Best deep-fat fryers

The best deep-fat fryers will give you crunchy chips with fluffy centres, delicious homemade doughnuts and super-quick chicken nuggets.

We got through many bags of chips testing the most popular deep-fat fryers costing from £20 sold at Lakeland, John Lewis, Argos, Currys and more. The deep-fat fryer brands we've tested include Tefal, Russel Hobbs and Tower. 

We measured and assessed each for how quickly it reached optimum frying temperature, how easy it was to use and how easy it was to empty the used oil.

Two deep-fat fryers impressed us enough to be Which? Best Buys. And we've found a Great Value recommendation costing less than £35. 

The best deep-fat fryers from our test

Only logged-in Which? members can view the deep-fat fryer test results below. 

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

To find out which air fryers we recommend, head to our pick of the best air fryers.

The deep-fat fryers we tested

All the deep-fat fryers we tested are listed alphabetically below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best deep-fat fryers from our test. 

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations. 

Cookworks 1.5L Deep Fat Fryer

Only available at Argos: £27.

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 1.5 litres Stated food capacity: 300g

Weight: 1.7kg

Measurements: L 35 x W 26 x H 22cm 

Cord length: 79cm

Lakeland 3 Litre Electric Deep Fat Fryer

Only available at Lakeland: £59.99.

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3 litres Stated food capacity: 700g

Weight: 2.8kg

Measurements: L 57 x W 23 x H 22cm

Cord length: 86cm

Logik L30PFS12 Professional Deep Fryer

Only available at Currys: £24.99.

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3 litres Stated food capacity: 1kg

Weight: 2.5kg

Measurements: L 56 x W 22 x H 24cm 

Cord length: 100cm

Russell Hobbs Professional Deep Fat Fryer 19771

Cheapest price: £55 available at Amazon, Argos, also available at Russell Hobbs

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3.2 litres Stated food capacity: 1.2kg

Weight: 2.5kg

Measurements: L 54 x W 23 x H 25cm 

Cord length: 80cm

Swan SD6040N Deep Fryer

Cheapest price: £39.49 available at Amazon, also available at Currys.

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3 litres Stated food capacity: 1kg

Weight: 2.6kg

Measurements: L 47 x W 23 x H 27cm 

Cord length: 95cm

Tefal FR333040 EasyPro Deep Fat Fryer

Cheapest price: £67.20 available at Amazon, also available at Currys, John Lewis.

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3 litres Stated food capacity: 1.2kg

Weight: 2.85kg

Measurements: L 55 x W 23 x H 27cm 

Cord length: 94cm

Tefal OleoClean Pro Fryer FR804040

Cheapest price: £149.95 available at Amazon, also available at Argos, Lakeland, Tefal

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3.5 litres Stated food capacity: 1.2kg

Weight: 5kg

Measurements: L 57 x W 28 x H 35cm

Cord length: 87cm

Tower T17048 Deep Fryer

Cheapest price: £32.75 available at Amazon, also available at Currys

Pros: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Cons: Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal.

Max oil capacity: 3 litres Stated food capacity: Not stated. We've asked the manufacturer

Weight: 2.35kg

Measurements: L 45 x W 22 x H 23cm 

Cord length: 83cm

How we tested deep fat fryers

We bought every deep-fat fryer we tested. They were then put through these tests:

Heat-up times

• We timed how long each deep-fat fryer took to get from 0°C to 170°C (the standard temperature for frying from frozen).
• We also timed how long each deep-fat fryer took to get from 170°C to 190°C (the maximum cooking temperature of the deep-fat fryers).
• Each deep-fat fryer was tested twice and allowed to cool down fully between tests.
• The faster the deep-fat fryer heated up, the better it did in the test.

Temperature accuracy

• We used a professional temperature probe to check the temperature of the oil at the end of each heat-up test (when the oil should have been 190°C).
• We checked the temperature at five points: the middle and four corners.
• The closer the temperature readings were to 190°C, the better the deep-fat fryer did in the test.

