A Real Game Changer Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer [REVIEW]

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 air fryer oven is an easy-to-use cooking appliance with intuitive cooking functions and simple temperature and time controls.

The company promises that the food cooked in the Instant Pot air fryer tastes similar to fried food.

We all know that marketing claims are sometimes deceptive and exaggerated, so I decided to use the air fryer to test its actual performance.

I am delighted to share that the Instant Vortex Plus excelled in most of the tests.

Instant Pot 6 Quart Air Fryer Oven With 6 Cooking Functions [Review]

Below, I have shared more on my experience of using this one of the best air fryers on the market.

Attractive Design And Stylish Stainless Steel Finish

The air fryer's stainless steel finish makes it look more eye-catching than the Instant Vortex’s all-plastic version of air fryers.

Beyond enhancing aesthetic value, the stainless steel finish makes the air fryer sturdy and durable.

While design preferences can be personal, one thing is for sure: stainless steel air fryers are more likely to match other appliances in the kitchen.

The only drawback of a steel exterior is that it is not as fingerprint-resistant as a matt exterior.

The air fryer has a square basket style similar to the COSORI Pro LE, allowing better food arrangement.

The pattern on the crisper plates leaves char marks when grilling meat and veggies.

Capacity, Dimensions, And Footprint

The instant vortex, measuring 12.83 x 14.92 x 12.36 inches in dimensions, is not a compact air fryer.

It needs more space on the countertop than the COSORI L501 and the Ninja AF101 air fryer.

However, its large footprint translates into an equally large cooking capacity of 6 quarts.

The unit can fit about a 1.8 kg chicken or a bag of frozen fries. The capacity makes it a suitable air fryer for 3 people.

The weight of the air fryer is 15.99 pounds, which is by no means light.

This means you must spare some space for placing the air fryer in the kitchen.

But thanks to its helpful cooking functions – regardless of size, it is worth making space on the countertop.

A Bit Higher Price Tag

The price of the air fryer is higher than Ninja AF101, but it also has two additional functions, which justifies its higher price.

If you need a more economical unit, consider the COSORI Air Fryer Pro LE 5, priced under $100; however, understand that its cooking capacity will be smaller.

Easy-To-Use Customizable Presets

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus has six cooking functions.

The presets offer default settings, but you can use the dial to adjust the time and temperature.

Unlike those on the Ninja AF161, the presets on the Instant Pot Vortex Plus are customizable.

This means you can tweak them according to your taste preferences and save the settings in the air fryer’s memory for subsequent uses.

This way, the air fryer prevents you from adjusting cooking presets every time.

Online App For Recipe Inspirations

The air fryer’s box has a crisper plate and a basket but does not include a recipe booklet.

The user manual of the air fryer is well-designed and helpful, but it also does not give you any cooking inspiration.

Therefore, you must go online to look for the recipes specific to this air fryer or download the Instant app.

When I searched for recipes on the app, it took me some time to find recipes particularly curated for the instant Pot Vortex Plus.

However, I could easily find options for other instant pot appliances.

Average Noise Level

It is common for a kitchen appliance, including an air fryer, to make some noise when working.

So, as expected, the instant pot vortex also made noise.

Using my decibel meter, I measured the unit's noise, which came out to be 64db, similar to a dishwasher’s mid-cycle noise.

The noise of the Instant Vortex Plus is the same as that of the Instant Pot Vortex ClearCook.

The noise runs for the entire cooking time length, which is around 25-30 minutes for most dishes.

However, I appreciate the product manufacturers for keeping the air fryer noise within bearable levels.

Shake Reminder And Preheat Alert

Apart from cooking functions, the air fryer comes with additional handy features like a shake reminder and preheat alert. 

The electrical appliance gives you audible and visual alerts after preheating, prompting you to add food for cooking.

The same goes for the shake reminder—the machine tells you to shake or turn the basket contents to ensure it is cooked evenly.

Takeaways From Cooking Tests

When testing an appliance, cooking tests are necessary, even if you have been wowed by its looks, features, and specifications.

I also conducted several cooking tests. Below, I share my thoughts on the cooking performance of the instant pot Vortex Plus.

• The air fryer excels at crisping fries and chicken wings.
• The cooking results for freshly cut fries are crispier than for frozen fries.
• The control panel remains cool even when the air fryer works at maximum temperature settings. However, the rest of the exterior can be hot to the touch.
• The reheating function of the air fryer gives you impressive results for foods like pizza slices, fries, and fried wings that become soggy and limp in a microwave.
• Roasting food in the air fryer was a delightful experience. Roasting drumsticks in this air fryer is much quicker than other air fryers.

Final Words

You should buy the Instant Pot Vortex Plus if you want an air fryer that can do more than air frying. This air fryer can bake, roast, dehydrate, reheat, and much more. So, this is a unit which can do most types of cooking for you.

You can also buy this air fryer if you need to make it for a family of three or more regularly in its 6-quart square-shaped basket. You might need to rethink your decision to buy this air fryer if you cannot spare enough space on the countertop to accommodate it permanently.