Should You Use a Deep Fryer? (And Which Type?)

Well, it all depends on how often and what quantity you want to fry. You can’t go wrong with these top two picks.

Sure, we might not fry often. We pull it out when we want to make our favorite Mike’s Chicken (it’s just not the same in a pot. You can, though, bake them too). Or, perhaps you love the Rice Krispies version. Or the Asian Chicken Fingers which are the perfect way to upgrade your schnitzel on Chanukah.  Maybe you only take it out this time of year when you want to make some homemade donuts. Or churros.

The bottomline is that using a deep fryer will give you much more reliable, consistent results than using a pot. And while it sounds scary and unhealthy, food that’s deep fried in a deep fryer will actually come out less oily than those that are deep fried in a pot. 

So, which deep fryer is the best? It all depends on your needs. For most households, we love the reliability and ease of the Fry Daddy. But, if you need to satisfy a big crowd, you might opt for something that will help you turn out lots of food quickly.

Note: If you’re frying large quantities, you might not want to reuse your oil. However, if you’ve only fried a little bit and your oil is still clean, you can strain and freeze your oil (let it cool first) and use it to fry once more.

Easiest to Use/Best for Frying Small Quantities
Our Top Pick: The Fry Daddy or the GranPappy

Why We Like It: It’s one piece and is small, so takes up very little storage space. Plus, it’s not heavy so it’s easy to take in and out and not hard to clean. Because it’s small, it doesn’t need a lot of oil at all. It regulates the temperature of the oil perfectly, and gives consistent results. It simply makes frying so, so easy. There’s no controls to fuss with. Simply add oil and plug it in. 

Cons: You don’t have the option to raise and lower the temperature. Plus, the Fry Daddy is small so you can only fry a small amount at a time (although it goes quickly). The GranPappy, though, offers more space. 

Best for When Frying for a Crowd
The Hamilton Beach Deep Fryer

Why We Like It: It’s big and fits a ton of food, so it’ll cut your frying time in half. You will need a large amount of oil to fill it up, but the machine will tell you when the oil has reached the right temperature–there’s no need for guesswork.

And once it’s hot, it will get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Cons: This machine is definitely bulkier and it’s more of a “decision” when you want to pull it out.