Best Turkey Fryers Reviews

Turkey isn’t exactly the easiest meat to cook. Getting it wrong could mean that your bird is overly dry, or it could be completely undercooked.

The last thing you want in your Thanksgiving feast is an under or overcooked chicken.

Thankfully, there’s a solution.

Simply get a turkey fryer!

There are a lot of great turkey fryers on the market for you to take advantage of, but the question is, how do you choose the best one for you?

We’re here to help. 

Here are some of the best turkey fryers on the market. We’ve also written a handy buyer’s guide to help you to narrow down your decision.

Best Turkey Fryers Buying Guide

Type of Fryer

There are a few different kinds of turkey fryers to consider. First of all is propane fryers. These work a little bit like outdoor grills, and they are very durable.

They will link up to a propane tank, and this will then fire up the propane burner. You can only use these kinds of fryers outdoors. They aren’t the best choice for things like balconies.

You can also opt for an oilless turkey fryer. These are quite healthy because they don’t use much oil. They also aren’t as difficult to clean. Unfortunately you can only use these outdoors too. 

You can also choose an electric turkey fryer. This is by far the safest option. They usually come with a thermostat built in.

They also come with auto shut off features and this helps to stop the oil getting very hot. 

Should You Use an Indoor or an Outdoor Fryer?

This largely depends on your personal preferences. Indoor fryers are generally easier to use because you don’t need a propane tank to use them.

All you need to do is plug them into a suitable outlet. They also aren’t affected by weather, so you can use them come rain or shine. They are usually much safer too because you don’t need to worry about the propane. 

There are also some downsides to using an indoor fryer, however. To start with, it can take a lot longer to cook with an indoor fryer because they can take longer to heat up the oil to the temperature needed.

You will need to make sure that the fryer has a good power output, but unfortunately high powered indoor fryers tend to cost a lot more money. In addition to this, it can take a lot longer to get rid of the smell of turkey from inside your house.

You will need to be extra vigilant when cooking with an indoor fryer too.

There are also reasons to buy an outdoor fryer. When you cook with an outdoor propane fryer, the oil will be heated faster, and this often means that your turkey will get fried quicker.

Your turkey will have much crisper skin than what you would get with an indoor fryer. Your home won’t smell like turkey for days after cooking too. 

Unfortunately, cooking with an outdoor fryer means that you are limited a little by weather. If it starts snowing then you should probably not use your outdoor fryer. This is more than a little problematic if it’s Thanksgiving and it’s snowing.

You will also need to manually control the heat of the fryer, which may not be ideal if you’re unfamiliar with using a turkey fryer. They also require a substantial amount of oil to operate, and this oil can make a lot of mess because there isn’t a lid. It can also cost money to replace the propane too. 

Size

Anyone who’s cooked a whole turkey before knows that these are pretty large birds. So, it’s important that you buy a turkey fryer that is big enough to accommodate your turkey.

You need to completely put your turkey into the oil when you are frying, so if you are getting a massive 20 pound turkey then you should probably get an outdoor fryer because indoor ones are usually much smaller, so they may not handle more than around 15 pounds.

Safety Elements

You’re going to be using a lot of hot liquids like oil when you’re frying turkeys, so it can be quite a dangerous task if you aren’t properly equipped for it.

That’s why it’s important to make sure that your turkey fryer comes with the right safety features to ensure that you don’t hurt yourself while you’re cooking.

You should check whether the turkey fryer comes with things like vented lids, auto shutoff features, lifters to remove the turkey with, stands and cooking baskets. 

You should find that the vast majority of options on the market come with many of these features, but you should look for a model that has all of them ideally. The auto shutoff feature is the most important of all.

Oil or Oilless?

There are a lot of benefits to getting an oilless air fryer. There are many fantastic options out there as far as oilless fryers are concerned. You could get either air fryers or infrared fryers that are oilless.

You can also find them in both propane and electric versions. If you cook without oil it’s much healthier for you as there will be less fat in your meat. Your turkey will be nice and crispy on the outside, while it will be soft on the inside.

It is less daunting for people who are not used to cooking with oil, too. Not to mention the cleaning is much easier. 

Accessories Included

It’s important that your turkey fryer comes with all of the main things that you need, such as a lifter to get the bird out of the fryer. There are some other things that are also handy, such as long thermometers, fryer baskets of a turkey injector. 

You should also think about the type of lifter that you are going to get with the turkey fryer. The lifter should be easy to use, and should be safe. The last thing you want is to get hurt by the fryer when you are lifting the turkey out of the fryer. 

Convenience Elements

It’s no easy feat trying to fry a turkey. For this reason, you should try to get a fryer that has a lot of features that make it easier for you to do the frying.

For instance, look for fryers that come with oil drains, adjustable heat, timers and handles that are durable. This is essential for easy, safe cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use two different kinds of oil in my turkey fryer?

It is certainly a possibility! You could try to combine two oils such as vegetable and peanut oil if you want to deep fry the food.

With that being said, it’s essential that you put the fryer on a lower temperature while you are cooking, as if you don’t do this you could end up burning the oil. This can alter the amount of time that it’s going to take to cook the turkey. 

If you are planning on combining two different oil types then you should also try to alter the cooking time somewhat, because it is going to take slightly longer to fry.

A good estimate is that it will take about 5 extra minutes to cook per pound that you are frying at a lower temperature. The vast majority of recipes recommend frying the turkey for about 3.5 minutes per pound.

What things should I remember when it comes to frying a turkey?

There are a few things that you should remember when frying your turkey to ensure that you are as safe as possible while cooking. 

First of all, make sure that you only use use propane tanks outside. You should also avoid using them in garages, regardless of whether the door is open or not.

You should also make sure that if you have frozen the turkey that you completely thaw it before you fry it. An oil thermometer is also a worthwhile investment as some oils can catch fire after a certain point, so keeping an eye on the temperature is a good safety precaution.

When you’re cooking, you should try to use some protective gear, with your hair tied back and no dangly jewelry on show. Choosing the right oil type is important too, so for instance peanut oil has a higher smoke point than vegetable oil. 

Before you start cooking your turkey, make sure that it’s as dry as possible as water dropping into the fryer can make the oil splatter, which can end up burning you. 

Finally, ensure that you don’t end up getting oil spillover. Read the instructions on your turkey fryer to find out more about how to use the appliance safely so you don’t get hurt.