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The Best Deep Fryers of 2025, Tested by Allrecipes

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Frying up perfectly golden fries and succulent chicken wings has never been easier (or more fun). Shrimp Breading Machine

The Best Deep Fryers of 2025, Tested by Allrecipes

Do you often find yourself frying up food on the stovetop? If your love of home-fried food like juicy fried chicken, crispy french fries, and beer-battered fish tacos has you filling up pots and pans with oil over and over again, it may be time to consider a deep fryer. 

Across multiple rounds of testing, the Allrecipes Allstars—our trusted team of home cook experts—put 21 different deep fryers to the test. To determine our favorites, we looked at important qualities like size, heat retention, design, safety features, and value. Keep reading to learn about the best deep fryers and how you can make the most of the appliance.

Why It’s Great: Amazing heat retention; helpful cooking presets; quick set-up and heating; dishwasher-safe components; fryer design helps prevent burning

Grain of Salt: Higher price point

This deep fryer earned its spot as our top pick by impressing our Allstars across every testing category. First and foremost, Breville’s Smart Fryer heated up quickly and retained heat well throughout frying—it actually had the most consistent heating of all the fryers we tested! “The oil kept its heat nicely and the shrimp I battered and fried came out absolutely perfect, crispy and not at all oil-sogged,” says Allstar Patti Weiss. “I absolutely loved using it.” 

The Smart Fryer reflects heat upward, so there’s a cool zone at the bottom where any food debris gets trapped instead of just burning. The deep fryer is especially family-friendly because it can hold many servings, it’s easy to clean up with its removable, dishwasher-safe vessel, and it’s a cinch to disassemble and store. Plus, we didn’t experience any mess or splattering thanks to the lid. 

On top of all of that, this deep fryer has a bunch of extra features that make it an even more valuable purchase for its mid-range price. There’s a countdown timer on the digital display, seven presets for foods like fries and wings, and even a setting option for fresh or frozen so we could get the perfect cook whatever the food’s original temperature was. Set up basically takes no time at all, and the product comes with crystal clear instructions. Patti says that the Smart Fryer is so easy to use that she can’t wait to fry again.

The Details: Stainless steel; 15 x 10.5 x 11 inches; 8.6 pounds; includes (1) container; 4-liter capacity; 140-385°F

Why It’s Great: Doesn't sacrifice performance; different basket sizes offer more versatility; removable bowl makes oil dumping easy

Grain of Salt: Lid can get very hot; takes up a lot of space

Don’t want to break the bank just to be able to fry some onion rings at home? This deep fryer from Hamilton Beach comes in well under $100 but still delivers on performance and ease of use. It has one large frying basket plus two small baskets so you can choose which suits your needs—the large one is great for batch cooking for guests, while the smaller ones are useful for frying two different things at the same time. In general, Allstar Amy Barnes thinks that this deep fryer has the quality of a pricier option. “It has great features, is easy to clean, and made crispy food in a short amount of time—all at an affordable price point,” she says. “It felt much more expensive than its price point—sturdy, stainless steel, weighty.”

Other features we discovered we love about this deep fryer during testing are how quickly it can be assembled out of the box and how clear its instructions are. The fryer has a built-in timer, so you get a little tone telling you when your food is ready, plus a removable bowl to dump out the used oil more easily. In terms of drawbacks, Amy noted that while the handle for the lid is cool to the touch, the exterior gets hot so you’ll want to take care—especially if you have kids around. Tests also showed that because of the deep fryer’s size and design, it can take over the countertop, so you’ll want to have ample storage space at home.

The Details: Stainless steel; 21.4 x 14.1 x 10.2 inches; 12.4 pounds; includes (3) baskets; 5-liter capacity; 265-375°F

Why It's Great: Beginner-friendly safety features; many dishwasher-safe components; offers good value for its functionality; easy to store

Grain of Salt: Not great for frying large batches or items; no window on the lid

Deep frying may seem intimidating to someone who has never done it before, but with a fryer like this Chefman model, you could be frying up perfectly golden fish and chips in no time. This budget-conscious deep fryer doesn’t take up as much space as other options, and it’s compatible with kitchens that have overhanging cabinets. You won’t be able to make mountains of fried food for large parties with it, but you will definitely be able to make enough sides or appetizers for a small to medium family.

Safety always comes first—especially so when we’re thinking of beginners. We love that this deep fryer has safety features like stay-cool handles and a lid that prevents splatter. Plus, it never goes past its maximum temperature. The heat will also turn off when the timer goes off, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to shut things down once you’re done frying. To top it all off, the fryer basket, handle, bowl, and lid can all be thrown in the dishwasher.

During testing, Allstar Amy noted that it would’ve been nice to have some sort of window on top of the lid to check on the frying, but she did love that the product had a filter plus an extra one in the box to absorb the cooking oil smell. “If someone wants an air fryer with safety features, ample capacity, easy-to-use temp/timer functions, and easy clean-up, this is a great option for under $100,” she says.

