Which Deep Fryer is Right for Your Business?

Deep fryers are essential in commercial kitchens—whether you’re making crispy fries, golden donuts, or sizzling cheese sticks. 

But not all deep fryers are the same. From the cold zone to frypot types and helpful add-ons, this guide breaks down everything you need to know when choosing the perfect fryer for your operation.

Deep Fryer Questions to Ask Yourself

Choosing the right fryer goes far beyond comparing price tags. The best fryer for your kitchen depends on what you’re cooking, how much you’re frying, and the layout of your space. 

Before you commit, ask yourself these essential questions to make sure your fryer works as hard as you do:

1. What am I frying?

Think about your menu. Are you cooking meat, seafood, or vegetarian items like fries or tempura?

If you’re mixing foods in the same fryer, you risk flavor crossover (no one wants fishy fries). 

Consider using separate frypots for:

• Meat (non-seafood)
  

• Seafood
  

• Non-meat items (like fries or donuts)
  

2. How much am I frying?

Fryers are often rated by how many pounds of food they can cook per hour. A good rule of thumb: most fryers can handle 1.5 to 2 times the weight of their oil capacity in food.

Estimate your peak volume—and then size up a bit if you’re frying frozen foods often or plan to grow.

3. Am I frying frozen foods?

Cold foods (especially frozen ones) drop the oil temperature fast. If you’re dumping in large batches of frozen fries or wings, you’ll need a fryer with higher oil capacity and faster recovery time to keep things crispy and consistent.

4. How much space do I have?

All fryers need to be placed under a Type I exhaust hood. That limits where they can go—and don’t forget to factor in the space taken up by any add-ons like:

• Fry dump stations
  

• Drain boards
  

• Splash guards

Measure carefully so you’re not stuck playing kitchen Tetris.

Related: Gas vs. Electric Deep Fryers

Types of Frypots

Not all fryers are created equal—and choosing the right one can make or break your kitchen’s efficiency (and your food’s flavor). 

Whether you’re frying up delicate tempura, greasy cheese sticks, or crispy funnel cakes, the design of your frypot matters. 

Below, we break down the most common frypot types and what each one does best—so you can match the fryer to your food and avoid a soggy mess or burned oil.

Tube Type Frypot

If you're frying heavily breaded items—like mozzarella sticks, fried chicken, or onion petals—a tube-type fryer might be your best bet. 

This design features heat transfer tubes running through the oil at the bottom of the frypot, which creates a large cold zone to catch crumbs and sediment before they burn. 

Tube type frypots are the most common fryer in commercial kitchens because of their capacity and versatility.  

Featured Equipment

Used Dean SR142G Commercial Natural Gas 40 lb. Fryer

In Stock Pre-Owned

$695.00

About This Fryer:

This Dean SR142G commercial fryer features efficient heating with large cast iron, tube-type burners and baffles that maximize efficiency and speed up recovery times. Its in-pot temperature probe monitors and adjusts heat for consistent food quality while preventing oil from burning. Versatile for frying cheese sticks, onion rings, breaded fish, and French fries, the unit includes a spacious 14-inch by 13¾-inch frypot with twin baskets providing ample cooking space. The deep cold zone helps protect food and oil quality by preventing crumbs from clumping and carbonizing. Its innovative design slows oil degradation, extending oil life and reducing replacement frequency—a cost-saving benefit for busy commercial kitchens.

View Details

Perfect for restaurants, food trucks, and commercial kitchens looking for reliable frying equipment.

Ideal For:

French Fries Onion Rings Cheese Sticks Breaded Fish Restaurants Food Trucks

Pros 

• Most popular and versatile fryer option

• Excels at handling high sediment products

• Perfect for breaded meats and cheese sticks

• Energy Efficient

• Large Cold Zone

Cons

• Takes longer to heat oil to frying temperature

• Less energy efficient

• More oil used in the cold zone

Open Pot Frypot

Open-pot fryers are great for kitchens that fry foods with less sediment—like frozen French fries, veggies, or battered shrimp. 

The heating element sits outside the pot, making it super easy to clean. These fryers are best when you’re working with food that doesn’t shed a lot of crumbs.

Pros

• Small cold zone 

• Easy to clean

Cons

• Can’t handle large amounts of sediment without burning/ruining oil flavor.

• Less energy efficient as the heating element is outside of the pot.

Flat Bottom Frypot

Flat-bottom fryers are your go-to for foods with wet batter that need space to float and crisp up properly. 

With no sediment zone or heating elements in the way, items like fish filets, donuts, tempura, funnel cakes, and onion rings have room to move freely. 

Pros

• Best for wet battered foods

• Perfect for battered fish, chicken, donuts, funnel cakes, tempura & onion rings

• Allows food to float freely 

Cons

• Requires frequent filtering

• No cold zone

Ribbon Frypot (Electric Fryer Only) 

Ribbon frypots are a unique option available only in electric fryers. Unlike gas fryers, which typically have fixed cold zone designs, ribbon fryers vary in cold zone size depending on the model and manufacturer. 

This means you’ll need to pay close attention to specs when shopping.

These fryers use ribbon-style heating elements that sit directly in the oil, allowing for fast heat-up times and consistent temperatures. 

They’re ideal for kitchens that want energy-efficient performance with a smaller footprint—but not all ribbon fryers are created equal. 

Because cold zone capacity can vary so much, it’s essential to match the fryer to your menu and food volume.

