This first-ever Instant Pot with a built-in air fryer lid has the potential to do it all while saving some space in your kitchen.
I live in Brooklyn where I write about food subscriptions, cooking, kitchen gadgets and business.Anything with sesame seeds is my favorite this week.
By far the two most popular small kitchen appliances of the past few years are the multi-cooker (what most people call the “Instant Pot”) and the air fryer.Given the ongoing clamor of both and the perennial need to save space, some brands have attempted to combine the two multi-purpose kitchen tools into a single all-purpose countertop cooker.
Instant, the most ubiquitous maker of multi-cookers, started making air fryer ovens a few years ago when trendy kitchen gadgets started taking off from shelves.About two years ago, the brand launched its first air fryer lid ($70), which attaches to one of its signature multi-cookers and turns it into an air fryer.The latest Instant Pot version — the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid — takes things a step further.With built-in convection and air fryer functions and a slim pressure cooker lid insert, the machine can be used just like a traditional multi-purpose pot; slow cook, pressure cook, steam, sauté, and more.
As a habitual user of multi-cookers and air fryers, and any true lover of space saving, I debated with Ultimate Lid’s new 6.5-quart Instant Pot model to see if it could do the job of these two popular little appliances .While it’s not a complete flop, the pricier $230 model proves to be bulkier than the standard Instant Pot and doesn’t have the popularity of its Air Fryer Lid predecessor.It is also difficult to clean and requires preheat time to air fry.
At this bloated price, I wouldn’t recommend it over the first-gen Duo Crisp, which is about $100 cheaper.This is my take on hybrid air fryers and multi-cookers.
Convection and air fryer mechanisms are built into the lid.The removable lid for pressure cooking and slow cooking (on the right side of the Instant Pot) is thin and easy to store.
Unlike any Instant Pot before it, the Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid has air fryer functionality built into the main lid.Thanks to this convection cooking element, you can air fry, bake, bake, and roast—all cooking methods that most Instant Pots don’t offer.It also has most of the features of the basic Instant Pot multi-cooker, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, and sautéing.
While you don’t have to screw on (or find storage space for) the bulky cone-shaped air fryer lid attachment like the original Duo Crisp, you have to slide in the pressure cooker lid when you want to pressurize or simmer.However, that lid is very thin and not more than 2 inches tall; it shouldn’t be difficult to find a space.
I found the dials and controls easy to use, but I’m not used to air fryers that require warm-up time.
I use the Duo Crisp and its Ultimate Lid to cook some of my favorite air fryer foods.The air fryer is very skilled when heated.Speaking of which, this is one of the only air fryers I’ve ever used that requires an official preheat time.For a 400°F air fryer, it takes about five minutes to preheat, plus the actual cooking time.I’m used to an air fryer that doesn’t require preheating, so got used to it.
Chicken Thighs: One of my favorite air fryer recipes is simple fried chicken thighs.I took two or three thighs and dipped them in the eggs and scooped them out with flour.I made them using my standard recipes in the Duo Crisp and my personal Magic Bullet air fryer.I cooked them for 18 minutes, then flipped them halfway through.The results were very similar, but the Instant Pot needed an extra five minutes to warm up.
Sweet Potato Fries: French fries are another classic air fryer food.They usually turn out crispy and much greasy compared to deep frying.I cut a sweet potato in half and made a batch of fries in my single air fryer and Duo Crisp.Both batches were cooked for 12 minutes with about the same amount of caramelization and browning.
The Duo Crisp with the Ultimate Lid turned into the same brown sweet potato fries in the same amount of time as my single air fryer.
I also made basic chicken chops from scratch in Duo Crisp.These took a few minutes longer than in a typical individual air fryer, but came out looking great, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Roasted cauliflower: I roasted cauliflower florets (with olive oil) in Duo Crisp at 375F for 12 minutes.While they work well, there is only enough capacity to cook two.I might usually choose to use my oven for something like this.
This model’s biggest draw is more cooking power than the brand’s original hybrid air fryer model.With the air fryer rack in place, you can place three medium chicken breasts and four chicken thighs (you may need five) in the cooking compartment.The original model required a single, smaller basket insert that could only hold three chicken thighs or two medium-sized breasts.
For me, a major setback with this model is that the air fryer is difficult to clean.When I finished cooking the drumsticks with the dredge flour and egg coating, the fine mesh wire rack was overwhelmed with goo.Most of the coating and skin also stuck to the rack when trying to flip them midway through cooking.
Most air fryer baskets have a nonstick coating that takes a few seconds to clean after use.For the Duo Crisp with the Ultimate Lid, I had to soak it for 10 minutes to get it clean, but I ended up removing it all with a scrubber, soap, and elbow grease.I found it harder to clean than the original Duo Crisp’s non-stick baskets and racks, which were completely flat with larger holes that didn’t trap as much food.
Other foods, including sweet potatoes and frozen snacks, didn’t stick to the wire rack.If you plan to cook these mostly rather than mashed ones, you probably won’t have the same problem as me.
The original Duo Crisp required a separate basket insert for air frying, which reduced overall capacity.On the plus side, it’s easier to clean.
I also make a pressure cooker recipe that I always use: pulled pork shoulder.I followed a recipe I’ve used a few times in other Instant Pots: toss a 3-pound pork shoulder in flour and spices, seared and pressure cook in the Instant Pot for 45 minutes.The Duo Crisp became a near mirror image of the fork tender pork shoulder I made earlier in the same amount of time.
When I first used the Duo Crisp with the Ultimate Lid, an important part of the pressure cooker lid, which helps hold it to the main lid, broke off, making it unusable as a pressure cooker or slow cooker.I can’t be sure how it happened, although the first few times I put the pressure cap on, I had to squeeze a little harder to get it on.
If your Instant Pot’s pressure cooker lid snaps off like mine did, a small plastic bit that doesn’t seem to matter will make it useless.
In the replacement caps I received, the small plastic protrusions that snap off didn’t seem particularly shoddy.That said, I would caution anyone using this model to be gentle when trying to secure and remove the cap.
The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is a good choice for those who use a multi-cooker a lot but also want to fry occasionally.I often stress because if you’re more inclined to use an air fryer than an Instant Pot, pressure cooker, or multi-purpose cooker, this model is much bulkier than most stand-alone air fryers.
I personally use an air fryer far more than a multi-cooker, so I’m happy with my small and light 2.6-quart Magic Bullet Air Fryer and its nonstick pan.I keep it on the counter most of the time and my multicooker is stored in the closet until I’m ready to use it.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is bulkier than most air fryers and requires more cleanup after the air fryer than I’m used to.Preheating also takes about five minutes, while most other air fryers don’t require preheating time at all.That said, once it’s ready to cook, this machine will air fry, bake and roast with the best.
I love the new Duo Crisp, but the original Duo Crisp without the built-in air fryer lid costs about $130.For my money, if you’re looking for a machine that does it all, it’s the better choice.If you already have your favorite 6-quart Instant Pot, get an air fryer lid for $70.
Post time: Jul-13-2022