The instant pot duo nova Plus 6-in 1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase comes in a medium-size box that’s well-packed to keep your air fryer safe as it ships. The packaging was not too sustainable, with styrofoam layers at the top and bottom of the fryer that cannot be recycled. When you put food on multiple trays at at time, it doesn’t cook evenly, so you must swap the trays halfway through your cooking time.
The first thing we noticed was the serious cooking power. The Instant Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air Fryer got food crispier than most of the other air fryers we’ve tried. Batches of store-bought and homemade fries cooked evenly, quickly and got super crunchy without much hassle. But while this air fryer does make a noticible whirring sound when turned on, it’s not louder than a microwave. I’ve had good luck using air fryer recipes from some of my favorite blogs.
Throughout the testing process, we also considered elements like the provided manual, clean-up process, and ease of use. We washed the accessories in the dishwasher—as advised—and monitored them for any deterioration or other damages along the way. For performance, the Instant Vortex Slim delivers exactly what we’ve come to expect from Instant Pot.
Air fryers are a convenient alternative to shallow or deep frying, but big appliances like this can be difficult to clean, counteracting that convenience. Chicken breasts come in various sizes and thicknesses, and poultry must be cooked evenly. Each breast is cooked thoroughly without sacrificing moisture or overly crisping the thinner edges. Donuts and onion rings have a nice crisp to the outside but remain undercooked on the inside; the donuts also require extra time in the fryer.
The Instant Vortex is ideal for reheating leftovers like day-old french fries or mozzarella sticks. Just place the foods in the basket, select the air fry function, and fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on which food you choose. Sweet, garlicky, tender, and juicy, chicken tocino is the perfect all-day breakfast when paired with garlic rice and fried egg. Best part is it is cooked in the air fryer for a no-fuss kind of meal.
Millie Fender is Head of Reviews on the Homes and Gardens Ecommerce team. She specializes in cooking appliances, such as the best kettles, and also reviews outdoor grills and pizza ovens. Millie loves to bake, so she will take any excuse instant pot duo nova to review stand mixers and other baking essentials. When she’s not putting products through their paces in our dedicated testing kitchen, Millie’s reviews are conducted at home, meaning she uses these products in her own day-to-day life.
This air fryer is a reliable machine for specific food items. If you are looking for something capable of cooking two different items simultaneously, with a relatively high volume capacity, it’s a great choice. It cooks chicken particularly well, so if you’re a poultry lover, look no further than the Instant Vortex Plus XL. The Instant Vortex Plus XL is an extra-large air fryer with eight quarts of frying space, which is split between two baskets. The dial and button interface makes controlling this 1700-watt appliance a breeze. After you set your desired cooking temperature and time, it automatically goes into a preheat mode.
With just a few simple ingredients and about 15 minutes in the air fryer, you’ll have a dish that’s sure to impress. We were struck by the sleek controls on the Plus, which only illuminate when the air fryer is plugged in. You can control the timings and temperature using a dial on the front of the air fryer, and pressing down on this dial will confirm your choices. The air fryer comes with the basket in place, and the removable non-stick air fryer insert at the top of the styrofoam packaging.
That’s low enough to reheat your food without overcooking. But overall, this machine worked effortlessly at roasting, crisping, and heating food. On the front of the air fryer is a handle that’s used to pull out the basket, which requires minimal fuss or force. Inside is a lift-out tray whose metal handle tucks in flush to the tray, meaning you don’t lose precious space in the center of the fryer as we’ve seen with some other models. The tray and basket are both dishwasher-friendly, too, making for fuss-free meals from start to finish. Having mostly tested larger air fryers, and as a single-person household, in particular, I was delighted to have the Instant Vortex Slim at my disposal.