Falcon Futureproofs Frying

New ENERGY-SAVING, OIL-SAVING electric fryers with a host of practical features

Falcon has futureproofed frying with its new Dominator Plus electric fryers, which cut energy use by 10% and oil use by 10% with the same great performance as the models they replace. Completely redesigned for maximum performance, easy cleaning, simple operation and enhanced reliability, they bring a host of practical features, with Falcon reliability built in for a long service life.

And for the first time on a Falcon fryer, the display shows the actual oil temperature alongside the set temperature, so chefs always know exactly what's happening in the pan.

The power requirement drops from 20 kW to 18 kW. This comes from a combination of features: flat-bar elements that improve heat transfer and quickly recover frying temperature when food goes in, and an advanced controller that holds the set temperature precisely and minimises overshoot. Rapid recovery keeps food frying above 160 °C for longer, so it absorbs less oil.

A reduced pan capacity, better suited to basket sizes, cuts oil by 10% with the same great performance, and less oil also means less energy to heat it. The new 18-litre capacity brings a further practical benefit: the 2 litres left in a standard 20-litre container can be used to top up through the week, saving staff from opening and lifting a new one. The baskets are the same as before, so operators replacing an older Falcon fryer can keep their existing baskets.

Field trials bear the savings out. Seven fryers were trialled at six sites across a range of catering operations, and on average each fryer saved one 20-litre container of oil a week: around £30 per fryer, every week. As one trial site put it: "We have three fryers on site, but when it gets busy everything goes into the Falcon one, as it's got the power, speed and capacity to cope with the busiest service periods."

"Oil is one of the biggest running costs in any kitchen that fries," says Lawrence Hughes, sales and marketing director of Falcon. "These fryers give operators lower running costs from day one, without asking them to give up anything in performance."

Safety matters with any deep fat fryer. The new Falcon models feature an electronic safety thermostat accurate to ±1 °C, making them far less prone to nuisance tripping. A trip shows on the controller, and the fryer is easy to reset using a button behind the door.

The fryers are available with two styles of control panel. The manual panel gives chefs full control, with a dial to set the temperature and a dot matrix display. The touchscreen offers 12 programmes per pan with clear, intuitive icons, showing programme, timer and temperature alongside clear warnings and explanations. It also gives staff access to the

oil check, hours run and service counter, and reminds operators when a service is due or oil needs filtering.

Both panels show the actual and set temperature, so staff can see the oil's status at a glance. Both also run at a safe 24 V DC at the user interface, reducing the risk of electric shock and making the controls unaffected by variable site voltage.

The fryers are easy to clean, too. The flat-bar element design gives quick access to all surfaces, while the pressed pan's radiused corners make for a fast wipe down with no dirt traps. Integrated lid storage behind the element box keeps things looking smart and lets the lid double as a splashback. A patent-pending fish plate diverts oil from behind the plate into the main cooking area, preventing hot spots for more consistent frying, and the drain can be unblocked without removing the plate.

Models with built-in filtration filter the oil in around 5 minutes, even during service, with a quieter process than before. On twin pan models, each pan has its own filtration system, so allergen-free or vegan oil stays separate.

The range covers single and twin pan models, with manual or touchscreen controls and the option of built-in filtration. Models fitted with the patented Falcon Angel Fryer system, which helps prevent fryer fires by cutting power if the oil level is too low, follow in the new year.