Best deep fryers for home use

Top pick: Hamilton Beach Professional-Style. It's the best all-rounder for a home kitchen — 1800 W for fast recovery between batches, a proper basket and thermostat, and it's ETL and UL listed, which matters with a pot of hot oil on the counter.

Who the others suit:

• Presto FryDaddy — small households and occasional frying; tiny footprint, but only about a quart of oil, so it's one batch at a time.
• Presto GranPappy — bigger family batches without paying for a full-size machine.
• Mainstays 4-Liter — the budget route to real capacity and adjustable temperature.
• Elite Gourmet 4.5Qt — three baskets, handy if you fry different things at once.
• T-fal 3.5L / All-Clad — sturdier builds for frequent frying; All-Clad's ratings are only middling.
• Presto Kitchen Kettle — a multi-cooker that also fries, if counter space is tight.
• Garvee 22L — commercial-style volume; overkill for most homes.

Look for a thermostat, a basket that hooks to drain, and a lid that filters oil vapour.