Friends, I’ve been so excited to share this post! After owning a regular Instant Pot and moving to the Instant Pot Air Fryer, I’ve made some really delicious recipes and have enjoyed playing around with the air fryer lid feature. However, is it really worth it? Is the Instant Pot Air Fryer better than a regular air fryer? Here’s a list of the pros and cons, what I love about it, don’t love about it, and my favorite recipes to make.
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Instant Pot vs. Air Fryer
On the fence of purchasing an Instant Pot vs. an Air Fryer? Here’s everything you need to know!
The Difference Between an Instant Pot and an Air Fryer
There’s actually quite a big difference between an Instant Pot and an air fryer!
Instant Pot – An Instant Pot is a type of pressure cooker. Technically, it’s a “multicooker” since it is a pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, and so much more. It can also sauté and make yogurt! The Instant Pot is wonderful for cooking meats to perfection, quickly making rice, soups, and other types of liquid-based foods. There are several Instant Pot models out there to choose from!
Air Fryer – An air fryer is basically a small convection oven. It “fries” food with high cooking temperatures and a fan that pushes the hot air throughout the device. The result? Crispy food that’s fried with less oil (or even no oil) in less time than traditional frying methods, making it an often healthier, guilt-free, and convenient option.
Which One Is Better?
Instant Pot vs. Air Fryer – which one is better? Well, that’s a tough question. Since the two devices do completely different things, it’s hard to compare the two. Ultimately, it comes down to what your daily cooking needs are!
If you love slow cooker foods (such as soups, casseroles, etc) and want big meals cooked in a quicker amount of time, then the Instant Pot may be right for you. If you find yourself heating up chicken nuggets in the oven, making fried food, or reheating foods often, then an air fryer may be more useful for you!
Instant Pot Air Fryer Duo Crisp – My Honest Review
If you’ve been on the fence about whether you should purchase an Instant Pot (pressure cooker) or an air fryer, there’s good news. Instant Brands have come out with a device that does BOTH!
The Instant Pot Air Fryer Due Crisp (or Pro Crisp) is exactly what it sounds like – an Instant Pot and an air fryer in one device. This is the ultimate win for saving countertop space and having access to all of the capabilities of a pressure cooker AND an air fryer!
How It Works
The concept is basically the same as an Instant Pot, but there’s a pressure cooker lid and an air fryer lid that comes with it that’s truly a game changer. If you’re using the Duo Crisp as a pressure cooker, use the regular Instant Pot lid and pressure cook settings. If you’re using it as an air fryer, use the air fryer lid and air fryer settings. You can also use it to broil and make roasts! Overall, it’s pretty easy to use.
How To Use Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
To use the air fryer lid, simply attach it to the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and turn it to lock. Select the air fryer option and set a temperature and time. Hit the “Start” button and let the air fryer warm up! Once it’s ready, it’ll prompt you to add food. You can add your food into the air fryer basket, the dehydrating tray, or just add it straight to the stainless steel inner pot (depending on what you’re making).
Put the lid back on the unit and cook! Halfway through, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp will prompt you to turn the food to prevent burning. Remove the lid (setting it on the provided protective pad, since it’ll be pretty hot), turn the food, and put the lid back on. This cooking method in delicious “fried” and crispy foods!
Tip: This is a quick overview for how the lid works! Be sure to read the instructions and safety tips that come with your unit before cooking anything in it.
Summary – Pros & Cons
Still on the fence? Here are the pros and cons of the Instant Pot Air Fryer!
Pros:
- Two devices in one. You save on countertop space, which is a big plus!
- Tons of features. You can use it as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer, roaster, dehydrator, steamer, and so much more. You can even bake cakes and cookies in it, sauté food, or use it as a sous vide cooker!
- Great for soups, casseroles, meats, rice, crispy vegetables, chicken wings, onion rings, and basically all of your favorite meals with delicious tastes and textures!
- It’s a beautifully designed appliance.
- It’s the ultimate time saving device for weeknight dinners and healthy meals!
- Easy to clean up.
Cons:
- It’s a pretty large device (but still saves countertop space).
- The air fryer lid is heavy and a little bit difficult to store.
- It comes with a few extra accessories, like a dehydrating rack, frying basket, and more. Both a pro for cooking and a con for storing!
- The air frying component doesn’t seem to get foods to their crispiest potential in comparison to other air fryers and traditional frying methods. Since the frying basket is deep instead of long and flat, the food tends to hold a little bit more moisture.
Instant Pot Air Fryer Cooking Times
Need a quick rundown of Instant Pot Air Fryer Cooking Times? Here’s an overview (summarized from this Instant Pot Cooking Times cheat sheet) of common foods, temperature, time, and best settings:
- Asparagus – 400 degrees F, 3-5 minutes, Broil
- Beef or Steak – 400 degrees F, 13-15 minutes, Air Fryer
- Chicken – 400 degrees F, 20-22 minutes, Roasted
- Cauliflower – 400 degrees F, 11-13 minutes, Air Fryer
- Carrots – 400 degrees F, 8-10 minutes, Air Fryer
- Fries – 400 degrees F, 18-24 minutes, Air Fryer
- Green Beans – 400 degrees F, 9-11 minutes, Air Fryer
- Zucchini – 400 degrees F, 8-10 minutes, Air Fryer
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