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expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Feb 2, 2024
expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Feb 2, 2024

6-Quart Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer

+ Free Shipping

$72

$130

44% off
Amazon
43 Comments 22,284 Views
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Deal Details
Amazon has 6-Quart Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer (140-3089-01) on sale for $71.99. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member phoinix for finding this deal.

Product Info:
  • Air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat and dehydrate
  • ClearCook window and internal light to easily monitor cooking progress without opening the basket
  • Built-in, replaceable air filters remove odors during cooking to reduce lingering cooking smells
  • Advanced technology that drives air flow top down for a perfect golden finish and crispy, tender results every time
  • Customizable programs for one-touch wings, roasted veggies, garlicky potatoes, cookies, cinnamon buns and more
  • Little to no preheating time, from frozen to golden in minutes
  • Create gourmet meals with the versatility of a temperature range of 95 to 400° F
  • Non-stick, dishwasher safe air fry basket and tray

Editor's Notes

Written by jimmytx | Staff
  • About this Store:
  • Additional Information:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $27.96 less (28% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $99.95 at the time of this posting.
    • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon based on over 19665 customer reviews.
    • Please see the original post for additional details and/or view the Wiki and forum comments for further helpful discussion if available.

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Amazon has 6-Quart Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer (140-3089-01) on sale for $71.99. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member phoinix for finding this deal.

Product Info:
  • Air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat and dehydrate
  • ClearCook window and internal light to easily monitor cooking progress without opening the basket
  • Built-in, replaceable air filters remove odors during cooking to reduce lingering cooking smells
  • Advanced technology that drives air flow top down for a perfect golden finish and crispy, tender results every time
  • Customizable programs for one-touch wings, roasted veggies, garlicky potatoes, cookies, cinnamon buns and more
  • Little to no preheating time, from frozen to golden in minutes
  • Create gourmet meals with the versatility of a temperature range of 95 to 400° F
  • Non-stick, dishwasher safe air fry basket and tray

Editor's Notes

Written by jimmytx | Staff
  • About this Store:
  • Additional Information:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $27.96 less (28% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $99.95 at the time of this posting.
    • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon based on over 19665 customer reviews.
    • Please see the original post for additional details and/or view the Wiki and forum comments for further helpful discussion if available.

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff

Community Voting

Deal Score
+42
Good Deal
Visit Amazon

Price Intelligence

Model: Instant Pot® Vortex® Plus 6-quart Stainless Steel Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase

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Top Comments

BMO888
873 Posts
302 Reputation
I have an Instant Vortex and it's a beast. Changed my view on air fryers. As far as trays or bucket, they have their pros and cons. Bucket is easier to dump everything in and then toss midway through cooking cycle. I also have a Ninja Foodi Oven (typical tray) with air fry ability. The Instant is so much quicker and better as far as air frying goes. Much better even-ness in browning.

It really does depend on what your cooking. Obviously cakes and cookies aren't the best for air fryer, but they can be used. Bucket air fryers get hotter and circulate air quicker, great for roasted veggies and meats, frozen food items, etc.

They are both a little annoying to Clean. You have to wash the big bucket every time and the tray air fryers are also annoying to clean the bottom if there's anything with crumbs. With the bucket you can throw the whole thing in the sink. Fryers with trays the insides need to be wiped. If you're cooking something greasy, bucket is easy win cause it contains everything in the bucket.
bengalih
957 Posts
693 Reputation
I say bucket all the way. We had another 6 qt Instant Vortex model that just bit the dust. We had it for less then 2 years, but it was a hand me down. That being said, I'm not sure it lasted 3 years total which is a bit of a red flag to me to buy Vortex again, but since I wasn't involved in the purchase of the first I'm giving them another chance because I really really liked the machine.

The only real problems we had with it (and BTW it was almost an identical model to this without the window) were:

1) The little silicon nubbins on the removable tray wore out after we had it for less than a year. They started to degrade and I needed to order new ones which also seemed to get pretty messed up in about the same amount of time. You can replace these (you can usually find them online for less than $10) and replacing them is not a necessity. You want some semblance of them on there or the tray will scratch the bucket. But other people might have more of a tolerance for there level of degradation than I.

2) Started getting residue that couldn't be removed from the tray. I'm not sure how much was on there before we got it. I think they say not to use any non-oil sprays, but honestly I might not have read the book. Compared to my sister's tray fryer mine still looked really good, so maybe i have unrealistic expectations for how spotless the bucket should continue to look.

Anyway, about a month ago when it bit the dust I bought this:

https://www.costco.com/sur-la-tab...53149.html

I didn't like the idea of what looked more like a glorified convection oven then an air fryer. But what sold me was all the attachments (including bucket and shelves) as well as my sister replaced her bucket fryer with this and said she loved it.

I didn't.

For one, it doesn't cook as hot. For instance all the fryers pretty much go up to 400 max. I had frozen tater tots in this one for like 20 minutes and they still weren't really crispy. My Instant Vortex would have had them burnt to a crisp at that point. I could tell with other things too - they just took longer and didn't get as crisp as I wanted.

Most of the attachments are a gimmick. The kebab rotisserie was a mess and a fail to use.
I thought I would use the bucket instead of the shelves, but it had multiple issues: For one, it had holes in it, which made cleanup worse on the inside of the oven (had to clean drip tray too). Also it had a removable handle which wasn't very sturdy and after using it to shake a basket full of fries a few times I didn't think it would last.

