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.
There’s still more than enough in here to make the appliance feel high-tech and well considered. Join the Instant Pot UK Community – Share tips, tricks, recipes and more with this active group of over 35,000 Instant Pot users. We think it’s reasonably priced for a premium design with excellent performance.
Check the owner’s manual of your air fryer for which parts, if any, are ok to run through the dishwasher. As a standard air fryer, the instant pot duo nova was able to cook very evenly despite its large capacity, doing a fantastic job with everything we threw at it. The controls are quite user-friendly, but we noted a minor flaw in that the machine uses a tray rather than a basket to hold food. This makes it tougher to shake items while cooking and requires a hot pad to remove afterward. During cooking, no spot on the exterior of this air fryer gets hot enough to cause a burn. The highest temperature that we recorded was 126.6°F on the lower-front side of the machine.
Timers with an audible alert or a fryer that can turn off automatically will add to the appliance’s ease of use. These days, there are so many air fryers on the market that the list of additional features can be overwhelming. Sometimes more features mean the device will be more complicated to use, so be sure to look at the interface and controls before making a decision, especially if you are a beginner. In all, this Ninja and the Cosori Pro SE we named our top pick would both be a welcome addition to your kitchen. The Cosori won for its slightly larger capacity and lower price, but the Ninja has extra cooking modes that the Cosori doesn’t. If you plan to use the machine for more than just air frying, the Ninja might well be worth the extra few bucks.
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.