Why This Is the Year to Invest in a Deep Fryer for All Those Hanukkah Treats

Hanukkah is all about the golden, crispy, crunchy treats. You just have to love a holiday devoted to fried foods. But deep frying is one of those projects that if you have never done it before, can, and probably should, be scary and intimidating. Deep frying is not something to be undertaken lightly: There is a real danger of fire and injury if not done properly. But that doesn’t mean that you should let fear prevent you from achieving deep fried perfection, especially when the holiday is all about those oil basted treats.

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Whether you are new to frying or just want to get better results and be safer when doing it, it is time to invest in a deep fryer. Yes, of course you can deep fry in pots on your stovetop. However, there are complications inherent in that project that make it both harder and more prone to accident than using an electric deep fryer. By using an appliance that is designed for the job, you can keep consistent heat without having to constantly monitor the temperature manually, and most deep fryers have lids to help prevent spatter, so no more little speckled burns up and down your arm. Further, most come with automatic safety backups like pull-away magnetized plugs, so that if someone accidentally pulls the plug the whole machine doesn’t overturn. They all come with baskets, so no fishing around in hot oil with tongs or slotted spoons, and many of them make cleanup and oil storage simple.

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When it comes to choosing a deep fryer, I strongly recommend getting one with larger capacity versus smaller. Yes, you will use more oil to fill it, but it is so much easier to not have to do foods in tiny batches, especially things like fried chicken. So err on the side of larger if you can.

Always use a high-smoke-point oil, like canola or peanut; I have been loving frying in avocado oil because it has a super high smoke point, so never tastes burned. Do not fry in extra virgin olive oil or other expensive oils. Yes, you can reuse oil a couple of times as long as you strain it and store it properly but be aware that foods like fish will leave flavors in your oil that will transfer.

There are a couple of deep fryers that I really like if you are looking to buy one.

For the newbie: The Chefman Jumbo is a perfect deep fryer for someone just getting started. It’s easy to use, has plenty of safety features, and has a generous volume that can be used with or without the included basket. The 19-cup capacity means you can fry an entire chicken and the lid has a filter built in as well as a window for checking on your food without having to remove the lid.

Buy it here: Chefman with Basket Strainer Jumbo Size ($59.99), amazon.com

For the pro: KRUPS makes a large fryer with digital precision and three baskets for maximum flexibility. You can use the single large basket for big servings, or the two smaller baskets simultaneously for two different foods, so get ready to cook your chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks all at once, or to no longer have to choose between fries and onion rings! It has all the safety features, plus four pre-sets for the most common foods, making it easy to get perfect results.

Buy it here: KRUPS Triple Basket Fryer ($108.65), amazon.com