Baskets

If you only have a small family but frequently host parties and brunches, the double basket fryer may be worth considering. The advantage of having two baskets is that you can fry twice as much in the same amount of time. In addition, you’ll be able to fry two separate items at the same time, which is ideal for dinner parties. 

Remember, some fryers include revolving baskets that rotate in the oil rather than resting static. As a result, these fryers use less oil, but they aren’t suited for many dishes. This is because the oil heats up quickly, causing the food to be brown on the exterior while remaining undercooked on the inside.

2. The Type of Heating Mechanism

Normally, deep fat fryers utilize either an immersion heating mechanism or the bottom heating mechanism. However, it’s better to get a larger deep fryer with an immersion heating element. This is because when compared to the heating components at the bottom, the immersion type heats the oil faster. As a result, it helps in saving time and energy. Besides this, temperature recovery is faster with immersion-style heating elements.

3.  Capacity of the Fryer

Deep fryers come in a variety of sizes and capacities. Some use as little as 4 cups of oil, while others use as much as 7 to 9 cups. The size that’s right for you will be determined by the types of dishes you’ll be deep-frying and the number of people you’ll be entertaining.

For instance, a small deep fat fryer will do if you plan to do french fries and chicken nuggets. On the other hand, if you plan on throwing a lot of parties or deep-frying whole turkeys, you might want to look for a larger deep-fat fryer. However, remember that buying a large fryer involves using a lot of oil at once, which may not be economical if you only have a small family.

4.  The Fryer’s Size

Deep fat fryers come in different shapes and sizes, ranging from small, medium, to large. That said, the size you choose must be proportional to the size of your countertop and the space available in your kitchen. This is because you don’t want a large fryer that takes up too much space on your counter.

Furthermore, handling and cleaning large fryers is usually time-consuming. On the other hand, smaller fryers use less oil and take up less room in the refrigerator. Therefore, before you go out and get a fryer, make sure you measure the height of your cabinets and decide where you’ll put it. That way, you can buy a fryer that matches your kitchen’s decor in terms of shape and color.

5. Nature of Oil Reservoir

A fryer with a detachable oil reservoir is a must-have. This is because removable reservoirs make it easy to pour used oil into a jar. What’s more, some have oil draining outlets which makes them a perfect choice.

Alternatively, if you have a flexible budget, you can get one with a built-in oil filter. This is because the oil in these fryers is filtered before being dumped into the reservoir. That way, you to recycle the oil with ease. Specifically, such fryers are perfect for commercial kitchens where recycling oil is necessary to cut costs.

6. Ease of Cleaning

Cleaning dishwashers manually is never easy, especially with all the oils that are left sticking on them. As a result, it is always safe to buy a fryer that is dishwasher-friendly. In addition, make sure the fryer basket has retractable, ergonomic handles to make it easy to detach when cleaning. Moreover, this feature makes storage easy as it saves on space.

Wind Up

You no longer have to spend time and fuel driving to a restaurant just to enjoy your favorite deep-fried delicacies. By buying a deep fat fryer, you can make these foods at home. Moreover, it is cheaper, and you can bond with your family while cooking!