Frying your food in the backyard, is a fun way to cook, especially when you’re with friends and family. Outdoor fryers are great to use for family gatherings or picnics, as well as for commercial purposes, like restaurants serving a lot of fried foods. These are kitchen appliances that are designed for cooking different foods that you can submerge in heated oil and fry.
Outdoor fryers come in various sizes, designs and styles, but they all have at least one heating element or burner and one oil containment vessel. They have metal stands and pots to hold the oil and also baskets or colanders made of stainless steel. These are for lifting the cooked food from the oil.
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Buying Guide for Outdoor Fryers
When you are looking to buy an outdoor fryer, there are some things to consider besides the purpose for which you would want to use it – for residential or commercial purpose. But before that, let us first discuss the different types of outdoor fryers:
Types of Outdoor Fryers
Fryers can be classified according to its heat source; which can be
- propane, which uses gas to operate
- electric, which is self-explanatory – it uses electricity
However, there are other classifications based on distinct styles.
- countertop fryers, which can save you space, while delivering delicious meals.
- floor fryers, which are valuable additions, to any establishment that serves big quantity of fried foods. These can handle constant use and suits a restaurant busines,s no matter how busy it is.
Other fryer types perform specific roles, beyond the basic types. The specialty fryers can be used to fry funnel cake and donuts.
The Buying Guide
These are some considerations that should be taken into account, when buying an outdoor fryer. Remember, you can make your purchase either online or from brick-and-mortar stores near you, wherever you find it comfortable.
- 1. Power source. In some kitchens, the power source is the major factor to consider, when buying a fryer. Depending on the size and style that you need, you can choose between 2 options – an electric deep fryer or gas.
- 2. Burner configuration. There are various types of burners, to heat the fryer content, including:
– open pot, where the heating element is positioned at the tank’s exterior
– tube burners that carry gas through pipes that are inside the pot
– ribbon-like run through at the bottom of the fryer
– flat bottom, are shallow and even based, ideal for cooking low density food items. - 3. Durability. Fryer manufacturers produce their different models of outdoor fryers, according to their usage rates. Be mindful of the usage rates of specific fryers, such as light duty, medium duty or heavy duty. If you will buy it for commercial use, the heavy-duty fryer will suit you well.
- 4. Size. You have to always take into account your volume requirements: Are you going to use it to serve 6 to 10 people or you will be using it in a restaurant or fast food corner? You should also consider how much space you have available in your kitchen.
Of course, there are other things to be considered, when purchasing an outdoor deep fryer, however, you can use your own judgement, especially if you’ve been deep frying for a while and you know which type of kitchen equipment will be most suitable.
Top 6 Outdoor Fryers Review
There are a lot of outdoor fryers in the market today and if you are thinking of buying one unit for your family or business, making a choice can be confusing. Here is a review of 6 of them to help you take a decision.
1. Bayou Classic 700-701 4-Gal Bayou Fryer
This 4-gallon outdoor fryer is one of the favorites in the market today for being very efficient. It is made of steel material, with silver color and 17.5” x 17.25” x 26” dimensions. It weighs 43 pounds.
The Bayou Classic 700-701 will never let you down, whether you use it for a large gathering or for commercial setting. It offers a base of stainless steel, with extension legs for height adjustment and a propane tank hook up. It has 2 baskets that you can use, to deep fry a lot of food at a time. Its V-tank design maintains, even if you toss a large quantity of food for frying into it.
The Bayou Classic 700-701 is quick and simple to use. It also has a drain valve and hose for cleaning the oil out that may take just a few minutes.
2. Bayou-Classic 2212 Fish Cooker Set
This fish cooker set has black and silver colors and is made of aluminum. Its dimensions are 14” x 14” x 19.5”. The set includes a cooker, 5-inch stainless steel thermometer and a 10-quart aluminum deep basket and fry pan. It also features a cooking surface 3/4 inches-12 and with a pot handle that attaches to the basket. It has a regulator, a hose and valve assembly.
The Bayou Classic 2212 is a good purchase for all your frying needs in one affordable package; even a thermometer is included. It is a very durable unit, mostly outperforming the other brands and models in the competition. You can expect to use this fish cooker set for a long period of time.
This fish cooker set that cooks not only fish, but other foods as well, meets almost all of the criteria. Besides being affordable, it has great quality and has everything to efficiently fry your favorite foods.
3. King Kooker Propane Outdoor Fry Boil Package With 2 Pots
It is a high-capacity aluminum turkey fryer that can also be useful in preparing meats, veggies and other good tasting meals. Its specs include a 29-quarts capacity cook pot that can contain up to 20 pounds, an 11- quart aluminum fry pan and basket, a turkey rack with lifting hook.
