Fryer luck?

Knowing the type and quantity of food you expect your equipment to cope with is a fundamental consideration when looking for a new fryer.

As a rule, it is wise to work out the right size to cope with your expected customer throughput and then add a bit - advice from Hobart suggests that you go for an output capacity 10% greater than your present requirements, to give you room for expansion.

Another prime consideration is recovery time - the time it takes for the oil to reheat to the correct cooking temperature after a batch is finished. "If the oil is not heated to an accurate temperature, it breaks down faster and the food quality will therefore be lower," says Derek Paterson, marketing manager of Falcon Foodservice Equipment.

He lists the most important technological features of fryers as output, recovery time between loads and oil lifespan. "Oil is one of the most expensive ingredients in a kitchen," he says, "and by increasing the oil lifespan it is possible to save caterers substantial sums."

According to Buttress services support manager Stuart Campbell, some sort of filtration system, either built-in or free-standing, is advisable to extend the life of the oil, which should be filtered every day. And he stresses the importance of the choice of oil. "No matter how good your fryer, the oil is crucial to its performance," he says. "Always buy the best oil available."

Maintaining oil temperature is also an important issue for Hobart, and the company's marketing services support manager, Alan Tomlinson, recommends solid-state controls to help achieve this. "They will help by ensuring that the thermostat keeps the temperature of the oil as close as possible to the one set," he says. "If the temperature swing is too great, either up or down, you will not get consistent results." Tomlinson also suggests, for the sake of economy, that high-output fryers be gas-powered.

Check out the backup service and availability of spare parts, advises Lincat product manager Diane Semley, and this applies particularly to caterers considering switching to a different manufacturer.

Lincat sells only through distributors and, to keep them well informed about Lincat products, the company offers tailor-made in-house training which helps distributors advise buyers on their choice of fryer.

"Dealers should be able to offer impartial advice to meet your particular needs, so always talk to them about your requirements," says Semley. "And always buy from a reputable manufacturer, to ensure that the fryer complies with all the relevant regulations and to get on-going service and spares availability."

Falcon prides itself on being able to answer customers' specific needs and provide them with features and benefits that will improve their efficiency and flexibility. "Frying technology has improved dramatically," says Paterson, "and we find benefits such as high output and quick recovery times, extended frying performance, controllability through operating and safety thermostats, and practical operation, as well as hygienic and easy-to-clean pans, all very popular with customers."

Fryer round-up

There are hundreds of fryers on the market, of which the following is a selection.

Advance Catering Equipment has a counter-top deep fryer which requires no ventilation and operates from a 13amp power supply.

Ambassade de Bourgogne's fryer range comes in various sizes and capacities, with thermostat control to 180¼C to prevent oil deterioration. Prices range from £864 to £1,557.

Bartlett has an extensive range available, with medium- and heavy-duty fryers powered by gas or electricity. Features include high output combined with energy efficiency, minimal oil usage, rapid heat-up time and rapid recovery.

Bonnet Cidelcem offers two heavy-duty ranges. Grande Carte, at 900mm deep, and Toque Blanche, at 730mm deep, offer capacities from 10 to 20 litres in either gas- or electricity-powered forms. They come in a variety of options - free-standing, plinth-mounted, mobile, cantilevered, with or without cupboards - and there is an optional battery filtration system that can be housed in an ambient cupboard or below an infrared chip store.

The latest model is the 123lb-per-hour computerised model in both ranges, available from January 2001.

The Buttress Halcyon GM series incorporates a patented feature which the company claims improves recovery time. It has more than 250 copper studs welded to the underside of the tank, which increases heat transfer time. "The tank makes it particularly well suited to high-output operations," says Buttress chairman Tony Russell.

"The copper studs welded to the outside of the tank transfer the heat very quickly and efficiently to the oil. This is invaluable when preheating the fryer, and ensures that recovery times are far quicker during busiest times."

EquipLine has the Anets MX 14 gas fryer, which incorporates crossfire burners, giving four-sided heating.

Falcon's three fryers are the EFS 200 slimline single-pan, single-basket model, which is 200mm wide with a capacity of 48lb of frozen chips an hour; the EFS 400 single-pan, single-basket model; and the EFS 402 twin-pan, twin-basket model, which allows different products to be produced in each pan.

All models include an electric thermostat with temperature selection to 190¼C. Optional oil filtration is available, allowing hot oil to be pumped through a double filter.

HCE Catering's Pitco Frialator model 35C+ is gas-fired and will maintain a temperature between 93¼C and 204¼C.

Hobart has three models in its GFD gas fryer range, with capacities of 65lb, 100lb and 115lb per hour. All are free-standing and have electronic ignition, a flame failure system and a deep cool zone. Heat starts to return to the frying chamber as soon as the basket is lifted, giving a fast recovery time and continuous frying.

Imperial Catering Equipment's Elite range includes the company's top selling IFS-40 with a 40lb capacity, and a 1.25in-diameter ball valve that allows the oil to drain quickly. The range also includes the 2525 twin-pan fryer, each pan offering 25lb capacity.

With three ranges of fryers, Lincat lays claim to 24 models, ranging from a countertop electric at £167 to a free-standing twin-tank gas-powered model at £2,195. The Opus range covers the busiest part of the market with its heavy-duty equipment, with Lynx catering for the smaller end.

The best-selling products come from the medium-duty Silverlink range, 600mm deep and powered by gas or electricity.

Macdonalds Catering Equipment has a selection of counter-top and floor-standing fryers from all major manufacturers. It offers leasing arrangements for those not wishing to purchase.

Malibu produces more than 200 model variations of its Keating Instant Recover Fryer, fired by either gas, electricity or LPG. There are also four filtering systems available. Its patented system of burners and heat-transfer surfaces brings with it a claim that there is no waiting between loads to regain temperature, as the fryer recovers to thermostat temperature before the product is removed.

Valera's Quik n' Crispy hot-air fryer uses no oil and will fry, grill or bake. A counter-top unit with programmable touchpad controls and digital display, it produces foods with 20%-40% less fat and cholesterol than deep-fried foods, according to the manufacturer.

Welbilt distributes Frymaster and Dean fryers. Frymaster's open pot heats the oil from the outside via infrared ceramic burners, while Dean fryers have tube burners which heat the oil inside the vat by diffusers.

Wolf's three gas-fired fryers have twin baskets for continuous segregated frying, and are fitted with either three or five immersed heat exchange tubes.