Feathers on birds, including chickens, are not edible and are typically removed through plucking. Anyone who has performed or completed the task is aware of how tedious it can be to remove each feather from the chicken’s skin. Although you can pluck a whole chicken at home if you’re patient enough, doing so for industrial use or in poultry farms will be difficult and time- and energy-consuming.
As a result, the most advanced method of making this plucking out task easier is what we call a “chicken scalder.” It’s a technique that involves immersing the chicken in hot water and exposing the feathers to steam to make the defeathering process easier.
Even for use at home, it offers a chance to relax the hands. There are many options on the market when it comes to the best chicken scalder, but we’ll go over the top five to see how helpful they can be!
Reviews of Best Poultry Scalders
It will be challenging to evenly pluck the chickens without scalding them. With such boring work, you can put your trust in these amazing chicken scalders. After the scalding, the warm water will loosen the feathers and allow you to do the unpleasant task without stress.
1. Turkey Fryer by Stromberg’s PP836 Scalder
The first one is called Turkey Fryer by Stromberg’s Scalder, and it is an amazing combination of a fryer and a chicken scalder. It can be a very reliable choice that is simple to use and performs excellently for scalding a chicken; just make sure to take all reasonable steps when frying anything in it.
The first question that arises is, aside from regular poultry, does it have enough room for large turkeys? Absolutely! There is no need to worry about that because the pot is 30 quarts, 15 inches long, and can hold 20 to 25 lbs of chicken.
To ensure a strong flame and even cooking, it includes an effective 54,000 BTU burner and a wind guard. Because it is a professional propane chicken scalder, the heating will be performed using propane and a hose.
Additionally, it has hand grips, which we found to be lacking in the majority of standard scalders, to ensure greater flexibility while cooking or scalding. That’s an advantage, so.
Speaking of the construction, it is a robust tool made of aluminum for increased durability. There is no doubt that the steel base scalder will provide you with satisfactory service!
In addition to these, you will also receive a thermometer to measure the water’s temperature, a chicken rack, an injector, and lift hooks, completing the set.
Pros
- 30 quarts in size, with a good capacity.
- Quick heating with accurate temperature readings.
- A sturdy construction made of steel.
- Wind Guard is provided for outdoor use.
- Includes a regulator that can be adjusted.
Cons
- Lacks a safety timer; requires constant attention.
2. VEVOR Stainless Steel Poultry Machine
VEVOR has released another high-end model of an amazing combination of a chicken scalder and a chicken plucker. It outperforms all others in terms of capacity, with the ability to process three or four chickens at a time.
What is more likely to convince you to use this tool is the fact that you can not only scald your chicken with it but also that additional plucking will be performed, leaving you with a processed fresh chicken with no feathers at all.
It will only take a few seconds to separate the feathers once they have been properly scalded. To get accurate results from plucking, it is preferable to work on one at a time.
It’s also possible to get the device clogged with dirt and feathers because you would just scald the chicken and proceed with the plucking process, but don’t worry—it comes with its own cleaning procedure. Additionally, it has a water pipe attached to it so that you can use a hose to rinse it and remove any dirt.
To make the body extremely durable, premium stainless steel was used throughout. Additionally, the structure has given it advantages against corrosion and rust, as well as water resistance.
Pros
- Comes with two handles and four transportable wheels for better portability.
- Simple Cleaning techniques.
- Superior Durability.
- Cost-efficient goods.
Cons
- Cleaning is necessary from time to time to prevent clogging.
3. Barton Deluxe 30 QT Aluminum Turkey Deep Fryer
When it comes to providing you with user-friendly tools and assisting you in making the best use of them, Barton offers a wide variety. One example is this turkey fryer, which is also a combination seafood boiler that can be used to scald chicken. Isn’t that incredible?
Those who enjoy cooking and eating outdoors should consider this excellent option. The entire set includes a solid 37,000 BTU gas cooker, a burner, and a sizable 30-quart. It is perfect for cooking meals for a large family and has enough capacity to scald a whole chicken at once.
