Oil Less Turkey Fryer Reviews

 

You have likely landed on this page because of one of two reasons…

1. You are not decided on the Char Broil Big Easy or the Master Built Butterball Oil Free Turkey Fryer.
2. You want to find out the benefits of using oil Free Turkey Fryer rather than traditional methods.

Our aim is to answer all your questions so that we can help you make the right decision on buying the turkey fryer that meets your needs.

First of all we are going to discuss the pros and cons of oil less turkey fryers. If you just want to skip to the reviews just click on the section you are interested in on the menu below.

The Benefits of Oil-Less Turkey Fryers

They are safer – If you have kids or Grandchildren running around outside in the backyard while you are cooking your turkey in oil, you won’t be able to relax. I know from first-hand experience having kids of my own. Oil free takes all the worry out of this.

You’ve seen the videos on YouTube of Turkey Fryer fails and some of these can be funny. But there are also thousands of people every year who die, are horrifically burned or manage to damage or burn down their properties while cooking turkeys outdoors.

They are Healthier – cut out the oil and you will cut out the calories it is as simple as that, the calories you save when eating your tasty, crisp oil free turkey means another slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving!

Many people like to cook their turkeys in peanut oil which can be extremely dangerous for those with nut allergies. You could use different oil but using an oil free fryer completely negates this risk.

They are cheaper to run – If you use good quality peanut oil to cook with you need to factor in this cost when you fry a turkey outdoors. The Oil-less models though they do have electricity or propane costs are a lot expensive than using oil.

They produce more consistent results – the oil-free fryers are a more set and forget method and you can sit and relax with a beer while it does its job, I wouldn’t recommend drinking and dealing with an oil fryer though as you need your wits about you.

The Negatives of Oil Free Turkey Fryers

Size Limitations – The main issue is that you are limited to cooking a bird that is less than 18 pounds this is the maximum that the Masterbuilt  can take, the Big Easy can take up to a 16-pound turkey. So if you are planning on cooking huge birds then you will have to make do with frying it in oil for now.

Lacks Tradition – for some seasoned Turkey Cooks, the whole ritual of cooking a turkey in the backyard using oil is an event that they look forward to and the oil free turkey fryers take all the fun out of it. The chance of watching Uncle Jed set himself ablaze and blow up the patio at the same time is just something you can’t miss!

Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer

 

There isn’t a great deal of choice when going oil-less, you have this one which runs on propane or the Masterbuilt which uses electric.

Luckily they are both excellent products. The Big Easy will take a turkey of up to 16lbs and all you need to get cooking is your bird and a propane tank.

The Big Easy comes pretty much assembled and will need seasoning as per the instructions included. After that, you are ready to go.

How it Works

The Big Easy makes use of two methods of heat transfer. Initially, the propane burner heats up the air in between the cooking chamber and the exterior of The Char-Broil Big Easy. This hot air warms up the cooking chamber before it escapes out the top. The cooking chamber absorbs the heat and radiates it to the interior as infrared heat. By turning this convective heat, into infrared radiant heat the turkey that is prepared in this oil free fryer will be succulent and moist.

Pros

Both the Char Broil and Masterbuilt oil free fryers are safe, easy to use, easy to clean and healthier but here are some of the main benefits of the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil Less Fryer;

Delicious Results – The die hards will say that without the oil you don’t get the same crispy skin and moistness but there are thousands of reviews online that describe the taste as being as good as an oil cooked bird or even better. We recommend buying a seasoning injector for even tastier results and using marinades and rubs.

Plenty of accessories – The Big Easy Turkey Fryer has everything you need to cook a delicious turkey or other cuts of meat. But it  also has a range of add-on items that can enhance your cooking experience and add longevity to your fryer. Accessories include;

A cover to keep it safe and dry when not in use – this is a no brainer, its a nice durable cover that will protect your fryer and at the time of writing this review costs under ten bucks.

A 22 piece Accessory kit – that includes a variety of stainless steel or wire steel accessories, that give you the option to cook more in your fryer. Items include Kabob skewers and rib and leg racks.

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Fast cooking – though the cooking time is longer than if you were using a propane oil fryer it is a lot faster than cooking in a conventional oven and also your meat won’t be sitting in a pool of oil and fat like your typical oven roast.

Economical – You can cook a lot of turkeys with one standard sized propane tank

 

Cons

It takes slightly longer to cook than propane and oil fryer at around 8-10 minutes per lb. Cooking times will vary dependent on the weather. In general, you should expect around 15 min per lb. for chicken, and 30 mins per lb. for pork or beef roasts. We recommend that you always use a thermometer to check that your meat is cooked to the correct temperature.

The Drip tray requires food safe aluminum liners for saving the gravy.

