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To deep-fry your favorite foods quickly and without a lot of mess, you’ll need one of the best deep fryers for home use. Whether it’s chicken, fish, french fries, onion rings, or donuts, deep fryers speed up cooking time and produce a rich, crunchy final product. Luckily, these appliances are also available in a variety of sizes and price points to fit right into most kitchens.
When you’re trying to choose the best deep fryer for your home, there are a few essential things to consider. The first is the fryer’s capacity and size. For most homes, a 4-quart capacity deep fryer, which allows you to cook two to three meals or appetizers for a bigger group at once, is a good fit. If you’re frying for just one or two people, or only need small portions, a small 1 ½- to 2-quart capacity fryer will probably be a better fit.
For cooks who want a lot of control to pick the heat level best suited for their different dishes, look for models that allow you to easily adjust the oil temperature from 325 up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the USDA, you'll want to fry your food at between 320 and 375, depending on the food item. However, not having that kind of control can save you a lot of money. Additional features like an oil-ready indicator light and dishwasher-safe parts are also nice to have.
So, to find the perfect deep fryer for your kitchen, check out my roundup of the best deep fryers for home. All of these top picks are available on Amazon with features and sizes to suit your tastes, budget, and countertop space.
1
The Best Deep Fryer For 3 Or More People
The T-fal triple basket deep fryer is the perfect option for most households of three or more people. This 4.2-quart fryer lets you cook a meal for about three people per batch. It includes one large and two small stainless-steel frying baskets so you can choose to fry smaller portions of two items at once. The adjustable thermostat can be set anywhere from 175 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit giving customers a lot of control to best suit their recipes.
There’s also an oil-ready indicator light that switches on to notify you when it’s time to add your food. Plus, cleanup is a breeze with the dishwasher safe baskets and removable bowl.
What fans say: "We're a pretty big family so the small ones at box stores usually don't hold much. I can cook enough for all of us in one basket with this one. [...] The quality seems to be excellent as well as you'd expect from T-Fal. I've had this around a month and have used it several times for french fries and okra and it cooks extremely well."
2
The Best Compact Deep Fryer
For limited countertop space or small households, consider the Cuisinart compact 1.1-liter deep fryer. This compact unit is only 11 by 8 by 7.5 inches or roughly the size of a toaster. It can hold up to a 3/4 pound of food, making enough servings to feed one to two people per batch, or appetizers for a few more. The adjustable thermostat can reach up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to fry a wide variety of items. It also features a removable charcoal filter to reduce odor in your home.
There’s an oil-ready indicator light to let you know when it's done heating up. This deep fryer is not dishwasher safe, so you’ll have to clean it manually. However, the inside container is nonstick so clean up shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
What fans say: “Very nice deep fryer for 1 or 2 people. I use two 16oz bottles of unrefined peanut oil for healthy cooking and change the oil after about 8 uses. It doesn't take up hardly any counter space.”
3
The Best Budget Deep Fryer
If you’re looking for an inexpensive option that still manages to hold around four servings, the Presto FryDaddy deep fryer is a good choice. There isn’t an adjustable thermostat to set with this fryer so you don’t get as much control, and it doesn't get as hot as the first two options. However, with a 4.5-star rating after more than 2,000 reviews, customers don’t seem to mind.
This unit has a single setting and heats up to about 325 degrees, according to a customer’s measurements, a little lower than our top two picks and a little lower than what some recipes recommend. But it does have handy features, like a lid that snaps on to allow you to store your leftover oil to make it easy to re-use again (after it has cooled down from cooking). There's no basket, but the plastic strainer that’s included to scoop your food out is dishwasher-safe. The rest of the fryer is nonstick but must be wiped out manually. There’s no oil-ready indicator light, but for less than $25, it’s a great deal.
What fans say: “This is a great buy!!!! Even if it was more expensive I would get this again. Hands down the best fryer, no messy basket, no having to figure out where to put the oil. Treat it like a [food container] when you are done and it has cooled and seal it with the rubber lid. Heats up quickly and efficiently.”
4
Also Great: A Probe Thermometer
To make sure your oil is at the ideal cooking temperature, you should also consider a probe thermometer like the ThermoPro digital instant read thermometer. It can be used on all types of indoor and outdoor cooking like grilling, too. The accurate readout stays visible for 10 minutes before shutting off. It's easy to store, thanks to its magnetic back hook.
What fans say: “My husband and I LOVE this! It works great in a deep fryer, oven, stovetop, etc. And the free recipes we got were great!"
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