If you have been hand cutting potatoes to make your own french fries at home, there is one component that you can’t forget – the deep fryer! And if you love fries as much as me, then you need to take your home deep fryer purchase seriously.
There are a lot of great deep fryers out there for homemade french fries. And a lot of not so great ones. And let’s face it – Homemade French Fries Are Best From a Deep Fryer!
What To Look For In An Electric Deep Fryer
We’re assuming that you’re not looking to fry up an entire turkey and just want a small electric deep fryer so you can cure those fried foods cravings. With one of these you can can fry ip some fish fillets, make some homemade french fries, or make grandma’s famous fried chicken or even just some chicken wings for game day.
Here’s what to look for in one of these when you’re comparing the various models:
Capacity
How big is your family and how much do you need to be frying at once? You’ll obviously want to make everyone’s food at the same time, so be sure that you’re buying a fryer that has a large enough capacity to cover all the food you need to make at once.
You may also want to pay attention to the basket size here since come of the models come with smaller, double baskets while others have one large basket.
Personally, I find the double baskets are good for making two things at once but I prefer a single large basket if I’m only frying up one food item.
Temperature Settings
For the best results, you’re going to want to look for a model with adjustable temperature settings. It can be digital or it can be a manual knob that you have to turn to get to your desired setting.
The reason that this is an important feature is because not all foods need to fry up at the same temperature. Of course, if you only plan on frying up one type of food ever, for the whole time that you own it, then this won’t be as big of a deal for you.
Timer
Well, you don’t want to have to stand over the fryer and just wait until the food is done, do you? Of course you don’t! That’s why you should look for a model that has a timer feature on it so that you can set it and forget it.
Sure, you can always use a regular kitchen timer if you have one, but I find that it gives me peace of mind to have the timer on the deep fryer. That way, it’s less likely that I forget to set it!
Filter System
If you want to be able to re-use your cooking oil, then you’ll need a model with a filtration system. This way, all the food debris gets filtered out of the oil so that you can safely reuse it without making your fish taste like french fries, or vice versa.
Easy To Clean
Since oil is greasy, you will definitely want to go with a model that is easy to clean. Try looking for one that is dishwasher safe so that you don’t have to do all of that scrubbing on your own.
Overview – Top Deep Fryers for Homemade French Fries
I’ve gone through a few different deep fryers for french fries at home and I’ve made of list of the ones that I like the best. The list also includes some awesome deep fryers that I’ve used to make really great french fries at the homes of friends and family. And don’t worry if you’re on a budget – I’ve included some of the best homemade french fry deep fryers for the money.
1. Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer Review
This Presto FryDaddy is probably the most well known brand of deep fryers for homemade french fries that you can buy. That is because they have been doing this for a while and make great fryers at a reasonable cost. And I think that this one right here truly is the best deep fryer value for the money if you only care about price.
My big complaint about this deep fryer is that it is circular in shape instead of a rectangle. This was actually the first deep fryer that I bought back when I lived in a tiny apartment. And it did not fit well on my counter because of its shape. I ended up having to store it under the kitchen sink. It also has a rather small capacity compared to some of the others I’ve listed here. That being said, it is a good choice.
It does not have a fry basket, but the inside has a non-stick coating. It comes with a scoop so that you can easily remove your fries from it.
2. Presto Digital ProFry Immersion-Element 9-Cup Deep Fryer Review
If you want a sleek looking deep fryer that offers a good value, then this Presto model is a great choice. I like that it is rectangle shaped because that makes it easier to fit in more homemade fries! Plus, it makes it easy to fit on the counter by other small appliances. The stainless steel and black combo is also great for people who have a kitchen that is a similar color scheme.
This fryer is very easy to use and very easy to clean. And it’s made by Presto, who are known for making great deep fryers.
3. Secura 1700-Watt Stainless-Steel Triple-Basket Electric Deep Fryer Review
If you make a lot of homemade french fries, or if you want to make onion rings or other items at the same time, then this double basket fryer is a good choice. It looks great and works well, so I think it is a great deal.
It comes with 3 fry baskets, has a timer, and is super easy to use. It heats up fast and even has a removable oil tank, which makes cleaning a breeze.
4. Waring DF280 Professional Deep Fryer, Brushed Stainless Review
I recently upgrades to this brushed stainless steel deep fryer for my homemade french fries. It looks awesome on my kitchen counter and perfectly matches my appliances. Of course, I can’t say that it works 100% the same as my FryDaddy, but I still really like this one cause it has a nice luxury look to it – and it looks great on my granite countertops!
It heats quickly and has a large capacity for plenty of yummy homemade fries. You get 3 different mesh baskets for use in the fryer. It has a digital timer and I really love the little window so that you can keep an eye on your food while it cooks in the deep fryer. It cleans very easily and looks even better.
The only downside of this, in our opinion, is the price.
5. Presto ProFry Immersion-Element Deep Fryer Dual Basket Review
This dual basket fryer is another great option for large capacity deep fryers that can handle more than one type of food at a time. It comes from Presto, which means high quality. And I love that it is not circular cause it means that you can even deep fry a piece of chicken or fish. It is super easy to use and even easier to clean.
What I really like about this one is that you can make a lot of fries at one time, which is perfect for cookouts and family get togethers.
top image credit: Breville USA/ Flickr