The King Kooker turkey fryer is easy to assemble, you can get it set up in minutes. It is also simple to use, there’s a fill line in the pot that will help you out. It is very versatile, regardless of what you want to cook – turkey, chicken, low country boil and just about anything – it really does the trick.
Its good construction allows you to cook right, with the basket sitting not directly at the bottom, but about 2 or 3 inches, off the bottom. It heats up pretty quickly, you needn’t wait for long, for the burner to heat up.
4. Barton 58,000 BTU Outdoor Gas Propane Double Burner Stove
This unit is made from cast iron as the primary material and measures 56” x 17” x 29”. It is a perfect cook station, for outdoor frying, designed specially to be lightweight and portable. It is a deep fryer and a barbeque grill, so you can easily invite friends to share a delicious meal in your back yard.
It is multi-functional. This double burner station has a flat top griddle and the double deep fryer
cover for each burner, hence, this enables you to grill teppanyaki style and deep fry all kinds of food.
This double burner gas stove grill station is built to last long, thanks to the heavy-duty construction. Also included in the package are drop down side tables, with hanger hook attachments, to hold your cookware. It is very mobile, with built in caster wheels.
5. Barton Freestanding High Pressure Triple Basket Deep Fryer
This deep fryer is a dual burner propane fish cooker containing 3 fry baskets made from stainless steel. The frame material is steel. The package contains a regulator, LP hose, temperature thermometer and an outdoor deep fryer.
This Barton fryer is ideal for fairs, seasonal events, barbeque events and more; boasting of a cast iron high-pressure burner. This is built into a welded steel frame, which is durable, hence it is made to last. Has 4 legs to make it more stable, hence you can use it even on asphalts and patios. Proves great for almost everything, whether you’re cooking fried wedges of sweet potato or breaded shrimp.
It is not only perfect for use in your backyard, but the Barton High Pressure Freestanding triple basket is also great for commercial use, such as fast-food chains or restaurants. The removable oil tank makes for easy cleaning. It also includes a thermometer, for added convenience.
6. King Kooker Portable Outdoor Cooker
With steel as material and black as color, this King Kooker deep fryer measures 18.5” x 18.5” x 8. It is a sports type fryer, great for camping and hiking.
The burner is very strong and durable. You’ll spend just 2 minutes to set it up. It’s just a matter of fitting the burner in place and securing it. It gets really hot, when turned on.
You can use it for just about any purpose – deep frying or cooking your favorite meals outdoors.
My Pick
There you have it. 6 of the many outdoor fryers, from which you can choose to purchase this year 2021. My pick should allow you to decide easily. Here’s my pick:
The Bayou Classic 700-701. The reason is because it is a beast of a fryer overall. It will cook a lot of food at a time and the design allows it to heat up pretty quickly, which is a major advantage. While other fryers decrease in temperature, when you put in a lot of food, this Bayou classic maintains the temperature, regardless of what you toss in there.
Outdoor Fryer Maintenance
Your fryer will work at its optimum, if you maintain it well. After each use, carefully drain the oil and use a fine strainer to filter it, then refrigerate, if you’re looking to reuse it next time. Then clean the inside and outside of it, using warm water and dishwashing soap. Refrain from using oil, for more than 3 times, as it can start to have an unpleasant smell and taste.
When cleaning your fryer, focus on the baskets. Remove all grease and food particles. After few uses, fill the fryer with warm water and a little dishwashing soap and turn on the burner, to bring it to below the boiling point. Wait for at least 15 minutes, while it soaks, then drain and rinse well.
If you experience some technical issues, such as in burners and regulators, bring the matter to the attention of the manufacturer. It may need to be repaired or replaced with new components.
Some Common Questions about Outdoor Fryer
We would like to make it easier for you to find answers to your visitors’ questions in one place, hence we have listed below a list of some frequently asked questions. This will also save us time and resources, because we won’t have to deal with as many consumers, asking the same questions and waiting for answers:
1. Why can’t I use my propane fryer inside the house?
Fryers that use gas as a heating source should not be used inside for two reasons:
- risk of carbon monoxide build up from the gas
- risk of fire from the open flame.
However, you can use fryers that use electricity and they are great for indoor use.
2. How do I clean my pot?
Cleaning the pot or pan is a simple process. You will only need warm soapy water and a rag. Make sure that all the pepper, salt, and other spices are thoroughly cleaned out, before putting the fryer back into the storage, waiting for its next use.
3. Why did my cooked food turn out soggy?
There could be 3 reasons for your problem:
- maybe you fried too much food than the fryer could handle.
- your oil did not reach the correct temperature, to cook the food right.
- you left the food sitting in the fryer for long.
4. What is the best oil that I could use for deep frying?
You can choose from these three: (1) olive oil, (2) peanut oil and (3) vegetable oil.
We hope that you find these outdoor fryers review and buying guide a source of valuable information that you can use, when you buy a unit for your kitchen.
