We don't need to extol the virtues of counting on a commercial deep fryer in your kitchen. But when floor space is at a premium (and let's face it, in many commercial kitchens space is always at a premium), count on the convenience of a countertop fryer. Countertop fryers are lightweight, convenient and cost-effective, making it an ideal choice for many commercial kitchens who want to add a few fried items to their menu. At Tundra Restaurant Supply we carry a variety of countertop deep fryers from the industry's leading manufacturers like Star Manufacturing, Vollrath, Pitco, Globe, Waring and much more!
Countertop Gas Fryer Versus a Countertop Electric Fryer
Like a commercial deep fryer that sits on the floor, you can get either a gas countertop fryer or electric countertop fryer for your kitchen. Gas deep fryers utilize a natural gas line or liquid propane flame and are typically faster to heat up than their electric counterparts. A countertop electronic fryer uses an electrical heating element that sits in the fryer vat. Due to the naturally smaller capacity of a countertop deep fryer, electric fryers do well when healing a small amount of oil (up to around 25 gallons), are more energy efficient and can recover more quickly.
Once you've decided on a gas fryer or electric fryer, then determine which type of deep fryer you want. Commercial deep fryers fall into three categories: tube style deep fryers, open pot deep fryers, and flat bottom deep fryers.
Tube style deep fryers
On tube style deep fryers there are a series of tubes that site towards the bottom of the heating tank which feed the gas to heat the oil. In these types of fryers there is a cooler sediment area below the tubes which allows crumbs and other food particles to settle.
Open pot deep fryers
With open pot deep fryers, there is either a gas burner or electric heating element that wraps around the base on the outside of the tank. Open pot deep fryers are easier to clean since the sediment zone is below where the heating element is heating the oil.
Flat Bottom Deep Fryers
Ideal for “cleaner” foods like tortilla chips or taco shells, flat bottom deep fryers lack a sediment zone for food particles.
Ultimately when deciding on what type of commercial deep fryer is best for you, consider what you'll be frying and how much of it. That'll help dictate the capacity of deep fryer that you need, as well as choosing one with the best recovery time. Faster recovery time not only makes for a more efficient kitchen, but it can also help you save on energy costs.
