10 Best Deep Fat Fryers: Expert Picks for Flawless Frying

Customer Review: “We’ve only used it once, but this Crosson 10 lb deep fryer is clearly a well-built appliance. After doing much research (as always) I decided on the features I did and did NOT want in a countertop deep fryer:1. After reading about all the spills and issues with loose tops, I did NOT want a “convenient” removable oil tub with built in filter, etc. Too many photos of too many tops that popped off, dumping oil all over hell’s half acre. That kind of occurrence tends to degrade the quality of my life. I went for the straightforward, removable oil tank that you lift from the unit. This Crosson has two sturdy handles built into the sides of the oil tank for removal. Check.2. I did NOT want a magnetically-attached power cord. This wasn’t necessarily a deal killer because they are standard on so many countertop fryers. I’m delighted that this Crosson has a robust, internally connected power cord. Check.3. I DID want as deep a basket as possible for a countertop fryer. At just over 5″ deep, this one fits that bill. The deeper the basket, the deeper the food can drop into the hottest oil for the best cook. This basket is sturdy, well built, and catches very nicely and firmly on the hang bar. Check.4. I DID want a deep fryer that heats to the temperature it is set to. Despite being a simple analog rotary dial, the temperature setting was spot-on. In amassing my deep fry paraphernalia, I also purchased a 5″ deep fryer thermometer (really a necessity, in my book). With the fryer visually set to 350, after about 15 minutes, the near-full oil tank read 350, pretty much on the nose. The oil heated fast and recovered very quickly. For those who are relatively unfamiliar with deep fryers experiencing temperature zones, just lift the basket a few times now and then to mix the oil. That’s the key to achieving a uniform oil temperature throughout the oil tank. If you’re concerned about the built-in thermostat on your deep fryer being attached to the element, so not accurately heating your oil (which pretty much all are) MIX THE OIL! Just do so gently, please. No hot oil splashes allowed.Fast heating and consistent, accurate oil temperature? Check.4. I DID want a unit with a dedicated heating element cover. I had read reviews by some folks who had to use a small cooling rack or other device to serve as an element cover that prevents food items and/or the basket from contacting the heating element. Check.5. I DID want to purchase from a company with good customer service. I reached out to Crosson support regarding their warranty and received a same-day response. It’s one year; they’ll evaluate the issue and respond in a (presumably) helpful fashion. They appear to be a Chinese business entity, so caveat emptor where doing business with Chinese businesses presents personal sensitivities. Check.Is this countertop fryer on the pricey side for its size? Perhaps. But “pricey” is a relative value proposition, different for everyone. I think this fryer is very well built, is of modest but very adequate size and performs well. I can’t imagine anyone being unhappy with it, unless of course you happen to get a Monday morning/Friday afternoon lemon – which can happen with ANY mass-produced commodity. This of course assumes they have the Monday/Friday thing going on in China, which they very well may NOT. Fact is, this unit could easily do light commercial duty. I wouldn’t chance that with one of the common branded countertop deep fryers selling for similar prices.Bottom line: if you’re in the market for a smallish, countertop deep fryer, the Crosson Catering Equipment Company hits the note with this 10 lb unit. It’s perfect for the occasional family fish fry, deep frying your favorite treats, chicken fried steak (our maiden dish with this fryer), shrimp, etc. Next up will be french fries today (pro tip: after soaking cut fries in cold water prior to frying, zap them in the microwave for 3-4 minutes to drive off much of the water).”

Customer Review: “Of the many deep fryers i have had, this is by far the nicest and BEST I have ever owned and used.”

Customer Review: “Heats up well and stays a consistent temperature. Easy to clean. Only thing to note that if you drop a bunch at once the oil will cool off. Perfect for a side hustle.”

Customer Review: “Top notch deep fryer if you are into deep fryers…l have an air fryer…don’t like it. Nothing like some fried chicken on a Sunday.”

Customer Review: “Best Birthday gift for my Husband! He loves his deep fryer and it’s very precise and quick with lots of room for all our food!”

Customer Review: “Never thought I would use a deep fryer, too much work. This one works great and is very easy to clean. I actually enjoy using it! The option of the large basket or the two small baskets is perfect for whatever you want to cook.”

Customer Review: “Bought this for my mom and she used it during a church eggroll fundraiser. Cooked large portions without any electrical interruptions. Worked great!”

Customer Review: “This was perfect at our lake house! Many ppl to feed! Very good decision!!”

