Oil-Free Turkey Fryer vs Deep Frying: Which Is Easier? (October 2026)

On this page (7 sections)

1. Oil less turkey fryer vs deep fried: which method fits you?
2. What should you choose before buying a turkey fryer?
3. How do you set up each turkey fryer?
4. What changes during cooking and cleanup?
5. How do turkey size and cooking style affect the choice?
6. What mistakes should you avoid?
7. Which turkey fryer should you choose?

An oil-less turkey fryer skips the pot of cooking oil; deep frying cooks turkey in oil. In an oil less turkey fryer vs deep fried turkey comparison, choose based on your cooking preference, available setup, and how you feel about managing oil.

The Char-Broil Big Easy is an outdoor propane cooker for turkeys up to 16 pounds. The King Kooker package is for outdoor oil frying and includes a turkey pot and a separate fry pan.

The Masterbuilt 10 L XL is an electric option for frying, steaming, or boiling. It is specified for turkeys up to 20 pounds, but frying still requires oil.

Oil less turkey fryer vs deep fried: which method fits you?

Choose an oil-less fryer if you want turkey without a pot of cooking oil; choose deep frying if you prefer the traditional oil-cooked method. The oil-less approach reduces oil handling, while a pot fryer requires you to manage oil during setup and after cooking.

The Big Easy uses propane and TRU-Infrared cooking, with a basket for the food and a grease tray at the front. Char-Broil describes its cooking as providing even heat without flare-ups.

It also says the system produces a crispy outside. Those are the brand's claims about its cooking system, not a promise for every cook or bird.

A deep fryer submerges the turkey in oil. That method means more planning around the pot, oil temperature, and eventual oil disposal, but the King Kooker package includes a thermometer and equipment for outdoor frying.

The Masterbuilt offers another route: electric operation with fry, steam, and boil functions. It still uses oil when you select frying, so it won't suit you if your main goal is avoiding cooking oil altogether.

What should you choose before buying a turkey fryer?

Start with where you can cook, the size of your turkey, and whether oil-free cooking matters more than a traditional deep-fried result. Then compare the model's capacity, fuel or power needs, and cleanup routine.

Who should choose oil-less cooking?

The Big Easy suits a cook who wants an outdoor propane cooker but does not want to fill and drain a pot of frying oil. Its up-to-16-pound capacity fits households whose turkey stays within that limit.

Skip this option if you need an indoor appliance, prefer the taste and process of oil frying, or regularly cook birds above its stated capacity. It is also a poor fit if you cannot use a propane cooker in a location allowed by the manual.

Who should choose deep frying?

The King Kooker fits someone who wants an outdoor oil-frying setup and expects to use the included pots for more than one dish. Its package includes a 29 qt turkey pot and an 11 qt fry pan, each with a basket.

Skip it if handling hot oil, monitoring oil temperature, and dealing with used oil sound like too much work. You also need an appropriate outdoor propane location and room to set up the cooker safely.

When does the electric option make sense?

The Masterbuilt is a strong fit if you want an electric appliance that can fry, boil, and steam. Its 10.6 qt pot is specified for a turkey up to 20 pounds, giving it a higher stated turkey limit than the Big Easy.

Skip it if you want a no-oil method or need a portable outdoor propane cooker. Before buying, confirm that the manual's location and electrical requirements work in your cooking space.

For a broader comparison of these styles, see our turkey fryer buying guide. It covers electric, oil-less, and propane approaches.

How do you set up each turkey fryer?

Set up the cooker according to its manual, in a location allowed for its fuel or power source. Plan the cooking space before the day you prepare the turkey, including room to handle food and reach controls or drainage features.

The Big Easy runs on liquid propane and starts with rotary ignition. Place it outdoors as directed, check the fuel connection and cooker setup using the manual, and keep access to the basket and grease tray clear.

The King Kooker uses a propane burner. Its package includes a regulator, timer, thermometer, turkey pot, lifting rack, and hook.

Follow the manual for assembly, oil amount, flame adjustment, and temperature monitoring.

For the Masterbuilt, use a suitable electrical connection and follow the manual's location requirements. Set it on a stable surface with room to handle the basket and use the drain valve after cooking.

If you are comparing outdoor and indoor setups, our guide to propane vs electric deep fryers explains how fuel choice affects where a fryer can fit.

What changes during cooking and cleanup?

Oil-less cooking removes the need to drain and dispose of frying oil, while deep frying requires you to manage it after the meal. Both methods still need attention during setup, cooking, and cleanup.

