Having two baskets set at drastically different temperatures placed side-by-side could pose some accuracy issues. We tested this instant pot duo nova out by setting one basket to 400°F and the other to 200°F. We are pleased to report that neither one affected the other.
A thirty-year veteran of the Good Housekeeping Institute, Sharon also worked as a professional chef in New York City restaurants for seven years. In her free time, she is an avid home cook who is in the process of mastering the art of baking sour dough bread. Both the basket and the rack are nonstick and have relatively few crevices, making each easy to wash by hand. The Vortex can accommodate a chicken larger than 4 pounds, if it is placed on the baking tray. We know consumers want appliances to be compact for counters, so it was more about keeping the overall footprint smaller.
When I’m not putting pen to paper, I’m exploring new cultures through travel and taking on home makeover projects, one room at a time. These units are basically small convection ovens, using super heated circulating air, and there is actually no frying or deep frying at all. One of the things I was most excited to try in the Vortex Air Fryer Oven was a rotisserie chicken. Most of the chickens at my grocery store were too big for the rotisserie spit (under 4 lbs.) The organic chickens at Costco were just barely small enough, so I bought a two-pack. The Manual has good instructions showing how to use the attachments. It’s important to read about the weight and size restrictions when using the rotisserie basket and spit.
Brussels sprouts came out nicely browned with crispy edges, frozen fries had a decadent crunch and melty interior, and bacon was browned and crunchy without getting burnt. The fried chicken and waffles were especially impressive; my family couldn’t believe those chicken thighs hadn’t been deep fried when I brought them to the dinner table. The Ultenic K10 is a bit more of a statement piece aesthetically and rings in a similar size and capacity to the Instant Vortex Slim. It’s a little pricier but comes with more presets, a companion app, and other smart features. Unlike its siblings, the Instant Vortex Slim doesn’t have a ClearCook window through which you can watch your food cook.
The combination of soy sauce and a few other pantry staples provides the perfect Asian-inspired flavor that’s both sweet, tangy, and savory. Another nice feature is that the Instant Vortex Plus 6 Quart 6-in 1 prompts you to shake your food halfway through cooking. While not essential, this does lead to more evenly-cooked food and it’s definitely a step worth following when making fries from scratch. I’ve spent more than a decade covering lifestyle, news, and policy.
When it came to testing the XL Dual model, we experienced similar results to the singular Vortex Plus model—with some disappointing differences. The Brussels sprouts cooked in the XL instant pot duo nova Dual had significantly inferior, undercooked results compared to the singular model. The ClearCook window allows you to monitor your food as it cooks—without letting heat escape.