Using a fryer filter prevents food particles from burning and ruining your oil. When oil is filtered daily, it lasts over twice as long, and you’ll save your restaurant a lot of money. Filtering makes food taste better too. Depending on your restaurant, you will want to filter your oil using one of a few methods. Find out which one below.
Skimmer
When it comes to removing sediment from oil, some cooks will use a skimmer and only a skimmer. While this method does take care of the large chunks of food floating at the top of the oil, it doesn’t prevent particle build-up at the base of the fryer. Skimmers are good for spot-checking, but bad for filtration. If you want to save money on oil, you’ll need something more powerful than this.
Pros
- Slows the accumulation of sediment
Cons
X: Doesn’t filter fine sediment
X: Oil degrades quickly
X: Almost no money saved
Cost: $2 – $15
Cone Filter
One of the simplest ways to filter oil is to let the oil trickle through a paper filter and then into a container. If your operation doesn’t use fry oil very often, this is your smartest choice money-wise. But be careful. You can only filter oil this way after it has had time to cool. Cooking oil is a very dangerous liquid when hot. Remember that hot oil was once poured defensively onto invaders trying to scale castle walls. You don’t want to inflict that sort of pain on your cooks.
Pros
- Economical — you only need a container, a wire cone, and some filter paper
- Good for homes or restaurants that only occasionally fry
Cons
X: Chance of oil spattering
X: Very slow drain (30 minutes per fryer)
X: Can only be used with cool oil
X: Can only filter small amounts at a time
Cost: $4 Cone + $8 Paper
Filter Pot
Filter Pots fit underneath the fryer, and oil drains through their filter. This method is similar to the cone filter but safer because you’re bringing the filter to the oil instead of the other way around. These units are a little more expensive than cone filters, but if you don’t fry that often, they’re the fastest and safest way to keep your oil clean.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Good for restaurants that fry only occasionally
- Safer than the cone filter
- Can be used with hot oil
Cons
X: Slow
X: Labor intensive
X: Can’t handle much oil at a time
Cost: $145 – $250
Portable Filtration Machine
The most versitle filtration method on this list, a portable filtration machine fits underneath most fryers and electrically pumps oil through a filter and back into the fryer. There’s no risk, and all pouring and pumping is done automatically. These units end up paying for themselves within a year or two. So if you go through a lot of oil in your shop, consider purchasing a portable filtration machine.
Pros
- Good for restaurants that fry often
- Oil lasts twice as long
- Takes five minutes per fryer
- Saves money in the long run
- Keeps fryers cleaner
- Filters hot oil
Cons
X: Higher upfront cost
X: Can only filter one machine at a time
X: Only useful at end of shift
Cost: $1,300 – $4,000
Integrated Filtration System
Deluxe frying equipment often comes with a filtration system already installed in the unit. These units take all the extra work out of filtering your oil and make filtration as easy as pressing a button. This is by far the easiest and quickest way to filter oil several times a day. If your restaurant filters a lot of oil, consider springing for a fryer with built in filtration system.
Pros
- Only option for restaurants that need to filter during a shift
- Safe
- Quickest method
- Filters oil best
Cons
X: Expensive
X: Only good on single machine
Cost: Added to cost of Fryer (usually $1000-$3000)
