Deep-frying is an energy-intensive function, so it's essential to do your sums carefully when deciding between gas and electric models. Diane Lane reports.
They may seem like a relatively simple piece of kit - consisting of an oil tank, basket and heat source - but it's worth bearing in mind that, according to the Catering for a Sustainable Future Group, the fryers in a busy kitchen are big consumers of energy for their relatively small size.
It follows, then, that with energy efficiency high on the agenda, the choice of energy source - gas or electric - is a key decision when buying a new fryer.
"In a nutshell, gas fryers tend to be more expensive to buy but cheaper to run," says Paul Hickman, development chef at Lincat, which supplies gas and electric fryers within its Lynx 400, Silverlink 600 and Opus 700 ranges. "This is because of the relative cost of gas and electricity in the UK at this time. But, of course, choices are rarely that easy to make and a range of other factors is likely to come into play.
"Chief among these is the nature of the existing electricity supply to your kitchen. Inevitably this will have an upper limit, and if you are currently operating at or near to it a gas-powered fryer might be the only way to avoid the additional expense of upgrading your electricity supply. If you are choosing a fryer in addition to other equipment and the electricity supply is limited, there may be certain pieces of equipment - for example, an oven - which you might prefer to be powered by electricity.
"Many chefs, of course, choose to have both electric and gas-powered fryers in their kitchens. A high-performance, twin-tank gas fryer may be used for peak periods but a smaller, electric countertop model used as a standby for quieter times. Alternatively it might be used for breaded or battered side orders."
Taking up the case for electric fryers is Steve Elliott, national sales manager for Valentine Equipment, which has supplied electric fryers to the UK for more than 50 years. "Generally speaking, electric fryers tend to be more energy efficient, owing to the direct method of heating the oil - the element is actually immersed in the oil," he says. "Even with the most efficient of gas fryers there's always a certain amount of wasted energy which escapes up the flue."
Neil Roseweir, development chef at Falcon Foodservice Equipment, agrees. "Because electric fryers have the heating source in the oil, the all-important recovery time should be excellent," he says, referring to the length of time the cooking oil takes to regain optimum cooking temperature after cold food is immersed in it. "Gas fryers somehow have to transfer the heat from the source to the frying medium."
Catering Equipment Distributors Association member Mike Nunn of Dentons Catering Equipment raises another point with cost implications. "For existing gas users looking to replace their fryers, or electric fryer users who want to switch to gas, one issue which could prove expensive is the issue of gas interlocks, which ensure the gas fryer cannot function without ventilation. A new interlock could cost around £1,500."
Interlocking is a legally-required gas supply cut-out mechanism between the cooking equipment and the ventilation hood so that if the extraction fan should fail, the gas supply to the kitchen equipment will be automatically turned off. There are also the costs of installation and servicing, which tend to be more for gas fryers.
However, there's no getting away from the fact that the cost of gas is cheaper per unit than electricity and for this reason the general consensus seems to be that electric fryers are suitable for low- to medium-volume needs, while gas is a good choice for high volumes of fried food.
Alan Evans, executive training chef for Electrolux Professional, acknowledges the manufacturer's role in trying to improve the energy efficiency of fryers. "Fryers are a very useful addition to any kitchen and continue to be a popular purchase for caterers," he says. "However, in these times, manufacturers are particularly driven by the need to produce equipment that is not only high quality and efficient, but which delivers on economical energy consumption that ultimately contributes to reducing the overall energy usage of the kitchen."
CONTACTS
Catering Equipment Distributors Association
Catering For a Sustainable Future Group
Dentons Catering Equipment 020 7450 0480
Electrolux Professional 0800 988 2809
Falcon Foodservice Equipment 01786 455200
Lincat 01522 875500
Valentine Equipment 0118 957 1344