Which has more capacity, the Hamilton Beach or the T-fal?

The Hamilton Beach, with a 4.5-liter oil capacity versus the T-fal's 3.5 liters, plus two included baskets versus the T-fal's one. For the largest single batches, the Hamilton Beach wins on raw volume.

Which is easier to clean, the Hamilton Beach or the T-fal?

The T-fal, thanks to its built-in filtration and drainage system that filters oil through a charcoal filter without manual pouring. The Hamilton Beach is fully dishwasher safe including the heating element, but oil itself is handled manually rather than through a dedicated filtration system.

Is the digital timer on the T-fal a meaningful advantage?

For precision, yes, especially for double-fry techniques where hitting exact timing between stages matters. The Hamilton Beach's manual dial works fine but requires you to track time separately.

Which is better for a household that fries 2 to 3 times a week?

The T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean, because the built-in filtration system makes oil reuse practical across multiple sessions per week, reducing both cost and cleanup time compared to replacing oil after every use.

Hamilton Beach Professional vs T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean: Which Deep Fryer Should You Buy?

The Hamilton Beach Professional 35036 (4.5L, 1800W, two baskets) and T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean (3.5L, 1700W, built-in filtration) are the two top picks under $100. This comparison covers capacity, cleanup, and who should buy each.

Both of these fryers land in the same price range and the same performance tier, so the decision comes down to what each one optimizes for.

Hamilton Beach Professional 35036 versus T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean is a genuinely close call between raw capacity and cleanup convenience.

The Hamilton Beach brings 4.5 liters of oil capacity, an 1800W element, and two included baskets. The T-fal counters with a 3.5-liter capacity, 1700W, and a built-in oil filtration system paired with a digital timer.

Testing found frying quality nearly identical at typical batch sizes for both. The real dividing line is whether you value more oil volume and a second basket, or automated oil cleanup and digital precision.

The Short Answer

Buy the Hamilton Beach 35036 if you fry large batches regularly, want two baskets for splitting foods, and don't mind handling oil disposal manually.

Buy the T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean if you fry multiple times a week and want to reuse oil without manual handling, prefer digital controls, or have a tighter counter.

Spec Comparison

Spec	Hamilton Beach 35036	T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean
Oil capacity	4.5 liters	3.5 liters
Food capacity	~2.5 to 3 lbs across two baskets	2.6 lbs
Wattage	1800W	1700W
Baskets	Two included	One
Oil filtration	No, manual	Built-in charcoal filter
Timer	Manual dial	Digital
Price	$60 to $70	$90 to $100

Where They Match

Frying quality: both produce crispy, evenly cooked results at typical home batch sizes, the wattage gap between 1700W and 1800W is minor in practice.

Viewing window: both lids include a window for monitoring color without opening the lid.

Dishwasher-safe basket: both include at least one dishwasher-safe basket for easy cleanup.

Where Hamilton Beach Wins

Oil capacity: a full liter more than the T-fal, meaningful for very large batches or entertaining.

Two baskets: genuinely useful for splitting a batch by food type or fry stage, a capability the single-basket T-fal doesn't offer.

Price: typically $20 to $30 less than the T-fal at retail.

Where T-fal Wins

Oil filtration: the built-in charcoal filtration system handles used oil automatically, extending its usable life without manual pouring or straining.

Digital precision: a digital timer and temperature display offer more exact control than the Hamilton Beach's manual dial.

Footprint: the compact stainless housing takes up less counter space than the dual-basket Hamilton Beach.

Who Should Buy Each

Hamilton Beach 35036: households frying large batches or for more than 3 people regularly, value for two baskets, budget-conscious within the under-$100 tier.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean: households frying multiple times a week who want to reuse oil, prefer digital controls, or have a tighter counter.

Hamilton Beach 35036 on Amazon

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean on Amazon

Hamilton Beach Professional vs T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean: Which Deep Fryer Should You Buy?

Hamilton Beach Professional Style Electric Deep Fryer 35036

Pros

Cons

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Deep Fryer