Best Deep Fat Fryers UK

Our verdict at a glance – four ways to choose Best all-round: Russell Hobbs 24570 at around £35.00, with 2.5 litres of oil, a viewing window and an odour filter. Best large capacity: Progress 5L at around £39.99, with twin 2.5 litre baskets or one 5 litre basket. Best budget: Quest 3 Litre at around £34.99, with 2000W and a dishwasher-safe oil container. Best premium: Tefal Vision Fry at around £59.98, with a digital timer and a large viewing window.

Air fryers have taken over many worktops, but nothing quite matches the crisp, golden finish of proper deep-fried chips, battered fish or fried chicken. A dedicated deep fat fryer heats a measured tank of oil to a steady temperature, so food cooks quickly and evenly, and a good one keeps the mess and smell under control.

The market splits into simple budget fryers, larger capacity models for families, and pricier fryers with digital timers and better design. Oil capacity is the number that matters most, since it decides how much food you can cook in one go, and the power rating affects how quickly the oil recovers heat after you add a batch. Safety features such as cool-touch walls, a lid and a lift-out basket handle are worth checking too.

If you only want lighter, lower-oil cooking, an air fryer may suit you better, and our guide to the best air fryers UK 2026 covers that. For real deep frying, this round-up looks at four fryers with active Amazon UK listings, using the capacities, wattages, dimensions and prices shown there.

Russell Hobbs 24570 Deep Fat Fryer – best all-round deep fat fryer

The Russell Hobbs 24570 is a dependable everyday fryer at a fair price. It is listed at around £35.00 and has a 2.5 litre oil capacity, with room to cook about 1kg of food at a time. That is enough chips for a family meal or a batch of fish and chicken for three or four people.

It is rated at 1800W and has an adjustable thermostat, so you can drop the temperature for delicate foods and raise it for chips. The listing highlights a large observation window, which lets you check on food without lifting the lid and releasing heat, cool-touch walls and a carbon odour filter to reduce cooking smells. A handle lift system makes it easier to raise the basket out of the oil.

The pan has a non-stick coating, which helps with cleaning after use. The listing gives dimensions of 31.1cm deep, 29.4cm wide and 22.2cm high, and a weight of about 2.1kg, so it is fairly compact and light for a family fryer. The listing shows a one-year guarantee.

It does not have a digital timer, so timing is down to you, and the 1kg food capacity means larger gatherings will need more than one batch. For an everyday home fryer at a modest price, though, it covers the essentials well.

Progress Deep Fat Fryer 5L – best large capacity fryer

The Progress 5 litre fryer is built for feeding a crowd. It is listed at around £39.99 and holds 5 litres of oil at 2000W, which is a big step up from most home fryers. The listing says the lid, two 2.5 litre baskets and a single 5 litre basket are removable, so you can cook two different foods at once in the smaller baskets, or one large batch in the big basket.

That flexibility makes it a good choice for big families, parties and anyone who regularly cooks fish and chips or fried chicken for many people. The temperature dial runs from 150 to 190°C, and power and ready lights show when the oil is at temperature. The listing also mentions a viewing window, a cool-touch handle and anti-slip feet.

The trade-offs come with the size. The listing gives dimensions of around 35.8cm square and 21.5cm high, with a weight of about 3.5kg, so it needs plenty of worktop space and a lot of oil to fill, which increases the cost of each session and the cost of disposing of the oil afterwards. The listing also shows no manufacturer guarantee, which is worth weighing up at this price.

For a household that cooks in volume, though, it is very good value per litre of oil capacity, and the twin-basket arrangement is a practical extra.

Quest 3 Litre Deep Fat Fryer – best budget fryer

The Quest 3 litre fryer is one of the cheapest ways to get a fryer with a decent capacity. It is listed at around £34.99 and has a 3 litre oil capacity, described as suitable for two to four people. At 2000W, it is powerful for the price, so oil heats quickly and recovers well after adding food.

The dial gives a temperature range of 130 to 190°C, with power and ready indicator lights. The basket rests on a hanging hook, so food can be lifted out of the oil at any time using the cool-touch handle, and the lid can go back on while frying to reduce splashes. The oil container is removable and listed as dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning easier than with many budget fryers.

The listing gives dimensions of 46cm deep, 27cm wide and 25cm high, with a weight of around 2.6kg (listed as 5.69 pounds). The one-year warranty against manufacturer defects is standard for this price. The stainless steel body looks smart and is easy to wipe down.

It does not have a viewing window or a digital timer, so you will be lifting the lid to check on food. If those matter to you, the other models here offer them. For plain chips, wedges and chicken at a low price, the Quest is a solid buy.

Tefal Vision Fry Deep Fat Fryer – best premium fryer

The Tefal Vision Fry is the most polished fryer in this round-up. It is listed at around £59.98 and has a 2.1 litre oil capacity, with room for up to 1.2kg of food, which Tefal describes as suitable for serving up to four people. It is rated at 1900W with precise temperature control, and it includes a digital timer, which none of the cheaper models here offer.