It also includes a controller, a thermometer, a hanger, and other accessories. Another advantage is that you don’t have to hold the chicken legs while scalding them, risking burning your hands.
Additionally, a chicken rack is included, so you can keep the bird in place while you scald it properly and make sure you don’t miss a spot. It is attached with a lifting hook so you can remove the bird quickly without running the risk of burning your hand.
Pros
- Creative and innovative construction for easy use.
- There is less chance of temperature tampering.
- High-pressure burner for perfect results.
- Iron-built to ensure durability.
- Adjustable legs to transport anywhere with ease.
Cons
- Since there is no auto-timer, constant attention is required.
4. Creole Feast SBK0601 60 Qt. Seafood Boiling Kit
This one, the Creole Feast steamer, is more of a boiler that allows you to partake in boiled seafood parties while also excelling as a poultry scalder. With this wonder device, you can boil practically anything, including vegetables and scalding a whole chicken.
It’s a powerful machine that can produce up to 1500W of power and operates on voltage measurements of 110 to 120V per 60 Hz, making it the best 120V chicken scalder for domestic use.
It’s unique in every way, such as producing up to 100,000 BTUs from a single potent jet burner, which heats up quickly to reach the precise temperature required to scald a chicken. The electric one-button ignition system also prevents high heat, and this also eliminates the possibility of temperature mismatching.
Additionally, the long hose will keep the gas chamber at a safe distance from you while the regulator lets you control the gas flow and protect it from high pressure.
Overall, it has a sturdy aluminum construction that is well welded, and it has a built-in cleaning system in case you don’t want to deal with dirty water. The built-in simple and direct drainage system will remove the used water, making disposal simple.
Pros
- Adds additional sturdiness and strength.
- A Functional Lid is available to assist.
- Welded steel, hard frame structures.
- Easy to clean up.
Cons
- You can only use it for scalding and boiling purposes; frying is not supported.
5. Rite Farm Products 5 in-1 Propane PRO Scalder
This five-in-one chicken scalder from Rite Farm won’t fall short if you’re looking for a good chicken scalder. It has a solid reputation for serving as the most effective and useful tool for scalding poultry. Since it is a propane chicken scalder, there won’t be any stress if the electricity goes out while a chicken feast is in progress!
As needed, you can scale the temperature measurements using the fully adjustable propane dial. A regulator is also included to help you connect the scalder to the gas tank using the large hose. It’s not an auto chicken scalder, so the temperatures won’t be maintained automatically. However, since the heat is being manually controlled by the regulator, it is important to keep an eye on it at all times.
Speaking of capacity, the pot has a 42-quart capacity, which allows for the simultaneous preparation of two chickens and the precise preparation of one turkey at a time.
You don’t need to question its effectiveness because it can raise the temperature to 145 degrees in a matter of minutes and make those stubborn feathers loosen so that you can easily pluck them out.
Additionally, if necessary, you can use it to scald other foods like fish, vegetables, shellfish, or anything else that is convenient! It can also be used as a turkey fryer, but its best use is as a chicken scalder.
Pros
- Incredibly adaptable for household use.
- No electricity is needed to operate the scalder.
- Has an excellent capacity.
- Solid aluminum construction.
Cons
- Comes without a reference manual for instructions.
Selecting the Best Poultry Scalder
So, some of the detailed chicken scalder reviews have already been noted for you. Now, it’s time to think about what else should be your top consideration when purchasing a great chicken scalder/commercial chicken scalder besides purchasing for the most affordable price. Here are the three things you should make sure of to get a high-quality product that will change the game for you.
Performance
What’s the point of buying a pricey chicken scalder if it can’t make feather plucking easy enough for you so that you don’t have to exert as much effort as before? You won’t be happy if the scalder isn’t doing its job correctly, and you won’t be able to stop the annoying plucking task.
Even though you might not have the opportunity to test the product on a whole chicken before buying one, there are other ways to gauge its efficacy. For instance, see how long it takes the scalder to heat the water; if it takes too long, it is inadequate.
Make sure the water is at the proper temperature for the feathers to become sufficiently loose to be removed with a gentle pluck. The pores in the feathers won’t open up properly to make defeathering easy and will be useless if the chicken cannot be heated sufficiently.
