Gadgets like this demand some countertop space, some investment in the initial outlay of cost and in learning its nuances of use, but this model repays in the quality of components and cooking results. It would be good if the brand acted on its own advice and kept sustainability more in mind when it comes to packaging, though. The chicken legs were moist on the inside and the skin was crisp, but not overdone. We air fried chips in one basket at the same time as roasting chicken legs in the other, and didn’t feel like the scent permeated across the baskets. Two manuals came with the air fryer, one about safety and warranty and the other about getting started. At roughly 40cm across, it’s not the largest air fryer we’ve tested and also wasn’t particularly tall.
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 didn’t perform well for us in testing. These appliances aren’t just for piles of fries and chicken wings.
In terms of air fryer accessories made by Instant, there aren’t too many. From chicken nuggets in our school lunches to funnel cakes at the county fair, digging into a fried meal is a tasty endeavor. However, it’s no secret that fried foods aren’t doing any favors for your health.
The air fryer basket is non-stick meaning it’s easy to wipe down or clean with a little soap and water (never submerge the whole basket, though, only fill it/wipe it out with a cloth). This model has the same spacious interior, convenient preheating cycle, and stellar cooking ability as its predecessor. But for a bit more money, it includes a few bells and whistles that we particularly appreciated. It’s quieter than most of the other models in the lineup, and its viewing window allowed us to monitor cooking progress without losing heat. The only smells we detected were from the food we were cooking, and we found the control panel even easier to use than that of our winner.
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. Another thing which pleasantly surprised us was the noise level, which was very low for an air fryer. We recorded 64dB, which is quite low for ambient noise, and far lower than the other air fryers we were testing. Even odor-heavy foods such as bacon were not detectible in the air around the air fryer. We got very close when sniff-testing, and everyone agreed that the scents were not detectible.
Don’t forget to consider the fryer’s overall size, too—more capacity might mean that it needs more storage space when it’s not in use. Fans of multifunctional kitchen appliances will want to check out this air fryer option from Instant Pot. It comes with two lids—one for air frying and one for pressure cooking—that instant pot duo nova enable the pot to function as both an air fryer and the classic pressure cooker the brand is known for. Instant Pot has so many different models that it’s hard to remember the differences, but this one stands out from the crowd thanks to its sleek black exterior, and its handy vent/pressure toggle.
We have made many frozen foods in our Vortex® and they have all pretty much turned out perfectly. There is a Instant™ Vortex® Plus 4-quart Air Fryer which is much more comparable to the regular Ninja 4qt Air Fryer. Because it’s a “Plus” it has dehydrate and broil as standard settings. Instant™ has a number of 8-quart, 9-quart, and 10-quart Vortex® Air fryers.
On our tests, we found that the Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven performed best on brussels sprouts and frozen French fries. In fact, it was the only air fryer to score full marks for frozen French fries, needing just 15 minutes to cook. It also scored highly for breaded chicken as well, needing just 13 minutes to cook this after preheating. Thanks to the super-slick nonstick coating on the ’s basket, it’s very easy to clean.