Along with the best Instant Pot, the best Air Fryer is also one of the most popular kitchen appliances The Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer combines the best of both worlds, making it convenient for those who don't have room for multiple appliances You can switch between pressure cooker mode and air fryer mode with the lid, so you can fry, bake, grill, and storm

The only drawbacks are that it is quite heavy and bulky, and the lid and accessories take up counter space

So does the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer combo work as well as my trusty Air Fryer? Read my review of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer comes in two sizes: a 6-quart model for $149 and an 8-quart model for $199 It is widely available at online retailers, often selling for less than the list price on Amazon

It is one of Instant Pot's finest pressure cookers, so it is not surprising that it is more expensive But if you're looking for a more affordable option, the Instant Pot Duo Nova 7-in-1 cooker can do everything but stir-fry and is reasonably priced, starting at $9999 depending on size

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer looks simple with its trademark stainless steel exterior, LCD display, and streamlined touch control pad Of course, the main difference is the two separate lids (pressure cooker and air fryer), which automatically switch between wet and dry functions; the 8-liter size provides ample capacity for family use or for cooking large quantities However, at 148 x 142 x 142 inches, it is quite large and bulky In addition, if your hanging cupboard is low, there may not be enough clearance at the top of the air fryer lid, so keep this in mind as well In any case, if you only have a small amount or if space is limited, the 6-liter capacity may be worth choosing

The touch control panel shows the standard programs: slow cook, pressure cook, sauté, steam, and sous vide In addition, there are dedicated lines for air fryer functions such as Air Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, and Dehydrate; temperature and cooking time can be manually adjusted using buttons on either side of the LCD display Dry cooking functions can be set between 84°C and 204°C, while wet cooking functions can be set at Hi or Lo temperatures

Also included in the box is a dehydration tray, air fry basket, multifunction rack, and a protective pad to help place the hot lid safely on the countertop after removing it A recipe book and recipe chart are not included, but can be downloaded from the website or app

In our testing, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer did well with pressure cooking braised meats, but was a bit disappointing with steaming and sky-frying

I was particularly impressed with the "sauté" program, which was able to brown the onions and sear the meat over high heat for about five minutes After all the other ingredients were added, I pressed the pressure cook button twice and set the temperature to either "low," "normal," or "high," which is set from 239°F to 245°F At 00:35, I turned the temperature to high and got a tender and very tasty meat casserole

On the other hand, the steamed broccoli and green beans did not turn out so well The official website recommends a cooking time of 3 minutes, but it still took 7 minutes to preheat As a result, most of the green beans became overcooked, soft, and soggy I tried reducing the water content several times with the same results I may have to manually experiment with the timing to suit my taste

I started with a batch of my trusty French fries, most excited about the Air Fryer's capabilities Once the air fryer lid is twisted and locked, simply press the air fry button and it will automatically set at 204 degrees for 15 minutes Preheating takes about two minutes, and there is an option to manually change the cooking time and temperature After about 7 minutes, it prompts you to flip the food over to crisp it up

The fries were cooked evenly, but were overcooked and overly crispy The same was true of the breaded shrimp and onion rings Also, the basket of the air fryer is smaller than the inner pot, so it is necessary to use a smaller amount to get an evenly crispy finish

Despite the extra crunch, the food still tasted good It will probably take a few tries to get the perfect texture The best part is that there is no excess oil left on the tray, making it much healthier than traditional deep frying

If you are new to the Instant Pot world, you may want to read the manual to familiarize yourself with the settings Once you get used to it, operation is easy The program buttons are neatly arranged and easy to use, and the air fryer options are placed together so they are easy to find Just don't forget to replace the lid with the correct function In any case, it has a clever feature to warn you When you press the air fryer's program, the display will show "Lid," basically indicating that you have the wrong lid Once you press the selected program, the rest is easy, and like most standard Instant Pots, it automatically sets itself to keep warm once the cooking process is complete

A couple of drawbacks are that the stainless steel inner pot is non-stick and the air fryer basket and grill take longer to clean from oil residue (check our tips on how to clean an air fryer)

However, the inner pot can be washed in the dishwasher, which saves scrubbing Besides, both the lid and the outer pot can be easily washed with a damp cloth

If you are looking for a 2-in-1 combo of a multi-cooker and air fryer, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer is a great choice Not only does it have 11 cooking functions to meet any need, but it also conveniently transforms into an air fryer with the flip of a switch on the lid Plus, it saves space for those who don't want to spend the money to buy several appliances However, the cooker is bulky and requires storage space for two lids and accessories

Space aside, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer works well for its main functions, such as pressure cooking, but you may need to try a few times with the steaming and frying settings The air fryer setting was easy to use, but it tended to overheat, so the time and temperature need to be adjusted manually to suit your preferences Nevertheless, the flavor and texture of the food was delicious and cooked much faster than a conventional oven However, if you are only going to use the air fryer function, it would be best to purchase a separate air fryer that has more power and is designed for that purpose

Overall, if you happen to need a versatile multi-purpose cooker with an air fryer, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer will do a good job