Our Favorite Deep Fryer from All-Clad Made the Crispiest Chicken Wings

Almost everything is better deep-fried, but what’s not so great is splatter or burnt bits instead of an evenly golden-brown crunch. Enter the electric deep fryer: These appliances feature built-in heating elements to keep oil at stable temperatures, and they also keep oil contained. The downside? They're often difficult to clean (whomp, whomp). However, during our review of electric deep fryers, the All-Clad 3.5-Quart Deep Fryer stood out, not only because it fried well, but also because it featured a built-in filter, drain, and oil storage box for easy cleanup. 

To buy: All-Clad 3.5-Quart Deep Fryer, $150 at amazon.com

Why It Won Our Review

While the finished, fried results were important during our testing of deep fryers, another big differentiator between the winners and losers was how easy the appliances were to clean afterward. While some models had a pour spout near the bottom, the All-Clad has a built-in filter that automatically separated the frying oil from any leftover bits of food, draining it into a plastic box at the bottom of the unit. The next time you wanted to fry up falafel or chicken wings, the cooking oil was right there, ready to add back to the cooking chamber. The All-Clad’s controls were also simple and straightforward to use. It even had a lid with a see-through window to protect you (and your countertop) from splatter, while allowing you to still keep an eye on your fried goods. It’s also a plain great deep fryer—fries were golden brown, chicken wings were perfectly crispy, and fried pickles had amazing crunch.

Good to Know

• Parts: Frying basket; lid; control unit with heating element; removable oil container with built-in filter; removable oil box
• Temperature settings: 300°F to 385°F
• Cord length: 25 inches
• Dimensions: 18.2 inches long x 13.7 inches wide x 14.7 inches high
• Weight: 16.5 lbs
• Wattage: 1500
• Oil capacity: 3.5 liters
• Care instructions: Basket, container, lid, and oil box are dishwasher-safe; unit is self-filtering and self-draining; turn knob to “Automatic Oil Filtration” setting and allow 2 hours to drain; turn knob to “Oil Box” to remove oil box for draining

FAQs

Are deep fryers worth it?

While you can use a Dutch oven to deep fry, an electric deep fryer is more consistent and quicker. Since it has built-in temperature controls, you’re able to pre-set your desired frying temperature instead of always fiddling with the burner, and there are fewer hot spots, too. They also include frying baskets which make removing freshly fried food that much easier. You’ll feel like a bonafide fry cook in no time. 

How many times can you reuse oil in a deep fryer?

You can reuse filtered oil between three and eight times, depending on how clean it looks after each batch. Breaded foods tend to leave leftover bits that can burn, which cuts down the lifespan of your frying oil. Our favorite deep fryer from All-Clad features a built-in filter and automatic draining cycle, which helps extend the life of frying oil without any active cleanup.