How much do you know about your commercial fryer?

From pickles to potatoes, chefs and cooks are frying up just about anything these days as fried foods continue to be popular menu items. But did you know these crowd pleasers might be running up your energy costs, especially if you’re using inefficient equipment? Whether you manage a high-volume institutional kitchen, own a take-out restaurant or run a food truck, here are a few ways you can reduce your operating costs, starting with your fryer!

The switch that leads to significant savings

When you use an electric or gas ENERGY STAR^® certified commercial fryer, you can:

• Reduce energy use: certified commercial fryers use 15-35% less energy than standard models. Enhanced fry pot insulation means reduced standby energy losses, resulting in a lower idle energy rate.
• Save time: with advanced burner and heat exchanger designs, an ENERGY STAR certified fryer allows for shorter cook times and higher production rates.
• Use less oil: an efficient fryer can help your oil go further and last longer, which can significantly reduce cooking oil supply costs.

Many of the latest electric and gas fryers have small oil vats. This means less oil is used for each frying cycle and it’s filtered more frequently, so ultimately you’ll get more out of each batch of oil. Automatic oil filtration systems also increase filtering speed and efficiency.

Choose electric for more savings

An electric fryer can even be more economical than a gas one! Here are some of the top reasons why:

• To be ENERGY STAR certified, electric fryers must convert 80% of their electrical energy into heat, unlike gas fryers that have an energy efficiency threshold of 50%.
• Electric fryers are often preferred in high-volume operations, partly because they can last twice as long in a fast-food environment compared to gas fryers
  – about 10 years longer!
  • The heating element of an electric fryer is directly immersed in the oil.
    As a result, its metal frying vats are not subject to the same stress caused by repeated expansion and contraction, so they naturally last longer.
• Electric models also generate less heat in the kitchen because they have no exhaust heat rising into a duct; this helps create a cooler, more comfortable cooking environment and helps save on air conditioning bills.
• Even more energy-efficient features have been added to some electric fryers, including a standby mode that turns off the heat in the vat once it’s been inactive for a certain time.
• Their mechanical components have been redesigned to ensure faster and easier maintenance.

The blue star benefits

Many people believe energy-efficient products are more expensive than standard models. However, ENERGY STAR certified fryers offer a rapid payback for the average user – and the payback is even faster when frying large quantities of foods.

In keeping with the ENERGY STAR promise, all ENERGY STAR certified products are tested to meet strict efficiency specifications and are certified by an independent third party. They perform the same as or better than standard products without compromising performance in any way. So, why not invest in your business today and let ENERGY STAR certified products reduce your energy bills of tomorrow?

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