Choosing the Right Solstice Fryer for Your Commercial Kitchen

Pitco is one of the only fryer manufacturers that offers a full comprehensive line of fryers to suit every kitchen and their fried food menus. While options are great, it’s important to understand how to compare and contrast the models available to you and we are here to help.

Begin At the Energy Source of Your Fryer

For many established locations, you may not have a choice over which energy source is available to you. It can be electricity that will power your frying program, or it could be natural or liquid propane gas. However, there are some instances where you may have an option, so how do you choose?

If you are able to decide on which power source you would like for your fryer, start by doing some research on your area. Start by checking out historical utility rates for your market for gas and electricity. Rates often fluctuate so do your research to find the lowest cost energy source. Another factor to look into are local regulations. Some areas are enacting gas bans and others are enticing the switch over to electric equipment by offering larger rebates.

Aside from pricing and local regulations, take into consideration the functionality of electric vs. gas powered commercial fryers. There are specific benefits to choose electric fryers if energy costs are feasible in your area. Gas fryers tend to spread heat throughout the kitchen more than electric fryers which could effect your air conditioning bills in warmer weather. Also, gas equipment requires more experienced service technicians. If you do not intend to use one of our Pitco certified service partners, you run a higher risk of incorrectly setting gas pressure, an incorrect gas mix, and other installation issues.

The benefits of gas powered equipment can most certainly be seen in both rebates and historical energy costs in many areas. Gas equipment certainly has a stronger market hold over electric equipment, however the balance is starting to tip.

Location, Location, Location

After you choose your power source, now you have to determine where the fryer or fryers will go. Not only are there many options of 14″ and 18″ fryer banks to choose from, the Solstice and Solstice Supreme fryer series allow you to mix and match fryer pots to suit your space to optimize production capacity and fryer recovery times.

Not only are the multiple floor fryer options great to mix and match, don’t forget about countertop fryers! Countertop fryers are versatile and allow for storage space beneath the frying area for refrigerated or frozen bases to hold fried food menu items for efficient throughput. Also, countertop fryers allow kitchens to set aside specific areas for true vegetarian or gluten-free menu offerings.

Balancing Production Capacity and Energy Savings

The key differentiator between the various Solstice and Solstice Supreme fryer models is the varying production capacities and energy savings each fryer offers. If you need help gauging your production needs,our experts are here to help. If you understand how much food is pumping out of your fry station then customize the fry banks by mixing and matching fry pots for your needs. If you pump out fries, wings, or any other singular menu item consistently during business hours, invest in one fryer dedicated to that menu item. Then, add on a fry pot for additional menu items for other appetizers or entrees. If you have multiple appetizers that you fry up regularly with different cook times, look for models that end in “T” for split tank fryers. Focus on cook times with capacity in mind, longer cook times will require more capacity.

Now that you have determined the sizes you need, the final step is understanding fryer recovery times. Fryers that are pumping out fried menu items at all hours are going to need better recovery times so you want to focus on the models that have stronger energy needs so look to the fryers that end in “X” or “R” in the name.

Ready to compare and contrast the fryers that could suit your needs? Let us give you a free side by side comparison to see how much you can save with the right fryer choices.