Once the cooking time had passed, we had crunchy, evenly browned fries that were soft and fluffy inside. The air fryer has a capacity of 5.7 litres / 6 quarts, which Instant says is sufficient for six portions. It’s a versatile appliance, too, offering the ability to roast, bake, grill, dehydrate and reheat food, as well as air fry. Note, too, that this Instant air fryer is quieter in use than its predecessor, measuring just 51.7db on our decibel meter – which is equivalent to the gentle hum of a refrigerator. The ClearCook window lets you check on the cooking progress of food, without having to open the frying drawer, which would affect the stability of the temperature in the cavity. However, just like the instant pot duo nova Plus, we found that this model’s crisper plate falls out easily if the frying basket is tipped up too much.
It’s annoying, and makes this air fryer unsuitable for those who prefer to tip the basket, rather than use tongs, to remove food after cooking. Since the capacity of the latest Vortex Plus is 5.7 litres / 6 quarts, we plumped for our usual 450g / 1lb batch of steak-cut fries, rather than reducing it as we did to account for the smaller frying basket of the dual-drawer model. We selected the Air Fry cooking mode but raised the default instant pot duo nova temperature from 196ºC / 385ºF to 204ºC / 400ºF, setting the cooking duration to 15 minutes. The results were crisp and evenly browned fries on the outside, with soft and fluffy potato on the inside. PTFE, PFA and FEP are all fluoropolymers that create a non-stick surface on the food-contact surface of cookware and bakeware products. Although inert solids, PTFE, PFA and FEP are classified as PFAS substances and must be disclosed.
The air fryer has a total capacity of 5.7 litres / 6 quarts, and comes with a dishwasher-safe frying basket and crisper plate. The front of the basket features a built-in plastic window, which, along with a light in the cooking cavity, ensures you can see how cooking is progressing. Coupled with a light in the cooking cavity, it means you can easily keep an eye on food without having to open the drawer and interrupt the cooking cycle. The Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer required less oil than any other air fryer we’ve tested on the market, using just 2tsp for a 450g / 1lb batch of homemade fries and none for chicken wings or frozen foods. It’s ideal if you’re looking to keep your calorie consumption as low as possible.
However, this model is the first from Instant to feature OdourErase technology, which uses built-in filters in the air fryer to noticeably reduce the smells emitted during cooking. Instead, you’ll need to go online or use the Instant app for your smartphone or tablet for inspiration. There are also no cooking charts or guides, which means that some experimentation with regards to the ideal cooking temperature and time will be necessary. This is especially true when cooking frozen foods, to ensure you can cook them to your liking.
At its maximum temperature, the air fryer can cook for up to one hour. It’s also possible to adjust the cooking temperature in one-degree increments, compared to the three-degree increments offered by the Instant Vortex Plus. Instant has only been on the air fryer scene for a few years, launching its first hot-air cooking appliance in 2019, having gained cult status with its multi-cooker, the Instant Pot. However, in that short time, the brand has proven itself to offer some of the best air fryers you can buy right now. We followed a recipe from the Instant app, coating the potato batons in 2tsp of oil before air-frying them for 20 minutes at a temperature of 191ºC / 376ºF.