The Details: Stainless steel; 12 x 6.25 x 11.25 inches; 7.1 pounds; includes (1) basket; 4.5-liter capacity; 250-375°F

Why It’s Great: Small and easy to store; good value; no problem to set up and use

Grain of Salt: Lacks temperature controls

If you already have a kitchen full of cool cooking appliances, then you may not have much space for a new deep fryer. In comes the compact deep fryer from Presto! Only a little over 8 inches tall, it’s one of the smallest fryers you can buy. In our tests, Allstar Kim Mancuso appreciated the fryer’s slim profile and built-in handle since that made for easy storage. “I love how compact this deep fryer is,” she says. “It's perfect for a small kitchen.”

Set up is a cinch, too, since all you have to do is take it out of the packaging, plug it in, and then it starts heating up. When it’s clean-up time, you can’t put this one in the dishwasher, but Kim says that the nonstick surface of the interior and exterior make it “effortless” to clean.

As this deep fryer is so streamlined and budget-conscious, you won’t have a big panel of temperature controls to use or a notification system when frying is complete. That means you’ll need to have your own thermometer to check for the right frying temperature as you cook. Once you get to the right number, our tests showed that the fryer recovers quickly after adding food.

The Details: Aluminum; 8.38 x 8.13 x 7.38 inches; 3 pounds; includes (1) container; 4-cup capacity; 375°F

Why It’s Great: Versatile; includes three baskets; great performance-to-price ratio

Grain of Salt: Instructions could be more detailed

Those who are big into deep-fried foods can have a lot of fun with this fryer from Secura because of its three baskets. Whip out the jumbo basket when you want to make a large batch of fried chicken for Sunday family dinner. Swap it out for the two small baskets when you want to prepare two different sides at the same time (fried mushrooms and fried pickles, anyone?). Whatever you decide to make, you’ll have an easy go of it with features like a temperature control knob, a heat light when you reach the right temperature, and an adjustable timer. Other features we loved during our testing are the vented lid, handles that stay cool, and the ability to hang the basket to prevent oil from dripping everywhere.

While we love a fryer that delivers delicious, crispy food, we can also appreciate when the appliance design makes every other step in the process easy too. This deep fryer does just that thanks to a removable oil tank for easily dumping oil and a dishwasher-safe oil tank and basket. During our testing, we didn’t find the setup difficult since there was no tricky assembling of hardware necessary but we would’ve liked it if the instructions were just a bit more detailed.

The Details: Stainless steel; 15.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 inches; 10.53 pounds; includes (3) baskets; 4-liter capacity; 250-375°F

Why It’s Great: Massive capacity; has uses outside of turkey frying; comes with extras like a thermometer and seasoning injector

Grain of Salt: Must self-monitor temperature with included thermometer; more unwieldy to clean

If your favorite way to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey is to deep fry it, then a small frying basket in your run-of-the-mill home deep fryer isn’t going to cut it. This fryer, however, is perfect for turkey frying thanks to features like its sizable 32-quart capacity, perforated poultry rack, and bonus seasoning injector. In our tests, Allstar Patti noted that it comes with everything you need except the propane and turkey! It’s not only useful for turkey during the holidays, though. With a perforated basket, you could easily use this fryer for crab or crawfish boils—or really anything else you’d like to fry, such as prime rib or chicken wings.

There aren’t any temperature control functions with this deep fryer, but the good news is that it comes with a 12-inch stainless steel thermometer to use instead. During our testing, we had no issues with it reaching the right temperatures during the preheat cycle or after we dropped a turkey in. Patti did find it harder to clean simply because of the sheer size of the pot, even though nothing got stuck to its sides.

The Details: Stainless steel; 14 x 14 x 18 inches; includes (1) basket, (1) rack, (1) 12-inch thermometer, (3) detachable skewers, (1) seasoning injector; 32-quart capacity

In all of our rounds of testing, the Breville Smart Fryer earned its place as our best overall deep fryer with its top-notch heat retention and consistency, user-friendly features, and delicious results. If you’re looking for something cheaper, smaller, and more streamlined, we also like the Presto FryDaddy Deep Fryer. 

While a deep fryer’s dimensions are important to know so you can determine whether you have enough space to store the appliance at home, what you really want to pay attention to is its capacity. This measurement is written in either quarters, liters, cups, or gallons, and it reflects how much oil it can hold—which, in turn, tells you have much food you’ll be able to fry at once. 

If you’re just frying food for yourself, a small deep fryer with a 4-cup capacity should be enough. If you’re frying food for a larger family or gathering, look for something with a 4 or 5-liter capacity so you don’t have to split the work over so many batches. If you want a deep fryer specifically for Thanksgiving turkey, get one in the 30-quart range to make sure it can fit the whole bird.

Any time you’re working with a lot of hot oil, you want to have proper safety precautions in place to avoid accidents and injury. That’s why it’s helpful to choose a deep fryer with some safety features built in, like automatic shutoff if the fryer is in operation for too long or reaches a very high temperature, cool-to-touch handles, and a lid. Remember to check your appliance’s manual to review the safety instructions before use.

