Instant Pot 6qt Vortex Air Fryer

How Does The Instant Vortex 6

In my tests to find the best air fryer, the Instant Vortex performed similarly to the best overall winner, the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL, but its slightly less versatile since it has fewer functions. Like the Ninja, it produced crispy yet tender chicken and golden brown french fries. In fact, it even holds slightly more food than the Ninja. The four preset optionsair fry, bake, roast, and reheatall performed perfectly. It is wider and heavier than the Ninja, which means it takes up more space on the countertop and is slightly less portable. It narrowly missed being ranked as best, but I found that the added versatility of the Ninjas seven functions, the sleeker design, and the larger temperature range makes it superior. In terms of dedicated air frying ability, I prefer these basket-style fryers to the other winner in the listthe Breville Joule Oven Prowhich didnt yield quite as crispy results when frying.

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 6

Fast and flavorful with a crisp you can count on.

The Instant Vortex® Plus is sleek, fast, versatile, and convenient, perfect for the modern family on the go. With EvenCrisp technology for crispy, tender results every time whip up all your favorite finger foods with less oil and no mess.

• 6-in-1 so you can air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat or dehydrate
• 6 customizable programs for one-touch lemon chicken, stuffed peppers, cinnamon buns and more
• Adjustable temperature ranges from 95 to 400 °F
• Easy to use touchscreen displays each stage of cooking
• Little to no preheating time, from frozen to golden in minutes
• Non-stick air fryer basket fits a 2 lb. bag of fries or a 4 lb. chicken
• EvenCrisp air flow for the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil
• Cook up to 6 portions: perfect for perfect for growing families, side dishes, and meal prep
• Countertop-friendly design fits any size kitchen
• Stainless-steel accents for a perfect combination of function and style
• Built-in safety features like Overheat Protection, auto-off and more
• 1700 watts, 120 V~ 60 Hz, ETL Certified

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What About The Vortex Plus

While its very similar to the 4-in-1 air fryer, the standout feature in the Vortex Plus is the dehydrator. If youre looking for a reliable air fryer that can also produce perfectly dried fruits and veggies, the Vortex Plus is for you. Just like the 4-in-1, the Vortex Plus has a roomy, 6-quart basket with a nonstick coating for easy cleanup. Equipped with pre-programmed settings and a temperature-controlling dial, the interface is also super user-friendly. The only downside to this model is the broiler function, which is pre-set to 400 degrees F and for two minutes and didnt perform well for us in testing.

The Interface Is Very User

Remember the first time you used an Instant Pot? Yeah, this sort of like that, but turned down a notch or two. The Instant Vortex has four pre-programmed settings to air fry, bake, roast and reheat similar to the Instant Pot’s seven settings. The caveat here is the Vortex only has eight buttons, four of which are those programs, plus Start, Cancel, Time and Temp. The dial in the center of the screen easily allows you to adjust the temperature in 5-degree intervals and the text is large and easy to read. Even if you’re someone who hates reading manuals, we have a feeling you’ll be able to figure this one out.

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Big Enough To Feed Busy Families

With a large cooking basket and easy-to-understand controls, this is the perfect air fryer for busy families looking to streamline weeknight meals. The basket can fit up to two pounds of fries or even a 4-pound whole chicken. Its always important not to overcrowd a fryer, so the added space helps keep foods separate, ensuring consistent air flow throughout. Though the Instant Vortex takes up slightly more space on the countertop than some of the other models I tested, its a convenient gadget for anyone looking for a dedicated, functional air fryer.

Though the Instant Vortex has fewer functions than some of the other products I tested, I found that the simplified functionality can actually be a positive for many novice home cooks. Many competing products boast a ton of extra features that actually perform the same task, and I like that this product keeps it simple. Air fry, roast, bake, and reheat are enough to cover necessary cooking tasks in the average home kitchen.

How I Tested The Best Air Fryers

To test the Instant Vortex, I considered factors like portability, versatility, and overall performance. To judge portability, I first assessed the size and weight of the air fryer and the length of the cord . I looked at how simple and straightforward the machine is to assemble without instructions, and also considered how easy the control panel was to read and use.

I cooked three commonly air-fried foods in the Instant Vortex: fries, wings and cookies.

Laura Denby

The best air fryer should be able to cook crisp, evenly-fried foods, as well as bake, roast, and more. To test versatility and overall performance, I cooked three commonly air-fried foods: chicken wings, french fries, and chocolate chip cookies. To maintain consistency, I cooked each food at the same temperature for the same amount of time in each machine. I then observed how evenly each food was cooked and how golden, burnt, or underdone the color looked. I also took note of how easy it was to remove the basket and shake foods. After each recipe test I cleaned each machine by hand, and noted how easy each air fryer was to care for.

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Should You Buy The Instant Vortex Plus 6

So, should you buy the Instant Vortex Plus 6 Quart 6-in 1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase? The name may seem unnecessarily long, but it does hold true. Not only were we able to easily look into the cooking chamber as our food cooked, but we also were free from the majority of cooking odors as we tested the air fryer.

Whats more, despite its somewhat low upper temperature limit, the cooking results in this air fryer definitely scored full marks for consistency and great taste. We also enjoyed the reminder to shake your food halfway through cooking, and the sleek control panel which is a lot more stylish than many air fryers on the market.

There are a couple of downsides: first, it cant go through the dishwasher, and second, you will have to keep a stock of replacement filters. If you are not concerned with the OdorErase element of the air fryer, we suggest trying the Instant Vortex Plus 6-quart ClearCook Air Fryer , which is pretty much the same apart from its lack of OdorErase technology.

