The 5 Best Deep Fryers of 2024

 

Ever wonder why fried food tastes so much better in a restaurant than when it’s made at home? The answer probably lies in owning one of the best deep fryers. Although it may sound a little bit daunting to deep fry your own food at home (we get it!), one of these handy appliances can be well worth the investment for meals like Friday Night Fish Fry — yum! Plus, a great deep fryer will safely contain all of the hot oil and splatter! What’s not to love?! 

I joined forces with Meggan of Culinary Hill to develop this guide from start to finish. We decided on a list of some of the most popular electric deep fryers from brands like Cuisinart, Presto, and more. Whether you’re in search of the perfect crispy French fry or the flakiest fried chicken, these are the best deep fryers you can buy.

Our Top Picks: 

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Cuisinart 4-Quart Deep Fryer – $99.95 at Amazon
2. Best Budget: Chefman Jumbo Deep Fryer – $69.99 at Amazon
3. Best Splurge: Breville The Smart Fryer – $179.95 at Amazon
4. Best for Fries: Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer – $37.99 at Amazon
5. Best for Turkey: Bayou Classic 44-Quart Stainless Turkey Fryer Kit – $328.88 at Amazon

Reviews of The Best Deep Fryers

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Cuisinart 4-Quart Deep Fryer

With a handy indicator light and dishwasher-safe components, this Cuisinart deep fryer is easy to clean and user-friendly, regardless of whether you’re whipping up a batch of fried green tomatoes or crab rangoons. It’s a newer model of the one that Meggan owns: “I have had this fryer for about a year and I love how quickly it comes to temperature and returns to temperature after a batch of frying,” Meggan says. “It’s good for feeding 4 to 6 people but isn’t so massive that it takes up an entire cabinet.” 

The 1800-watt power source is definitely decent for the 4-quart size, and I love the handy features like the stainless steel basket with a cool-touch handle. It also comes with a one-gallon removable stainless steel oil container with a pouring spout for ultra-easy setup and cleaning.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 16.5 x 11 x 12.25 inches
• Capacity: 4 quarts
• Weight: 11.5 pounds
• Temperature Range: 175 to 375 degrees

The Pros:

• Heats quickly
• Easy to clean and take apart
• Easy to use
• Good for smaller households

The Cons:

• Outside can get hot
• Short cord
• May require several batches for larger items

What Others are Saying:

The Cuisinart 4-Quart Deep Fryer was named the best overall deep fryer by Epicurious, Good Housekeeping, and Wirecutter. On Amazon, it has a 4.3-star rating from more than 9,000 reviews. 

Buy the Cuisinart 4-Quart Deep Fryer: 

2. Best Budget: Chefman Jumbo Deep Fryer

If you’re looking for a deep fryer at a lower price point, then I recommend this top-tier pick from Chefman. Despite its more affordable price tag, it still boasts a solid 4.5-quart capacity, and even comes with an integrated timer, removable divider, dishwasher-safe parts, and a frying basket that clips to the side of the fryer for easy drainage. Thanks to its large size, it’s perfect for frying larger items, such as apple cider donuts or buffalo wings. Plus, it’s still relatively lightweight at a little over 7 pounds, making it easy to clean and store.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 12 x 6.25 x 11.25 inches
• Capacity: 4.5 quarts
• Weight: 7.13 pounds
• Temperature Range: 250 to 375 degrees

The Pros:

• Precise temperature control
• Inexpensive
• Lightweight

The Cons:

• Heats slowly

What Others are Saying:

Serious Eats named it the best budget option and Allrecipes called it the best deep fryer for beginners. It also has a 4.3-star rating from more than 6,350 Amazon reviews. 

Buy the Chefman Jumbo Deep Fryer: 

3. Best Splurge: Breville The Smart Fryer

If aesthetics are a big concern, it’s time to talk about The Smart Fryer by Breville. Like every appliance Breville makes, this stainless steel fryer is surprisingly sleek. Its price tag is higher than most, but it comes with built-in, easy-to-use LCD digital controls, time-saving cooking presets, and, as a bonus, is an appliance that can live on your countertop without becoming an eyesore. It has a 4-quart capacity but is deeper than other models on the list, which means it’s helpful for preventing splatter. You could also use it for bigger ticket items, like Meggan’s 3-ingredient pizza sticks.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 15 x 10.5 x 11 inches
• Capacity: 4 quarts
• Weight: 8.6 pounds
• Temperature Range: 140 to 385 degrees

The Pros:

• Lightweight
• Easy to adjust time/temperature dial
• Deep oil reservoir reduces splatter
• Good design
• LCD digital controls and presets for easy cooking

The Cons:

• Magnetic power cord may disconnect easily
• More expensive than other options on the list

What Others are Saying:

Breville’s The Smart Fryer has been named the best overall by Food Network, Food & Wine, Allrecipes, The Strategist, US News, and Reviewed.

