With the upcoming holidays approaching, many people have been considering frying a turkey for the first time. There are many different types of turkey fryers to choose from. Primarily outdoor propane fryers or indoor countertop electric fryers. The differences between an outdoor fryer and an electric fryer vary greatly. We’ll start with electric turkey fryers.

First of all, electric fryers are made for indoors. You can take your electric fryer outdoors to use it one day at a time. But you need to take it back inside once everything has cooled down and put it away. It should never be left on your patio as a backyard grill. The morning dew alone is enough to ruin the inner workings of an electric fryer.

You can take an electric fryer camping if you have power, but you can forget sticking with one unless you have a generator.

An electric turkey fryer can make a great countertop fryer. My first deep fryer was a tabletop electric turkey fryer. It not only fry small turkeys and fry anything you want, but you can also steam and boil with it. I have been known to make Low Country Boil in my house in the dead of winter.

Not all so-called electric turkey fryers are actually deep fryers. These units run on high radiant heat. Technically they roast, not fry. There is really no oil involved. Less mess to clean up. You can grill other meats on these units, but you cannot fry French fries on one of them.

Most electric turkey fryers have a safety shutdown feature if the oil gets too hot. Mostly everyone has a thermometer or temperature gauge as well. This is a great feature because most of these units will tell you that your oil is at the proper temperature by a light on the gauge or unit. This is also good if you are frying things other than turkey. If you’re frying multiple batches of things, like chicken wings or onion rings, you should always let the oil come to temperature between batches.

Now speaking of oil temperatures, electric fryers take longer to heat up the oil than propane outdoor fryers. It also takes longer between batches to come back up to temperature. You want fried and crispy food, not greasy food with oil. So pay attention to the temperature of your oil. Do not rush and put the food ahead of time.

Lastly, you don’t have to worry about the kids and dog needing another place to play. Chances are they’re not playing on the countertop or in the kitchen, so the chances of your indoor electric turkey fryer being knocked over by a football or soccer game are slim to none.

Now we have talked about electric turkey fryers. Let’s move on to outdoor propane turkey fryers.

There is the issue of LP gas. You must have a propane tank for cooking, but this offers portability and versatility. You can go anywhere! The beach, camping, hiking, or even somewhere different in your backyard. And speaking of versatility, a traditional turkey fryer consists of a pot and a propane outdoor stove. You can not only fry with them, you can also stew, boil and steam. You can make chili for a cold-weather campout or have a New England clam bake in your backyard. Always make sure you have an extra LP tank, just in case.

Have you ever fried food at your house? The fact that your outdoors is great, because now your whole house won’t smell like you fried a turkey two or three days later.

Even though you’re outdoors, there are still safety features to consider. You always want to be on stable, sturdy ground, and not near buildings or materials that could catch fire. The children and the dog will now have to find a different place to play than where it is installed. If it rains, you can’t bring your outdoor turkey fryer inside. Don’t take it out onto the porch or garage, as this could end in a really bad day!

Frying oil will heat up faster with a propane fryer than with an electric one. Even after putting a whole turkey in the oil, it takes much less time to get back to temperature than if you were using electricity. However, most traditional outdoor fryers do not have a built-in temperature gauge. You need a deep fryer thermometer and you need to monitor your temperatures. There will be no light indicating that the oil is ready. There is also no security lock. Again, you need to monitor your temperatures and turn the throttle down if necessary.

Traditional turkey fryers are always at risk of overflowing and bursting. This can occur if the bird is placed too quickly in the fryer, or if it is wet or has not thawed properly. One way to avoid the danger of overflow and flare-ups is to get a safer fryer. These units usually have the flame at the back and self-contained fire tubes. Any overflow that may occur will happen at the front of the unit. No hot oil or flame should ever come into contact. All the same safety precautions should be taken. Like having an all-purpose fire extinguisher on hand at all times and protective gloves.

Electric or propane, indoors or out, you should never use water on a hot oil fire.

Never leave your fryer unattended, indoors or out.

Whether you decide on an indoor electric turkey fryer or an outdoor propane deep fryer, weigh your options, do your research and make an informed decision. Which fryer is better? That decision can only be made by you.