Cuisinart CDF-200P1 Deep Fryer vs Mainstays 4-Liter Electric Deep Fryer

The Mainstays is the better pick for most households. It holds 4 liters against Cuisinart's 1 gallon, so it fries family-sized batches in fewer rounds, and its 4,519 ratings average slightly higher than Cuisinart's 305. The Cuisinart is the more compact, better-finished machine, with a removable bowl, timer and cool-touch body, and owners of both report similar crispness from their 1800-watt immersion elements. Buy the Cuisinart for small kitchens and tidy cleanup; buy the Mainstays for volume.

• Choose the Cuisinart if you cook for one or two, want a removable bowl and timer, and value a compact, better-finished unit.
• Choose the Mainstays if you fry for a family, want the larger 4-liter vat, and prefer simple analog dial control.