Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer Review (2023) 8-Quart XL Double Basket Multi-Cooker

Award: 4^th Best Instant Air Fryer

Let’s go over its capabilities for a bit.

The Instant Dual Air Fryer is also a 6-in-1 multicooker like the 6-Quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus. It can air fry, broil, roast, bake, reheat, and dehydrate.

It also offers two complementary features like the Ninja DZ201 and Ninja DZ401—SyncCook and SyncFinish. That’s the equivalent of Match Cook and Smart Finish for the Ninja brand.

SyncFinish is useful when your recipes are different, but you want them to finish cooking simultaneously. SyncCook, on the other hand, is just a shortcut for synchronizing cooking times on both baskets, say when you’re making fries on the same drawers.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Now let’s go over the Instant Dual Air Fryer’s good and bad aspects.

PROS

• Midrange budget
• Simple yet elegant design
• Touchscreen control panel
• ClearCook (see-through) window
• Synchronous cooking (and finish)
• Cooks evenly (EvenCrisp technology)
• Basket air fryer design has the best usability
• Dual basket means bigger capacity (total of 8-qt)
• Rectangular basket fits more food
• Available in two colors: black/sliver, all-black
• Wide temperature range (95-400ºF)
• 6 core cooking functions: Air fry, broil, roast, bake, dehydrate, reheat
• Quick preheating time
• PFOA and BPA Free
• Dishwasher safe parts
• 1-year warranty

CONS

• Requires a substantial countertop space
• Non-stick are usually not long lasting
• The baskets are not interchangeable

What can I cook with Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer?

Regardless of the brand, the cooking functions of a basket air fryer are usually similar. At least that’s true at the time of writing.

Anyway, here are the Instant Vortex Plus Dual’s programs:

Now, it’s no secret that this air fryer offer two cooking baskets or drawers. Here’s why that’s a big deal (quite literally too):

Frying, particularly french fries, is usually in bulk, right? Sadly, you can’t cook as much as a deep fryer since it needs proper airflow. Therefore, you may have to cook in batches.

That’s also true when frying two different types of recipes. Essentially, you have to wait for the first one to finish.

Luckily, the Instant Pot Dual Air Fryer solves both of those problems.

Think about it:

Instead of two separate batches, you can cook simultaneously. Therefore, whether you’re cooking for yourself or for gatherings, this air fryer will undoubtedly save you a lot of time and effort.

As if that’s not enough:

Since you have more space to utilize, the Instant Vortex Dual Air Fryer can (finally) replace a traditional dehydrator. Of course, with the help of particular accessories such as a layered rack.

Moreover, since it can stay at a relatively low temperature of 95ºF (35ºC), you can dehydrate more delicate items such as herbs.

Here’s the catch: 

Surprisingly, this product has a lower heat margin than its closest competitor—Ninja Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer (Ninja DZ201). 

You see, broiling requires high temperatures of up to 550ºF (287ºC). While the Instant Dual Air Fryer can definitely broil, it only has a maximum temperature of 400ºF (204ºC). The Ninja DZ201, on the other hand, can reach a hotter temperature of 450ºF (232ºC).

That being said, broiling isn’t even its primary function, so that should be the least of your worries. In short, it still remains a top-notch air fryer.

Is the Instant Vortex Dual Air Fryer easy to use?

If there’s one thing I’ve always admired from the brand, it’s the simplicity of controls. That’s especially true with the newer versions of Instant Pots.

Anyway, I digress.

The Instant Vortex Plus Dual’s control panel looks absolutely simple, making it easy to use. In fact, this air fryer even includes two smart functions, but more on that later.

One other factor to thank for its ease of use is the dial. Primarily, you can quickly change number values such as duration and temperature. Plus, having a dial looks cleaner than four separate buttons. 

Even better:

The basket drawer design has the best usability of all the air fryers out there. With that fact alone, this product is already victorious.

Think about it:

Shaking (or flipping) ingredients halfway is necessary for most air fryers. With other types, you have to open the lid, get the oven mitts, then bring out the fryer basket—three steps in total.

With the basket drawer type, you can simply pull the drawer. That’s it, just one effortless step!

On a different note:

The Instant Vortex Plus Double Basket Air Fryer cleans like a breeze when it comes to maintenance.

For starters, the air fryer’s baskets and trays highlight non-stick coating. Thus, any (if not all) food debris will slide right off. Better yet, you can also load the said components in the dishwasher for a more straightforward cleaning!

That being said, I still recommend washing the basket by hand and tray to prolong the lifespan of the non-stick coating. 

Tip: Solely use soft sponges for cleaning and silicone (or plastic) tongs for cooking with the non-stick components.

By the way, you can simply wipe the central unit with a damp cloth, and you’re done with the cleaning.

What makes the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer better than its competitors?

Here’s the deal:

While the synchronized cooking (and finish) isn’t unique to Instant Vortex Dual, it’s still noteworthy.

To begin, the Sync Cook copies the settings of the other basket and pastes it to the second one. So, rather than pressing the same buttons over and over, you can simply use the “SYNC COOK” function and be done with it. 

In a nutshell:

It’s a copy-paste feature, which undoubtedly makes things a lot easier and faster when cooking similar recipes.

On the other hand, you can use Sync Finish when preparing different recipes. Generally, it enables your food to finish simultaneously, even with different settings.

For instance:

In a regular air fryer, cooking different dishes needs two batches. In that case, the first dish will likely sit at room temperature and will get cold.

With the Instant Vortex Plus Dual’s sync finish, separate dishes can finish simultaneously. Therefore, you can serve the food while it’s hot.

In fact, this is more convenient than traditional methods since you don’t need to set a timer when to cook this and that.

Here’s what makes it truly unique (at least against its competitors):

It highlights a so-called ClearCook, a see-through window like an oven. For an air fryer, that’s a fantastic feature. 

Think about it:

Instead of pulling the drawer to check whether it’s cooked, you can simply look through the window. In short, less effort and a time saver. This also prevents interruption with the cooking process since opening (or pulling) the basket lets the heat out and cold in.

*Product Images and Video Courtesy of Instant Brands

Technical Specifications

Type	Air Fryer
Brand/Series	Instant Air Fryer
Model #	Stainless Steel: 140-3118-01 Black: 140-3090-01
Price	$$
Rating	4.7 out of 5
Wattage	1700 Watts
Functions	Air Fry, Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate
Air Fryer Type	Dual Basket
Basket Shape	Rectangular
Basket Material	Nonstick coated
Capacity	8 quarts, fit 3 lbs of fries
Dishwasher safe	Yes
PFOA, BPA Free	Yes
Colors	Stainless Steel Black
Dimensions	17.25 x 17.25 x 14.75 inches 15.6 x 13.9 x 12.4 inches (39.6 x 35.3 x 31.5 cm)
Cord Length	___
Application	Personal Use
Warranty	1 Year
Related Products	Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer, Vortex Plus Air Fryer, Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer, Instant Vortex Mini, Instant Omni Plus Air Fryer, Instant Omni Pro, Instant Pot Vortex Pro