Multiple Appliances In One
This was the biggest sell for me, as I live in an apartment and don’t have a huge amount of storage space. I’m a bit of a kitchen appliance junkie, so I’ve had my eye on an air fryer for a long time but couldn’t justify the space it would take up, especially since I already own a toaster oven that can produce pretty similar results. The fact that the Duo Crisp combines multiple appliances into one is a huge plus for me!
Our Pick: Philips Twin Turbostar Airfryer Xxl $300
Yes, this machine is expensive, but its worth the price tag. For starters, it holds up to three pounds of food . And it crisps up foods better than other machines weve tested especially sweet potatoes and butternut squash fries. If you want something thats more budget-friendly, the Dash Compact Air Fryer is cheap and compact and comes in catchy colors like red and aqua.
Which One Is Cheaper
The acquisition price is pretty much the same, and it varies depending on the type of accessories and features. However, there are differences when it comes to power consumption and how often you plan on using each of these appliances.
For instance, I think that most users will have the Instant Pot on more often than theyll use the air fryer, which may lead to more power being consumed by this product. Regardless, both help you reduce the time spent in the kitchen, which is a fantastic way to stay productive for longer.
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The Sous Vide Function
The sous vide function has been another big win for me! I’ve wanted a sous vide for a long time, but wasn’t sure I’d use it enough to justify the cost. Essentially, a sous vide allows you to cook a protein to a precise temperature throughout. You know how the end of a large steak is always more done than the center? The sous vide takes care of that problem.
You simply vacuum seal your food , place it in the pot, and let it cook for a few hours. The result? Perfectly-cooked protein that is tender, and the same temperature throughout. You can then give your protein a quick sear to give it a crispy, caramelized crust. I love that searing only takes a minute or two because it prevents me from smoking up my apartment.
A few versions of the Instant Pot have the sous vide function, but instead of circulating water like a traditional sous vide, the Instant Pot simply keeps the water bath at a constant temperature no circulation involved. I’d read negative reviews on the function because of this, so I wasn’t sure how well it would work. I’m happy to say I’ve been pleasantly surprised! The sous vide function has absolutely changed my steak and pork cooking game, and I’m excited to give it a try with delicate proteins like fish as well.
Using Instant Pot Air Fryer
Does an Instant Pot air fryer lid work?
There are 2 choices and yes they do work. Are they as good as a separate device? In my opinion they arent but are a good starting point if you arent sure whether you want to buy another appliance.
Can you add air fryer lid to Instant Pot?
Yes, IP makes their own version but the first one on the market was the CrispLid which I have and explain to you in depth in this post. You can use it on your 6 quart Crockpot Express or Mealthy pots too.
How do I use my Instant Pot air fryer lid?
Ill explain in depth here but its quite simple. Put food in basket, place lid on, set temperature and time and turn on. The glass lid is helpful to stop it once it reaches the crispy brown texture you want.
Let me share my thoughts on this CrispLid with you after making some air fryer pork chops this afternoon.
This is NOT just for the Instant Pot either! It fits on Crock Pot Express and Mealthy 6 and 8 quart pressure cookers too!!
This is what it looks like when you get yours!
Since it is so new you can pre order your Instant Crisp lid here and it will be sent out at the end of June. I wanted to share my thoughts with you before then though so you can see just how it works, and see whether Id recommend it after my trials.
Watch this video on how I used it to make a whole chicken!
- I will tell you that I have been waiting for something like this for years!!
NOW you can do it all in one pot!!
This is what the Mealthy Crisplid air fryer lid comes with:
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Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer Review
Love Instant Pot? Love Air Fryers? Youll Adore This Combo.
When the Instant Pot first graced store shelves back in 2010, it quickly became the favorite kitchen appliance of fervent foodies. Instant Pot continued to grow as a company, releasing the most advanced pressure cooker of its time the Instant Pot Max in 2012.
The Instant Pot and its various iterations have surpassed the trust slow cooker as Americas most beloved kitchen appliance, and the company continues to push out innovative new concepts and designs.
In 2019, Instant Pot released a long-awaited pressure cooker and air fryer combo the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp Highlights
Is The Mealthy Crisplid A Good Alternative
I recommend the Instant Pot air fryer lid over the Mealthy Crisp lid, mainly because the lid serves more as a broiler than an air fryer because it doesn’t circulate air a well as the Instant Pot lid. This means your food will take a little longer to cook. Plus, I feel it’s best to stick with appliances made by the same manufacturer. However, the Mealthy Crisp Lid does fit 8-quart Instant Pots, so this is a great choice if you have a pot you already love and want to upgrade!
