Hot air fryers are now a must-have, bringing compact, low-cost cooking with less oil to any kitchen. However, as retailers struggle to outdo one another, appliances that started out as compact 4-quart kitchen helpers have morphed into 6- and 8-quart behemoths with multiple fryer drawers, taking up more and more counter space.
Instant's latest hot air fryer aims to solve this problem. The 6 Liter Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer reduces the size of our favorite Hot Air Fryer, the Instant Vortex Plus, by 20% while maintaining a generous 6 Liter capacity. But can it also deliver good performance?
To see if this was possible, we took the Instant Vortex Slim into the test kitchen to try it out on various fryer clamps and see how it compared with thebest fryer.
Instant Vortex Slim review
Instant Essentials Fryer Specifications
(Image credit: Instant Home)
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| Type | fryer |
| dimensions | 12,01'' x 15,31'' x 12,72'' |
| Capacity | 6 liters |
| Maximum temperature | 120 a 400 °F (49 a 205 °C) |
| Kookmodi | air fry, bake, deep fry, reheat, bake |
| Current | 1700 watts |
| Cor | for that |
| Material | plastic |
Remove the Vortex Slim 6 Quart Instant Fryer from the box
(Image credit: Future)
When unpacking, we always pay attention to unnecessary packaging. Instant Vortex Slim came in a cardboard box with some polystyrene, which could be improved as it is difficult to recycle.
What impressed me the most is that the instructions come from a QR code. They're simple and easy to use - all you really need to do is plug in the air fryer and turn it on for an 18-minute test run to make sure everything is ready to go. once that's done, you're ready to cook.
However, if you don't have a smartphone or QR code reader handy, it can be a pain. We'd also appreciate a little more information - there's an intro page that doesn't have all the information in the full instructions, but to be honest you don't need it.
(Image credit: Future)
When I turned it on for the first time, I was impressed by the sleek, glow-in-the-dark display. It looks great and is very easy to operate. However, it can show fingerprints. I also noticed the width. It's much longer than other fryers to ensure the 6 liter capacity, but looks much better on a countertop. You can easily nest it among other devices. While other air fryers like the Instant Vortex Plus and Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 dominate a countertop their width, this one is much more cramped. I was concerned at first that the compromise here is tall and spans the width of the counter, but it's actually shorter than Instant's other Vortex model while maintaining the same capacity.
But don't think it's a compact machine. We also tested the Instant Essentials the same day and the Essentials would be much better suited for small kitchens in apartments or smaller homes. The downside, of course, is that the Essentials has a smaller 4 liter capacity.
outdoor asparagus
I first tested this air fryer with asparagus, which is a great way to see how well it handles veggies. With this test we can see if it manages to reach the crispiness of frying without drying the ingredients, which is always a danger in these temperatures.
I really loved it when we put it in because the long tray was the perfect length for asparagus. This also applies to other foods such as long pieces of salmon or chicken breast fillet. The preheat function is automatic and simple, although it takes about 5 minutes to reach temperature. The gentle 'spin' notification during cooking is clear yet unobtrusive unlike other fryers.
When it came to the taste test, it made great asparagus, but it wasn't as good as smaller fryers. The temperature and cooking time were the same to keep the test fair, but it wasn't as crispy and was a bit undercooked. I think this is a function of the surface - the Essentials could cook faster, being smaller and having 'less' air to heat and whip the food. But don't think I'm putting it down - it was delicious, crunchy but soft on the inside, there was only one better example back then.
Frying french fries out of air
(Image credit: Future)
Then we cook french fries in the freezer. This is important because it is an airfryer staple and it also shows us if the airfryer can handle frozen food. It was very easy to set the time and temperature; just turn the knob and the narrow drawer is perfect for a large portion.
We made a huge plate of fries, a large family portion, in half the time it takes to cook in a large convection oven -- 10 minutes at 350°F was all it took. As with the asparagus, the fries could have been a little crispier, but they were still delicious. I think this test proved that it's a good fryer for families; it's easy to use and makes large portions without taking up as much counter space as comparable air fryers.
Air-dried chicken nuggets
A similar test to French fries, with another late night frozen meal. However, they are covered in batter, so it's a good test to see if your air fryer can handle those textures.
These were perfect. Hardly gourmet, but as chicken nuggets they were impeccable, with crispy crust and soft, chewy chicken inside. It was like I had just picked them up at a drive-thru. In combination with the fries, I think this airfryer is a good choice for busy parents. Sometimes you only have time to cook frozen food - this will give you a quick dinner of nuggets and chips in minutes.
