Lucy DyerLast Updated On July 17th, 2019
Submerging your food in sizzling-hot oil might not be the healthiest thing to do – but it’s definitely one of the most delicious. The best deep fat fryer gives you everything you need to create mouth-watering chips, succulent southern-fried chicken, and so much more.
If you’re trying to save some money by making your favourite deep-fried meals at home, then you’re going to need something that’s up to the task. The good news is that if you’re happy to invest in plenty of oil, there are countless fryers out there to choose from. From models with a large enough capacity to suit the whole family to those that are specifically designed for couples and individuals, there’s something out there for everyone.
The question is, how do you find the product that’s right for you?
If you’ve never bought a deep fat fryer before, then a quick search online is enough to overwhelm anyone. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve browsed through the latest deep fat fryer reviews and tested the most-loved models to bring you this list of competitors to choose from.
Our Favourite Deep Fat Fryers Compared
Best Deep Fat Fryer Reviews – Top 10 Picks
1. Tefal Oleoclean Pro (Editor’s Choice)
This is probably one of the best deep fat fryers for home use that you’ll find on the market today. The stunning Tefal Oleoclean Pro Fryer comes with patented automatic oil filtration built-in, which means you can save leftover oil from each session for later use.
Features
The state-of-the-art frying system with the Tefal Oleoclean even helps to make the unhealthiest food more compelling. It has an advanced oil heating system designed to give you the perfect temperature every time you cook. By always delivering the right frying temperature, it ensures that your chips and other morsels soak up less oil. Another great feature is how easy the model is to clean. The whole thing comes apart to make your job a lot simpler. On top of that, there’s a lid window so you can keep a close eye on your food without risking burns. On the negative side, it can take quite a while to heat up, but sometimes you need to be patient if you want great results.
- Has an economical automatic oil filtration system
- Permanent odour to get rid of unwanted smells
- Easy-to-clean system
- Has a lid with window to watch your meals
- Takes quite a while to heat up
- Can be challenging to fit the handle
- Quite a lot of steam when in use
2. Tefal FR333040 Easy Pro (Best Easy to Use)
If you don’t have a huge family to feed, or you just want to cook treats for you and your partner, then you’re not going to need the largest fryer on the market. This could be the best deep fat fryer for you from Tefal if you want something simple, sleek, and capable of fitting in any kitchen.
Features
The easy Pro fryer is simple to use and comes with a 3-litre oil basket capable of holding up to 1.2 kilos of food. The system heats up very quickly, which means that you get to enjoy your food a lot faster. What’s more, there’s a “cool zone” under the heating element that keeps your oil cleaner for longer too. There’s also a thermostat and viewing window included to give you more control over your frying process. The fryer can seem a little flimsy to some, however, and it’s definitely not big enough for a whole family. Also, the temperature indicator is very basic.
- Easy to use
- Compact for smaller kitchens and families
- Thermostat and viewing window
- Easy to clean and dishwasher friendly
- Not for larger families
- The temperature indicator is basic
- Quite flimsy construction
3. Swan SD6040N (Best Temperature Control)
If you’re looking for a large deep fat fryer to keep your entire family happy, then this could be the ultimate option for you. The Swan SD6040N prides itself on delivering a no-fuss solution for large capacity and excellent food.
Features
You can cook up to 1kg of food at a time, and enjoy everything from crispy fish to chicken, chips, and more. The cool-touch handle helps to keep you safe while you fry, and like many of the deep fryers on the market, there’s a viewing window too. Despite its large capacity, this fryer is also quite compact, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a space for you in your kitchen. There’s also an auto shut-off mechanism to reduce your risk of fires. Unfortunately, it is a little too small for some families, and the handle frequently comes out of the holes on the basket, which can be dangerous.
- High-capacity for families
- Variable temperature control for all your frying needs
- Plenty of reliable safeguards
- Easy cleaning
- Handle keeps detaching from the basket
- No lip on the basket for pouring
- Difficult to see the fill line for the oil capacity
4. Andrew James 3L (Best for Chips)
If you’re looking for the best deep fat fryer for chips, then you’ve come to the right place. Although there’s a lot of different things that you can do with this cooking appliance, the chances are that you’re going to spend a lot of your time making mouth-watering chips. This Andrew James model will ensure that you get great quality and flavour as a result.
Features
With a 3 litre capacity, you should have plenty of space to cook for the whole family. What’s more, there’s an adjustable temperature control feature, so that you can make sure that you’re getting the right heat for whatever you’re frying. Conveniently, the basket and lid are dishwasher safe, and there’s a viewing window built-in. Unfortunately, it does exude a lot of steam, and the handle fit is quite poor.
