This Instant™ Vortex® Plus has a ton of useful features, but top of the list has to be the ClearCook window. The see-through window works with a perfectly placed light inside so you can check on cooking progress without opening the basket. The EvenCrisp™ air flow technology delivers crispy, tender results every time with 95% less oil. 6 cooking programs give you one-touch access to easy recipes, but let you customize for yourself. And because the cooking basket and cooking trays are non-stick and dishwasher safe, clean-up is a snap.
Air Fryers
Instant Vortex Plus 6QT ClearCook Air Fryer, Clear Windows, Custom Program Options, 6-in-1 Functions, Crisps, Broils, Roasts, Dehydrates, Bakes, Reheats, from the Makers of Instant Pot, Black
$4.50
| Asin | B096N3FTZP |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4.92"D x 11.81"W x 12.99"H |
| Weight | 11.4 Pounds |
| Manufacturer | Instant Pot |
Mr. Bargea –
This was recommended by a friend and I’m very pleased with the air fryer as it’s so versatile. I find myself using it for many recipes and reheating tasks. I like that it’s large enough to hold a whole chicken (4-5lbs).
The first several uses, there was a very strong burning plastic smell. Thankfully it went it away after 3-4 cook cycles.
My only gripe with this fryer is that the removable basket is not at all stable and won’t sit flat when removed from the fryer. This is potentially dangerous as often it is required to use both hands with utensils to flip food over in the middle of the cooking while everything is quite hot and the basket is prone to wobble and slide away while your hands are busy. I had a close call and the basket almost slid off my counter while I was turning over chicken. The basket had a good amount of hot oil—I don’t even want to think about what could have happened had it actually dropped. I’m probably going to make a heat-resistant basket stand or holder, but it would be great if the manufacturer provided one.
AlejoB –
I got this Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven to replace an old air fryer oven that was in bad shape. With the old air fryer we could never get the crispiness and finish that friends told us they could get with their air fryers. After researching several brands/models we decided to get this one and it is a totally different game. It has enough capacity for our needs (6-qt) and allows many different modes of cooking and time settings that make your options endless. Very powerful, cooks fast and food can end up with the term and crispiness you want. When using the air fryer option we just spray the food with little oil and voila, perfect. It will beep to let you know that you can turn the food so you get it well cooked al around.
The basket and grille are very easy to clean and has a grille that allows air to pass under the food for a great cooking finish. to minimize cleaning we use paper liners of low profile silicone trays that can be discarded or put inside the dishwasher after cooking.
You can watch how your food is progressing as you can see through the basket when the light is on.
This air fryer came to change our lives, highly recommended.
CB –
Count me among those that were skeptical about AirFyers. Why would I need one of those? I already have a very nice convection oven. My aversion to ‘yet-another-appliance’ partially was because my dad has a house full of NuWaves, sous vide, and other QVC type gadgets. Yes, he even has an AirFyer. While they cooked some amazing fries, I didn’t want my kitchen overrun with half-baked appliances like his (pun intended).
I eventually came around because I was watching a cooking YouTuber make some meals that actually looked decent as opposed to the gimmicky QVC demos. I originally tried the InstantPot AirFryer lid. Again trying to avoid the dad-house appliance hoarding clutter, I thought it would be great to have it consolidated with the InstantPot (which is an appliance I love and adore). I tried cooking fries, but wasn’t impressed with the results. My 6 quart InstantPot seemed too deep for the lid, and I didn’t have enough cooking surface.
I realized I just needed to pay a little bit more than the AirFryer Lid to get a purpose build AirFyer, so I returned the lid. Searching around the reviews, I settled on this Instant Vortex ClearCook model. The Food Network and America’s Test Kitchen reviews were fantastic. I really liked the window feature to see the food cooking.
The first thing I tried was cooking fries, which came out fantastic this time. Crispy on the outside, hot and tender inside. I was right about the larger surface area from the purpose build AirFyer than the InstantPot AirFyer lid. It’s important to cook in a single layer, and the wider surface area allowed enough spacing for two servings of fries.
Then I tried making beef jerky, which was again easy and fantastic. I love cooking and recipes, and I could see there was a lot for me to experiment with.
Being a convert, I realized there were some advantages to an AirFyer that I was missing from my earlier skepticism:
– I don’t have a large family to feed; it’s just my husband and me.
– AirFyer is perfect for cooking single-serving portions for two people.
– It heats FAST. It took about 2-3 minutes for a 400F preheat. My convection oven takes almost 15-20 minutes to preheat to 400F.
– Less radiant heat than the oven, so should be fine for summer use.
– I love to cook, but not a fan of dishes. This is super easy to clean.
I am really impressed with this Instant Vortex model. It cooks great, and I really like the clear window. I like being able to see the browning without opening the basket and letting out heat. With energy prices going up, it seems an advantage to have the smaller appliance and less cooking time.
If there is a downside, I am not a fan of the knob dial. I would much rather have push buttons to adjust temperature and time, but this is just a preference. The other thing I am wondering about is if the clear view window will get covered in grease or fog up over time. I’ll do my best to keep it clean, and we’ll see how it ages.