Fry fish fingers
Fish fingers show us how the fryer can handle fish as well as breadcrumb textures. I had a bad feeling they were going to overcook - they take up so little space in the fryer and are so delicate that I was afraid they would dry out so I lowered the time and temperature.
However, they were still a bit overcooked. They weren't edible by any means, but they were a little drier than they should have been, so while this air fryer is good with frozen foods for the most part, it's not exceptional with flaky foods. Not bad - these were still good, I've just had better.
Air fry bacon
(Image credit: Future)
In this test we are always looking for well cooked and crispy bacon and this airfryer passes with flying colors. It made a nice crispy bacon with perfectly processed fat. I also found the large openings in the fryer plate to be great for reducing grease, as the fat fell through the holes for far less oily skin than others during testing. It was crunchy and delicious, yet somehow it didn't taste too greasy or oily, nor was it too chewy.
French fries
We made a lot of french fries on this test day and it was lunch time so I tested the reheat function on all the french fries we cooked. It worked exactly as expected, all the fries warmed up within minutes and tasted almost as good as when we first cooked them.
Cleaning
We always take notes when cleaning fryers to see if they are easy to keep clean. The Instant Vortex Slim is dishwasher safe, which is always nice to see, and very easy to clean by hand. The only niggle we have here is that occasionally crumbs can get trapped under the silicone feet that hold the fryer tray, which is a little tricky to clean, but not a huge inconvenience.
How does it compare to similar models?
(Image credit: Future/Alex David)
The screen and capacity make this air fryer so much better than the Instant Essentials. While the Instant Essential produces much better veggies, it's too small for large portions and so efficient that it dried out most items I tested it with, even after tweaking it repeatedly.
It's 20% smaller than the Instant Vortex 6 in 1, which is remarkable considering they have the same capacity. However, the original Instant Vortex is better. It has a window so you can keep an eye on your food as it cooks, and odor canceling technology that banishes the smell of fried food from your kitchen. However, the list price is $40 more than this Vortex Slim. I think this is a great air fryer for families that are short on kitchen space. There's better, but if you want to quickly whip up large portions in a relatively small appliance, it's hard to beat.
Conclusion: Should you buy the Instant Essentials 4 Quart Airfryer?
Yes, I think you should buy it if you are a big family without a lot of space in the kitchen. It will quickly yield a lot of food without completely taking over the space.
However, it still takes up more than a foot on a counter. If you're looking for a really compact air fryer, this isn't it, and you should try a Beautiful by Drew Barrymore or the ironically named Ninja Max XL. However, this is about as streamlined as it gets for a 6 bedroom capacity.
FAQs
What air fryer doesn t take up so much space? ›
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The Instant™ Vortex® Plus VersaZone is our most versatile air fryer yet. It has the largest drawer size at 320 x 240mm. Plus, it features VersaZone™ technology, so you can quickly switch from one extra-large cooking drawer to two independently controlled cooking zones.
Is Vortex air fryer better than regular air fryer? ›Cooking times are speedy too. Unlike cheaper air fryer models, the Vortex Plus can cook 500g of homemade chips in around 25 to 30 minutes (depending on preference) at 190ºC, without the need to parboil in a separate pan first. It's also excellent at cooking other meals too.
Which air fryer holds the most? ›For instance, the largest air fryer in our ratings is the Paula Deen HF-9001D Family Size Air Fryer. Its claimed capacity is 9.5 quarts, but its measured capacity is 8.9 quarts. The far-better-rated Wolfgang Puck 9.7QT Air Fryer is marketed as being even bigger, with a claimed capacity of 9.7 quarts.
How crowded can an air fryer be? ›It might be small—and mighty—but even the best air fryers need their space. That's because these mini convection ovens rely on a constant flow of air to move the high-temp heat around the food for all-over crispness. Make sure your air fryer has at least five inches of space on all sides, The Kitchn says.
Does an air fryer take up a lot of space? ›However, the air fryer is small. It has space for a roast chicken, at most, but you can't fit in multiple dishes like you can with a traditional oven. Most air fryers just have one shelf or basket to place your food in. This may be inconvenient, but it's what makes the air fryer so energy efficient.
How is the Vortex air fryer rated? ›The Instant Vortex earned a spot on our winners list because the streamlined control panel is easy to use, the large-capacity cooking basket is easy to clean, and the powerful air fry function delivered near-perfect results.