- Excellent for chips
- Dishwasher safe components
- Filters and viewing window
- Adjustable temperature control
- Poorly fitting handle
- Lots of steam leaves the kitchen counter soaking wet
- Takes a long time to cool down
5. ReaseJoy 6L (Best Professional)
Whether you want the deliciousness of takeaway-style food at home, or you’re opening up your own private venture, you can get the best professional deep fat fryer for cheaper than you’d think. This amazing ReaseJoy model comes with impressive stainless steel construction for longevity, and thermostats so that you can set the perfect temperature for whatever you’re trying to fry.
Features
There are residue plates built into the bottom so that you can filter any debris or pieces of food from your oil. This means that you can re-use your oil for longer. Speaking of which, the tank holds up to 10 litres of oil at a time, but the recommended max is 6l. The biggest concern with this model is that there are a lot of sharp edges – watch your fingers!
- Professional quality fryer
- 6L of capacity
- High-quality temperature control
- Residue plate filtration
- Lots of very sharp edges
- Poor-quality baskets
- Takes a while to cut down
6. Tefal FF220040 Mini (Best Compact)
A deep fat fryer doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge one. This small deep fat fryer from Tefal definitely gets the job done, and it doesn’t fill up your entire kitchen either.
Features
The temperature control settings are excellent and easy to manage with a dial on the front of the fryer. What’s more, you can view how quickly your food is frying thanks to a large window on top of the deep fryer. The fry basket and lid are also dishwasher safe, which is convenient when you don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning up. However, it’s worth noting that you’ll only be able to prepare up to 600l of your favourite fried foods at any given time. Unfortunately, this Tefal compact deep fat fryer is limited in how hot it can really get. What’s more, it takes a long time to heat up.
- Compact and economical for space
- Good temperature control
- Convenient dishwasher friendly parts
- Viewing window
- Doesn’t get as hot as other fryers
- Slow to heat up
- Not enough space for larger families
7. VonShef 3L (Best for Home Use)
There’s something wonderful about being able to prepare the perfect deep-fried meals at home. If you’re looking for an effective deep fat fryer with that is easy to clean and has a stainless steel design, you’ll love the VonShef.
Features
This 3-litre stainless steel fryer comes complete with a viewing window so you can keep an eye on your food as it cooks, and a thermostatic temperature control dial. The detachable cool-touch handle is designed to make home cooking easier and safer. What’s more, if you hate having wires all over the place when you cook, then you’ll appreciate the built-in compartment for cable storage. There are also non-slip feet included too. The amount of steam can be a little worrying, however, particularly if you don’t want a lot of condensation. Additionally, the oil can over-spill, even when you adhere to the spill line.
- Good-sized ideal for families
- Convenient stainless steel design with cable storage
- Viewing window
- Excellent temperature control
- Takes a while to heat up
- A lot of steam generated during frying
- Oil overflow is common
8. Swan SD6080N
This swan SD6080N has some incredible deep fat fryer reviews and is easy to clean. It allows you to get the most out of your cooking experience every time. You can adjust the temperature to whatever you might be frying, and the four gear temperature dial makes it easier to select the heat that’s right for you.
Features
Whatever you’re interested in creating for your family, from delicious doughnuts to amazing chips, this Swan fryer will give you a wonderful experience. The fryer is wonderful for creating crispy items like onion rings and spring rolls. What’s more, the oil container is fixed so that you won’t have to worry about splashes and overspills during frying. The non-stick inner pan is particularly ideal for cleaning. However, it’s worth noting that emptying the oil is difficult as the pan cannot be removed.
- Easy to clean with non-stick pan
- Fantastic 2.5-litre container
- Great for frying a range of items
- Numerous safeguards
- Hard to empty oil because the pan is fixed
- Need to clean regularly to keep the food crisp
- Heavy smell during frying
9. Quest Stainless Steel
One of the easiest ways to keep your fryer clean is to invest in a deep fat fryer with a removable bowl. Designed by the Benross group for home and kitchen appliances, this fantastic deep fat fryer gives you everything you need for an amazing cooking experience.
Features
It includes a 3-litre container for all the food you could want to keep your family happy. The easy-to-hold cool-touch handles on the Quest fryer make it wonderful for safe use, and the cool zone technology also filters debris from your oil so that you can reuse the same dose multiple times. Unfortunately, the handle does come loose very easily, so it’s essential to take care when you’re using it. The last thing you want is food and oil everywhere in your kitchen.