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Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Chicken wings fit a little better than chicken legs in the air fryer. I cooked them at 400 F; for about 15-22 minutes. I used 2 trays with 3 wings breaded and 3 wings not breaded to see what the difference would be. Again, I had to rotate the trays and flip each wing.
I liked the non-breaded version better and it browned faster. The breaded version took longer to get the right coloring and it was extremely messy. There was flour everywhere and in the door hinges from flipping them with the tongs. I tried to use a silicon matt to shield the door but still didnt help because the door was already greasy from the cooking process. I used fresh poultry for this test run. I think using frozen and small wings would make this go a lot smoother and time-efficient.;
What We Dont Like
Used for either air frying or pressure cooking individually, the Duo Crisp does nothing exceptional. As an air fryer, it has a lot of the same shortcomings as the standalone air fryers weve tested. The fryer basket, although larger than some weve tested, is still cramped, which makes it difficult to cook food evenly. We found that the basket couldnt handle more than about 12 ounces of chicken tenderswhen we made a larger, 16-ounce batch, the results were slightly mushy in the middle. We were able to cook 1½ pounds of frozen fries in the Duo Crisp but had to toss them more often than Instant Pot suggests. And the resulting fries were classic air fryer quality: dryish on the outside, with mostly fluffy interiors. For more evenly cooked, crispier results, we prefer cooking finger foods in a toaster oven or regular oven.
As a pressure cooker, the Duo Crisp lacks a lot of the preprogrammed settings that make the Instant Pot Duo or Ultra so convenient to use. You cant simply press a button to cook rice, for example, or stewinstead you have to look up the correct time and pressure setting and program it manually. The Duo Crisp also doesnt have a setting for making yogurt, which is admittedly a bit niche but something that some people love about their Instant Pot.
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Can You Deep Fry In An Instant Pot
There seems to be no end of recipes and cooking options that you can explore when looking at an Instant Pot. However, even the best pieces of equipment have their limits. While there are so-called Instant Pot professionals that may try to convince you otherwise, the answer to your question can you deep fry in an Instant Pot? is a sad no. But the story doesnt end there!
Why cant you deep fry in an Instant Pot?
Since you use this handy cooker to do everything from lasagna to yogurt, it only makes sense to assume that there is a way to deep fry in an Instant Pot.; However, deep-frying is a specific way of preparing food that cant be done just anywhere. It requires prolonged periods in excessive amounts of boiling oil, and it also requires a lot of care and attention as its cooking. An Instant Pot is not designed for boiling oil or maintenance and attention once a recipe starts .
No matter how high you put the temperature in your Instant Pot, you will not be able to get grease and oil to the temperature to effectively deep fry your potatoes, chicken, etc. More than likely, you will end up burning your food and could very likely set your pot on fire or even cause it to explode. While an Instant Pot is great for high-temperature cooking, it doesnt have the same protective measures that a deep fryer would to reduce the risk of fire or explosion.
An Instant Pot will still make great chicken!
Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 8
The Instant Pot® that air fries!
The Instant Pot® Duo Crisp + Air Fryer is fast, versatile, and convenient, with 2 innovative, removable lids to help you to cook and crisp your favorite meals all in one pot. All it takes is cook, switch, crisp!
- 11-in-1 pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, air fryer, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator
- 2 convenient, removable lids to transform your Instant Pot into an air fryer
- 11 customizable programs for quick one-touch meals
- Innovative auto-sealing pressure cooking lid with a button for easy, stress-free venting
- Stainless-steel inner pot with tri-ply bottom for perfect sautéing
- EvenCrisp air flow gives you the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil
- Customizable temperature range of 105°F to 400°F for Air Frying Lid
- Cook up to 8 portions, perfect for families, meal prep, and big batch cooking
- Bring it to potlucks, parties, events and more
- Up to 70% faster and more energy efficient than other cooking methods
- Dishwasher-safe pressure cooking lid and inner pot for quick and easy clean-up
- 10+ proven safety features, including Overheat Protection and safe locking lid
- Accessories include a multi-functional stainless-steel rack, multi-level air fryer basket with base and broil/dehydrating tray, and a protective pad and storage cover
- BPA/PFOA/PTFE-free cooking
- 1500 watts, 120 V~ 60 Hz, UL & ULC Listed
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Compatibility: Not All Models
The fryer lid is compatible with the 6-quart Lux, Duo, Duo Plus, Viva, Nova Plus, Ultra, and Duo Nova models, including those models that come in different colors.
