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.
It’s one of around eight air fryers in the Instant Brands range and is mid-value in price. You can expect to pay around £60 for a basic model such as the Instant Vortex, to around £219.99 for the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1. Please visit /support/register to register your new Instant Brands™ appliance. Failure to register your product will not diminish your warranty rights.
This feature is lacking on some popular air fryers we’ve tried. We found that the reminder worked particularly well when our batch of chips needed a shake. With its easy-to-read controls and the handy viewing window, we were keen to see how well the Plus could cook our frozen chips, chicken tenders and vegetables. A must-try for anyone new to the world of air frying, it seemed an obvious choice to use the Instant Vortex Plus to cook a batch of frozen chips. However, the make reheat and roast settings are welcome additions that can serve as handy features, especially on busy occasions when your regular oven may be in use.
Though the instant pot duo nova has fewer functions than some of the other products I tested, I found that the simplified functionality can actually be a positive for many novice home cooks. Many competing products boast a ton of extra features that actually perform the same task, and I like that this product keeps it simple. Air fry, roast, bake, and reheat are enough to cover necessary cooking tasks in the average home kitchen. Instant instructs you to clean the cooking basket by hand, which is a little disappointing as most air fryer baskets can go through the dishwasher. This is to prevent any water from fogging up the ClearCook window after prolonged use. The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in 1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase has a roast setting, so we used this to roast a selection of vegetables for 15 minutes at 370°F.
The Instant Vortex Slim still has a few bells and whistles that might not be necessary for all users – the touchscreen, customizable settings and dishwasher-safe components, for example. These all inflate the price, so you might be better off buying a more basic model. I also love that this model of the Instant Vortex Plus has a ClearCook window. This lets me see how my food looks without having to interrupt the cooking process. We did notice during testing that the control panel started to smuge up with our fingertips, and this was a little tricky to buff away. It was particularly noticeable in the glare of the test kitchen lights, but over time we could see this being an issue for those who want to keep their kitchen spotless and smudge-free.
This Ninja model performed beautifully in a range of cooking tests and really impressed us with its ease of use and cleaning. It had no trouble making deliciously crispy french fries, wings, and shrimp, with a basket and crisper plate that go right in the dishwasher after cooking. Its wings were probably the best in all of our testing, with crisp, golden-brown skin and a juicy, evenly cooked interior.
While it cooked food well and cleaned up easily, testers struggled a bit when sliding the basket into the machine, and it required some jiggering to lock in. As with other analog models, its temperature dial was less precise, and it was easy to knock slightly away from the target temperature. This powerful model included an additional heating element under the basket.
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.
The dial also moves smoothly and is fast for navigating minutes and temperature degrees, compared to holding down a button. A lot of the air frying experience—just like cooking in general—is trial and error. When you’re trying out your own recipe or heating up something that isn’t listed in a recipe book or app, you often have to use your best judgment and cross your fingers. We tried a range of foods in these air fryers to see how they perform. We tested the first edition of the Vortex Plus back in 2019 and had some mixed feelings. Maybe you’re Team Instant Pot forever and you’ve just got to have it.
The third performance test I put all air fryers through is cooking a one-pound batch of fresh broccoli. Our engineers first judge an air fryer based on how easy it is to use the buttons or dials on the machine and the size and clarity of the lettering on the unit. Instant Pot is known for making some of the best air fryers, and the slim version of its Vortex product line completes the range. It offers a more compact option to the flagship instant vortex air fryer or the more enhanced Instant Vortex Plus air fryer by trimming back 20% of the bulk.