When he doesn’t have a screwdriver in hand, it’s most probably a fork. Currently, as per the time of writing, the Instant Pot Vortex retails at $119.99, and the Vortex plus is sitting at $139.99, leaving a $20 difference between instant vortex units. At first glance, both units look comparable, but on a closer inspection, there are some significant design differences. Lastly, there are a few smaller Vortex® Air Fryer models if 6qt or more is too large for you.
We were excited about this feature, since we’ve noticed air frying smells—especially when it comes to greasy foods like fries—tend to overtake the kitchen and linger for a while. It features a traditional basket with a handle, an attachable cooking tray, and a sleek touch-screen interface. From there, you can select functions beyond air frying—like roast, bake, dehydrate, reheat, and broil.
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 models, you won’t require much oil when cooking in the Slim air fryer.
We cooked four 4-ounce hamburgers in the Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven. Browning was better on the second side and was similar to the coloring you get from broiling, rather than the deep brown crusty exterior you get from grilling or even pan frying. But once again, there was no smoke and no greasy splatters on the cooktop or pan to clean up. Check out some of the best air fryers we’ve tested to browse other great options. What simplifies this process is the ClearCook window and internal lights.
Speaking of cleanup, all the attachments included (air fryer basket, trays, rotisserie spit parts) are dishwasher-safe. Points to Instant for making my after-dinner routine shorter in that regard. Note that the Instant Vortex Slim doesn’t come with OdorErase, but I didn’t notice any more cooking smells than I’d experience cooking in my conventional oven. For its price and quality, it’s a pretty good value buy – especially for those who want a smaller air fryer without sacrificing performance. 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.
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 instant vortex 2020. Since then, there have been updated version of this same air fryer as well as Vortex® models with larger and smaller capacities.