Customer Review: “Over the years I’ve tried several deep fryers here on Amazon and returned most of them. I have a T-Fal which is excellent that is a dedicated fryer just for French Fries in pure Tallow. However, I needed another, large fryer for breaded products. We season a lot of Okra or Zucchini, Mushrooms, Shrimp, Fish, and Chicken (see my review on the wonderful Breading Bowl) and this fryer is perfect. It holds a gallon of oil. The basket is wide and large so I can get all the pieces of a whole small chicken in it. Similarly, I can put at least 1 whole Zucchini in the basket which have been sliced into 1/8″ rounds. This large size makes it much more faster and easier to fry anything.This fryer was designed here in America but made in China. And at least they got it right! The temperature is in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius and goes to 375. What is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT is that the temperature on the dial actually matches the temperature of the oil. I’ve used 2 different (calibrated) instant-read thermometers and this fryer puts the temperature exactly where it says.Another IMPORTANT thing to know about this fryer is that it not only heats up fast… it recovers quickly when products are placed into the oil. I use to own a Snack Food Manufacturing Company. I had huge fryers. The temperature recovery is the most important process in quality frying. Do NOT put in any fryer COLD items. Let your chicken, fish or vegetables come up to room temperature and bread them. Fry them at 350 to 365 (check your internal temperature with a thermometer for doneness) till golden. Just be aware that if you put in your food COLD, this will drop the temperature of any fryer and how fast it can recover is how good quality it is. If it recovers slowly your food is NOT being cooked at the temperature you set at the thermostat. In fact, it will take much longer to cook and may even be under cooked! Not only that, the food will absorb more oil and be greasy.For the price, this Fryer is excellent. Its large, good looking, easy to use, works as it should, and easy to clean. Let your oil cool off for a couple of hours then strain your oil through a funnel lined with a filter or cheesecloth back into its bottle. We purchase the 1 gallon bottles of Peanut Oil here on Amazon for many years. Peanut oil has a high smoking point and is excellent for frying breaded products and fries.Don’t let your oil (or Tallow) sit in the fryer. Oxygen can make it rancid. Especially the fried breading which falls to the bottom will also deteriorate the oil. The fryer is easy to clean. Just use hot soapy water on the oil container and GENTLY clean the heating element. Never get the controls wet.I highly recommend this fryer for home use. The price was good and shipping was fast. It’s designed in the USA.”

Customer Review: “The Chefman deep fryer is a solid choice for anyone that’s looking to fry anything without creating a mess. It heats up quickly and maintains a consistent temperature.It’s easy to use, and affordable for anyone to purchase. This is a fryer worth considering.”

Customer Review: “This fryer pot has been a favorite in our kitchen and gets used often by my husband and me. It’s well made and has held up nicely with regular use.That said, it’s best suited for medium batches. The opening isn’t ideal for very large pieces (like a big cut of catfish), but it works great for smaller portions and everyday frying.Heats evenly, feels sturdy, and has been easy to clean. Even with the size limitation, it’s still a go-to for us.”

Customer Review: “I bought this to replace my big bulky old deep fat fryer. This deep fat fryer is amazing. Sits on the stove. Doesn’t take up much space. I love that you can sit the foot on the rack to drain the oil. My family and I are very satisfied with this product. Highly recommend. The food tastes delicious and it’s very crispy. Easy to use and can see when the meat is floating. Value for money. Gets very hot. Extremely sturdy. Size is perfect.”

Customer Review: “Heats up pretty quickly and stay hot with frequent lid lifting. As long as assembled correctly the basket is sturdy and easy to use. There is fill lines on the inside and filling within those has not yielded any issues. Very easy to clean for something covered in grease of course. Doesn’t take up much space so is a nice size. I do have to do multiple fry sessions for a family 6 but I expected that with purchasing and accepted for the size ease. Handles are great and unaffected by the heat when cooking.”

Customer Review: “I like it… It IS small, but I knew that. I have no more room left in my little kitchen. All the appliances, including “crock pot” are compact, like this little thing… I like using it and do so a couple times a week. The last thing I cooked in it was 2 chicken drumsticks that barely fit in there, but it worked out very good, and I just cooked them with no batter, no flour, just seasoning. It was nice and tender and juicy! With a crisp skin. Tasty! AVO oil, nice. I love cooking frozen fries. I cooked frozen breaded chicken, too… Everything turns out great… But of course, I use an instant-read thermometer. I cook more fries than that at a time now (Pics).”

Customer Review: “Finally got around to using this unit a few times. Works very well. Like the size of it, especially for storage. Easy to use, good unit.”

Customer Review: “The media could not be loaded. It is the best Dep frier ever. I love it. Easy to set up… I have already deep fried cod fish,potstickers french fries”

Customer Review: “This dual-tank deep fryer is decent quality, but it’s not suited for high-volume business use. Each chamber is shallow, so you can’t fry large batches — too much food cools the oil, and frozen items like fries can make the oil spill over. For small or occasional orders it’s fine, but on busy days we couldn’t keep up because the capacity was too limited.On the positive side, it heats up the oil quickly and efficiently. We never even used the highest setting — it fried perfectly well on lower heat, and I avoided max power to prevent unnecessary wear. After daily use for over a year, it still performs well.Cleaning can be slightly annoying since the drains clog, but using a bamboo skewer clears the debris easily. Overall, it’s a good fryer as long as you understand its limits and make sure the size matches the volume you need to handle.”

Customer Review: “Great fryer for household use. Easy to set up. Heats up oil to desired temperature pretty fast. Perfect crispy wings, double fried fries gives same results as any restaurant.”

Customer Review: “OMG! I was hesitant but went ahead and made this purchase. I LOVE my Presto GranPappy Deep Fryer! My banana lumpia was fried to PERFECTION! It’s a golden color and not burnt. It’s so easy to use and easy to clean. I can’t rave about it enough!”

Customer Review: “I’ve owned one of these before, and I must say it’s worth coming back to. This appliance heats up remarkably quickly, making it perfect for those busy evenings. Although I don’t eat meat, I appreciate its versatility; it can easily fry a variety of proteins for anyone who does. The cleanup process is incredibly straightforward, as it doesn’t retain the unpleasant greasy smell typically associated with frying foods.To use it, you simply plug it in, and it powers on effortlessly. Within moments, it’s ready to cook, which is incredibly convenient. I particularly enjoy using it for making a batch of delicious French fries, as it delivers that perfect crispy texture that I crave instead of relying solely on the air fryer. Overall, it’s a fantastic kitchen tool for preparing tasty meals with minimal hassle. I almost forgot to add that it also makes stews or soups for 1-3 people and three is pushing it depending on the serving size. I used to make Gumbo and lasagna soup in mine.”