The headline feature is the extra-large viewing window, described in the listing as three times clearer, so you can watch food crisp up without opening the lid. The listing also emphasises a sleek design that suits a modern kitchen, and, unusually, a 15-year repairability commitment with more than 6,200 repair centres worldwide. That is a genuine point in its favour compared with disposable budget fryers.

Dimensions are listed as 39.8cm deep, 36.4cm wide and 31.9cm high, with a weight of around 3.3kg, so it takes up more room than its oil capacity suggests. The smaller 2.1 litre tank also uses less oil per session than the bigger models, which keeps running costs down.

It costs more than the basic fryers, and the oil capacity is smaller than the Progress or Quest, so it is a choice for people who value the digital timer, clear window and repairability over sheer size.

How to choose a deep fat fryer

Oil capacity and food capacity

Oil capacity sets the maximum batch size. As a guide, around 2 to 2.5 litres suits two or three people, 3 litres suits a small family, and 5 litres suits large households. Food capacity is often listed separately, so check that too.

Power and temperature control

Higher wattage means the oil heats faster and recovers more quickly after adding food, which gives crisper results. An adjustable thermostat is essential, because different foods need different temperatures.

Safety and cleaning

Look for cool-touch walls or handles, a lid, a lift-out basket handle and a removable oil pan or tank. A viewing window means you do not need to lift the lid, and dishwasher-safe parts make cleaning easier.

Deep frying safely at home

Deep frying is quick and rewarding, but hot oil deserves respect. Never fill the tank above the maximum line, and dry food thoroughly before it goes in, because water causes oil to spit. Frozen chips should go straight into the oil rather than being left to thaw, and it helps to lower the basket in slowly.

Keep the fryer on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from the edge of the worktop, and never leave it unattended while heating. Let the oil cool completely before moving or emptying the fryer, and strain it through a fine sieve if you plan to reuse it. Discard oil that smells stale or has turned dark, and never pour used oil down the sink.

Choosing oil and keeping running costs down

The oil is the biggest ongoing cost of deep frying, so it pays to choose sensibly. Sunflower, rapeseed and vegetable oils all have high smoke points and neutral flavours, which makes them popular for chips, fish and chicken. Filling a 5 litre tank takes far more oil than a 2 litre one, so a smaller fryer such as the Tefal Vision Fry is cheaper to fill for a small household, while a large fryer only makes sense if you regularly cook big batches.

Filtering makes oil last longer. Once it has cooled completely, strain it through a fine sieve or a coffee filter to remove crumbs, store it in a sealed container away from light, and top it up with fresh oil when the level drops. Oil used for fish tends to pick up flavours, so keep separate batches if you fry a lot of both fish and sweet foods such as doughnuts.

Electricity costs are modest for such short cooking times, because the oil heats quickly and the fryer only draws full power while it is heating. Keeping the lid on while the oil warms up, and cooking in sensible batches rather than overloading the basket, helps the fryer work efficiently and gives crisper results.

Deep fat fryer FAQ

What size deep fat fryer is best?

For two to four people, a fryer with 2.5 to 3 litres of oil, such as the Russell Hobbs at around £35.00 or the Quest at around £34.99, is usually enough. For larger gatherings, the Progress 5 litre at around £39.99 has far more room.

Is a deep fat fryer better than an air fryer?

They do different jobs. A deep fat fryer gives the classic crisp, golden finish of deep-fried food, while an air fryer uses far less oil and gives a lighter result. Many households use both.

How much oil does a deep fat fryer use?

It depends on the model. The Tefal Vision Fry uses 2.1 litres, the Russell Hobbs 2.5 litres, the Quest 3 litres and the Progress up to 5 litres. Oil can often be filtered and reused a few times.

What temperature should chips be fried at?

Many people fry chips at around 170 to 190°C, and all the fryers here have adjustable thermostats that cover that range. Cooking in smaller batches helps keep the oil temperature steady.

Are deep fat fryers easy to clean?

Models with a removable oil container, such as the Quest, or a non-stick pan, such as the Russell Hobbs, are easier to clean. Always let the oil cool fully and drain it first.

The final word

For most households, the Russell Hobbs 24570 at around £35.00 is the best all-round deep fat fryer, with a sensible 2.5 litre capacity, a viewing window and an odour filter. Choose the Progress 5L at around £39.99 for big batches, the Quest 3 litre at around £34.99 for the lowest price with a decent capacity, and the Tefal Vision Fry at around £59.98 if you want a digital timer, a big window and a design built to be repaired.

Whichever you choose, match the oil capacity to the number of people you cook for, and follow simple safety habits every time you fry.

Related guides

If you are still deciding, these related Kitchen Kit guides are worth a look:

• Best air fryers UK
• How to choose an air fryer
• Best air fryers under £100 UK
• Best dual-zone air fryers UK
• Air fryer running costs UK
• Best mini ovens UK