Choosing a Commercial Deep Fryer for Your Kitchen

Great for cooking a variety of popular menu items, commercial deep fryers are one of the most used appliances in busy professional kitchens.

Whether you’re frying up your famous chicken recipe, a crispy serving of chips, or a batch of delicious doughnuts, a deep-fat fryer is a must for many commercial kitchens.

Choosing the best commercial deep fryer for your business depends on several factors including what utilities are available, space limitations, menu of fried items your restaurant will be serving, capacities required during peak service and overall.

We’ve put together a guide to choosing a commercial fryer which we hope will help make your decision much easier.

Types of Commercial Deep Fryers

Though commercial restaurant fryers come in a wide assortment of shapes and sizes, all typically fit into one of three categories.

• Bench Top Fryers
• Free Standing Fryers
• Pressure Fryers
• Doughnut Fryers

Bench Top Fryers

Sometimes called “Countertop Fryers,” these fryers are great for smaller restaurants, lunchbars, market stalls and food trucks. Since they have a lower oil capacity they are also a great choice for restaurants with a limited number of menu items that require deep frying.

The highly-adaptable Bench Top Commercial Deep Fryers typically are Electric and come in one or two tank configurations with one or two fry baskets to easily lower the food into the hot oil for the perfect cook every time. Along with being easy to use and easy to clean, one of the biggest benefits of a Bench Top Electric Fryer is its plug-and-play design. This makes it a snap to install in just about any kitchen, and are easily moved around the kitchen when needed or quickly stored when not in use.

Freestanding Fryers

Freestanding Open Pot Commercial Deep Fryers, are sometimes called “Floor Fryers,” are designed for high-volume restaurants that cook large quantities of fried food.

Built for constant use throughout open hours, Freestanding Fryers typically have a faster recovery time in between batches than countertop fryers allowing for the oil to quickly heat and reheat when needed.

When choosing a Freestanding Fryer choose one with precise thermostat control and possibly a large cool zone tank instead of a older type flat bottom tank.

Pressure Fryers

A variation of pressure cooking, pressure fryers add high pressure to the frying process to cook food more quickly. Though not as common as open fryers, pressure fryers offer a lot of great benefits other than faster cook times.

Unlike traditional open-pot deep fryers, pressure fryers are sealed to insulate the oil and the food being cooked inside. As the food starts to heat, its natural moisture vaporizes, creating a steam barrier that slows the saturation of oil or shortening, while at the same time allowing for more evenly distributed heat around the food.

All of this translates into the food retaining more of its seasoning and natural juices while using (and retaining) less oil. 

Since pressure fryers do all of this at lower temperatures, there is the additional benefit of extended oil life – making the pressure fryer a great sustainable choice for energy-conscious kitchens.

Should You Get a Gas or an Electric Commercial Deep Fryer?

Not sure whether to go with a gas or an electric model for your next fryer? Here are some of the pros and cons of each:

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Pros of Gas Fryers

• Designed for larger amounts of oil
• Faster heat up times and higher maximum temperatures
• Smoother heat transmission than electric resulting in a longer oil lifespan
• A popular choice for high-volume kitchens

Cons of Gas Fryer

• Usually installed in a fixed location with access to a gas line
• Can be expensive to install without pre-existing connections
• Typically more difficult to clean and maintain
• Generally more expensive to buy
• Larger oil capacity increases costs

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Pros of Electric Fryers

• More energy efficient
• Faster heat recovery between fry cycles
• Plug-and-play design is generally easy to install and move to a new location
• Ideal kitchens and sites without gas
• Typically easier to clean and less to service

Cons of Electric Fryers

• Longer heat up times

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Heat Distribution Types

Commercial Deep Fryers come with a variety of heating methods, each with their own advantages to consider before choosing a model.

Here are the different types:

Tubes & Baffles

• Evenly heats the oil for more consistent frying
• Good for frying breaded, high-sediment foods
• Has larger cold zones that prevent sediment from burning
• Cold zones extend oil’s life

Flat Bottom

• Allows food to float in the oil for more even cooking
• Maximises use of oil
• Flat-bottom design is great for funnel cakes, doughnuts & wet batter items
• Easy to clean

Open Pot

• Easy to clean
• Great for low-sediment foods
• No tubes reduces cold zone allowing maximizing capacity
• Great for menu items such as onion rings, french fries, and breaded foods

Ribbon Element

• Very energy efficient
• Only found in electric fryers
• Fast preheat and recovery times
• Contributes less heat to the kitchen

Pro Tip

When choosing your next Commercial Deep Fryer there are other essential questions to first ask:

• Can the foods you are cooking share the same cooking oil?
• Do you need to use different temperatures and multiple fry times?
• What state will the food be in when you fry it? Is it fresh or is it frozen?
• Are you using a fryer for one specific type of food?
• What about allergy concerns for your patrons?
• Do you have access to gas or enough power?

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Which is the best Commercial Deep Fryer for your kitchen?

Hopefully, this outline of the available options has made it easier to determine which kind of Commercial Deep Fryer is best for your restaurant or business.

If you have questions about fryers in general or specific models and features, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Caterlink’s commercial kitchen experts who are ready to assist you.