Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Review: Functionality
While some air fryer models claim to perform a long list of functions, the Instant Vortex Plus sticks to the essentials. The appliance operates as a convection oven and a broiler. Depending on the time and temperature youâre working with, this means it can air fry, roast, bake, reheat, broil and dehydrate.
Each of these buttons on the touch screen comes pre-programed with a specific time and temperature. However, itâs easy to override these defaults to customize the appliance to match your go-to recipes. These make it easy to use the Vortex Plus to crisp up everything from frozen chicken wings to slices of French toast to leftover mac and cheese with the push of one button.
Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Review: Verdict
In my many tests of air fryers from various brands, this is one of the best-performing and most user-friendly models. The oven light and window help take much of the guesswork out of air frying in a basket-style appliance.
In addition, the six cooking functions are straightforward and easy to customize. I like that this model doesnât dominate my kitchen but isnât so compact that I have to make multiple batches of every dish. For households of four to six, you really canât go wrong with the Instant Vortex Plus.
Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Air Fryer Review: See The Magic Happen
The Instant Vortex Plus is a powerful countertop air fryer that heats quickly, evenly, and offers a glimpse at the crispy magic happening inside through a clear front window
This latest iteration of the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer is a feature-loaded appliance that operates as a small but mighty convection oven for all of your crispy cooking needs. The new Clearcook window allows you to better monitor your cooking without losing heat in the process.
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Clearcook window to monitor your food
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OdorErase filter to prevent food smells
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The basket is not dishwasher safe
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I put this newly released air fryer to the test to see how it performed, looking at the applianceâs design, functionality and performance. Most importantly, itâs ability to make a tasty yet healthy meal. Hereâs how it went.
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Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 In 1 Air Fryer Oven Review: Verdict
The Instant Vortex 6-quart Air Fryer impressed us with its great air frying results on brussel sprouts and, in particular, frozen French fries. We also loved that it could deliver these results speedily. While it doesnt have preset programs for air frying, it is exceptionally easy to use as the buttons are clear and the display isnt cluttered with icons.
However, if youre new to air frying and need the suggested settings and convenience that presets provide, you may be disappointed plus, theres no cooking guidelines in the manual so you have to visit Instant Brands website for that information.
This appliance nearly took the top spot in our air fryers test, but the Cosori Smart Wifi Air Fryer 5.8qt performed slightly better in terms of chicken wings and breaded chicken.
Sharon Franke is a journalist who specializes in testing and writing about kitchen equipment. A thirty-year veteran of the Good Housekeeping Institute, Sharon also worked as a professional chef in New York City restaurants for seven years. In her free time, she is an avid home cook who is in the process of mastering the art of baking sour dough bread.
Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6
- Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
- Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
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Getting Set Up With The Instant Vortex Plus
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in 1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase comes in a medium-size box thats well-packed to keep your air fryer safe as it ships. The packaging was not too sustainable, with styrofoam layers at the top and bottom of the fryer that cannot be recycled.
The air fryer comes with the basket in place, and the removable non-stick air fryer insert at the top of the styrofoam packaging.
There is an included instruction manual which is very thorough, and you can take a look online to find recipe suggestions from Instant Brands.
We were struck by the sleek controls on the Instant Vortex Plus, which only illuminate when the air fryer is plugged in. You can control the timings and temperature using a dial on the front of the air fryer, and pressing down on this dial will confirm your choices.
The control panel slopes towards you, which makes it well-suited to under-cabinet use. It is glossy and quite minimal when switched off, but throughout testing we did find that it marked very easily with greasy fingertips.
With this air fryer you get a removable air fryer insert grid which can be lifted and removed using a hook in the center of the grid. The drawer is not quite square, and we found it a little confusing to fit this inside the air fryer on the first use. Once we realised it needed to be turned 90 degrees, this was easy enough.
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Other Features To Note
In addition to all the standard information you can read off the website or the box, here are some other observations and features to consider that we have learned after 2 years of regular usage.
These are only things you know when you own the product and realize when youve had time to think and compare. Hopefully these additional tips help you make the right air fryer decision for you:
- The back vent expels the hot air at over 160 degrees Fahrenheit temperature so keep it away from the edge of the wall or counter to allow for safe and easy venting.