Pros

• Energy efficient thanks to direct-contact heating elements

• Fast temperature recovery

• Great for low- to medium-sediment foods

• Compact, versatile design for kitchens with limited space

Cons

• Cold zone size varies by model—requires careful selection

• Not ideal for heavy sediment foods without a well-sized cold zone

• Limited to electric setups only

Related: How to Make Pickles in a Deep Fryer

Common Deep Fryer Add-Ons

Fryer add-ons can help extend the life of your fryer, improve food quality, and make your kitchen run more efficiently. 

Keep in mind that some of these accessories will increase the fryer’s footprint, so it’s important to consider your available space before adding them.

Below are some of the most useful fryer add-ons and how they make a difference!

Built-In Filtration

A built-in filtration system removes crumbs and debris from the oil while the fryer is in use. This helps preserve oil quality, extend its life, and maintain the flavor of your food. 

Cleaner oil also means lower operating costs and better consistency across batches.

Basket Lifts

Basket lifts automatically raise the fryer baskets out of the oil at preset intervals. This is helpful for timing precision and reducing the risk of overcooking. 

Some advanced fryers allow you to program different lift times based on the food being cooked, which improves kitchen efficiency and reduces operator workload.

Fry Dump Stations

A fry dump station provides a warm holding area for freshly cooked food. These trays keep items like fries or onion rings warm and crispy until they’re ready to be served. 

They're often paired with a heat lamp and placed next to the fryer for quick transfer.

Fryer Grates

Grates sit at the bottom of the frypot and catch larger pieces of sediment that fall during cooking. 

This prevents debris from clogging the drain or burning in the oil, helping you keep oil cleaner for longer and minimizing maintenance.

Connector Strips

When placing two fryers side by side, connector strips are a smart addition. These stainless steel strips bridge the gap between units to stop oil, crumbs, and other debris from falling between them. 

They help keep your cooking station cleaner and make daily cleanup faster.

Splash Guards

Splash guards are metal barriers that mount to the sides of a fryer. They’re especially useful when fryers are installed next to other equipment. 

Splash guards prevent hot oil from splashing onto nearby surfaces or workers, improving both safety and cleanliness.

Deep Fryer Glossary of Terms

New to commercial fryers or just need a refresher? This glossary breaks down the most common fryer terms you’ll come across—so whether you're shopping for equipment or training your staff, you’ll speak the language of the kitchen with confidence.

1. BTU (British Thermal Unit): Measures the heat required to raise one pound of water by 1°F. Higher BTUs allow for quicker heat recovery.
   

2. Clean Out Rod: A bent steel rod used to clear sediment from the fryer drain.
   

3. Cold Zone: A cooler area in some frypots where food sediment can settle without burning.
   

4. Concessions: Small kiosks or stands that serve fried foods like funnel cakes and fries.
   

5. Connector Bar: A stainless steel bar that joins two fryers to prevent debris from falling between them.
   

6. Countertop Fryer: A compact fryer designed to sit on a counter, ideal for small batches and concession use.
   

7. Drain Extension: Connects to the drain valve to aid in oil drainage.
   

8. Exhaust Hood: Ventilation system used above fryers to remove grease-laden vapors and circulate clean air.
   

9. Filtering: The process of removing food particles from oil, either manually or automatically, to extend oil life and maintain food quality.
   

10. Flat-Bottom Fryer: A shallow fryer design that allows large or battered items to float freely in oil.
    

11. Floor Fryer: A full-sized fryer for commercial kitchens, used to cook items like fries, seafood, and chicken.
    

12. Fryer Basket: A mesh basket (usually steel or nickel-plated) used to hold food during frying.
    

13. Frypot: The oil-filled tank or area in a fryer where cooking takes place.
    

14. Hardwire: A permanent electrical connection used instead of a plug.
    

15. Open-Pot Fryer: A fryer with an unobstructed frypot and a small cold zone for sediment.
    

16. Quick Disconnect Gas Hose: A hose with a coupling that allows fast disconnection from the gas line—great for cleaning or servicing.
    

17. Quick Service Restaurant: Also known as a fast food restaurant.
    

18. Sediment: Small food particles that fall off during frying.
    

19. Specialty Fry Basket: Non-standard baskets, such as those used for tacos or tostadas.
    

20. Specialty Fryer: A fryer designed for specific foods like donuts, funnel cakes, or large fish and chicken portions.
    

21. Splash Shield: A side attachment for fryers that blocks hot oil from splashing out.
    

22. Thermostat Controls: Allow operators to maintain and adjust cooking temperatures.
    

23. Tube-Type Fryer: Contains heat transfer tubes along the bottom and features a cold zone for sediment.
    

24. Type I Exhaust Hood: Also called a grease hood, it's designed to remove air and grease vapors from above fryers and cooklines.

Wrapping it Up

Choosing the right commercial fryer comes down to more than just picking a model off the shelf—it’s about matching your kitchen’s needs, menu, and workflow with the right equipment. 

Whether you’re frying delicate tempura, hearty breaded chicken, or crispy French fries, the type of frypot, oil capacity, and add-ons all play a role in the quality and efficiency of your operation.

Take time to evaluate your food volume, kitchen space, and what kind of foods you’ll be cooking. 

Ask the right questions, know your options, and don’t be afraid to size up or add features that make your job easier and your food more consistent.

 With over 40 years in business, and 150+ years of food industry experience between us, City Food Equipment can help you find the right commercial deep fryer for your business.