Ease of use

The easiest-to-use deep-fat fryers had clearly labelled controls, which were well-placed and moved smoothly. 

Some included a digital or manual timer, which was helpful. 

The displays of some also included useful frying times for different foods.

Ease of emptying used oil

Sooner or later, the used cooking oil will need to be removed so your deep-fat fryer can be cleaned. We found that in most cases it wasn't too hard to remove the oil tanks and pour the oil into a disposable container. However:

• The worst deep-fat fryer for emptying had an oil tank which couldn't be removed.
• The best had an oil filter and a separate tank the filter oil went into for storage.

Inspiring tips for improving the place you live in Get our Home newsletter – it's free monthly

How do I clean my deep-fat fryer?

Oil is never easy to shift. Some deep-fat fryers make it easier by incorporating removable dishwasher-safe baskets, lids or oil tanks that you can wash by hand in warm, soapy water.

Deep-fat fryers with non-removable bowls will have to be cleaned at the sink with soapy water. Always refer to the instruction manuals for guidance, and ensure the cable and plug are kept well away from the sink.

The hardest part of cleaning a deep-fat fryer is removing the used oil. You should only do this when the oil has cooled down – never attempt to remove hot oil.

Oil disposal

Never pour oil down the drain because fats and grease can congeal to form stubborn blockages. 

Instead, collect the cooled, used oil in a disposable container (juice or milk carton or another non-recyclable container) before putting it in your general waste.

Make sure you avoid a blockage in your kitchen sink with our guide on the best kitchen drain unblockers.

What oil for a deep-fat fryer?

Your deep-fat fryer's instruction manual will recommend which oils are suitable for your specific fryer, but these usually include vegetable, sunflower, sesame, groundnut, corn, soy, hazelnut and rapeseed oil. 

Most deep-fat fryers advise against using olive oil, butter or margarine, as they are unsuitable for cooking at high temperatures and will bubble over and smoke. Oils with high water content should be avoided too.

How often should the oil be changed in a deep-fat fryer?

Manufacturers' advice varies from five to 25 uses, and it will depend on what you're cooking in your fryer. But it should definitely be changed regularly – especially if you're cooking food covered in breadcrumbs. Always follow the advice given in the instruction booklet.

After cooking, and once the oil has cooled down, you should filter the oil with a sieve to remove any food debris, such as breadcrumbs. Once you've filtered it, keep the oil in a sealed container until the next time you use it unless otherwise stated in the instruction manual. Changing the oil can be tricky with some fryers, as you might need to lift the whole fryer to pour the oil out.

Deep-fat fryers vs air fryers

Air fryers use a small amount of oil, and hot air, to cook food. They first appeared around 10 years ago, with the launch of the Tefal Actifry, and are a popular alternative to deep-fat fryers.

Whether you choose a deep-fat fryer or an air fryer is likely to come down to what's most important to you – getting the authentic deep-fried crispy coating on your food, or enjoying fried treats with less fat. 

Here are the pros and cons of both:

Deep-fat fryers

Often quite basic-looking machines with a large basin for the oil and a wire basket to hold the food. The oil is heated up and food is cooked by being submerged in the hot oil. The fryer keeps the oil at the correct temperature until the food is cooked.

• Pros: Not too expensive. The best deep-fat fryers will produce authentic-tasting fried treats, from fish and chips to sweet treats such as doughnuts.
• Cons: You need to use a lot of oil, although it can be reused a couple of times. Food is submerged in oil, so has higher fat content. You'll also need to take care in handling and disposing of large amounts of oil.

Air fryers

These alternative fryers use only a small amount of oil – about one tablespoon. Instead of submerging the food in oil, they lightly coat it before circulating hot air around the fryer. 

• Pros: The best models turn out tasty well-cooked food using a much smaller quantity of oil and can be used for other cooking jobs, such as baking cakes.
• Cons: Expensive compared with deep-fat fryers, results are more comparable to oven-cooked chips than fried chips.

How to buy the best air fryer - the latest buying advice and recommended models