Air Fryer Accessories: Instant Pot Compatible?

Instant Pot is a well-known multicooker manufacturer that offers a range of cooking functions, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, and steaming. One of its popular products is the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which combines the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and air fryer. This appliance allows users to cook a variety of meals with convenience and versatility.

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp comes with two removable lids, one for pressure cooking and the other for air frying. The air fryer lid is an accessory that can be placed on top of the cooker, allowing users to air fry foods. It has a maximum temperature of 400°F, which is suitable for cooking various types of dishes.

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp also includes a range of accessories, such as an air fryer basket, a broil/dehydrating tray, and a protective pad. These accessories enhance the cooking experience and make cleanup easier.

In conclusion, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer is a versatile appliance that offers multiple cooking functions, including air frying. Its accessories, such as the air fryer lid and basket, allow users to prepare a variety of dishes with convenience and ease.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer accessories

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer is a versatile appliance that can be used for a variety of cooking methods, including air frying, pressure cooking, slow cooking, roasting, baking, and dehydrating. It comes with a range of accessories that enhance its functionality and make it a valuable addition to any kitchen. Here is a detailed overview of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer accessories:

Multi-Level Air Fryer Basket: The multi-level air fryer basket is an essential accessory for the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer. It is designed to be placed on the Air Fryer Basket Base inside the Inner Pot. The basket allows for dual-level cooking, which is perfect for preparing fries and larger roasts. It is recommended to lightly spray the basket with olive oil before use to prevent sticking. The basket's height provides ample space for cooking, but its width may be a bit narrow for certain dishes.

Air Fryer Basket Base: The Air Fryer Basket Base is crucial for optimal airflow during the cooking process. It is placed at the bottom of the Inner Pot, and the Air Fryer Basket sits securely on top of it. This base creates space between the basket and the Inner Pot, allowing hot air to circulate efficiently and ensuring even cooking temperatures.

Broil/Dehydrating Tray: The Broil/Dehydrating Tray is a versatile accessory that can be used for grilling or dehydrating. When grilling, the tray is placed inside the Air Fryer Basket to elevate food towards the heating elements, ensuring even cooking. Additionally, it can be used in conjunction with the Air Fryer Basket to create a multi-level cooking container, improving airflow and allowing for the preparation of multiple food types simultaneously.

Protective Pad: The Protective Pad is a safety accessory that accompanies the Air Fryer Lid. It serves as a heat-resistant surface to place the hot Air Fryer Lid on when checking or removing food. The pad effectively dissipates heat, ensuring that your countertop or cooking surface remains protected from high temperatures.

Stainless-Steel Rack: The stainless-steel rack is a versatile accessory that expands the cooking possibilities of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer. It can be used in two ways. Firstly, it can be placed inside the Inner Pot, allowing you to cook larger cuts of meat that may not fit in the Air Fryer Basket. Secondly, it can be flipped upside down and placed inside the Air Fryer Basket to separate different types of food or bring them closer to the heating element when using the broil function.

Storage Cover: The storage cover is designed to protect your Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer when not in use. It helps keep the appliance clean and dust-free, ensuring that it stays in optimal condition between uses.

These accessories, along with the interchangeable lids, contribute to the versatility and convenience of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer, making it a popular choice for those seeking a multi-functional kitchen appliance.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer functions

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer is a versatile appliance that combines the functions of a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and an air fryer. It offers 11 customizable programs for quick one-touch meals, making it a convenient and fast option for families, meal prep, and big batch cooking. Here are the functions and features of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer in detail:

Pressure Cooker

The pressure cooker function enables faster cooking times than regular cookers or ranges, making it ideal for hectic lifestyles or large families. With this function, you can cook a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to grains and meats, and even reheat fast food.

Slow Cooker

Slow cooking is an underrated cooking method that ensures your meal is ready when you get home from work, and it makes food tastier than regular cooking methods.

Air Fryer

The air fryer function allows you to achieve crispy, golden results without using excessive oil. This makes it a healthier option for fried foods like chicken wings, French fries, or vegetables. The air fryer has a customizable temperature range from 105°F (41°C) to 400°F (201°F). It also comes with accessories like an air fryer basket, a broiling/dehydrating tray, and a protective pad.

Steamer

The steamer function is perfect for easily steaming vegetables, fish, rice, and boiled eggs.

Sauté Pan

The sauté function lets you fry food instantly, making it ideal for bacon, ground beef, or caramelized onions. You can also use it in combination with the slow cooker function.

Sous Vide

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp also includes a sous vide function, which some users may find useful for specific recipes.

Additional Functions

In addition to the functions mentioned above, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer can also be used as a food warmer, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator. It has a large cooking capacity, making it suitable for cooking meals for larger gatherings or meal prepping for the week.

The appliance is designed with convenience and safety in mind, featuring an innovative auto-sealing pressure cooking lid, a stainless-steel inner pot, and EvenCrisp™ air flow technology, which gives you the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil. It is also energy-efficient, dishwasher-safe, and comes with over 10 proven safety features.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer pros and cons

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer is a versatile kitchen appliance that combines the functions of a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and an air fryer. It offers a convenient and healthy way of cooking a wide range of meals with its 11-in-1 cooking programs. Here is a detailed list of its pros and cons:

Pros:

• Fast and Versatile: The Duo Crisp is fast, versatile, and convenient, allowing users to cook and crisp their favourite meals in one pot. It has 11 customizable programs for quick one-touch meals, making it perfect for families, meal prep, and big batch cooking.
• Healthy Cooking: The EvenCrisp™ air flow technology gives you the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil, making it a healthier option for fried foods.
• Large Capacity: The 8-quart capacity is bigger than other air fryers, allowing for dual-level cooking and accommodating up to 8 portions.
• Easy to Clean: The pressure cooking lid and inner pot are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup quick and easy.
• Safety: The Instant Pot Duo Crisp has 10+ proven safety features, including Overheat Protection™ and a safe locking lid.
• Energy Efficient: It is up to 70% more energy-efficient than other cooking methods.
• Quiet Operation: The Instant Pot Duo Crisp runs more quietly than other appliances, despite its powerful fan and heating element.

