Fryer

Header: Industry Terms

Tank Capacity

Fryers are often referred to by their tank capacity. For example, a "40 Pound Fryer" will hold up to 40 pounds of fryer oil. Some manufacturers will also rate their units based on the number of pounds of French fries the unit can produce per hour. Generally, a quality fryer can produce a volume equal to 1 1/2 to 2 times the weight of oil it can hold. Thus, a 40 pound fryer could produce up to 80 pounds of French fries per hour, under ideal conditions.

Recovery Time

Recovery time is the length of time it takes the fat to return to the desired cooking temperature after food is submerged in it. If the temperature drops too much or does not return quickly to the proper cooking temperature, the food may absorb excess fat and become greasy.

Sediment Zone

A major difference between fryer types is the "sediment zone". This is where cracklings, small pieces of food, and breading will collect as they fall off during cooking. Some manufacturers may call this area a "cold zone" because the oil in this area is not as hot as the cooking zone.

Fryer Types

Tube Fryer

Tube style gas fryers are a versatile, economical choice for a variety of frying duties. The tube shaped gas heating elements are permanently fixed in the fry pot. These types of fryers excel with high sediment, heavily battered foods.

Pros

• Suitable for a wide range of heavy frying
• Large sediment zone below the burner tubes allows particles to settle and accumulate

Cons

• More difficult and time consuming to clean than open pot fryers

Recommended Applications

• Fried chicken
• Onion blossoms
• Fried fish
• French fries
• Cheese sticks
• Hot wings
• Poppers

Open Pot Fryer

Open pot fryers have an unobstructed heating area. Gas models will heat the fry pot from the outside, while Electric models have a heating element that is immersed in the oil. These electric elements usually fold up and out of the way for easy cleaning.

Pros

• Versatile and suitable for most basic frying needs
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Small and narrow sediment zone is less suitable for heavy sediment foods

Recommended Applications

• Fried chicken
• Onion blossoms
• Fried fish
• French fries
• Cheese sticks
• Hot wings
• Poppers

Flat Bottom Fryer

These fryers have a wide, flat bottom that is heated from below. They have no dedicated sediment zone. Flat bottom fryers are best for specialty or delicate items that float near the oil's surface. Because the sediment settles to the bottom of the fryer and remains there until the fryer is cleaned, flavor transfer and a burnt taste may occur if the sediment on the bottom remains too long and scorches.

Pros

• Great for liquid battered foods
• Great for specialty foods

Cons

• Difficult to clean
• Lack of sediment zone allows food particles to settle to the bottom and scorch
• Not suitable for high-volume tasks or types of food that you would use an open pot or tube fryer for

Recommended Applications

• Donuts
• Funnel Cakes
• Tortilla Chips
• Taco Shells
• Tempura

Gas or Electric?

In the past, gas fryers were usually less expensive to operate. However, in recent years, utility rates for gas have increased faster than electric rates. Therefore, you may want to compare gas and electricity rates for your area to help you decide. However, if you're replacing an existing fryer, it may be wise to purchase the same type to avoid having to run new gas or electric hookups.

Floor Fryers

Whether you want a small countertop model, or a larger freestanding model will generally depend on the amount of output you require, your menu, plus the amount of space you have available. For larger-volume applications our selection of floor fryers usually presents the best option and there are several types available.

• Tube: Medium duty, all purpose frying
• Open Pot Basic: Medium-heavy duty, all purpose frying; insulated combustion chamber
• Open Pot Deluxe: Heavy duty, all purpose frying; insulated combustion chamber/flue; may be set up in battery

Countertop Fryers

Some small food service operations like delis, concession stands, snack bars, or sandwich shops may not need the level of output or have the space for a large floor model fryer. In those cases, a counter top model may be all that's needed. We offer a variety of lighter duty countertop fryers in 120 and 208 volt electrical configurations from Avantco and Waring, as well as heavier-duty gas models from CPG, APW, Star and Frymaster. Below are some of our most popular countertop fryers.

• Light Duty Electric: Low volume use in a deli, sandwich shop, or concession stand; Not for constant use
• Medium Duty Electric: Medium volume use in a deli, sandwich shop, or concession stand
• Medium-Heavy Duty Gas: Medium-high volume use in a deli, sandwich shop, or concession stand
• Heavy Duty Gas: Constant, heavy use or when user may not have room for a floor fryer

Specialty Fryers

We carry several types of fryers designed for special applications. Read on to learn more!

Pressure Fryers

Much like a pressure cooker allows you to cook foods faster, a pressure fryer lets you fry foods under pressure, which results in shorter cooking times, and juicier, more tender meats.

Corn Dog Fryers and Funnel Cake Fryers

Both of these types of fryers boast special design features that make them especially suited for either corn dogs, or funnel cakes. For example, corn dog fryers have a specially designed interior that lets it hold the skewers for corn dogs, fried veggies on a stick, and more. Funnel cake fryers boast wide, shallow fry tanks that are great for frying multiple funnel cakes at a time.

Ventless Countertop Fryers

Great for convenience stores or sandwich shops that might not have a hood, or anywhere without room under their hood for a fryer, these models from Perfect Fry come with catalytic converters to filter out the grease particles, meaning in most municipalities, you don’t need a vent hood. Both semi-automatic, and automatic models exist. Operation is as easy as loading the food and pressing a preset. The fryer does the rest of the work, and the finished product comes out a chute into a food pan underneath!

• Semi-Automatic Ventless Countertop: Fry single batches of product at a time at the push of a button
• Automatic Ventless Countertop: Same benefits as their semi-automatic counterparts, but give you the additional flexibility of "queing" up a second batch while the first batch is frying
• Spin Fresh Ventless Countertop: brings all the same benefits of a semi-automatic model, but also "spin dries" the product after it's done frying, for longer hold times and better tasting food

Our Fryer Accessories

We carry a range of accessories for your fryer! From fry pots and fry baskets, to filter paper and accessories, manual and electric fryer oil filtering machines, and gas connectors and hoses, we have everything you need!

Fryer oil is expensive. To get the best performance out of your fryer and prolong the life of your oil and save money, check out our Frypowder Buying Guide! Or, visit our Fryer Oil Buying Guide to learn which oil will work best for your needs!