Instant Pot Air Fryer Review

Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid

The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie

• Adds air frying to your Instant Pot

• Can cost as much as an Instant Pot

• Not compatible with all models

• Small fryer basket

If youre looking for an air fryer option without adding a bulky new appliance to your counter, the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid may be just what you need.

Different Types Of Air Fryers

There are a few different types of air fryer to choose from, but all of them work in a similar way. You can choose between two main types:

Drawer air fryers have inserts with handles that can be easily lifted out of the cooking unit and shaken up to evenly cook your fries or chicken without having to turn using a spatula.

They are a very popular design because they often have an insert that elevates your food to allow air to circulate inside the air fryer basket as it cooks. You can sometimes even lift this filter out of the main basket, which contains oil and juices as they drip away from your food, to make sure none of it ends up on your plate.

Mini oven air fryers are the second and less common type. We feature many of them in our guide to toaster ovens, because they come with layered designs that can be used to bake and roast as well as air fry.

Some even come with rotisserie functions that can be used to cook kebabs or whole chickens, but because they don’t have a drawer that can be easily pulled out, they can be more fiddly to operate.

Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer

The Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker and Air Fryer is one of the newest air fryers we’ve tested. While it looks different and is somewhat larger than most air fryers on the market, it’s worth making room for on your counter. The 12-in-1 appliance not only air fries well and quickly, but it works similarly to a multicooker , and can be used to sear, sauté, bake, roast, broil, steam, slow cook, proof, cook sous vide and even dehydrate. It can also steam and bake/air fry at the same for the juiciest and most flavorful results.

One of the most impressive things it can do is cook quick one-pot meals by cooking the base like pasta, rice or quinoa on the bottom of the square basket and the toppings like chicken, shrimp or meatballs on the top level. It doesn’t require any additional accessories, just the included perforated tray, which is used for air frying and steaming in the lower position and crisping/broiling in the upper position. The tray and six-quart basket are ceramic coated, like the other Ninja air fryers, and they’re easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. We found the Speedi simple to program and liked the clear control panel, and the user guide is loaded with helpful instructions, tips and colorful recipes.

Also Check: How Do You Cook Pork Chops In An Instant Pot

Features: No Programs Lots Of Cooking

While other models of Instant Pots have multiple program buttons for things like rice or poultry, this cooker eliminated them in favor of cooking mode buttons. For pressure cooking, the buttons are Pressure Cook, Sauté, Slow Cook, Steam, and Sous Vide. For air frying, the buttons are Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, and De-Hydrate. Universal controls for temperature and time use + and buttons, and along the bottom of the controls are Delay Start, Cancel, Start, and Keep Warm.

Aside from the peculiar spelling of “dehydrate,” I like the cooking options on this model over cooking programs for specific foods. Brown rice and white rice dont cook the same, and chicken breasts arent the same as thighs, so Id rather set the time and temperature myself. Still, some cooks might miss the ease of pressing a single button to make stew.

Setting Up The Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer

This model is relatively lightweight and arrived preassembled. Its main panel is touchscreen, so when off, the unit is minimalistic on first appearance.

Two manuals came with the air fryer, one about safety and warranty and the other about getting started.There are two 3.8L capacity baskets. At roughly 40cm across, it’s not the largest air fryer we’ve tested and also wasn’t particularly tall. Its hot air vents were at the back rather than the top, which meant we needed to bring it forward on the countertop, too.

Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 8 Quart

Review: Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven By Instant Pot

Vortex plus air fryer review: Our air fryer reviews and tests are REAL. We put them to the test, cook with them and share our honest opinions. Many other review sites dont actually own or test the products and only write generic reviews with commission links. We share our original photos and results along with an affiliate link that helps us earn a small commission to help pay for the recipe testing.

Air Fryer Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chips

These sweet potato chips looked so perfect but honestly, the texture did not match. I think I didnt leave them long enough to reach their full potential. Mine tasted dehydrated but they were not crispy like a chip.