It is not compatible with the Smart WiFi 60, Duo Evo Plus 6, Duo Evo Plus 60, Duo SV 60, or Max 60. It also is not compatible with 3-quart or 8-quart Instant Pots or with electric pressure cookers made by other companies. In addition, it should only be used with stainless steel inner pots, and not with ceramic nonstick coated inner pots.;
Instant Pot Air Fryer Chicken Legs
I was not conservative with my choice of chicken parts or the amount. Again, learn from me and be moderate in your portions. I
air-fried at ;400 F; for 30 minutes with 2 tiers of trays that held 3 chicken legs each. I found that they were too big to put on the top ledge because they would touch the heating element. And placing two trays at the same time meant the bottom tray was squished. You need to rotate the bottom and top trays as well as flip each of the food items.
Regardless of the trials and errors, the actual taste and texture of the chicken were very tender and good. I made a ginger soy sauce honey marinade which looked burnt when it was done but it didnt taste burnt.
Halfway through the cooking time, there was a beep to indicate when to flip the food so that both sides would evenly crisp. I can see how this will be helpful once you get comfortable using the machine. But I was standing there watching it like watching paint dry or water boil.
It is really important to use long tongsto flip food items. You dont want to take any chances of dropping the food or burning yourself. There was a lot of grease left on the aluminum foil. Im extremely glad I put the foil to make clean up less of a headache later.
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Note: Air Frying Does Not Guarantee A Healthful Diet
There has been a lot of talk about how air fryers are revolutionizing peoples diets. While 100 grams of fried and battered chicken breast contains 13.2 g of fat, compared to just 0.39 g of fat in an oven-roasted chicken breast, you reasonably see how that can be a sound conclusion.
You are using just 1 tablespoon of cooking oil rather than multiple cups, producing similar results as deep fryer with a fraction of the fat and calories.;This lowering oil intake can be beneficial for a persons health dealing with heart disease and inflammation. However, it is not guaranteed that air-fried chicken is more healthful than roasted, grilled, slow-cooked, or pan-seared chicken.
Just replacing all deep-fried foods with air-fried foods in no way guarantees a healthful diet. People should focus on a diet filled with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. Maintaining a variety of foods and cooking methods will help people obtain a more healthful diet.
Air Fryer Sausage Balls
This time I tested out the baking function instead at 350 F for 10 min for super easy, party-friendly, 3-ingredient sausage balls. Its shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ground sausage and a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.
The air fryer was 5 minutes faster than baking in a traditional oven, with better, even coloring. The oven always has one flat dark side no matter if you rotate or turn them.
One great advantage of baking in this machine instead of the traditional big oven is keeping that heat all contained. Thats the main reason the Instant Pot is so wonderful on hot summer days. So this air fryer follows the same standard of cutting energy cost and heat. I can also see this as a nice addition when your kitchen oven is already cooking other dishes for dinner, you need to bake a cake. Just bake the cake in the air fryer. Its more gentle on baked desserts anyway.
Recommended Reading: How Long To Cook Fresh Chicken Tenders In Instant Pot
This Cool Pressure Cooker Lid Turns Your Instant Pot Into An Air Fryer
Gotta love a 2-in-1 product.
There are so many kitchen gadgets that you can invest your money in, but its always nice when you get something that can make an appliance you already own even better. Well, now theres a new lid you can add to your Instant Pot that can transform it into an air fryer.
Its called the Mealthy CrispLid, and its currently $60 on . With this lid , you can air fry or broil foods in your pressure cookers pot.
Its not just a lid youre getting. The Mealthy CrispLid also comes with a fryer basket, raised trivet, stainless steel tongs, a heat-resistant silicone mat, and recipe book, so you can start creating all kinds of air-fried foods ASAP.
The lid fits 6- and 8-quart pressure cookers, and it has a transparent glass lid, so you can keep an eye on your food while it cooks. Another perk: All of the lids accessories are dishwasher-safe, so cleanup is easy.
To use the lid, just snap it in place and then program it to air fry, broil, or crisp your dish. Then, sit back and watch the magic happen.
The Mealthy CrispLid has scored some pretty great reviews on Amazon, with the words perfect and amazing being thrown around a lot. Dreams do come true! one reviewer wrote. I had been comparing air fryers for a while, but couldnt justify bringing another appliance into my 800 sq apartment. The Crisplid fits the bill and more!
If you’ve been looking for a way to make your Instant Pot next-level amazing, this is definitely worth considering.
An Honest Air Fryer Review: The Pros And The Cons Of Using An Air Fryer
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I really wanted to love my air fryer. After talking to a few experts who raved about them I decided to give one a try. I figured even if I wasnt ambitious enough to make chicken parmesan or kebabs, air-frying up some veggies regularly would be a tasty way to get myself to eat more of them.
But before I got going on some veggies, I needed some protein for lunch, so I tried this coconut shrimp recipe from Ben Mims, author of “Air Fryer Every Day: 75 Recipes to Fry, Roast, and Bake Using Your Air Fryer”. They came out great crispy and golden with a nice, coconutty crunch.
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