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We consider ourselves to be air fryer experts here at Good Housekeeping. Our pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Technology Lab have tested dozens of air fryers, and the GH Test Kitchen has developed plenty of air fryer recipes — everything from homemade chicken strips to baked goods like mini strawberry thyme scones.
Sailing to the top of those tests, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook impressed our Lab pros with its bells and whistles at a budget price. It stands out for its square basket-style shape, which GH Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou says "offers more surface area than comparable air fryers with round baskets." Plus, I used it at home to cook batches of fries, and the results were better than baking or pan-frying.
Read on for our full review of the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer.
Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer
Pros
- Easy setup
- Intuitive functions
- Even cooking
- ClearCook window with manual light
- Non-stick and dishwasher safe basket
Cons
- Some food fell under tray while cooking
- Tray falls out when tipped upside down, making it difficult to serve
| Capacity/basket size | 6 qts. |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 14.9" x 11.8" x 13.0" |
| Weight | 11.4 lbs. |
| Temperature range | 95˚F to 400˚F |
| Time range | from 1 minute to 1 hour (or 72 hours for dehydrate function) |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes (basket and cooking tray) |
Our initial thoughts
Great for small and large households alike, this air fryer has a square basket that allows you to spread out food, which thus cooks them quicker, says Papantoniou. Compared to air fryer ovens, its basket style tends to be "more versatile and easy to use," she adds. And while I was skeptical about its width (spanning almost a foot) in my New York City apartment's kitchen, I found enough space on my counter to leave it out for routine use.
The air fryer powers on with a simple touch of its digital screen and adjusts temperature and time settings through the turn of a knob. Papantoniou and I found the control panel highly responsive and easy to use. For me, it only took a few minutes to set up, and I haven't found myself returning to read the instruction manual.
Most notably, the Vortex air fryer has a cooking window that lights up and allows you to peek inside while cooking. It's a feature you'll spot in many air fryers these days, according to Papantoniou, but the Vortex was one of the first to do it. As someone who loves to keep an eye on their food in the oven, I love how satisfying (and helpful) this design is.
When it came time to cook, I appreciated how quickly it preheated, taking about three minutes to reach 400˚F. The air fryer then alerts you with a chirping noise when it's ready for food. GH Test Kitchen Food Producer Tina Martinez develops air fryer recipes and loves the size of this model. It allows her to cook large batches of food. "I have cooked meatloaf to multi-layer nachos in this model, and every time, it hits," she says. "The air fry option takes no time to preheat and can cook frozen pizza in 10 minutes or less!"
A few testers in our Lab found it quite easy to use, too. "It does not require you to press 'start' again after it preheats, which is helpful if you want to add your food from the beginning and walk away," one said. A second chirp sounds when the timer is halfway through as a reminder to shake or turn the food for even cooking.
Test results
When trying this air fryer at home, I made a batch of frozen French fries and fresh French fries. I assessed each batch for ease of cooking, crispiness and flavor. The 6-quart square basket fit about half a 32-ounce bag of frozen fries in a single layer, or two medium potatoes worth of fresh fries. In addition to my at-home fry tests, our in-Lab testers found that chicken wings come out crispy, golden and juicy in about 20 minutes.
Frozen French fries
The frozen French fries were perfectly golden on the outside, yet fluffy on the inside. Superior to any frozen fries I've ever made in the oven, these came out evenly crispy. Not to mention, cooking them was quick and easy — I cooked them for 12 minutes at 400˚F. I shook the basket once when the fryer alerted me to do so. That said, a few smaller fries fell underneath the tray while cooking.
Fresh French fries
I found fresh French fries easier to cook in this air fryer than a pan. I hand-cut potatoes, tossed them in vegetable oil and seasoning and cooked them for 20 minutes at 400˚F, with one shake mid-way through. The fresh fries didn't cook evenly on the outside (though, the oil may have contributed to this); the batch likely would've benefitted from an additional shake or two. All the fries cooked through and tasted moist and fluffy on the inside. However, some fries weren't as crispy, while others were almost burnt at the end.
Cleaning
Clean-up is relatively easy since the air fryer is dishwasher-safe! I fit the basket on my dishwasher's bottom rack but found it takes up a lot of space. That said, the tray and the basket have a non-stick finish, so I hand-washed crumbs and food residue off easily. The brand also notes that "some discoloration may occur" over time with routine dishwasher cycles, though I've yet to observe any.
One flaw I noticed when cleaning is that water can get inside the ClearCook window. It's especially inconvenient when cooking shortly after cleaning because the heat causes the window to fog up with condensation. So, in between cleaning and cooking, I allow it to air dry overnight.
The bottom line
I consider Instant Pot's Vortex Plus ClearCook a huge upgrade from my last air fryer. It has made all the difference in making weeknight dinners simpler. Priced at $120, it's a great value — and a steal when on sale — thanks to its range of features (including dehydration) and large food capacity. It whipped up some of the best French fries I've ever made during my fry test. Since then, I've also used it to roast broccoli, which came out nice and tender with crispy florets, and reheat leftover pizza. I particularly love its see-through window design, which allows you to peer inside without pulling out the basket and interrupting cooking.
Other Instant Pot air fryers we tested
Instant air fryers have long been a favorite among GH's Kitchen Appliances Lab pros. Papantoniou says "all the Instant air fryers we've tested, including this one, are easy to program and high-performing." For example, the Lab also tested the Instant Pot Duo Crisp Ultimate and named it the best pressure cooker and air fryer combo.
Reviews Analyst Eva Bleyer also owns a similar model with Odor Erase technology. She found it lived up to its name of eliminating food scents. "I love that you cannot smell your food cooking, and the smell of air-fried food doesn't linger in your house — it truly works," she says.
Bleyer adds: "We've found that it perfectly crisps up chicken breasts, cubed tofu, veggies and various frozen things like falafel or dumplings."
Instant Pot Duo Crisp Ultimate Air Fryer and Pressure Cooker
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the GH Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab. She has worked at kitchen appliance companies, where she helped develop some popular air fryers and air fryer recipes. Since joining Good Housekeeping, she has tested and overseen the testing of all the fryers that come through the Lab. That also means taste testing the food cooked. She's an avid at-home air fryer user, too, owning six different models.
Eva Bleyer is a reviews analyst in the GH Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
Heath Owens is a senior commerce editor at Hearst Magazines, where he and his team cover home, fashion, tech and gifts for Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, House Beautiful, Country Living, Prevention, Delish and The Pioneer Woman. He started his career as an intern at the Good Housekeeping Institute and has over seven years of experience testing and reviewing products, from bedding to gift guides to viral finds.
Heath Owens is a Senior Commerce Editor at Hearst Magazines, where he covers home, fashion, tech and gifts for Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Esquire, Delish, Men’s Health, and more.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