I personally think purchasing store versions would be easier, cheaper and tastier. But I do understanding how the satisfaction of knowing what is in your foods and going into your body would be invaluable. Dehydrated cinnamon apple chips or teriyaki beef jerky would be amazing to try.

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Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Vs Regular Instant Pot Air Fryer

Instant Pot is known for its wide range of kitchen appliances. It has its line of air fryers vis-a-vis its pressure cookers and signature Instant Pots. So what exactly sets the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer 6-in-1 apart from the rest?

We believe its the usability.

Compared to other models, the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer 6-in-1 has more simple controls, making it perfect for beginners and non-tech individuals. Compared to its larger 9-in-1 air fryers, this unit is easier to operate but without sacrificing its efficiency. And this makes it truly versatile not just in terms of its built-in functions, but also in terms of who can use it with no issues.

Instant Vortex Plus 6

Instant Pots Vortex air fryer offers five functions alongside air frying, but is it worth the money? Read our review to find our verdict.

Pros

• Dishwasher-safe cooking tray, very quiet during use, looks great on the countertop

Cons

• More recipe guidance on its box than in the instruction manual, shows fingerprints easily

Read Also: User Manual For Instant Pot

How Does It Work

Like all air fryers, the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer 6-in-1 uses super-hot air to cook your favorite food. The super-hot air is being circulated across the frying basket to make sure that each side of the food is cooked thoroughly. So even without submerging it in boiling cooking oil, you will get that crisp exterior and flavorful interior making it the healthier choice.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp And Air Fryer Review: Ease Of Use And Cleaning

If youre a beginner to the world of Instant Pots, its worthwhile reading the manual to get you familiar with the settings. Once youre used to it, its straightforward to navigate. Program buttons are well-laid out and easy to use, while the Air Fryer options are placed together so they are easier to find. Just remember to exchange the lids for the correct function or else they wont work. In any case, it does have a clever feature to warn you. If you press an air fryer program, Lid will appear on the display to indicate that you basically have the wrong lid on. Once you press your chosen program, the rest should be easy, and like most standard Instant Pots, it automatically sets to Keep Warm after the cooking process.

A couple of downsides are the stainless steel inner pot isnt non-stick, and the air fryer basket and grill takes longer to clean from the oil residue .

However, the inner pot is dishwasher safe to save you on scrubbing time, and the grill can be soaked in warm, soapy water. Besides that, both lids and the outer pot are easy to clean with a damp cloth.

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How Easy Is It To Clean

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp, with all of its bells and whistles, has a number of parts that require cleaning. This machine boasts a stainless steel inner pot, making it a candidate for washing by hand or using the dishwasher. Because I didn’t have to worry about a nonstick surface, I was free to use an abrasive sponge if necessary. After just one use, the pot did not have quite the same luster and shine, but I felt it was quite easy to clean, much like the rest of my stainless steel cookware.

The air fryer basket, however, required a bit more care because of its nonstick coating. It did clean up with some effort, but using an abrasive would be a mistake here. There were bits of food stuck to the basket, so letting it soak with some hot water and dish soap certainly loosened them. Alternatively, you can try cleaning it in the dishwasher. I will say that this fryer basket was not as easy to clean as the Cosori fryer basket that I recently tested, but it was manageable.

The air fryer lid should never be submerged in water, so cleanup requires a bit more care. The heating coil is coated in a non-stick surface which makes most of the cleanup quite simple with a damp kitchen towel or sponge. The outside of the lid cleans up well with a kitchen spray.

What’s Included + How It Works

The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid comes with a stainless-steel basket that fits inside the Instant Pots inner pot, a base for the basket, a tray that fits inside of the basket that is used for broiling and dehydrating, and a protective pad/storage cover. The lid fits most six-quart Instant Pot models. The first thing I noticed when I took the Air Fryer Lid out of the box was the power cord. It has a shield around it that prevents you from plugging in the Air Fryer Lid and Instant Pot at the same time you dont use both power cords at once. So, when youre using the Air Fryer Lid, the Instant Pot base is just a vessel and not an appliance the lid does all the work.