- Generous capacity of 3 litres
- Excellent adjustable thermostat
- Removable oil container
- Cool zone allows you to use your oil for longer
- Dangerous basked with slippery handle
- Battered foods stick to the bottom of the basket
- Watch out for the steam – there’s a lot of it
10. Aicok 2000W
If you need plenty of capacity for your whole family and a fryer that’s sure to give you delicious results every time, then you’ll love the Aicok deep fat fryer. This is one of the best chip fryers on the market, with a large oil capacity for the whole family.
Features
The timer and adjustable temperature control that this fryer has are particularly attractive to families. You can even choose different times and temperatures depending on what you want to cook. The viewing window is useful if you want to check that everything is frying as it should be. Additionally, various parts are completely detachable, which make them much easier to clean. Even the oil container can be easily removed so that you can reduce your risk of spillage when you’re trying to keep it in good condition. What’s more, the Aicok also comes with a 2-year guarantee. The biggest problem with this is the amount of steam it creates; you’ll need to be careful when using it.
- Plenty of room to cook food for the whole family
- Delicious results with multiple temperature options
- Viewing window for convenience
- Detachable parts for cleaning
- The minimum amount of oil is 2 litres
- The timer stops at random times
- Lots of steam
Which is the Right Deep Fat Fryer for You?
Sometimes, it takes more than a handful of deep fat fryer reviews to find the one that’s right for you to buy. There are so many different options on the market, and each come with their own positives and negatives to consider.
You want to be sure that you’re getting the most out of your new gadget in the kitchen. Whether you want to buy a 1.5-litre deep fat fryer for you and your partner, or you need something bigger, considering a wide variety of factors will help you to be sure that you’re making the right investment for your individual needs. Here are just some of the things you can consider when you’re looking to start deep frying.
1. Capacity: How Big Should It Be?
One of the most important considerations for any cooking appliances like soup makers, slow cookers, microwaves and mini oven, including a new deep fat fryer, is how big it needs to be. After all, you don’t want to have to prepare multiple batches of food separately for a single meal. Think about how many people you’ll be cooking for on a regular basis. If you only have one or two people besides you in your family, then you don’t need a commercial fryer.
Most standard deep fryers that you can buy will cook between 1kg and 1.5kg of food at a time, and you’ll need about 3 litres of oil to fry your meals. This is usually enough for a family. On the other hand, if you’re planning on preparing food as part of a side career, then you might need something much bigger.
2. What Kind of Characteristics Do You Need?
Once you’ve considered how many people you’ll be using your fryer for, it’s time to look at what it can do. For instance, you might not be able to achieve the same healthy results with a deep-fat fryer as you would with an air fryer. On the other hand, you can get deep fryers with temperature control to reduce the amount of oil you soak up. Other things to consider include:
- Dishwasher safe parts for cleaning your system
- Economical performance – for instance, can you use the oil multiple times?
- How much electricity does it take to run?
- Is the basket easy to use?
- How does the temperature dial work?
- How quickly does the deep fryer heat up and cool down?
3. How Safe Is It to Use?
When dealing with oil in the kitchen, it’s essential to make sure that you’re as safe as possible. There are various safeguards included with most fryers such as lockable lids which will stop spillage and more. Some other fryers will automatically turn off after they haven’t been in use for a while, or when the temperature reaches a certain point.
There are other aspects that you can consider too, such as:
- A viewing window allows you to keep an eye on your food without opening the lid and risking splashes
- A lockable lid that prevents the spillage of hot oil and splashes when you’re using the fryer
- Cool walls that stop you from accidentally burning yourself when you touch the deep fryer
- Cool-touch handles to keep you safe when you’re collecting your food
Choosing your Fryer
Ultimately, only you can decide which is the best deep fat fryer for your needs.
Think about how many people you’ll be cooking for, what kind of foods you want to prepare, and how easy to use you want the deep fryer to be.
Out of all the deep fat fryer reviews in this list, our favourite option is the Tefal Oleoclean Pro fryer, which comes with automatic oil filtration so you can use the same frying oil for longer. There are also multiple safety precautions embedded into the Oleoclean which make it even more compelling. Of course, it is a great choice if you decide to get a fryer that heats up your food at the right temperature and serves a good number of people at once.
What’s your favourite deep fat fryer on the market today, and what makes it so attractive to you? Let us know in the comments and enjoy your next fry up!