What is the difference between Vortex and Vortex Plus air fryer? ›The Instant Pot Vortex is an air fryer from Instant pot which can air fry, bake, reheat and roast. The Instant Pot Vortex Plus has the functionality of the Vortex with the added functions of dehydrating and broiling food. The Vortex Plus is currently retailing for $20 more than the Vortex.
What size air fryer for a large family? ›In regards to a four-member-family, a 4-quart or even a 5-quart air fryer could be a perfect option. Second, you'll have to pick between a basket-style air fryer and also an oven-front air fryer. The latter has a larger capacity and more choices, such as meals dehydrating.
Is Vortex as good as Ninja? ›But arguably, the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket is just as good in my opinion, and deserves to share some of the hype. Granted, it can't quite reach the temperatures the Ninja can, but it definitely wins in the style stakes, and you can find it in stock more easily.
Is there anything better than an air fryer? ›
A convection oven has the same advantages over an air fryer as a regular oven—size. If you're making multiple dishes or batches at once, a convection oven can help prepare it all at once.
What is the best air fryer to cook more than one item? ›Ninja Foodi Dual Zone: Best Ninja air fryer
With the fryer's sync function, both baskets can be set to different times and temperatures but will finish at the same time. So you can cook your chicken and chips simultaneously, without the worry that one will be done before the other.
- 1) It's loud.
- 2) It smokes a lot.
- 3) It only goes up to 400 degrees.
- 4) You can't see the food.
- 5) It won't do batter fried food.
- 6) You still have to add oil.
- 7) The inside is entirely coated with non-stick surfaces.
COSORI Air Fryer 6.4 L
This large Cosori air fryer has a capacity of about 6.4 liters which means it is a good option for a household with 6 members.
Families of 6 should choose an air fryer with a capacity of at least 6 quarts. Depending on the type of food you're likely to cook in it, you might want to choose an even bigger model so you don't have to cook in batches.
What is the 25 rule for air fryer? ›To convert baking time to an air fryer, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees F and reduce the cooking time by 20%. These are general rules, so you'll want to keep an eye on your food (at least the first time you try out a new recipe) to make sure that it's cooking correctly.
What happens if you overcrowd air fryer? ›Overcrowding your fryer basket will cause your food to not cook evenly. You should clean your air fryer regularly to avoid built-up grime.
What cannot be cooked in air fryer? ›- Battered foods. Avoid placing wet batter in the air fryer. ...
- Fresh greens. Leafy greens like spinach will cook unevenly because the machine uses high-speed air. ...
- Whole roasts. ...
- Cheese. ...
- Raw grains. ...
- Hamburgers. ...
- Toast. ...
- Popcorn.
It's a good idea to think about how many people you'll be cooking for so you know how much capacity you need; for example, a 2-4.5l capacity air fryer is fine for 1-2 people and a 4.5-10l capacity is better for 2-4 people depending on what you're air frying. The more capacity, the more food you can cook at once.
Is an air fryer just an over? ›The quick answer is, an air fryer is a simply a smaller convection oven with a catchy name. There is no actual frying going on inside an air fryer—that's because an air fryer cooks food via convection baking. So air fryers are, in essence, convection ovens.
Can you put foil in an air fryer? ›
However, it's pretty tempting to throw a little foil in there to catch any drips and make clean-up even easier, but is that allowed? The short answer is yes, you can put aluminum foil in the air fryer.
Is the Instant Vortex Air Fryer noisy? ›The Instant Vortex sounds like three microwaves running all at once, as opposed to the more subtle fridgelike hum of other air fryers we've tried.
Does the vortex air fryer smell? ›The first thing I did was give my Instant Vortex Air Fryer a cooking test, just like the manual tells you to. The manual also points out that smelling a strong plastic smell is completely normal and non-toxic. It indicates the smell will go away after a few uses.
Is Vortex air fryer loud? ›The Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer, brought to you by the folks who gave us the Instant Pot, is the company's signature air fryer model, released in 2019. It earns dismal scores in Consumer Reports' tests due to its loud operational noise and a crisper tray that tends to trap food debris.
Can you cook a roast in the Instant Vortex air fryer? ›Set the vortex to 300F for 45 minutes on ROAST. Check the temperature after 45 minutes. Press rotate button on the program screen to have the rotisserie rod start to rotate. After 45 minutes, you want to keep an eye on the temperature of the roast using an instant read thermometer.