The Instant Pot Pressure cooker is an appliance that I adore, and is an appliance that has been well worth the space in my cabinets. I’m convinced that the Instant Vortex will do the same for my household. I can’t wait to try new recipes! This has given me new inspirations for my cooking!
kevin m seiders –
I already have loved my Instant Pot Pressure cookers but now I love my new addition to the Instant Pot family. The 6 quart with the light and look in glass make it convenient to keep an eye on cooking progress without opening the unit. Easy to use heats and cooks fast and evenly. ** Side note: For best results make everything as dry as possible when using air fryer. Pat chicken wings dry for crispier results. I even let frozen items thaw so as to get the moisture content down. This saves time space and gives great results.
Mike Rowe –
Much quieter than our last one! We like the preheat phase, and the multiple cooking modes. Easy to clean, easy to use, and has a lot of capacity relative to shelf space.
Kennel Keeper –
I used my sisters once at her house and thought it was pretty good so I just bought one of my own. GREAT PRICE. Great for roasting chops etc. Easy to clean. Has a little rack that sits SLIGHTLY ELEVATED on the bottom of it that’s I don’t know what it’s made out of it but it has a little ring in the center of it that you can pick it up with when it comes time to remove it literally just sit in your sink wash it out dry it and put it right back into the air fryer. As with any new electric stove product, there’s a learning curve for the temperatures/ times for items that you put in. If you like to use those tiny little keto tortillas to make little pizzas with keep an eye on them they burn in under 3 minutes on air fry and I think I had them at like 380. I’ve owned many tiny convection and toaster ovens and this is the smallest space taking one with the biggest amount of usable space. Beyond simplistic cleanup I would say hands down that this one is the easiest one I’ve ever owned. Everything is a touch screen and one little knob and it has a great light and you can just hit the word light on the touch screen panel which faces upward towards your face for easy viewing and no need to constantly stoop to see what’s on the front of it. Give it a whirl and see what you think.
Diane H –
I’ve been using this for over 7 months now and decided I need to write a review to say–it’s a winner! It is just such a smart design. Easy to set or adjust when needed. Easy to clean. It cooks, it reheats, broils and bakes. The favorite at my house is bbq chicken wings but I’ve also baked a banana loaf, and I reheat my pasta with an added layer of cheese to crisp over it! So useful, my daughter wants to take one to college. My only caution is be watchful when using paper liners that they are weighted down properly by the food.
Gerald G. Vath –
My original air fryer was small and lacked the technological sophistication newer ones have.
This one is probably as good as it gets!
It has a large functional basket, touch sensitive controls, and lots of options.
Two issues:
The tray at the bottom of the basket isn’t affixed in any way, so if you dump the contents from the basket (such as french fries) you’ll need to use a pair of tongs of other kitchen utensil to hold the basket in.
Also, it often trips my 20 AMP GFI circuit breaker when I pull the basket out which gets annoying as the panel in the basement. The breaker is more than 25 years old and they do eventually “wear out” so a new breaker may end the problem.
These two issues aside, I highly recommend this air fryer.
The Guy –
A new update. Although I’m still not crazy about the shiny black, easily scratched, surface I am very happy with the fryer otherwise. The fan rattle went away and the thing works like a charm. I have had no issues at all after initial break-in. Cooks great, I love it, and I believe you will as well.
Update. After using it a couple of days I have increased the rating to 3 stars. The fan still rattles now and then, usually only when hot now. I have updated because the thing cooks fantastic. I dont really notice much difference in cook time really, maybe a couple minutes plus a few more due to a shorter preheat time, but it just seems easier and I dont have to heat up the kitchen. Clean up is a breeze and unlike my old old fryer, no choking cloud of smoke.
original post:
I was told, “Buy a Ninja”, I bought the Instant Pot instead. My life story… Number one, the fan rattles. Seems to get a little better after heating up but still rattles. Very strong plastic odor. I finally heated some vinegar in it which did seem to help with that. I thought it had filters. I discovered after the fact that there are 2 models of the same unit. One with & one without. This one is without. The shiny black top is a disaster waiting to happen. Fingerprints, and pretty much everything else, is drawn to it like a magnet and it is impossible to clean without leaving streaks. Wiping it with a paper towel scratched it. Wiped it with a new damp paper towel and scratched it more. Rubbed the scratch with my finger and scratched it even more. Thinking it had filters I ordered I ordered spare filters for it. When I received the unit and discovered it had no filters I tried to cancel the filters but could not. Fortunately, I am always home and I was able to refuse them on delivery. I would have packed it back up and shipped it back but the woman of the house had already broken up and discarded the packaging, per my agreement. My bad, again. I haven’t cooked anything yet, other than a cup of vinegar, so I cannot comment on that, but, I don’t have very high expectations. I just tried running it again and the fan isnt rattling now so, IDK, maybe it’s a “thing” they do. I guess time will tell. If it dies before the return window closes I’ll pack it up and ship it back and request a refund.
PJ –
Tried a multi-function toaster oven air fry combo, it was not good for air frying. Almost gave up on trying air fryers but saw an America’s Test Kitchen review on air fryers and this one came out on top. I took a chance on it and have been impressed by the food I’ve made. Frozen fries came out very crisp, it didn’t take long to preheat and it was fairly simple to use. The only small annoyance is remembering that the timer is odd. When setting times, the last number looks like it might be the seconds, but it’s the minutes. So if your timer says 00:05 that’s 5 minutes, not 5 seconds. Once I got that straight, the rest has been good. Looking forward to trying more recipes. That was the other minor disappointment, it does not come with a cookbook at all, you have to purchase one separately. But all in all, I highly recommend the product.