GasMax RC300E vs RC400TE vs RC500E | Frymax Fryer Compared

If you've narrowed your commercial fryer search to the GasMax Frymax RC range, the next question is which one. The RC300E, RC400TE and RC500E are three of the most popular electric tube fryers in Australian kitchens — built on the same Frymax superfast-tube heating platform but in different sizes and vat layouts. Choose the right one and you've got fast recovery, even cooking and a fryer that holds up under back-to-back service. Choose the wrong size and you'll either bottleneck on a busy lunch or pay for capacity you never use.

This guide compares the three head-to-head: when each makes sense, the trade-offs between single and twin-vat layouts, and a scenario-based decision guide to pick the right one for your venue.

What is the GasMax Frymax RC range?

The Frymax Superfast Tube Fryer range from GasMax uses an electric tube-heating element submerged directly in the oil — heat transfers fast into the oil and recovers quickly between baskets. That recovery speed is the key difference between a tube-fryer and an older infrared or band-heated unit: when you drop a basket of frozen chips into a tube-fryer, the oil temperature recovers in seconds, not minutes, which is what keeps your line moving on a busy lunch.

All three models share the same core build — heavy-gauge stainless construction, removable baskets, drain valves for oil management, and Frymax's superfast tube element. The differences are size and vat configuration.

Head-to-head: RC300E vs RC400TE vs RC500E

Note: all three are electric fryers — they need a suitable power supply but no gas connection. That's worth confirming with your venue's electrical capacity before you commit to a model.

For exact dimensions, power draw and basket capacity by model, see each product page — specs vary slightly by production batch and we always quote the current sheet on request.

Individual model breakdowns

RC300E — single-vat for cafes and smaller kitchens

The Frymax RC300E is the entry into the Frymax RC range. A single vat with the same superfast tube element as the larger models, in a compact footprint that fits cafes, breakfast venues and any kitchen where the fryer is a supporting actor rather than the lead.

Pros

• Compact footprint — fits tight cafe lines and back bars
• Same Frymax tube-element recovery as the bigger models
• Lower upfront cost than the larger RC500E
• Electric — no gas connection needed, simpler install

Cons / things to know

• Single vat means everything goes through the same oil — so a chip basket and a crumbed-fish basket share oil pool (oil flavour and life shorten faster)
• Lower total throughput than the RC500E
• Best suited to lighter fryer loads rather than a chip-heavy menu

Best for: cafes with breakfast hash browns and the occasional chip basket, sandwich bars with hot sides, small bistros where the fryer runs but isn't a main station.

RC400TE — twin-vat for multi-product fryer menus

The Frymax RC400TE is the twin-vat in the family — two independent vats side-by-side, each with its own Frymax tube element, baskets and drain. It's the answer to the most common fryer problem in casual dining: keeping clean chip oil separate from crumbed items that load up oil with food particles and shorten life.

Pros

• Two independent vats — run chips in one, crumbed/battered in the other
• Oil life improves significantly when you separate clean from dirty
• Independent recovery per vat means you can hold one at temp and rest the other between services
• Same superfast tube element per vat — both run at full speed

Cons / things to know

• Wider footprint than the RC300E or RC500E
• Two vats = two lots of oil to manage
• A bit more upfront cost than a single-vat unit

Best for: pubs and gastropubs with chips on every plate plus crumbed sides, cafes that fry both savoury (hash browns, chips) and sweet (donuts, fritters), restaurants that want chip oil to stay clean for the dish photos.

RC500E — larger single-vat for high-throughput

The Frymax RC500E is the larger single-vat in the range — same Frymax tube element, bigger oil capacity and larger basket. When your menu is chip-heavy or your venue pushes big lunch volumes through one fryer, the RC500E's extra oil mass and basket size let you run more product per cycle without the temp drop that comes with overloading a smaller unit.

Pros

• Larger oil capacity gives better temperature stability under load
• Bigger basket = more product per drop
• Same Frymax tube element — fast recovery, even cooking
• Single-vat simplicity — one oil tank to monitor and change

Cons / things to know

• Larger footprint than the RC300E
• Higher oil cost per change (more oil)
• Single-vat means no separation between chip and crumb (so plan a separate fryer if your menu needs it)

Best for: burger and chip venues, fish-and-chip shops on the smaller end, high-volume cafes where chips are the primary fried item.

Decision guide — which Frymax RC for your venue?

Use this as a starting point, then talk to our team about your specific menu and floor plan.