Can you put foil in Vortex Plus air fryer? ›Yes, you can put aluminum foil in an air fryer. Tasteofhome.com explains that due to the air fryer's cooking process consisting of rushing hot air, your aluminum foil and the meal it's with will not be ruined by the air fryer.
Do you use any oil in a vortex air fryer? ›Yes, even air fryers need a little oil!
What size air fryer for a whole chicken? ›5-6 Qt Basket Style Air Fryers for Whole Chicken
But your size air fryer will determine the size of your chicken to cook. We recommend 4-5 pound chickens to be cooked in larger 5-6 quart air fryers. Smaller 4 quart air fryers can cook a 3 pound or MAYBE 4 pound chicken.
- Chefman Air Fryer for a Family of 4 — Best Overall.
- Nuwave Air Fryer for a Family of 4— Innovative Design.
- Instant Pot Air Fryer for a Family of 4 — User-Friendly.
- Ninja Air Fryer for a Family of 4— Compact.
- Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer for a Family of 4 — Versatile.
Is it worth getting an air fryer? Air fryers are an energy efficient and economical way to quickly cook smaller quantities of food. They are cheaper and quicker to use than an oven, but may not be the best option for large families or batch cookers because of their limited capacity.
Which vortex is better? ›
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Vortex® is honored to deliver the Next Generation Squad Weapon-Fire Control (NGSW-FC) to the US Army. This 1-8x30 optic is built around our revolutionary Active Reticle® technology and is based on many years of research and development.
Is Vortex a good brand? ›Vortex has a reputation of producing high-quality rifle scopes in a budget range that every buyer can afford. The best thing is, you don't have to pay extra to get their VIP warranty, and you don't have to wonder if you're getting the best price.
What is replacing air fryers? ›If you don't have a convection setting on your oven, you still don't go out and buy an air fryer. If you're desperate for that extra-crunchy effect, we prefer a toaster oven with a convection setting, which is more multipurpose (and will cook more food) than most air fryers.
Does air fryer taste better than oven? ›So what does air fried food actually taste like? It tastes like extra-crispy oven-baked food. Here's why: Air fryers are basically tiny convection ovens, which work by constantly circulating hot air all around your food.
Is an air fryer better than an air oven? ›Air fryers are more energy efficient than ovens. Air fryers heat up quicker than ovens; therefore, they use less electricity to reach the required cooking temperature. Air fryers cook quicker than ovens. Most air fryers run on 1400 watts to 2000 watts, whereas ovens are more around 2500 watts and above.
Can I cook 2 things at once in my air fryer? ›Multiple dishes at once
With an air fryer, you can prepare multiple ingredients at the same time. The separator that some of them come with the appliance will enable you to divide the ingredients in the basket or pan and cook both foods at the same time.
Lakeland dual basket air fryer
In the classic dual-air-fryer style, this one stands out from the crowd, thanks to its two different-sized compartments – 5.5l and 3.3l. So, you can fill the large one with your meat or fish of choice and leave the little one for your side, as we did.
Yes, you can stack French fries in your Airfryer, no you can stack burgers. At the end of the day you need to remember that the Airfryer cooks your food by circulating hot air around it, and in order for the cooking to happen effectively all the surface of your food needs to be exposed to the hot air.
Why don t chefs use air fryers? ›At their core, air fryers are essentially smaller-sized convection ovens. For this reason, commercial businesses don't benefit from them. Convection ovens may find uses in the food industry for certain items but have many limitations for broader service menus.
Why I don t like air fryers? ›
According to their appliance expert, Samantha Cooper, “[air fryers] are loud … don't do anything significantly better than an oven … and they also require bumping your toaster and coffeemaker onto a storage shelf.”
How much food fits in a 6 quart air fryer? ›The 6 quart air fryer is large enough to fit a whole 5 pound chicken, making it ideal for 3-5 person family dinners, and its compact design saves space on your counter and in your cabinet.
How many people can a 6 quart air fryer feed? ›2-3 people: A Small air fryer between 2 to 3 Quarts (1.9 to 2.8 Liters). 3-4 people: A Family sized air fryer between 4 to 6 Quarts (3.8 to 5.7 Litres). 5-6 people: An Extra-large air fryer between 7 to 8 Quarts (6.6 to 7.6 Litres).
