Best For French Fries: Elite Gourmet EDF-3500 Electric Immersion Deep Fryer

Let’s talk deep fryers with baskets!

Of course, one of the most popular uses for these handy gadgets is for French fries. But not all deep fryers with baskets are good for fries—you need one with a deep enough basket to do the job right.

We asked our readers for their favorites and one fryer that was mentioned time and time again is this one by Elite Gourmet. It got excellent marks for fries, thanks to the large capacity and overall quality design. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Tank removes for easy cleaning.

• Shut-off timer is helpful safety feature.

• No fumes.

• Also great for catfish and onion rings.

• Easy to use.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Markings on heat dial can rub off too easily.

Best Deep Fryer Pot: Presto 06006 Kitchen Kettle Multi-Cooker/Steamer

Deep fryer pots are most helpful for a simple reason: they are multi-use. Example: this model by Presto, which was recommended by several of our readers for its affordability and ease of use.

Yes, you can fry chicken in this pot—but also steam vegetables, make stew and more. That makes it more versatile than a fryer-only model. 

What We Liked

• Easy to clean.

• Affordable.

• Flexible uses, including steaming.

• Great for small families or empty nesters.

What Needs Work

• Limited capacity (six servings) means it’s not the best choice for larger families.

• Short power cord.

Best Large Capacity: Chefman 4.5 Liter Deep Fryer w/Basket Strainer

If you’ve got a big party coming up, this fryer would be our recommendation: Chefman’s 4.5 Liter Deep Fryer. The 19 cup capacity here is much more than similar units we researched and the overall quality is good. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Green indicator light when desired temperature is achieved is helpful.

• Easy to clean.

• Simple to use.

• Magnetic breakaway cord.

• Dishwasher-safe oil reservoir.

• Cool-touch handle on basket.

• Viewing window is a nice plus.

What Needs Work

• Sharp edges on cover.

• Too easy to accidentally disconnect plug.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!