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 instant pot duo nova listed in a recipe book or app, you often have to use your best judgment and cross your fingers. I’ve been testing air fryers regularly for a year, and have become very familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of various features, as well as what to look for in everyday use.
By registering, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the instructions for use, and warnings set forth in the accompanying instructions. The tray has slightly less elevated grooves for oil to collect. These grooves are soft, so they don’t shred up your sponge, and they are not too deep or close together, so you don’t need to wrestle to get between them.
I would much prefer to see PRE or a real-time count up to the requested temperature. This isn’t a dealbreaker, I just found the display a bit uninformative for a product that heats up to 400 degrees. First, we tried out the (one and only) Instant-supplied recipe, which was for buffalo chicken bites (sans buffalo sauce, to monitor crispiness). Then we conducted tests for roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and frozen French fries using the Instant Brands app for guidance on cooking instructions.
There are a few things you lose by opting for this model, though. It doesn’t have a dehydrate setting, there’s no progress or text bar (instead, a small seven-segment screen displays the time, temperature, and cooking stage), and there’s no window nor a light. In terms of performance, it offers the same high-quality build and fantastic results – and I’ll happily take that in a smaller size over a progress bar. Also missing are a few of instant pot duo nova’s more premium features, such as OdorErase and ClearCook; but for the Slim’s price and convenience, this isn’t the end of the world.
We’ve come to expect the best from the maker of the Instant Pot, and the Instant Vortex Plus doesn’t feel quite like it. While I loved the dehydrate feature and enjoyed watching a small chicken rotate on a spit, there are still some rough edges here. 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. There’s no time and temperature guidance for popular air fried meals included.