I test kitchen gear for a living and the Instant Pot Vortex is my fave air fryer — grab one for $50 off

I’ve got all the kitchen appliances you can think of, but I turn to my air fryer the most. And for good reason — air fryers let you crisp foods without a lot of oil, they’re a lot more efficient than a regular oven and they’re super easy to clean. One of the best on the market? The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1, a topseller at Amazon. And this 6-quart version is 30% off bringing it down to $112 (was $160).

Why is it a good deal?💰

It’s made by the people behind the iconic Instant Pot, so you know it comes from a quality brand. And it’s quite a popular pick too. Snap it up for nearly a third off and you’ll be cooking (with less fat) in no time.

Why do I need this? 🤔

This small yet mighty air fryer can also broil, roast, dehydrate, bake and reheat. It features customizable programs for frequently cooked foods like wings, roasted veggies and more. What we especially love is that it has little to no preheating time, making it ideal for quick dinners and not-to-hot kitchens. The 6-quart size is just right for family meals and party snacks, but it won’t take over your counter.

What reviewers say 💬

More than 15,300 five-star fans give kudos to this kitchen hero, with many saying they use it day after day.

Pros 👍

This mega fan said they were “impressed by how easy and intuitive,” “fast” and “easy to clean” it is. “After making a full-size 6.5 lb chicken, frying up a stack of corn tortillas to perfection without using any oil at all, making breaded, fried zucchini sticks (to die for!), roasting my own cashews and using it for a host of other things, I have to admit that this appliance has become one of my all-time favorites!”

Another convert said: “We use it basically every day for chicken nuggets, fish sticks, grilled cheese sandwiches, reheating frozen burritos, basically anything you can think of that’ll fit in it, you can cook it. The cooking space is absolutely cavernous and the touch buttons on the front are easy to use. Make sure to leave space behind it, since that’s where it exhausts the hot air.”

A third raved: “I use it more than my stovetop, and certainly, more than the microwave. … A great deal, especially considering the features and capabilities. It’s also not too much of a counter space hog, which is nice.”

Cons 👎

One fan who called it “quite the awesome air fryer” noted the looseness of the tray: “The cooking tray inside the basket is held in place by small silicone bumpers on each of four sides. If you try to shake the food out the basket to a plate, the tray will fall away from the basket (a tighter retention would be nice).” They also noticed an initial plastic smell: “It takes several cooking cycles before odor gets better and eventually unnoticed.”

Another user also noticed the unpleasant smell and found a solution: “Previous reviews indicated the silicone bumpers on the inner tray were the problem so I removed them and tried again. Success! It took a few more run-throughs but the smell dissipated as I used the air fryer. I suggest removing the bumpers immediately before doing the initial run-through and leaving them off. … I use tongs or a spatula to hold the tray in place when I remove the food.” They added that it “works great now.”

Oh, and if you want to avoid having to look up the cook time and temperature for various foods every time you use your new appliance, this handy, bestselling air fryer cheat sheet booklet is the key accessory to add to your cart.

“Love this product!” gushed one home chef. “Love it so much that I bought several to give to relatives. Sturdy, very magnetic backing, and wipes clean easily. Lots of great information and a time saver since I don’t have to research cooking times online now!”

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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