Can you cook a meal for 5 in an air fryer? ›Most air fryers are made with baskets that cook 2-3 quarts of food at a time, which is great when cooking for 1 or 2 people. However, if you cook for a larger family with 3-6 members, then you will want to invest in a large capacity air fryer, which have baskets that cook 5-7 quarts of food.
What is the most common size air fryer? ›The most common air fryer sizes are 2 quart to 6 quart. However, there are extra large sized air fryers that are up to 13 quarts.
What size air fryer do I need for pizza? ›An air fryer basket within the 6- to 10-quart size range will provide enough room to roast a whole chicken, a whole pizza and pounds of finger foods.
Which air fryer can hold a 12 inch pizza? ›Instant Omni Plus 18L Air Fryer Toaster Oven
It can bake, broil, air fry, and even dehydrate, thanks to the consistent air circulation and powerful heating elements. The size accommodates a 12-inch homemade pizza, a rotisserie chicken, or even a 9 x 13 snacking cake for baking.
In regards to a four-member-family, a 4-quart or even a 5-quart air fryer could be a perfect option. Second, you'll have to pick between a basket-style air fryer and also an oven-front air fryer. The latter has a larger capacity and more choices, such as meals dehydrating.
Do they make smaller air fryers? ›Dash Tasti-Crisp 2.6-Quart Air Fryer
Take at least part of the guesswork out of downsizing traditional recipes with this small-but-mighty air fryer from DASH.
A typical family of three will do well with an air fryer size of between 4 and 5 quarts. This Ninja 4 quart Air Fryer is a very good choice for a family of three. If your family of 3 cooks large meals, it's a good idea to size up to an air fryer that is over 5 quarts.
What size air fryer do I need for a family of 2? ›
1-2 people: A Mini air fryer between 1 to 2 Quarts (0.95 to 1.9 Litres). 2-3 people: A Small air fryer between 2 to 3 Quarts (1.9 to 2.8 Liters). 3-4 people: A Family sized air fryer between 4 to 6 Quarts (3.8 to 5.7 Litres). 5-6 people: An Extra-large air fryer between 7 to 8 Quarts (6.6 to 7.6 Litres).
What size air fryer do I need for a family of 6? ›Families of 6 should choose an air fryer with a capacity of at least 6 quarts. Depending on the type of food you're likely to cook in it, you might want to choose an even bigger model so you don't have to cook in batches.
Can a 4.5 L air fryer fit a chicken? ›Whole Chicken – it goes without saying, but it's important to make sure the chicken fits in your air fryer basket! A 1.5kg chicken fits snugly inside my fryer which has a 4.5 litre capacity.
Why are air fryers so hard to buy? ›The demand for air fryers has surged to the point that the super-popular appliance is now in short supply.
Is it worth getting an air fryer? ›Research shows that air fryers are more energy efficient than using an oven and that means savings on energy bills. They are healthier than deep frying or using an oil-soaked frying pan so there are some health benefits too.
Should I get a big or small air fryer? ›About a quart per person, but bigger isn't always better. If you're cooking for one or two people a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough. From there, I would suggest adding a quart of capacity for every person that you're regularly cooking for.
What size air fryer for a family of 10? ›If there are extra hungry people in your family (think teenagers) or if you want to cook multiple dishes at once, a 10- to 15-quart air fryer might better suit your cooking needs. As a rule of thumb, having more room is better than too little and can save you the hassle and money of having to upgrade down the line.
What is a 3 in 1 air fryer? ›Take guilt-free cooking to the next level with Easy Fry 3-in-1: Tefal's first air fryer, steamer, and grill in one. Air fry irresistibly crispy dishes with 99% less added fat* thanks to clever Extra Crisp technology. Steam flaky fish and tender veg to retain the nutrients with Easy Fry's delicate steam technology.
What is the best air fryer to cook multiple things at once? ›Ninja Foodi Dual Zone: Best Ninja air fryer
With the fryer's sync function, both baskets can be set to different times and temperatures but will finish at the same time. So you can cook your chicken and chips simultaneously, without the worry that one will be done before the other.
What is the largest air fryer capacity? Many large air fryers are in the 7- to 8-quart range, but you can find some that go up to 10, 12, or even over 20 quarts! Many of these extra-large air fryers double as toaster ovens or ovens, which is why there can be such a big difference in their size.
Can you cook pizza in an air fryer? ›
If you love pizza as much as we do, you'll be excited to know that you can bake pizza in the air fryer, and it's actually even better than baking it in the oven!