Cons:

• Limited Air Fryer Basket Size: While the stainless steel inner pot is spacious, the air fryer basket is narrow, limiting the amount of food that can be cooked at once.
• Storage Space: The Duo Crisp comes with two lids, which may require extra storage space in your kitchen.
• Control Panel: The push buttons and texture of the control panel may feel dated, especially compared to touchscreens on other appliances.
• Price: The Duo Crisp is expensive, retailing for around $149 to $200, depending on the model.
• Sealing Ring Issues: The silicone sealing ring cannot be removed, which can cause odour issues and limit the lifespan of the appliance.
• Lid Locking Mechanism: Some users have reported problems with the lid-locking mechanism, making it difficult to open the lid after steam release.
• Counter Space: The Duo Crisp takes up a lot of counter space, especially when the lid is open, which may be an issue for smaller kitchens.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer vs traditional air fryer

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer is a multi-cooker that combines the functions of a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and an air fryer. It offers convenience, versatility, and healthier cooking options, making it a valuable addition to any kitchen. Here is a detailed comparison between the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer and a traditional air fryer:

Size and Capacity:

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer is available in 6.5-quart and 8-quart capacities. While the 6.5-quart model is a more reasonable size for smaller households or those with limited storage space, the 8-quart option is ideal for cooking for larger gatherings or meal prepping. Traditional air fryers, on the other hand, usually come in pod-shaped designs, offering a more compact size but with a smaller cooking capacity.

Functionality:

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp, as the name suggests, offers multiple cooking functions in one appliance. It can be used as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, air fryer, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator. On the other hand, traditional air fryers are primarily designed for air frying, with some models offering additional preset cooking programs. If you're looking for a multi-functional appliance, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a better option.

Performance:

When it comes to air frying performance, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp delivers similar results to traditional air fryers. It can achieve crispy textures without the need for deep-frying, making it a healthier alternative. However, the air fryer basket in the Instant Pot Duo Crisp might feel a bit snug, and you may need to shake the basket multiple times during cooking for even browning. Traditional air fryers typically have larger baskets, allowing for more breathing room and the ability to cook larger batches of food.

Ease of Use:

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp features an intuitive control panel with a bright LCD display, making it easy to select the desired cooking function and set the temperature and time. Traditional air fryers often have simpler control panels with basic settings, which can be more straightforward to use for those who prefer simplicity.

Convenience:

One of the standout features of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is its interchangeable lids. It comes with a pressure cooker lid and an air fryer lid, allowing you to switch between functions easily. However, this also means that you need to find storage space for the lid you're not using. Traditional air fryers usually have a single lid, making them more compact and convenient for those with limited kitchen space.

Price:

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp is typically more expensive than traditional air fryers. While it offers multiple functions in one appliance, a dedicated air fryer will be more affordable if you're specifically looking for air frying capabilities.

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer is an excellent choice for those seeking a multi-functional appliance that can handle various cooking tasks. It offers the convenience of having multiple cooking functions in one device, saving countertop space and reducing the need for multiple appliances. However, if you're specifically looking for an air fryer and don't require the additional functions, a traditional air fryer might be a more cost-effective and space-saving option.

Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid review

The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is a nifty accessory that adds air frying functionality to your Instant Pot. It's a great option if you want to avoid adding another bulky appliance to your kitchen counter. However, it's important to note that it is only compatible with certain 6-quart Instant Pot models, so be sure to check if your model is supported before purchasing.

Design and Features

The Air Fryer Lid is designed to sit on top of your Instant Pot, adding quite a bit of height to the unit. It has a handle for easy lifting and simple controls that will be familiar to anyone who has used an Instant Pot before. The lid comes with a protective pad to place it on when not in use, which does a good job of protecting your countertop from the heat.

The lid features several cooking programs, including air fry, broil, bake, roast, reheat, and dehydrate, each with default time and temperature settings that can be adjusted to your liking. It also includes a fryer basket and a broiling/dehydrating tray that fits inside the basket, allowing for multi-level cooking.

Performance

The Air Fryer Lid performs well for air frying, roasting, and reheating. However, it has a smaller capacity than a standalone air fryer, making it more suitable for cooking small servings, individual portions, and snacks. The lid beeps halfway through cooking to remind you to turn or flip your food for even cooking.

One limitation to note is that the maximum temperature is 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which may be insufficient for certain recipes. Additionally, the dehydrate mode, which can go as low as 105 degrees Fahrenheit, has a very limited capacity and is not very useful for dehydrating larger quantities of food.

Pros and Cons

The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is a convenient way to add air frying capabilities to your Instant Pot without taking up additional counter space. It performs well for small batches of food and is easy to use and clean. However, it may not be suitable for larger families due to its limited capacity, and it cannot be used simultaneously with the Instant Pot, as they both need to be plugged into an outlet.

If you already own a compatible 6-quart Instant Pot and are looking to add air frying functionality without purchasing a separate appliance, the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is a good option. However, if you have a larger household or want the ability to cook larger batches, you may be better off with a standalone air fryer or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which combines an air fryer and pressure cooker in one unit.

Frequently asked questions