Being able to reach and hold your frying oil at the right temperature can mean the difference between a perfectly crisp dish and a greasy or burnt mess. Deep fryers with temperature controls and built-in temperature readings make frying much easier, so you don’t have to monitor the oil temperature with a thermometer constantly. 

Some deep fryers take it a step further and even have preset menu options for the most commonly fried foods like fries and chicken wings. Normally, foods are fried in oil that’s between 350°F and 375°F. Some foods, like tempura, may require a lower frying temperature.

When you take good care of your deep fryer, you’re ensuring that it lasts as long as possible. Deep fryers with a dishwasher-safe frying basket or lid are easier to clean. Some also have a nonstick interior, so it’s less work cleaning up after you’re done frying. While you can reuse frying oil, you shouldn’t let it just sit in the fryer until you’re ready to fry again. That’s why attributes like an oil filtration system, a removable oil container, and an oil-draining hose mean easier maintenance so you can properly drain the oil when you’re done frying.

To narrow it down to the six best deep fryers, we put products to the test over two rounds, each involving multiple tests. During the first round, we initially saw how long the deep fryer took to reach 300°F. Then, we got to frying with homemade potato chips, frozen chicken tenders, and frozen fries. We observed how much room there was in the fryer, how much the food could move around inside, and—of course—how the food tasted (paying attention to crispiness and oiliness). Finally, we cleaned each deep fryer based on the manufacturer’s instructions. 

In the second round of testing, we focused on some of the deep fryers that earned our top marks from the first round. We asked Allstars Patti Weiss, Amy Barnes, and Kim Mancuso to make two recipes of their choosing with the deep fryer so they could get a good feel for the fryer’s performance by incorporating it into their cooking routine.

During all of our testing, we paid special attention to the following:

Unfortunately, not every deep fryer we tried passed our tests. When we first got our hands on the Kalorik XL Deep Fryer, we appreciated how simple it was to put together, but we had some issues during the actual frying process. It was hard for us to get the fryer to reach the preset temperature on a consistent basis, and we don’t like that the fryer shuts off if the timer dial isn’t on. While its oil filtration system did make it easy to drain, it wasn’t enough to redeem the appliance in our eyes. 

While the T-Fal Deep Fryer got some points for its many dishwasher-safe components and its handy oil filtration system, the big reason we didn’t make our favorites list is because of temperature variation. Our tests showed that the fryer’s temperature setting never actually matched the real oil temperature, so it was tricky to achieve a successful fry. 

From electric deep fryers to propane deep fryers, each appliance will come with its specific operation instructions, so you’ll want to make sure you read your product manual carefully before use. In general, the first step in using a deep fryer is to fill its designated compartment with an oil that has a high smoke point (like vegetable or canola), making sure not to go over the maximum fill line. Next, turn on the fryer so the oil can heat up to your desired frying temperature. Normally, this is somewhere between 325°F and 375°F. Either the fryer will have a display that shows you the temperature, or you’ll need to measure it with your own thermometer.

Once your oil is nice and hot, you can add the food you want to fry to the frying basket and carefully lower it into the oil. Make sure not to rush this part to avoid any splatter! When your food is finished frying, lift up the basket and let the oil drain out by either holding it up yourself or resting it in the fryer’s designated position. If you’re deep frying french fries, it normally takes around 5 to 6 minutes at 375°F. Chicken wings need to cook a little bit longer—around 10 to 12 minutes at 375°F. If you’re frying a whole turkey, that can take about 3 ½ minutes per pound at 350°F.

The best oil to use is one with a high smoke point to withstand the higher temperatures needed for deep frying. If you use oil with a low smoke point, it can make your food taste burnt and—you guessed it—create a lot of unwanted smoke (you don’t want to set off your fire alarm!). Vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and grapeseed oil are all good options, but we like using vegetable oil or canola oil because of their neutral flavor and lower price.

Don’t just dump all of that old deep fryer oil down your sink unless you want it to potentially congeal, clog, and then damage the pipes. First, keep in mind that you can actually reuse frying oil a few times as long as you strain to remove any food left behind and store the oil in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark. If the oil looks dark and/or cloudy, smells bad, or develops a foam, then it’s time to throw it out.

When it’s finally time to dispose of your deep fryer oil, you must first let it cool completely. Then, pour it into a disposable container with a lid (something like those cheap, plastic takeout containers, plastic water bottles, or old coffee cans would do) and throw it away in your regular trash. You can also use a cooking oil solidifier for a more eco-friendly option. 

Allrecipes is the world's largest community-driven food brand, offering recipes, cooking tips, and product recommendations rated and reviewed by trusted home cooks and professionals. This article was written by Cindy Brzostowski, a lifestyle writer and avid home cook with previous experience in cookbook publishing. Her work has been published in Food & Wine, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among others. For this piece, she examined the thorough insights and expert findings from two rounds of testing performed by the Allrecipes team and Allstars Patti Weiss, Amy Barnes, and Kim Mancuso to find the best deep fryers on the market.

The Best Deep Fryers of 2025, Tested by Allrecipes

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