 

FAQ & Tips

What else can you cook on this apart from Turkey?

Basically a ton of different stuff! You can use this oil less fryer all year round not just for Thanksgiving Turkey. One of the great uses is if you have a crowd to cook for you can free up the oven by using your Big Easy. How about Pork Loin, Ham, Ribs, Lamb shank, Chicken or beef roast, wings, Boston butt or even potatoes.  Just about any large cut of meat can be cooked to perfection.

Make use of the Drip Tray

The contents of your drip tray can make really tasty gravy but make sure that you warm it up to the correct temperature on your stove top, don’t just use it straight from the drip tray liner.

Can I stuff the bird before Cooking?

Char Broil recommend against cooking the turkey with stuffing as It could  present a risk of food poisoning. They also point out that it sucks the moisture from the bird and will result in a dried out turkey.  This applies to the Masterbuilt as well.

Big Easy Turkey Fryer Video Review

Just click on the arrow to get the video to play

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Masterbuilt 20100809 Butterball Oil-Free Electric Turkey Fryer and Roaster

Overview

This is a popular alternative to cooking your turkey in an oil fryer and this time rather than using propane it is powered by electric, technically it is a roaster but it will produce moist and succulent turkey, effortlessly and with plenty of flavor.

The Masterbuilt oil less fryer slightly outperforms the Char Broil in its capacity as it is able to cook a turkey up to 18lbs in weight.

How it Works

This oil free roaster’s double-wall design utilizes radiant heat to seal the outside of the turkey, which results in a turkey that with a crispy skin and is moist inside. With the help of a powerful 1,650-watt electric element, the fryer can cook turkeys as big as 18lbs in just ten minutes of cooking time for each pound.

Pros

Cheap To Use – using electric rather than gallons of oil like traditional fryers or propane like the charbroil will save you on fuel costs.

Easy assembly – All that you need is a Phillips Head Screwdriver it takes around 15-20 minutes to set it all up, all you need to do then is season it and you are ready to cook.

Set and forget Results – This is about as easy as it gets to cook a turkey, just make sure that you check the internal temperature of your meat once you have finished, making sure it is cooked.

Wood chip box – this is another area where the Masterbuilt wins out against the Big Easy Turkey Fryer. You can add flavored wood chips to the included built in wood chip box and add a smoky flavor to your meats if you so desire. I would like to mention though this is no substitute for a proper meat smoker.

Stay Cool Handles – You don’t need to worry about burning yourself on the handles as they are designed to stay cool enough for you to touch. We also liked the added feature of a hook to hang the glass lid from when not in use.

Cons

Not as versatile as Propane – as this oil free fryer runs on electric you need to be near a power source to use it. You can use extension cables to give you a bit of length but it still isn’t as portable as a propane cooker that you can pick up and move anywhere in your backyard or even bring it camping.

FewerAccessories – while this roaster has everything you need to cook a turkey or other meats it does lack the add-ons that the Charbroil has which limits the different recipes that you can cook on it.

Tips

If you want a turkey with crispy skin we suggest that you preheat for the fryer on high for an hour or so first and make sure that you add a little oil and a rub or seasoning to the skin of the turkey.

 

Masterbuilt Oil Free Turkey Fryer Official Video

NESCO ITR-01-13, Digital Infrared Upright Turkey Roaster [New for 2019]

This is a fairly new oil free turkey fryer on the market and it has only just recently caught our attention. So far the reviews that its getting online are very positive and it might be worth a look as another option

Here are some of the benefits of the NESCO Turkey Cooker

Can cook a turkey with a weight of up to 18 lb.

40% Faster Cooking time than Conventional Ovens.

Uses Infrared Technology to provide even cooking of your bird.

NESCO Oil Free Turkey Cooker CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEWS AT AMAZON

Our Final Conclusion

If you decide to go oil free there isn’t much difference in price between the three models. Ultimately it will depend if you prefer propane or electric. Personally I prefer the Char-Broil Turkey fryer as I like cooking with propane and I like the additional accessories you can buy for it.

But the Masterbuilt  turkey fryer has its own benefits and features as well, for instance being able to cook a slightly larger turkey and the wood burner that gives a smokehouse flavor to your cooked meats.

New kid on the block the Nesco Upright Turkey Roaster looks like it can be a strong competitor to the other two, we will take a closer look at this model in the near future.

Oil less turkey fryers are the way to go if you want a safe and cost effective Thanksgiving. They can also be used year round for other purposes. If your kitchen gets hot in the summer why not cook your meat in your oil less fryer in the backyard and keep cool. I hope you enjoyed this Oil less Turkey Fryer reviews article and please check out the rest of the site for more cool outdoor living ideas.