Buy the Breville The Smart Fryer: 

4. Best for Fries: Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer

While some home cooks may have big plans for their deep fryers, some may only have smaller, french fry-sized plans that are perfect for this 1-quart electric deep fryer. 

“For the person who only wants to make french fries, tortilla chips, and frozen appetizers, the Presto FryDaddy is a FANTASTIC fryer alternative,” Meggan says. “It has no temperature control so you can’t use it for everything, but if those items meet your needs, it’s inexpensive and works really well.” You also might want to invest in a french fry cutter for this.

In addition to french fries, this deep fryer would be perfect for making smaller snacks, like homemade potato chips, cheese curds, and jalapeño poppers. It’s only 3 pounds so it’s a breeze to move in and out of storage or around the kitchen, while the convenient slotted spoon is so helpful for scooping food out and getting rid of excess oil fast.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 8.38 x 8.13 x 7.38 inches
• Capacity: 1 quart
• Weight: 3 pounds
• Temperature Range: None

The Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Easy to use
• No splatter
• Heats and fries quickly
• Small and easy to store

The Cons:

• No temperature controls
• Only for small batches/certain foods
• Lid is only for storage

What Others are Saying:

The Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer was named the best compact by Allrecipes, The Strategist, and US News, and the best value option by Delish and Good Housekeeping. Plus, it has over 25,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating on Amazon.

Buy the Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer: 

5. Best for Turkey: Bayou Classic 44-Quart Stainless Turkey Fryer Kit

It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving for you to enjoy a fried turkey with this large outdoor deep fryer from Bayou Classic. With a whopping 44-quart capacity, this fryer comes with a kit full of tools for all your turkey frying needs, including a poultry rack, a 12-inch thermometer, and an insulated glove. While it may not be as conventional as the other deep fryers on this list, it’s in a class of its own since it’s the only one big enough to fry an entire turkey. We simply couldn’t go without mentioning it! 

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 10 inches
• Capacity: 44 quarts
• Weight: 35 pounds
• Temperature Range: Up to 375 degrees

The Pros:

• Large capacity
• Includes accessories
• Heats quickly

The Cons:

• Only for outdoor frying
• Expensive
• Not as versatile as other deep fryers
• Big and bulky

What Others are Saying:

The Spruce Eats, US News, and Food & Wine named it best for a whole turkey, and Allrecipes named it the best turkey fryer.

Buy the Bayou Classic 44-Quart Stainless Turkey Fryer Kit:

Other Deep Fryers to Consider

De’Longhi Livenza Deep Fryer

This sleek deep fryer from De’Longhi has a set temperature range of 248 to 374 degrees F and a whopping 4.8-quart capacity. The appliance itself is also quite large at 11 x 18 x 12.5 inches, making it even bigger than our jumbo budget pick from Chefman. However, it’s on the pricier side and has a finicky oil release valve. For a splurge, we think the Breville Smart Fryer is a better option. The De’Longhi Livenza Deep Fryer is available at Williams Sonoma for $134.95.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Fryer

The T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Fryer has an oil filtration system with a unique built-in oil box for storing your oil. It even has 4.5 stars on Amazon, but despite its smaller capacity of 3.7 quarts, this T-fal deep fryer has issues with leaking oil while filtering, which can be a huge safety problem. The T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Fryer is available at Amazon for $123.05.

All-Clad Ez Clean Pro Deep Oil Fryer

Another 3.7-quart deep fryer, this All-Clad model’s standout feature is its beautiful vintage-looking exterior. This one also has an internal filtration and storage system, and it even has some dishwasher-safe parts. Unfortunately, the smaller capacity combined with its expensive price tag and leakage problems kept it off the list. The All-Clad Ez Clean Pro Deep Oil Fryer is available at Amazon for $209.95.

