Buyer's Guide: Commercial Deep Fryers

Buyer’s Guide to Commercial Deep Fryers

There’s no mistaking the unmistakable sizzle of a fryer. From out of the oil rises the tastiest, crispiest treats – fried chicken, doughnuts, onion rings, and corn dogs. These treats wouldn’t be possible without the technology behind it. Commercial fryers were made to heat huge quantities of cooking oil to produce large amounts of fried food. The rate at which the oil heats, how much of the oil is heated at a time, and the frequency it needs to be changed will all depend heavily on the type of fryer you choose (which, in turn, will depend on the type of food you want to fry)!

Choose the Fryer Model:

Countertop Fryer (Open and Ventless)

Most kitchen appliances have countertop variants if space is an issue, and the fryer is no exception. They’re designed to be easily configurable and portable, so they’re usually always electric and you can situate them wherever you have countertop space. While they won’t cook the volume of food that a floor model will, their flexibility and convenience will more than make up for it.

There are two types of countertop models – open, which has an open vat of oil, and ventless. Ventless countertop fryers are even better for small spaces. If you don’t have enough room for a ventilation hood, the ventless fryers are completely enclosed and use an internal ventilation system. They’re more oil-efficient, too!

Floor Fryers

Floor fryers do more, and with more power. If you expect to produce a lot of fried foods and you have the space for it, consider this model. They’re designed to handle constant use, have more consistent temperatures, are better for frying thicker foods, and can have up to and over four pots for frying.

Choose the Type of Fryer:

Not all fryers are made equal – some have giant vats for free-floating food, some collect residue better than others, and some are specialized. What you choose to cook in your kitchen will heavily influence which type of fryer is right for you. (Please note: most of these fryers are open and require an overhead ventilation system.)

Open-Pot Fryer

These fryer types are best for frying the simpler foods – anything that doesn’t leave sediment or use a wet batter (like French fries or frozen foods). Their V-shaped vats reduces cold-zone areas and reduces how much oil you need to use. Their burners on the outside make them very easy to clean. Make sure sediment build-up is kept to a minimum, as these fryers don’t handle it well.

Tube-Type Fryer

Unlike the open-pot fryer, the tube-type fryer was designed for cooking breaded and dry-coated foods that leave a large amount of sediment. As the name implies, they use tubes to heat up the base of the frypot, leaving a cold spot for the sediment to settle safely into without burning. They also use a LOT of oil, but the cold zone means that the oil you use lasts longer, preventing oil waste and extending the life of your oil.

Commercial Pressure Fryer

Save the pressure fryer for the juiciest flavors and recipes. These fryers use pressure cooking to retain moisture in protein and can reach higher temperatures than any other fryer. Despite this, they also use less energy than most fryers. Fried chicken joints swear by the commercial pressure fryer!

Specialty Fryer

Some fryers are designed for special use cases. They won’t pull out as much energy as a fryer made for cooking cold chicken or frozen fries, and they don’t have cold zones which means more frequent oil changes. But they have useful applications for a particular type of food.

• Flat-bottom fryers are great for frying food covered in wet batter or dough, like funnel cakes or doughnuts. The dough is cooked in a wide but shallow vat where it can float without getting stuck to the sides. No cold zones, so oil must be changed/filtered frequently.
• Corn dog fryers are set up to lay the corndogs in vertical rows, fry them, and easily pull them out by the sticks for removal.

And there you have it. The fryer you choose depends heavily on what you’ll be making, but no matter the choice, you’re sure to sizzle up something savory. For any other inquiries, the experienced Team Leasetaurant is here to guide you.