Brussels sprouts were tough, fries were soft, and potatoes didn’t brown after cooking in the time and temperature recommended by the Instant Brands app. With almost every recipe I tried—while results worked well for the single-basket Vortex—we had to increase the cooking time in this machine. What simplifies this process is the ClearCook window and internal lights. Whenever we were worried about chicken overcooking or fries getting too brown, we could use the light button to illuminate the inner basket. From there, we could determine whether we wanted to take the food out early, add more time to the recipe, or just stare longingly at it until the timer beeped.
It’s perfectly nonstick for cleanup, quiet while running, and, thanks to the compact footprint, it’s easy to store. Though the settings are simpler than some advanced models, it does the trick for every classic air fryer function. Beginners and advanced cooks alike will appreciate this Ninja air fryer, and it’s a smart pick for solo cooks and apartment dwellers. Air fryers have a few possible configurations, but the two classic types of air fryers are basket-style (including single and dual baskets) and toaster oven-style (often multifunctional with tray inserts). The capabilities of both can vary, and the best air fryer results are determined by convection power (how consistently the heat rotates through) and the capacity of the basket or tray.
I cooked it at 380 for 1 hour, and it came out done, but pretty average with less than crispy skin. I’d recommend lower and slower if you’re going to cook a full chicken in the Vortex Plus, or try experimenting with a smaller bird like a guinea hen if you can find one at your local butcher. This combination air fryer dreams big and gets a lot of things right, but it’s not without its flaws, and my testing experience left me hoping Instant instant vortex will make improvements and rerelease it. The preheat and shake notifications are clear, and the window allows you to keep an eye on your food without having to remove the basket. That said, the cooking is automatically paused when the basket is removed, and an alarm sounds if you forget to close it again, which is super helpful. All the controls are intuitive and clearly marked, almost eliminating the need to refer to the manual.
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. 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. If you’re trying to choose between a VersaZone and a Dual Zone air fryer, I’d advise you to ask yourself if you’d make full use of the large cooking tray.
A larger version of the star performer Ninja 4-quart, I own this model at home and truly find great results for the basic functions we use it for. It was touch-and-go on Brussels sprouts in our tests but we can forgive it for the excellent fries, shrimp, and wings. Monica is Reviewed’s Kitchen & Cooking editor and an avid home cook; she’s been testing a wide range of kitchen products at Reviewed for two years. Previously the Digital Editor at Culture Cheese Magazine (and a former barista), she’s also had her work published in The Boston Globe, Modern Luxury, Boston Magazine, and more. The crispy chicken recipe provided with the appliance came out soggy and underwhelming. It’s a user-friendly app that allows you to search for recipes or browse according to whatever Instant appliance you have in your home.
Compared to a full-sized oven, the Vortex Pro is also a fast, convenient and energy-efficient way to reheat and re-crisp leftovers. Designed by the same people who brought you the Instant Pot®, America’s most loved cooker, the Vortex™ Pro features preset cooking programs to get you cooking moosoo air fryer right away. These Smart Programs help take the guesswork out of cooking, but can be adjusted to adapt to your cooking preferences. While the jerky’s flavor varies depending on the marinade you use, my top round jerky came out as good as what you can buy in stores and in under 4 hours.
Not only does it perform well, but the low price is extremely hard to pass up. If you’re looking for the least expensive air fryer to satisfy your occasional tater tot craving, take a look at the GoWISE USA Digital. The Instant Vortex Plus XL also offers two drawers for parties or big families, but the extra space will cost you. They weren’t inedible by any means, but they were a little drier than they should be, so while this air fryer is largely good with frozen food it isn’t exceptional with flakier foods.
The Vortex Plus takes roughly 24 minutes to cook a chicken breast, and the result is quite dry. Unlike sweet potato fries and onion rings, the Vortex Plus produces a fully cooked and crisp tater tot. With the exception of a few slightly overcooked tots, the batch is even. The Ultenic K10 is a bit more of a statement piece aesthetically and rings in a similar size and capacity to the Slim. It’s a little pricier but comes with more presets, a companion app, and other smart features. I tried the bake setting at 320ºF / 160ºC for 15 minutes, resulting in fabulously flaky pastry with a moist middle.
I’d put in a slice or two of leftover pizza, and well before the 10 minutes were up, the pizza was ready and just as tasty as when I purchased it. The Instant Vortex Plus was the best air fryer in our tests and features a window into the basket to monitor your food. At nearly $100 off, this is the lowest we’ve ever seen it priced. There aren’t presets built into the machine either, like a shortcut button for standard recipes like French fries.