Hamilton Beach Triple Basket Electric Deep Fryer

At just around $10 more than our budget pick, this Hamilton Beach deep fryer is a huge deal. It comes with not one but three fryer baskets — two of which are smaller baskets that can be used side-by-side — and it has a massive oil capacity of 4.7 quarts. That being said, the deep fryer’s large capacity is also its downfall, because it takes a while to heat it, forcing users to cook in smaller batches. The Hamilton Beach Triple Basket Electric Deep Fryer is available at Amazon for $79.99.

Why You Can Trust Us

Hi! I’m Grace, and I love writing about cooking and kitchen appliances. You may have seen my past work in Apartment Therapy, Gear Patrol, Momtastic, and more. I teamed up with Meggan, the culinary expert and writer behind Culinary Hill to create this guide of the best deep fryers on the market. 

With Meggan’s cooking expertise and my product research experience, we started by discussing the deep fryer that Meggan owns and loves from Cuisinart. From there, Meggan recommended a few other models to look into, and I sourced other recommendations from food publications and Amazon reviews. We landed on 5 of the best, ultimately opting for models that are easy to clean, have clear controls, and a decent capacity. 

Everything to Know Before Buying a Deep Fryer

What to Consider Before Buying a Deep Fryer

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned veteran, there’s a lot to consider when buying a new deep fryer. Here are some factors you should consider when starting your search. 

Size: Deep fryers range in size from giant models fit for a turkey to small versions best used for french fries. Knowing what you’ll mostly be frying and how many people you’re usually cooking for can help you decide where your perfect deep fryer lands. Our list includes tiny options (1-quart), midrange (4 to 4.7 quarts), and an extra-large 44-quart.

Cleaning: There are usually a few parts you’ll need to clean after using a deep fryer, like the main basin and frying basket. For easier cleanup, look for options that are dishwasher-safe or easy to disassemble. Make sure to check the manual to see if any parts are safe to throw in the dishwasher and, if not, a little soap and warm water tends to do the job.

Features: The simplest deep fryers will just have temperature control, while more sophisticated models may have built-in timers, preset cooking functions, digital displays, an adjustable thermostat, and more. Consider what you’re buying a deep fryer for and how comfortable you are with learning a new appliance to determine the features and controls you want. 

Do You Need a Deep Fryer?

Unless you’re on an all-French fry diet, you probably don’t absolutely NEED a deep fryer. These appliances use a lot more oil than an air fryer, and they can be a lot more cumbersome and expensive than just frying food on your stovetop. But if you want the ability to make restaurant-quality fried food at home, a deep fryer is as close and as easy as you’ll get.

How Long Should You Cook Turkey in a Deep Fryer?

The length of time you’ll need to deep fry a turkey depends on the size of your bird. You can calculate the right amount of fry time by allotting 3 to 4 minutes per pound, so a ten-pound turkey would need to be deep-fried for 30 to 40 minutes.

How Do You Clean a Deep Fryer?

Wait until the deep fryer has completely cooled, then drain or store the oil. Some models can do this for you with an automatic filter or a handy storage feature. Then, disassemble the appliance and wash the basin, fryer basket, or any other accessories you used. A lot of the deep fryers we listed have dishwasher-safe components that make cleaning a lot easier.

How Do You Use a Deep Fryer?

Every deep fryer comes with a different set of instructions, but here are the most basic steps:

1. First, fill the deep fryer with the appropriate amount of oil. Then turn it on and set the temperature
2. Once the oil has reached that temperature — many models have an indicator light to tell you this — add your basket filled with food and cover the fryer
3. Once your food is done frying, you can remove the food using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and turn off the appliance

The Best Fried Recipes

Whether you’re swapping your air fryer in for a deep fryer or trying it out for the first time, there are lots of recipes you can enjoy with your new appliance. Check out some of Meggan’s favorites below! 

Appetizer Recipes

Cream Cheese Wontons

Appetizer Recipes

Curly Fries

Appetizer Recipes

Coconut Shrimp

Cookie Recipes

Deep Fried Oreos

Side Dish Recipes

Fried Okra

Chicken and Turkey Recipes

Fried Chicken

Side Dish Recipes

Hush Puppies

Appetizer Recipes

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Prices were accurate at the time of publication.