A few practical rules from our team:

• Always have a spare vat. If your service depends on the fryer, plan for a second one — either a second single-vat unit or step up to the RC400TE twin-vat as your single appliance.
• Twin-vat solves the oil-life problem. If you fry chips and anything crumbed in the same oil today, your oil life is half what it could be. The RC400TE pays back in oil savings within months.
• Bigger isn't always better. A larger fryer that sits half-full uses more oil per portion than a right-sized smaller one. Match the unit to the load.

Cost and value compared

Rather than per-model pricing (which moves), think about each unit's total cost of ownership over its first three years.

• The RC300E has the lowest upfront cost and lowest running cost (smaller oil change). It earns its keep on light fryer loads but bottlenecks if volume grows.
• The RC400TE costs more upfront and runs two lots of oil, but extends total oil life across the kitchen by separating clean and dirty streams. For a chip-heavy multi-product menu, the oil savings often offset the upfront difference inside a year.
• The RC500E lands between the two on upfront cost and offers the highest single-vat throughput. Best ROI on chip-heavy single-product menus.

All three are backed by our price-match guarantee — find the same model genuinely cheaper from another Australian supplier and we'll match it. Check the warranty terms for each model before you commit.

Common mistakes when choosing between the RC models

• Under-sizing for the menu. A single-vat RC300E in a chip-heavy 100-cover kitchen is a service bottleneck waiting to happen.
• Mixing chip and crumb oil in one vat. It works, but you'll change oil twice as often. The RC400TE solves it.
• Forgetting electrical supply. All three are electric units — confirm your venue's power capacity (single or three-phase as required by the model) before you commit.
• Buying twin-vat for a single-product menu. If you only fry one thing, two vats just doubles your oil-management workload.
• Skipping the canopy. Tube fryers produce grease vapour like any commercial fryer — they need a compliant exhaust canopy per AS 1668.

Financing the GasMax Frymax range

Like any commercial cooking appliance, you don't need to pay cash for an RC-series fryer. SilverChef financing lets eligible Australian operators fund commercial kitchen equipment with approvals on qualifying applications in as little as five minutes — useful when you're opening or upgrading and want to keep working capital free for stock, staff and marketing. Explore payment and finance options for the current terms.

Ready to choose your RC model?

Commercial Kitchen Appliances stocks the full GasMax Frymax RC range — RC300E, RC400TE and RC500E — and ships across Australia, with Sydney HQ in Granville and partner warehouses in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Whether you want a single-vat compact for a cafe or a twin-vat workhorse for a chip-heavy pub menu, our team helps you spec it to your service volume and electrical supply.

• 📞 Call 1300 000 927 to talk through your fryer spec — or contact us online
• 📍 Visit us: showroom at 151 Parramatta Road, Granville NSW 2142
• 💳 SilverChef finance available for eligible operators
• ✅ Price-match guaranteed on like-for-like commercial equipment

Planning the rest of your cooking line? Browse our Buying Guides hub for guides across every category.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the GasMax RC300E, RC400TE and RC500E?
The RC300E is a compact single-vat electric tube fryer for lighter loads, the RC400TE is a twin-vat unit (two independent vats side-by-side) ideal for menus that fry both chips and crumbed items, and the RC500E is a larger single-vat for high-throughput chip-heavy service. All three use Frymax's superfast tube element.

Are the GasMax RC tube fryers gas or electric?
All three RC models (RC300E, RC400TE, RC500E) are electric. They use a submerged tube element rather than gas burners, so they need a suitable power supply — confirm single or three-phase capacity for your model — but no gas connection.

What is a twin-vat fryer and why is the RC400TE worth the extra cost?
A twin-vat fryer has two independent oil pools side-by-side, each with its own element and basket. The RC400TE lets you separate chip oil from crumbed-item oil, which doubles the working life of each oil pool — for chip-heavy multi-product menus, the oil savings typically offset the upfront cost difference within a year.

Can the GasMax RC fryers handle a full restaurant service?
Yes — the RC400TE and RC500E are sized for sustained restaurant and pub service. The RC300E is best suited to cafes and lighter loads. For 100+ cover venues with chips at every cover, the RC500E (or two units side-by-side) is the safer choice.

Do I need an exhaust canopy over a Frymax tube fryer?
Yes. Like any commercial fryer, tube fryers produce grease-laden vapours and must be installed under a compliant exhaust canopy with mechanical ventilation per AS 1668. Budget the canopy with the fryer.

Can I finance the GasMax Frymax range in Australia?
Yes. SilverChef financing lets eligible operators fund commercial kitchen equipment and protect working capital, with approvals on qualifying applications in as little as five minutes.