LPG deep fryer
for a food trailer.
The fryer is where the gas-versus-electric argument gets settled on almost every Irish food trailer, and the arithmetic is not close. An LPG fryer does the same job as an electric one without touching your electrical budget at all — which on a trailer is the whole ballgame.
The numbers
- Thermal output
- 6–14 kW (LPG) Heat output, not electrical draw — this does not go into a generator calculation
- Footprint
- Single tank ~300–400mm wide · twin tank ~600–800mm
- New (indicative)
- €600 – €3,500
- Used (indicative)
- €200 – €1,200
- Checked
- 2026-08-01
Power figures are ranges across models commonly sold into the Irish trailer trade — read the rating plate on the actual unit before you build a load budget on them. Prices are indicative guidance bands, not quotes, and no supplier is named or implied.
Why gas wins on a trailer
A single-tank electric fryer draws 2.8–3.5 kW, which is most or all of a 13A supply for one appliance. An LPG fryer of equivalent capacity is rated 6–14 kW THERMAL — that is heat output from burning gas, not electrical draw, and it costs you nothing from the generator. This is why Irish food trailers are overwhelmingly LPG for cooking and electric only for cold and coffee. Never add a gas kW figure into an electrical load budget; they are different units doing different jobs.
RGI certification is not optional
Any LPG installation in a commercial food trailer must be installed and certified by a Registered Gas Installer, and the certificate is annual. Festivals check it at gate-in and no certificate means no trade — there is no discretion on this. You will also need a Notification of Gas Works for a new or altered installation. Budget for the annual re-cert as a running cost, not a one-off.
Fire safety around a fryer
A fryer changes your extinguisher requirement. A 6-litre wet chemical extinguisher is the correct type for cooking oil and a CO₂ or foam unit is not a substitute — putting water or foam into burning oil makes it dramatically worse. You also need a fire blanket within reach of the fryer, and a plan for safe oil disposal. Waste cooking oil is a regulated waste stream, not something to pour away.
Questions
Should I use a gas or electric fryer in a food trailer?
Gas, in almost every case. An electric fryer draws 2.8–3.5 kW, which is most of a 13A supply for a single appliance. An LPG fryer does the same job on gas and costs nothing from your electrical budget — which is why Irish trailers are overwhelmingly LPG for heat and electric only for cold and coffee.
Do I need an RGI certificate for a trailer fryer?
Yes. Any LPG installation in a commercial food trailer must be installed and certified by a Registered Gas Installer, and the certificate is annual. Festivals check it at gate-in and no certificate means no trade.
What fire extinguisher do I need for a fryer?
A 6-litre wet chemical extinguisher, which is the correct type for cooking oil. CO₂ and foam are not substitutes — water or foam into burning oil makes the fire dramatically worse. Keep a fire blanket within reach of the fryer as well.