Of all the air fryers we tested, this is one of the most intuitive air fryers to program. The buttons are nicely sized, clearly marked, and quick to respond. To program the temperature and time, you turn and press a dial. The basket has a rack on which the food rests and is easy to pull out and reposition in the air fryer. The display is large and easy to read and the digital controls are intuitive to use. Like other instant vortex models, you won’t require much oil when cooking in the Slim air fryer.
It makes 4 burgers, 3 or 4 salmon fillets, a basket full of breakfast potatoes, plenty of vegetables, a full basket of chicken wings, etc. These units are basically small convection ovens, using super heated circulating air, and there is actually no frying or deep frying at all. Both the basket and the rack are nonstick and have relatively few crevices, making each easy to wash by hand.
One of the biggest downsides to many air fryers is the size of the basket. Most only have room for two chicken breasts or a couple of servings of fries (or the teeniest amount of zucchini chips). We were able to air fry a whole pound of chicken, as opposed to the usual half-pound other fryers can handle.
From a price point, it’s not that much more than the 6-quart Vortex®. We have an Instant™ Vortex® 4-in-1, 6-quart Air Fryer purchased in 2020. Since then, there have been updated version of this same air fryer as well as Vortex® models with larger and smaller capacities.
We did not expect to find good quality in an air fryer that costs well under $100, but the Chefman TurboFry impressed. Despite its few bells and whistles—it has buttons to set a timer and a temperature, and that’s about all—it outperformed models that sell for several times the price in our cooking tests. This is a simple machine made to air fry and only to air fry, but you can use it to air fry anything to your heart’s content. If you’re new to the world of air frying, you might find it difficult to dip your toes in with either of these air fryers.
We’re big fans of the Instant Pot company for its popular line of electric pressure cookers, so our expectations for its air fryer were admittedly high. This multipurpose appliance nonetheless managed to exceed them. It combines the features of a standard air fryer with the functionality instant vortex of a countertop oven, plus a rotating rotisserie. Even better, this air fryer is dishwasher-safe, so you can wash the basket and tray without having to scrub them down by hand. Plus, it’s versatile enough to roast, broil, and reheat with the touch of a button, making dinnertime a breeze.
It’s big enough to fit four chicken thighs and one pound of wings. I thoroughly test each product I review to assess functionality, versatility, portability, and efficiency. My work can be found instant vortex in Food & Wine, Foodnetwork.com, Saveur, Real Simple, and more. The air fryer comes with the basket in place, and the removable non-stick air fryer insert at the top of the styrofoam packaging.
It weighs around 12 pounds – making it not too heavy to move easily but heavy enough that it’s definitely not going anywhere if you nudge it. This thing may be one of the most expensive air fryer/toaster/countertop ovens out there, but it really can replace all three, which might make the price worth it. It’s even available in seven different colors to match your kitchen decor. 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. We didn’t even have to read the manual to learn how to navigate between cooking mode, time, and temperature settings.