With the Big Easy, the front-access grease tray collects drippings. Let parts cool as directed and follow Char-Broil's cleaning instructions for the tray, basket, and other components.

With the King Kooker, allow the equipment and oil to cool as instructed before handling them. The package includes a thermometer for monitoring the oil temperature, but the manual should guide safe filling, operation, and disposal.

The Masterbuilt's drain valve can help empty oil or water, and some components are dishwasher-safe. Check the manual for which parts can go in the dishwasher and how to drain the cooker safely.

Our guide explains how to dispose of fryer oil at home, and how to clean a deep fryer, basket, and lid covers routine care.

How do turkey size and cooking style affect the choice?

Choose a fryer whose stated capacity covers your usual bird, then decide whether you prefer infrared cooking or oil frying. Don't use pot volume alone to guess how large a turkey will fit.

The Big Easy is specified for turkeys up to 16 pounds. It can also cook chicken or roasts up to that weight, so it may be useful beyond holiday turkey.

The King Kooker and Masterbuilt are each described for turkeys up to 20 pounds. The King Kooker uses a 29 qt turkey pot, while the Masterbuilt has a 10.6 qt cooking pot and can also boil or steam.

A larger capacity can help with bigger birds, but it does not remove the need to follow the exact model's instructions. Check the manufacturer's limit and leave room to load and remove food safely.

For more help matching cooking capacity to your household, see what size deep fryer you need.

What mistakes should you avoid?

The biggest avoidable mistakes are choosing by capacity alone, ignoring the location requirements, and skipping the manual. Match the cooking method to your space and routine before buying.

• Don't assume an electric fryer belongs outdoors or that a propane cooker can be used inside. Follow the exact model's placement and power or fuel instructions.
• Don't exceed the stated turkey weight. A bird that is too large can make loading and cooking difficult, even if the pot looks roomy.
• Don't treat an oil fryer like an oil-less cooker. Plan for oil temperature checks, cooling, draining, and disposal.
• Don't assume oil-less means no cleanup. The Big Easy still has a grease tray and cooking parts that need care.
• Don't put every Masterbuilt component in the dishwasher. Confirm which parts are dishwasher-safe in its manual.
• Don't rush setup on cooking day. Assemble the cooker, identify its controls, and understand how food is lifted or drained before heating it.

For broader precautions around fryer placement and hot oil, review our deep fryer safety tips.

Which turkey fryer should you choose?

Choose the Big Easy if you want outdoor propane cooking without a pot of oil, the King Kooker if you want a traditional outdoor fry setup, or the Masterbuilt if electric multi-cooking suits your kitchen. For oil less turkey fryer vs deep fried, your best choice comes down to the method you want to use and the setup you can support.

Pick the Big Easy when avoiding oil handling is your priority and a 16-pound limit works for your turkey. Pick the King Kooker when you want a turkey pot plus a separate pan for outdoor frying.

Pick the Masterbuilt if you want to fry, boil, or steam with one electric cooker and its 20-pound limit covers your bird. For a closer look at the oil-less model, read our Char-Broil Big Easy review.

Frequently asked questions

Is an oil-less turkey fryer easier to clean?

An oil-less fryer avoids draining and disposing of a pot of cooking oil, which simplifies one part of cleanup. The Char-Broil Big Easy has a front-access grease tray; the Masterbuilt has a drain valve and dishwasher-safe components.

Follow each model's manual for cleaning its parts.

Does an oil-less turkey fryer taste like deep-fried turkey?

The cooking methods differ, so expect a different process and result. Char-Broil describes the Big Easy's TRU-Infrared cooking as producing a crispy outside, while a pot fryer cooks the turkey in oil.

Choose the method whose cooking style and cleanup fit your plans.

Can an electric turkey fryer cook a whole turkey?

Some electric fryers can cook a whole turkey, within their stated limits. The Masterbuilt 10 L XL is specified for turkeys up to 20 pounds.

Check the exact model's capacity and instructions, then choose a bird that fits those limits.

Can you use a propane turkey fryer indoors?

The King Kooker is an outdoor cooker. Follow its manual for placement, operation, and fuel handling, and use the cooker only in an allowed outdoor location.

Which turkey fryer is easier for a first-time cook?

The oil-less method can be a simpler fit if you want to avoid filling and draining a pot of oil. Deep frying adds oil management, and both methods require careful setup and attention.

Read the full manual before cooking, especially for placement and capacity.