What Can I Cook In The Instant Vortex 6

This air fryer is perfect for cooking any fried foods that would otherwise go in the deep fryer. Thanks to the dedicated reheat function, its a great way to bring soggy leftovers back to life, by giving them a crunchy, crispy exterior. Its large enough to fit an entire chicken, so its an easy way to cook an entire dinner. Thanks to the nonstick surface, this air fryer is ideal for baking, too.

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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.

Simple Straightforward And Easy To Use

The Instant Vortexhas an incredibly intuitive control panel that made it one of the easiest to use in my tests. The buttons are simple and straightforward, and the machine conveniently beeps when its done preheating, and beeps again midway through the cooking process when its time to shake or flip food, which I found to be a helpful feature thats unique to this machine. You can easily remove the basket from the machine, and a built-in light lets you see whats happening inside the oven without opening the drawer. I found the built-in light to be a helpful feature in the Instant Vortex, and in the Breville oven. Other fryerslike the Cosori, Dash, and Philipslacked this handy light and were a little harder to use.

The Instant Vortex has a basket that’s easy to remove so you can flip foods to get them extra … crispy.

Laura Denby

Thanks to the super-slick nonstick coating on the Instant Vortexs basket, its very easy to clean. Food easily wipes away . This air fryer also has a few extra bells and whistles that helped it stand out from the rest. It has built-in safety features like overheat protection and an auto-off sensor that powers the oven down when not in use. The Instant Vortex has a 1-year limited warranty and replacement parts can be purchased separately.

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Can You Put Aluminum Foil In An Air Fryer

They use hot air instead of actual microwaves to create heat, so putting foil in an air fryer doesnt cause the same alarming spark show. Thats because air fryers work by circulating hot air, which originates at the bottom of the fryer. Lining it with foil can constrict the air flow and your food wont cook properly.

What Makes Instant Vortex Plus 6 Quart Air Fryer Better Than Its Competitors

The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer now boasts a progress indicator. While the indicator isnt the most accurate, its still a handy feature. For instance, instead of waiting blindly on how long the preheat will be, you can simply refer to the indicator.

Moreover, it now has a slanted design for the control panel .

Heres why thats an excellent feature:

When using your phone, its not straight-ly perpendicular to the ground. Theres usually an angle to see the screen clearly, right?

Thats the same idea as the new design . In short, with the Instant Vortex 6 in 1, you no longer have to crouch just to select a program!

Heres the best part:

This machine highlights a ClearCook. In a nutshell, its a glass panel , so you can see inside, just like a regular oven. In other words, you dont have to pull the basket and unknowingly let the hot air out and cold air in.

Simply put, youll have a better cooking experience and results.

Anyway, heres the birds eye view of the updates:

Last but not the least, it features an OdorEase technology or in simple terms an air filter. Sadly, this feature introduces an extra step of replacing the filter.

But wait, let me tell you something:

Luckily, you dont have to replace the filter often. Of course, the advantage outweighs that con by a lot. Thanks to the OdorEase technology, your whole house wont smell bad, especially when making pungent recipes.

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About This Review And The Reviewer

Millie Fender is our Editor for all things small appliances at Homes & Gardens. She spends a lot of time testing everything from toasters to air fryers in her own apartment and recommending the very best ones to readers.

Millie put this air fryer to the test for a number of weeks to make fries, bacon, and roasted vegetables. She will keep this review updated with any thoughts on how it compares to other models on the market.

Instant Vortex Plus Vs Instant Vortex Plus 6

Two top-of-the-range fryers fight it out

Treats such as fries and chicken wings are delicious, but as theyre usually deep-fried in gallons of oil, theyre unsuitable for those looking to keep their calorie consumption down.

This is where an air fryer can help. It uses hot air to crisp and evenly brown foods to create much healthier versions of your favorite fried foods. Instant, the brand behind the Instant Pot multi-cooker, is now one of the biggest names in the air fryer market, and its Instant Vortex Plus model previously topped our list of the best air fryers.

Now the brand has unveiled a new and improved version, the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdourEase, which builds on the air fryer with the inclusion of a window in the frying basket, a light in the cooking cavity and a filter to remove smells and has superseded the standard Vortex Plus at the top of our listings.

Unsurprisingly, with more features, its more expensive than its predecessor too. With both air fryers still available, will spending $30 / £30 more on the list price of this handy kitchen gadget really make a difference when it comes to creating crisp crunchy fries?

We pitted the two Instant Vortex Plus air fryers head-to-head by cooking up both homemade and frozen fries, along with chicken wings to find out, to help you choose the right appliance for your kitchen.

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Customer Ratings By Feature

• This item: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10 Quart Air Fryer, Rotisserie and Convection Oven, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate and Warm, 1500W, Stainless Steel and Black$189.99Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.Get it by Tuesday, Jul 26
• In Stock.Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
• Sold by Lotteli Inc. and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.Get it by Tuesday, Jul 26

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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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Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 In 1 Air Fryer Oven Review: Design

The Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven is a big black box, measuring 11.5 x 13 x 12.8 inches, that will require quite a bit of countertop space. However it is not terribly heavy at 12.1 pounds, so its easy to move to a cabinet or closet if you dont plan to keep it on display. It has a handle that protrudes for removing a single cooking basket. The control panel features large buttons that are clearly marked and a dial for controlling the setting, temperature and time. When youre not using it, the control pad blacks out so it doesnt appear obtrusive.

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