6 Best Deep Fryers, Tested by Experts

The Cuisinart 3.4-quart deep fryer was the top performer in our recent tests. It was easy to use and also the fastest and most energy-efficient when preheating. Though it's been discontinued, we feel comfortable recommending this 4-quart version based on our results. The brand also makes a 2-quart model that might be a good fit for those with smaller kitchens. (We also recommend the even smaller 1.1-liter Compact Deep Fryer in this list.)

Because this model also has 1,800 watts of power, we expect the same level of performance. And it has the same lightweight but sturdy construction with dishwasher-safe parts (other than the element). The oil container is removable and has a slightly divoted pour spout for easier cleanup, but it does lack a filtration system. One difference is that the previous version had a faceted bottom that helped collect browned bits so they stayed out of the larger well of oil.

This model has a flat-bottomed oil container, so we look forward to testing it in the Lab. The built-in 30-minute timer is a nice addition so you don't have to track your cook on a separate device.

The FryDaddy is a fan favorite: It's currently the best-selling deep fryer on Amazon, and it's easy to store with its minimalist design. It holds up to 4 cups of oil and can fry up to 4 cups of food. It has no controls — you simply plug it in and wait for it to come to temperature.

That means it's easy to use, but you can only fry at one temperature. We found it worked well, as long as you keep a close eye on your food so it doesn't get too dark. It produced french fries with a fluffy interior, which was unique because fries from other fryers in our test were more creamy inside. We could fit only one chicken thigh at a time, but it turned out crunchy and tasty — and because there's no fryer basket, there was no sticking.

Instead of a fryer basket, it comes with a slotted spoon designed to scoop out the fried food. Take note that without the basket to hold the food, you have to be diligent when scooping to avoid burning any food that lingers. We found that using a splatter guard while frying helped to reduce mess; the included lid is to be used for the storage of cooled oil only.

The Breville Smart Fryer delivers convenient features like an LCD digital display and digital controls that offer pre-programmed settings for seven commonly fried foods (french fries, wings, calamari and more), whether they're fresh or frozen. We especially love that there is a unique twice-cooked function for super crispy french fries. You can also program a custom setting as a shortcut for making your favorite dish: The machine will store the most recent time and temperature you selected. It preheated quickly — just under 10 minutes — in our tests.

This electric deep fryer has a 4-quart oil capacity and can hold up to 2.5 pounds of food. We loved that it offered a sizeable capacity in such a slim footprint. The vented lid, oil container and frying basket are all dishwasher safe. It features a "CoolZone" at the bottom of the oil bin which, according to the brand, reduces odor, helps eliminate burnt bits of food at the bottom and keeps the oil cleaner.

But when we tested it, we felt it still smelled like fried food. We also noted that the chicken thighs at the back of the basket browned a bit more quickly than those near the handle, but all were moist inside and crunchy on the outside.

Hamilton Beach’s Triple Basket Electric Deep Fryer offers versatility in frying by offering three interchangeable baskets — one large basket with a 12-cup food capacity and two smaller baskets each offering a 6-cup food capacity. Use the large basket for a family-sized batch of chicken wings, or opt to use the two smaller baskets to cook two different items at the same time. But note that the oil pan is one piece, so all your oil will be at the same temperature.

The deep fryer reaches 375˚F and features an adjustable temperature dial with an indicator light. The baskets, lid and oil pan are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. When we followed the manual's instructions for cooking frozen fries, we found them hard and crunchy.

But reducing the time produced tasty, moist fries. In our chicken test, there was some sticking when we cooked four thighs in the large basket, but we had better luck when we cooked just two in the smaller basket. That said, all the chicken was still delicious.

This small 1-liter model is ideal for the occasional fryer. It has a compact footprint that can be stored easily, and it can fry up to 3/4 of a pound of food at a time. It's very handy if you want to deep fry a few pieces of fish for tacos or a handful of mozzarella sticks for a snack.

It can reach up to 375˚F with red and green indicator lights that let you know when it's heated. Though the oil vat is not removable, the hinged lid is, which helps with thorough cleaning. We were very impressed with the chicken this fryer produced. It was very evenly browned with juicy meat — but we could fit only one piece in the fryer at a time. For its size, this was also the slowest fryer in terms of preheating the oil.

This 3.5-liter T-Fal deep fryer can fry over 2 pounds of food at once. It also features an oil filtration system that filters the used oil into a storage container located under the frying compartment. That means you can use the oil multiple times without leftover bits of food burning in the oil. Simply flip the switch to drain the cooled oil, clean the oil pan, then transfer the filtered oil back into the fryer.

The oil pan, lid and basket are dishwasher safe, which makes the whole cleaning process that much easier. In our Lab test, this pick produced super crispy chicken with very even browning, but the pieces did stick to the basket, so we lost some breading when serving our thighs. The fries we made were the best in our tests: evenly cooked, crispy and crunchy.