- Speaking of heat, the external body doesnt get too hot to the touch. You can touch the outside plastic casing minus the exhaust vent and its warm but not hot to the touch. It also has an auto shut off for extreme overheating which weve never had happen but good to know.
- The cord is long and sturdy never had an issue with it. Its also grounded .
- Our Vortex® still has two digital display windows that show cooking time and temperature at the same time. Newer models have one number display that alternates between time and temperature. Its not a huge deal but we like seeing both!
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Instant Vortex Plus 10
- All the flavor of deep-fried cooking, without the oil and mess. Get crispy on the outside, tender on the inside perfection every time.
- 7 built-in Smart Programs to air fry, bake, roast, toast, broil, dehydrate and rotisserie.
- One-Step EvenCrisp Technology allows you to achieve a crispy outside and tender inside. Whether you tumble-fry in the rotating basket or roast meat rotisserie style, deliciousness is guaranteed.
- Get deep-fried flavor with little to no oil for healthy and tasty versions of your favorites. Air fry, bake and roast multiple meals at once.
- With little to no preheating time, you can whip up dinner in half the time of a conventional oven, without heating up the whole kitchen. Plus, you can fit both cooking trays at once to make multiple meals in one go.
- Minimal grease means minimal mess. Sleek surface wipes clean. Plus, the drip pan, cooking trays, rotisserie basket, rotisserie spit and forks are all dishwasher safe.
Is It Easy To Clean
Generally, yes. The air fryer basket is non-stick meaning its easy to wipe down or clean with a little soap and water .
The inside of the air fryer is more difficult to clean. It has to be cooled down and with the heating element just above, were always a little hesitant to really wipe down the inside.
That said, we do wipe it from time to time. The above photo is after 2 years of cooking so its been through its paces!
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How Big Stable Sturdy And Heavy Is It
The Vortex® 6-quart air fryer is very solid on the counter. It weighs around 12 pounds making it not too heavy to move easily but heavy enough that its definitely not going anywhere if you nudge it.
Additionally, it has strong rubber feet at the corners which work great on our clean, dry kitchen counter surface.
The overall outside footprint is 12 inches x 12 inches x 13 inches tall. Its not huge on the counter yet it packs quite a bit of useable cooking space in the basket.
This is partially because the almost square design utilizes the most room inside the air fryer body.
Common Comparable Air Fryers: Vortex 6qt Vs Ninja 4qt
One of the main competitors for the Vortex® 6qt air fryer is the Ninja 4-quart Air Fryer.
We own both and have used and tested both. Well write a more detailed comparison guide including pros and cons about these two air fryers which you can read soon.
For now, weve summarized the most important points for you in a table below:
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Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Review: Design
Like other Instant air fryers, this appliance has a frying basket. Itâs controlled by a digital touch screen and a rotating dial to adjust the cooking time and temperature.
Whatâs new here is that this air fryer also has a clear window on the drawer-style basket. When the interior light is on, you get a clear and helpful view into exactly whatâs going on inside the air fryer. This window means you donât have to pull out the drawer and let out all of that hot convection air to check on your food. During cooking, depending on how full the frying basket is, you can get a pretty good view of the food inside to know when itâs time to shake, flip or stop the cooking altogether. The downside of this is that the baskets are no longer listed as dishwasher safe, suggesting that they are best cleaned by hand to avoid water and steam getting inside the glass.
The Instant Vortex Plus isnât exactly the most compact, but it wonât dominate your kitchen counter either. It has six quarts of interior room for frying, which is plenty of space to feed four to six people. You can fit an entire four-pound chicken inside this air fryer or two pounds of frozen french fries.
See The Instant Vortex Plus 6 In 1 Air Fryer In Action
Dont take my word for it, watch this short video demonstration from the brand.
The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6 in 1 Air Fryer is a fantastic 1700-watt multi-cooker with a substantial 6-quart cooking capacity. It can maintain temperatures as low as 95ºF and as high as 400ºF . Unlike its competitors, it features a see-through glass panel and lighting so the contents inside are visible without pulling the drawer.
