Instant Pot - Vortex Slim Chef Series 3-in-1

I like my InstantPot Vortex 6qt basket. 7 different functions. I use it nearly daily.

I have an IP Vortex 6-qt basket. About 5 years old I think. I use it for salmon, pork, beef, and especially chicken. I bought it specifically for chicken, and the good news is that it works for so many other things, as well. I use garlic salt on bone-in, skin on chicken thighs with the roast feature at 3:50° for 25 minutes. I throw in a couple of small red skin potatoes with the chicken, and if I’m having a root vegetable, I throw those in as well. I do not turn or flip the meat. The air fryer is a convection oven with good airflow and the meat gets cooked. If I’m doing asparagus or summer squash, I prep them while the chicken cooks and then those cook in the five to ten minutes while the chicken rests before eating. Brussel sprouts I time a little differently. For salmon, mahi-mahi, swordfish, etc. I also use the roast function and may (or may not) flip the meat during the cooking process. I have done pork loin and tenderloin in the air fryer, but have discovered that I prefer pork bites more than just the loin, or tenderloin. I use a smoked salt on the meat about an hour before cooking. I cook the bites in a mesh basket, spray them with a little bit of oil before cooking. I use the air fryer setting. I do something similar for steak bites . This is purely my preference. I have cooked sausage and peppers in the air fryer with excellent results. The sausage isn’t the healthiest of choices, but I feel it’s offset by the peppers, onion, and garlic. I also use my air fryer for desserts. Using it as an oven. Mine has a “bake“ feature. I mix up a batch of cookie dough, I have a small 4 1/2 inch cast-iron cookie skillet. I bake one cookie at a time which allows me portion control. It is a large cookie. I have also used my air fryer to make fruit, crisp, bread, pudding, pumpkin, custard, all in individual ramekins. I have pretty much not used my oven and barely my stove top since getting my air fryer and coupling that with my IP pressure cooker for soups, stews, chili, etc. I still use my stove top and my toaster. I use my microwave/convection oven for some things, but not as many as I used to.

The Instant Pot Vortex won the ATK comparison. I bought one on that recommendation, but bought two sets of pot grabbers like you take camping to retrieve the disposable aluminum dishes I use for freezing meal preps.

ATK= America's Test Kitchen. I'll see what I can find on pot grabbers. Stay tuned. I have the six quart Instant Vortex. I did have the air fryer adapter for my six quart instant pot, but it was way too small for two of us. If you're cooking for more than two people, I would get an eight quart.

You could get a very fancy rice cooker for several hundred. Goodwill is full of basic ones that just click on. I've cooked curry in these ones. It shuts off automatically. I'd recommend one of these and if you really want to invest in something better after using a goodwill one after awhile you. For more rice cooker recipes there's a reddit community too. For an airfryer I like the Instant brand. I think mine is 6 quart and I can get a pound of chicken in there. I love it and cook a lot in it. It doesn't heat my house up the way the oven does.

Kettle: Xiaomi We've had ours for 2 years, used everyday. No issues. Airfryer: Instantpot Vortex Used regularly for months now, works great. I like the oven style and tray vs basket style because easier to clean. I just pop the trays in a dishwasher along with the dishes. It also automatically preheats and dings to remind you the preheating is done.

The current multi-day bloat sale for the big online giant has the InstantPot Vortex on sale for $90, if you like the basket type ones. Large capacity, cleans up easily. Cooks fast and food comes out really crisp. Not a Costco purchase, but can highly recommend with no regrets.

> this was a big issue when they first came out; I assume they've fixed it by now Can confirm - it had a smell the first time I ran through a 15m air fryer cycle (empty, per the quick start instructions) and I haven't smelled anything since.

Thanks for your input! We have one of those instant pot vortex air fryers, just with a different label on the front. The house we are moving into has fairly new appliances. They were bought in '22 I believe but it's just the two of us and a dog so we don't often like using the oven if we can help it. I'll take a look at the Bella air fryer! I guess air fryers themselves aren't that expensive. If I'm going to spend $500 on appliances, I might as well look at a combi oven too 😂

For durability, nothing beats a [PHilips](https://s.shopee.ph/5L2rpImD1M), Ive had mine for years now, its mechanical, so less parts for repair, but its a bit small, it can handle most things but unlike the digital, you are doing guess work regarding when to place the food as preheating is done, i do 3 minutes with mine, regarding cleaning,. its easier than most, you press a button and the tray seperates, kahit yn iba mahal, it wont do that. but may trade offs din isa pa yn size nya. but regardings longevity, Philips is great. we are using [midea ](https://s.shopee.ph/50Q1QfEgTp)din, its not bad, good size, good looks and mech din, its another option but it wont remove tray as easily as the Philips. affiliate link posted plus pictures of the unit https://preview.redd.it/xos1b4ef8vrf1.png?width=2019&format=png&auto=webp&s=f5132d1045efa9f213c3e0beb05233934399abd6

but if you have the budget, go for the[ instant pot vortex,](https://s.shopee.ph/1g9ZVD3lY0) got a lot of features, though one problem is cleaning as well, you have to use tongs if hot to remove the draining mechanism, but this thing really removes everything with it, you dont need preheating wait, it tells you, you dont need to second guess, ive used it for a few times already and it does. I need to finihs the testing for the mosquito killers and would be doing the inductions next for that. the [Instant pot vortex ](https://s.shopee.ph/1g9ZVD3lY0)is very good, cooks well, even tells you when to flip. affiliate link posted plus picture of the unit https://preview.redd.it/k4zbaw8bfvrf1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86a4aabcfd392d9560a663b1d2aff430ea62826e

This checks out, I have a instant pot vortex, got it bc it seemed like the most highly recommended one that wasn't a dual zone or an oven style one

I have not had this experience. I started with a ninja basket type. When I was looking for a bigger one, but similar style I got the instapot vortex (no window) and find the performance of both basically the same. Used each for over a year, so it’s not a one-off experience.