BurnerThe gas burner; it heats the pot from below.
StandA metal frame on legs; the pot rests on it.
Propane tankA steel cylinder of propane gas, the fuel for the burner.
RegulatorThe control at the tank; its knob sets the flame.
HoseIt carries gas from the regulator to the burner.
Air shutterA plate that sets how much air mixes with the gas.
ThermometerA dial on a long probe; it reads the oil temperature.
Fill lineA mark on the pot; the oil goes no higher.
Drain valveA tap near the bottom for draining the oil.
What goes with the pot 4
LidThe cover of the pot.
BasketA bucket with holes and a bail; it holds smaller food.
Poultry rackA plate with a tall wire loop; the turkey stands on it.
Lifting hookA handle with a hook; it lifts the rack or the basket.
An electric deep fryer 7
Body (housing)The outer case; the oil tank sits inside it.
Oil tankA metal box that holds the oil; it lifts out.
Viewing windowA clear panel in the lid for looking in.
Control panelIt holds the dial and the light; the element hangs from it.
Temperature controlA dial that sets how hot the oil gets.
Heating elementA looped rod that sits in the oil and heats it.
Cord (detachable)The power cord; it pulls away from the fryer if tugged.
How this list was compiled: Every name checked on 2026-10-01, a name kept only where two independent sources use it. Four makers' owner's manuals for propane turkey fryers, read in the Internet Archive's copies (https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7009596, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7212528, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5915288, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5686648), each maker counted as one source; three makers' manuals for electric deep fryers (https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-628331, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7370598, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7449892); Wikipedia, Turkey fryer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_fryer) and Deep fryer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_fryer), one source. This page is not connected with or endorsed by any maker. Hints and detail lines are in our own words. Names only: the page gives no instructions for cooking, lighting or repair. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-10-01 from plain geometry; a schematic of no maker's product, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The parts of a turkey fryer are a gas burner on a stand, a tall pot, and the rack and hook that lower the bird in. Three drawings: the propane set, the pot's fittings and an electric deep fryer.
Read the full guide
The propane set and its pot
A propane tank feeds the burner through a regulator and a hose. The regulator is the round control at the tank. The air shutter is a plate at the end of the burner tube. The pot rests on the stand above the burner, with a fill line, a clip-on thermometer and sometimes a drain valve. The poultry rack is a plate with a tall wire loop, which the lifting hook catches. A basket with a bail holds smaller food.
An electric deep fryer
The parts of a fryer that plugs in are different: an oil tank lifts out of the body, and a heating element hangs from the control panel into the oil.
Questions and answers
What is the rack in a turkey fryer called?
Makers call it a poultry rack, a turkey stand or a poultry holder. It is a round plate with a wire rod bent into a tall loop. The lifting hook catches the top of the loop.
What does the regulator on a turkey fryer do?
It is the control where the propane tank meets the hose. Turning its knob changes how much gas reaches the burner, which makes the flame larger or smaller.
What is the air shutter on a burner?
A small plate at the open end of the burner tube, where the hose goes in. Turning it changes how much air mixes with the gas.
What are the parts of an electric deep fryer?
A body, an oil tank that lifts out, a control panel with a temperature control, a heating element that sits in the oil, a lid, often with a viewing window, a basket, and a cord that pulls away.