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Pros And Cons Of The Vortex 6qt Air Fryer
In this section, well breakdown some of the most obvious pros and cons to the Vortex® 6qt air fryer. These are all based on first-hand experience after using this air fryer for 2+ years.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| +Easy to use has preset functions but can also choose cooking time and temperature for each recipe | Silicone breakdown the feet for the tray clip into the tray with little tabs and these tabs have broken down. At time of writing , the tray isnt sold separately for replacement. |
| +Easy to clean the smooth basket is easy to wipe out and the tray is relatively easy to clean | Small Tray Handle: the tray can be tough to remove and needs to be cleaned well after use |
| +Compact, yet Large its compact on the counter but large in cooking space | Capacity: might be too small for some households with lots of people and/or hungry kids. |
| +Cooks Evenly utilizes EvenCrisp air fry technology from experience its always done well. | Tray Slots: the air slots in the tray allow some food to fall through. Its not a huge deal, but a consideration. |
| +Little to No Oil this claim actually holds up. Things get crispy with little or no extra oil added. | Limited Settings: no variable fan speed nor dehydrate setting. |
Is The Instant Vortex Plus 6 Quart Air Fryer Easy To Use
Heres the deal:
Any basket drawer air fryers have top-notch usability, but not necessarily the controls. Luckily, with the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6 in 1 Air Fryer, the console is quite simple.
So, what does this mean for you?
If your primary concern is the ease of use, then the 6-Quart Instant Vortex Plus is perfect. First off, it features a touchscreen control panel with a dial, so you dont have to worry about complicated buttons.
For instance:
What do you think is easier to understand, icons or texts? While symbols make things look cleaner, it definitely isnt easy to grasp like the PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer. On the other hand, texts are more descriptive. As a result, its easier to comprehend.
My point is, youll love the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryers easy-to-use controls.
Furthermore, the cooking experience is even more straightforward with the one-touch programs. Essentially, the machine has default settings for temperature and duration. Therefore, you only need to press one button and let the air fryer do the rest.
Of course, you can also customize the programs for different and personalized recipes.
And the best part?
It features a non-stick coating, which means cleaning wont feel like a chore. Simply put, even with just running water, any food debris will likely slide right off. More importantly, its dishwasher safe!
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Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Review: Also Consider
If you want a air fryer will all of the power and smart design as the Vortex Plus thatâs better suited for a smaller kitchen, the Instant Vortex Mini is a compact two-quart air fryer with four cooking functions thatâs easier to store.
Or, for something with enough space to feed a crowd, the two-basket Ninja Foodi 10-quart DualZone Air Fryer is a spacious model that can prepare two meal components at once.
Instant Vortex Quick Overview
- 6 Quart capacity
- 4 Functions/Pre-sets: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, and Reheat
- Color and Materials: Black and stiff outer plastic casing with metallic inner components
- Basket and Tray Shape/Size: Rectangle basket shape with removable tray .
- Removeable silicone feet on the tray
- Comes with: Air Fryer, Instruction Manual, Removable Tray, Silicone tray feet.
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Instant Pot Vortex 6 Air Fryer Recipes
What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.
Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 21 instant pot vortex 6 air fryer recipes that we have shared over the years.
Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.
Instant Vortex Plus With Clearcook Review: Performance
Given the quality of the previous Instant Vortex Plus, itâs no surprise that the newest Vortex also performs well. I tested the air fryer with a variety of common recipes, including one of my favorites: good old-fashioned toast.
This air fryer can easily take the place of your toaster, and it has the added benefit of allowing you to monitor your bread as it cooks. To use the Vortex, start by plugging it in and selecting a cooking program from the digital interface. While broiling, roasting and air frying will all work for making a perfectly golden slice of toast, I prefer the air fry feature.
On this appliance, the Air Fry button defaults to 385°F for 15 minutes . I increased the temperature to the maximum, 400°F, and reduced the time to five minutes . After pressing the start button, the air fryer begins preheating. The basket needs to be firmly in place for preheating to start.
Once the fryer reaches temperature, it will beep and tell you to âadd foodâ . I placed two slices of bread into the basket, giving them enough space to allow air flow on all sides, which is no problem in this spacious basket.
The air fryer also performed well crisping up frozen vegetables and homemade potato chips. As long as the food has some breathing room in the basket, you can expect golden, crisp and hot food very quickly from this air fryer.
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