Read Also: How Long To Cook Meatloaf In Instant Pot

Main Features And Specs

Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Air Fryer Oven, 10-Quart

• Compact Design with stainless-steel front
• Easy-to-navigate touchscreen panel up top with 14 simple touch controls
• Customize the time and temperature to cook manually
• Assembled Product Weight 6.6 lbs
• Assembled Product Dimensions 14.17 x 13.86 x 14.96 Inches
• Multi-Use Programmable Air Fryer with Rotisserie mid-size air fryer oven, 10Qt capacity
• 7 Built-In Smart Programs Air Fry, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate, Preset Smart Programs with an option to Rotate for Rotisserie-style cooking
• Accessories included Drip pan, 2 cooking trays, rotisserie spit and forks, rotisserie basket, rotisserie fetch tool
• Rotate Function Cook a rotisserie-style chicken up to 4 lbs, and enjoy juicy, tender, flavorful results with a beautiful crispy skin
• Removable door for an easy cleanup
• 10 Quart capacity can fit both cooking trays at once so you can cook for up to about 6 people
• Power: 1500 Watts

Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Pros & Cons

Pros

• You can use it on several 6 quart Instant Pot
• It has 6 different pre-set programs
• It is easy to use and clean
• You can store it away when not in use
• Its very popular, so you gonna find a wide range of recipes.

Cons

• It is a bit on the heavy side
• That beeping sound can be annoying
• You must handle it with extra care because of the extreme heat
• Does not fit 8-quart pressure cookers
• Does not fit 4-quart or pressure cookers

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Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer Review: The Best Of Both Worlds For Healthy Eating

Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer review: this is THE Instant Pot you should buy

Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer is part of an arguably too big family of Instant Pots, however in our opinion Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer combines the best balance of price, size, and features out of any of the Instant Pot range. So yes, it IS the one you should buy

• Air fryer addition makes it far more versatile

• +

  8 quart model is practical without being outright huge

• If you don’t want an air fryer, move on

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Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer review in a sentence: adding an air fryer to the usual Instant Pot smart pressure cooker is a genius move.

In today’s world, it would seem impossible that there are those who don’t know much about the Instant Pot brand of multi-cookers. The only problem Instant Pot has left for consumers with its product is deciding which is the best Instant Pot out of the dozens of versions it puts out.

The Sous Vide Function

The sous vide function has been another big win for me! Ive wanted a sous vide for a long time, but wasnt sure Id 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. Id read negative reviews on the function because of this, so I wasnt sure how well it would work. Im happy to say Ive been pleasantly surprised! The sous vide function has absolutely changed my steak and pork cooking game, and Im excited to give it a try with delicate proteins like fish as well.

Also Check: How Long To Cook Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot

Instant Pot Duo Crisp And Air Fryer Review: Price And Availability

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer is available in two sizes: the 6-quart model is $149 and the 8-quart model costs $199. Its widely available at online retailers and often on sale below the list price on Amazon.

Its no surprise that this is one of Instant Pots top-end pressure cookers, so you can expect to pay a premium. However, if youre looking for a more affordable option the Instant Pot Duo Nova 7-in-1 Cooker can do everything apart from air fry and starts from a reasonable $99.99 depending on the size.

Whats The Difference Between A Convection Oven And An Air Fryer

In principle, they are the same: hot air that is blown around in a chamber to create even heating. Convection is the natural rise and fall of heat thats caused by uneven temperatures. Most household ovens have heating elements, which is that coil of wire on the top and bottom of the oven chamber .

The current is converted into slow, even, radiating heat. This heat rises, and the fan in the back of the convection oven will blow the air around for temperature consistency. However, the air fryers generated heat is pulled up with the fan, so there is no direct heat source on the food. Its dispersed on the outside of the chamber and then ascends from the open bottom to heat from all around making it gentler processes for the food.

Because air fryers have smaller chambers and higher speed air circulation than a convection oven, it takes less time than a traditional convection oven to bake/fry foods. Recipes that say foods need to be heated for 10 minutes may only require 6 minutes in an air fryer.

See more Go Wise USA: Convection Oven vs. Air Fryer

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