To properly loosen the feathers, a temperature of around 140 to 150 degrees may be required. Make sure the item in which you are investing your money can be heated to the desired temperature.
Utilization Ease
Any tool you purchase must be simple to operate or simple to use. These wonderful products won’t always work wonders for you if you don’t feel comfortable using them. The entire purpose of using a scalder is to make your work easier, so having incredible portability and ease of use must be taken for granted.
To begin, decide whether you prefer an electric chicken scalder or a propane chicken scalder. Both have pluses and minuses, choose one depending on your needs. Second, select a less complex function so that you can easily operate it. Most of them will come with detailed instructions, so don’t worry too much about it.
Thirdly, to make it easier for you to move or handle the scalder and reduce the risk of unfortunate incidents, try to buy one with a grip handle. Trust me, you will thank me later for this advice!
Don’t forget about the product’s capacity and workload either; it needs to be the right size so that it can serve you best. Not to mention, the pot or floor used to place the chicken in the scalder must be sufficient to fit larger turkeys and must cover the entire body without missing a spot.
Moreover, choose smart design over low-cost products because the benefit will be all yours in the end, so why think otherwise? Some scalder designs are incredibly fascinating, such as a rotary scalder for chickens that can optimize the task even more and is widely used in industrial poultry farms.
You can find some of the best scalders for weighing chicken too, for more practical uses.
It will evenly scald the chicken as well as weigh it for you at the same time. This feature can be very useful for measuring chicken in an industrial poultry factory.
Durability
If necessary, you can consider a moderate-quality product or reduce the time it takes the scalder to complete its task, but you should never skimp on the durability of these items.
The chicken scalder needs to be a sturdy product, which is why the majority of the ones we’ve seen so far are made of aluminum or stainless steel with excellent rust and corrosion resistance. Some even have premium resistances such as water resistance and others. As a result, it’s expected that they will remain in operation for a long time without performance degradation and offer a high-quality service.
For Your Concern: Do You Have to Scald Chickens Before Using a Plucker?
You see, the whole point of finishing the scalding is to make the plucking out session as simple, hassle-free, and brief as possible. To make the next process easier, the scalding is done before the chickens are plucked. After dipping it in the hot water, you’ll be able to see how amazing the outcome is.
To use a plucker, which is also possible with modern technology, you must first undergo scalding.
How Do You Scald a Chicken?
We are already aware of the significance of scalding. Unless you want to subject yourself to the pain of defeathering a chicken without scalding it first, you must complete this part of poultry processing.
In other words, if we don’t do it correctly, some of us might end up with unfortunate outcomes like having a pinfeather cooked with our meat. But before that happens, let’s look at the benefits of and best practices for the scalding process.
Starting with the most fundamental traditional method of scalding a chicken; we already know that the entire procedure is done to make plucking the feathers easier. Therefore, a large pot, a thermometer, and a burner powerful enough to raise the water’s temperature to 140 to 150 degrees are required.
You can’t get the temperature exactly right; it can be slightly higher or lower, but it must be high enough to open those pores and loosen the feathers. There is only one struggle, and that is to keep the water hot because it cools quickly.
Once the water is hot, you must carefully lower the chicken into the water while holding it by the legs. To make sure the water reaches every feather, you can move it around, swirl it, and dip it several times. Some believe that scalding entails butchering the chicken first and then boiling it whole for plucking. But that’s not true at all.
That is how scalding chicken works in general, and to make this process easier, we already have a tool. We now have the best chicken scalders after adding up every step we have listed for cutting-edge technology to perform the scalding procedure for industrial, commercial, or even domestic use. It can help you manage each step easily and reduce your time, labor, and effort all at once.
Final Notes
So, that’s all we’ve got to highlight the best chicken scalders based on their best aspects. If you’re looking for a good chicken scalder that will meet your needs while also making poultry processing easier for you, you can rely on any of these without hesitation. While there are many famous chicken scalders on the marketplace currently, few provide the same set of features as those we have recommended here. I hope it helps you make a decision as well!