The square design holds more than the other round type units. Made the best zucchini sticks–crunchy outside, tender inside. Initial impressions are that the basket is easy to pull in and out, and that it has a large capacity. We thought it would likely be roomy enough to feed a family, while the basket insert fitted in snuggly for ease instant vortex of use. We also liked that there was a spacer on the back of the machine which we hadn’t seen before, a simple way to ensure it sat away from the wall at a safe distance so as not to let it overheat. We quickly washed the basket and the frying tray with warm soapy water before use, cleared a spot on our worktop for it and plugged it in.
To put it differently, that’s one step out of the way. Not all air fryers need to be preheated, while others automatically preheat before starting the cooking timer. Air fryers contain a perforated or mesh basket that allows air to move around the food for even cooking. The only downside to this design is you can only air fry breaded foods since battered foods would drip through the perforated air fryer basket.
Many air fryers skip degree settings by 10, which can make following some recipes hard. If you’re not familiar with conventional air fryers, it can initially feel strange to cook in a pull-out compartment. With the ability to fry, roast, broil, and reheat, this little gadget does the work of numerous kitchen appliances, instant pot duo nova all while taking up about a square-foot of counter space. More impressively, it takes just minutes, not hours, to transform bland produce into something edible. The rotisserie basket feels like an accessory that I haven’t quite grasped the usefulness of yet. We tried half a bag of tater tots in it and got mixed reviews.
The testers raved about the Smart Finish, though they did observe that the left basket cooked a little hotter and faster than the right when using mirror cooking. It’s also important to note that when both baskets are used, the cooking time for both is longer than if a single basket is used. The baskets and crispers trays are dishwasher safe but can also be washed by hand fairly easily. While there is a slight learning curve, especially for the initial setup of the rotisserie basket and spit, the controls are user-friendly in general. Our tester really appreciated the ability to save settings so that once you perfect chicken nuggets, for example, you can recreate the dish with just a touch of the button. A drip tray keeps everything tidy and makes cleanup easier, and all of the accessories are dishwasher safe.
Like most air fryers, it excels at delivering crispy food in a fraction of the time. Small but thoughtful design features dramatically simplify the cooking process. One oddity is that there is no touchscreen power button, so it’s not obvious how you reset the air fryer after a cooking programme has ended.
Leave at least 5 in / 13 cm of space around the air fryer when in use. DO NOT use a ceramic-coated or stoneware pot (such as CorningWare® stoneware) for air frying. The Vortex Plus has seven unique functions, and handy accessories like a moosoo air fryer rotisserie spit and air-fry basket. Along with our in-house experts, our team analyzes thousands of product reviews from the most trusted websites. Cleaning is a walk in the park given that the removable accessories are dishwasher safe.
DO NOT operate the appliance if the power cord or plug is damaged, or after the appliance malfunctions or is dropped or damaged in any manner. DO let the appliance cool to room temperature before cleaning or storage. DO use caution with cooking containers made of materials other than metal or glass. Failure to do so may result in fire, personal injury, fire, and/or property damage. It will take some trial and error to get times and temperatures just right for your foods, and there are some design dilemmas.
Rotisserie racks and models with lots of accessories can be tricky to take apart/put back together, which will also add to your cleanup time. The drawer-like cooking basket on the Philips Airfryer XXL can hold 7 quarts, big enough for a 4-pound whole chicken or 2 bags of frozen fries. We tested both in our Lab, and it cooked up the fluffiest French fries out of all the models, with more than one tester proclaiming them the best of the bunch. The chicken took 45 minutes, with the only flip happening at the half-hour mark. When it was done, our testers were pleasantly surprised with crispy skin and juicy meat, declaring it the perfect roast chicken. My husband got our Vortex plus air fryer oven as a thank you gift from where he works.
It’s pretty confusing as they are both referred to as Instant Vortex Plus despite the fact that they are entirely different products. Get easy-to-follow, delicious recipes delivered right to your inbox. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.