Best Outdoor Deep Fryer
Outdoor deep fryers aren’t just for Thanksgiving. As a matter of fact they’re good for a lot more than just turkeys. Check out these reviews for the best outdoor deep fryer, and prepare all of your favorite fried delights without having to worry about stinking up your kitchen. Besides that, It provides a safer option for those with kids and pets running around. And, if that wasn’t enough to put you over the edge, just wait until you see what kind of capacity these outdoor deep fryers have! There’s nothing worse than going to fill up the fryer basket in a small kitchen fryer only to find out that you have to do at least three batches to make enough fries for everyone. These fryers are perfect for entertaining, tailgating, or just keeping all the mess outside. We’ve reviewed some of the top models to help you figure out which one is going to best suit your needs and fit in your outdoor space.
How to Choose the Best Outdoor Deep Fryer
Overall, deep fryers are pretty straightforward. They usually consist of a chamber to hold boil baskets and some hookup for fuel. We’re going to be looking at primarily propane powered deep fryers. The reason being is because it’s the most efficient type of fuel that you can also use outside on your deck porch or patio. We will however touch on safety, and give you some tips and tricks to help make sure that it doesn’t turn into a disaster like it does with those Thanksgiving frozen turkey videos.
Why Should you use an Outdoor Deep Fryer?
The benefit to using an outdoor deep fryer is numerous. I’ll start with a few basic principles as someone who’s used both commercial and appliance-sized deep fryers. Size matters, especially if you’re trying to cook for more than just a few people. These fryers give you the ability to serve up enough deep-fried goodness for everyone in the family, or at your get together! That being said, I’ll dig into a couple more reasons below.
Flavor
There really is a difference, since they’re propane fueled, these deep fryers don’t cool down as quickly as electronic models do. These models use an electronic heating element inside of the oil which just doesn’t do that great of a job of keeping it at the right temperature for frying when the lid isn’t on, or you’re adding food. Outdoor fryers heated up with propane can sustain higher temperatures for longer. What does that mean for your grub? Quite frankly, crispier fries every time. I can’t tell you how many times a countertop fryer has let me down, and flavor and texture is definitely one of the big ones.
Mess
Oil splashing, leaking all over and coating just about everything is a pretty common experience with ‘most’ countertop appliance-grade deep fryers. These outdoor models are more robust, and have a larger surface area around the basin to accommodate drips. One more thing, fryers just stink. I mean seriously, have you ever made several batches of fries in your kitchen? You start to smell like a McDonalds in no time flat. Since these are purpose built for being used outdoors, you can safely use them out on the deck and let all of that steam, greasy oil and splatter stay out of your home. The steam produced by fryers, by the way, accumulates on the wall and ceiling pretty quickly if you’re not venting, or covering it properly. (Which isn’t always easy to do).
Best Heavy-Duty Two Tank Outdoor Deep Fryer
Strong, durable, high-capacity and simple to use. It doesn’t get much easier than this! This ‘taco truck’ style model is exactly that, made to be fueled with propane on-the-go wherever it is you need it. Even if you’re not a food truck owner, you’ll probably be able to appreciate the versatility and volume this thing can put out. All while being just as simple to operate as your barbecue. You may even notice the regulator knobs, which are virtually indistinguishable from the ones on your grill. The two tanks offer lots of room for fries or even shrimp, and includes a separate shelf for holding the baskets. Speaking of, I love this model for how sturdy and robust the baskets themselves feel. The rubberized handles are a huge plus, too.
The Best Outdoor Turkey Deep Fryer
King Kooker Propane Outdoor Cooker for Deep Fryer Turkey
It was totally unavoidable, touching on the elephant in the room when it comes to outdoor deep fryers. Yes, they are classically known for their ability to give you (quite possibly) the tastiest holiday bird you’ve ever had. Needless to say, safety is a huge concern with these things. Accidents happen every year like clock work, but they can be pretty simple to avoid. First off, defrost and dry your turkey as much as possible before submerging it in the oil. This heavy duty cooker relies on a propane connection to deliver 33,000 BTU’s of flame. This will keep your oil going long and hot. An added strainer basket, pot and handled basket give you a lot of versatility. You’ll also get a thermometer and a turkey lifting rack and hook. This isn’t just great for those of you who want to learn how to deep fry a turkey, but also as a versatile outdoor deep fryer.
Best Small Outdoor Deep Fryer
Chard Dual Fryer Basket Outdoor Deep Fryer
Best suited for cooking up batches of french fries or even fish, this dual basket dryer gives you the ability to keep the food coming! It features a propane hookup, which heats the oil tank. The design of this one is a little bit different in a couple of ways. First, you’ll notice that the fryer tank is shared by both baskets. This is perfectly ideal for those of us who just want LOTS of fries, etc. That being said, you might also want to mix things up a bit. If you’re keen on doing fish and fries in the same oil, just be aware that some of your guests might not be down with that. It does however come with a clip-on thermometer for keeping a close eye on the temperature.
Best Outdoor Deep Fryer for Frying Fish
Bayou Classic 2.5 Gal Outdoor Fish Fryer
The Bayou Classic will be your go-to fish fry deep fryer this summer! IT’s perfect for taking with you to the cabin, dock or summer home. Plus, the large capacity means you’ll be able to churn out enough deliciously crisp fried fish for everyone. The stainless steel hood on this bad boy does a fantastic job of sealing in all of the heat, a frying style that’s meant to make your food incredibly crispy. This unit reviews with excellent heat transfer, which means it makes really good use of the propane fuel system. Plus, the built-in thermometer doesn’t leave anything up to chance. With an accurate temperature and a closed lid, you should be able to rely solely on a timer to figure out when the food should be done. If you’re juggling a lot, this can seriously go a long way!
Editor’s Choice Best Outdoor Deep Fryer
Bioexcel Two-Tank Deep Fryer for Outdoors
Two things come to mind with this awesome all stainless steel outdoor deep fryer. Build quality, and Cooking capacity. ‘Sturdy’ would be an understatement for this dual-tank wonder, capable of cooking with two different fryers at once. Effectively, this means you can cook up two different things, keep things seperate for vegetarians and those with fish allergies, for instance. The entire build is stainless steel, which adds to its strength but also makes cleaning up a total breeze. The tanks themselves are catering-style foodservice pans, they’re incredibly durable, but also lift out of the fryer for easy cleaning, you could even throw them in a large dishwasher! The baskets themselves are very large, allowing you to serve up more than enough food for everyone at the table, or on the deck! What’s more is they also come equipped with lids to keep hot, greasy oil from ruining your deck, and making clean up longer than it has to be. An added shelf, and rack for ‘hanging’ the baskets on is what puts this fryer over the edge for our most highly recommended pick for the amatuer outdoor fry cooks out there.
Thanks for checking out our reviews for the best outdoor deep fryers! With any luck, you’ve got a better idea for how one of these could fit into your backyard space, deck or patio. I love using them, as they don’t need time to ‘heat back up’ to a good frying temperature like a lot of small kitchen models do. Propane is versatile, and you’ll be able to swap with your BBQ or grill if either or is low on juice. Have you ever used one of these outdoor fryers before? Let us know down below in the comments what other should look out for, and your favorite thing to fry up!