Despite stating it is almost twice as large (13qt vs 6qt) you really won't get that usable space for most stuff. It's true that using the shelves allows you to stack things but there are drawbacks there too: They cook unevenly and the top tray will drip on the bottom (depending on what you make). In my old one I could fit 4 burgers in the bucket. The bucket on this one was smaller and so I needed to put them in 2 trays, so the upper ones dripped on the lower ones which all dripped down into the drip tray. The "new" nonstick coating was super easy to clean, but I don't know how long it will hold up and then you are cleaning 3 trays instead of one bucket. Plus, the shelves have holes in them so if you pull one out to flip a burger the grease drips everywhere outside the oven.

To me, it boils down to this:
1) The true basket air fryers cook better than the ones with shelves which are really glorified convection ovens.
2) Baskets are superior to shelves in most instances, especially if you are cooking things that drip. So unless you have a specific need for one that can fit a rotisserie or you want to cook bigger batches of things that don't drip (and can't be tossed which you can easily do in a bucket to rotate), you should go with a bucket fryer.

I'm glad I came here to SD to check and found this deal, I've just ordered it and this other one I got from Costco is going back as it has made me from loving an air fryer to tolerating it.

42 Comments

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Feb 4, 2024
101 Posts
Joined Nov 2018

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Feb 4, 2024
9,810 Posts
Joined Feb 2013
Feb 4, 2024
Hat-Trick
Feb 4, 2024
9,810 Posts
Buckets vs trays. Which is better? I guess it depends on what you plan on cooking? Definite advantages to bucket style for Nachos and fries.

I've only used an air fryer once and returned it but rethinking getting one.
Feb 4, 2024
873 Posts
Joined Nov 2011
Feb 4, 2024
BMO888
Feb 4, 2024
873 Posts
Quote from Hat-Trick :
Buckets vs trays. Which is better? I guess it depends on what you plan on cooking? Definite advantages to bucket style for Nachos and fries.

I've only used an air fryer once and returned it but rethinking getting one.
I have an Instant Vortex and it's a beast. Changed my view on air fryers. As far as trays or bucket, they have their pros and cons. Bucket is easier to dump everything in and then toss midway through cooking cycle. I also have a Ninja Foodi Oven (typical tray) with air fry ability. The Instant is so much quicker and better as far as air frying goes. Much better even-ness in browning.

It really does depend on what your cooking. Obviously cakes and cookies aren't the best for air fryer, but they can be used. Bucket air fryers get hotter and circulate air quicker, great for roasted veggies and meats, frozen food items, etc.

They are both a little annoying to Clean. You have to wash the big bucket every time and the tray air fryers are also annoying to clean the bottom if there's anything with crumbs. With the bucket you can throw the whole thing in the sink. Fryers with trays the insides need to be wiped. If you're cooking something greasy, bucket is easy win cause it contains everything in the bucket.
Last edited by BMO888 February 5, 2024 at 01:39 PM.
Feb 4, 2024
656 Posts
Joined Jun 2019
Feb 4, 2024
UniqueAlpaca719
Feb 4, 2024
656 Posts
Quote from Hat-Trick :
Buckets vs trays. Which is better? I guess it depends on what you plan on cooking? Definite advantages to bucket style for Nachos and fries.

I've only used an air fryer once and returned it but rethinking getting one.
Buckets require less cleaning. Oven style is annoying because you have to clean the inside walls and trays. Don't leave it unclean as those greases will start to solidify and be caked on.
Feb 4, 2024
133 Posts
Joined Sep 2017
Feb 4, 2024
AlgaeEater
Feb 4, 2024
133 Posts
Quote from Hat-Trick :
Buckets vs trays. Which is better? I guess it depends on what you plan on cooking? Definite advantages to bucket style for Nachos and fries.

I've only used an air fryer once and returned it but rethinking getting one.
For me personally I always prefer buckets due to how easy they are to clean vs trays. Some degreaser spray and a magic eraser will make your bucket almost brand new in a few minutes. Tray air fryers are no different than toaster ovens in cleaning annoyance, and hence I've avoided them. If you're someone who has "black lined" toaster ovens over the years and don't care about cleaning them out however, go with the tray version. It will be more familiar to you and hold more food by volume.
Pro
Feb 4, 2024
9,653 Posts
Joined Oct 2006
Feb 4, 2024
sd_junky
Pro
Feb 4, 2024
9,653 Posts
Quote from UniqueAlpaca719 :
Buckets require less cleaning. Oven style is annoying because you have to clean the inside walls and trays. Don't leave it unclean as those greases will start to solidify and be caked on.
Umm the bucket system is the same thing. There will be gunk and grease spots too. It is just not as visible as the oven like air fryer. Big Grin
5
Feb 4, 2024
30 Posts
Joined Jan 2024
Feb 4, 2024
LovelyVest7940
Feb 4, 2024
30 Posts
Quote from UniqueAlpaca719 :
Buckets require less cleaning. Oven style is annoying because you have to clean the inside walls and trays. Don't leave it unclean as those greases will start to solidify and be caked on.

I had the first Philips HD XL from way back before it broke. I paid $400, this is less than 20% the cost.

the Philips was very slow to pre-heat, noisy, didn't have the clear window and a pain to clean.

Much prefer using the Instapot non-stick tray. Though I'd like a smaller more compact 4qt model
Last edited by LovelyVest7940 February 4, 2024 at 03:03 PM.

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Feb 4, 2024
4,105 Posts
Joined Aug 2010
Feb 4, 2024
XealO
Feb 4, 2024
4,105 Posts
Quote from BMO888 :
I have an Instant Vortex and it's a beast. Changed my view on air fryers. As far as trays or bucket, they have their pros and cons. Bucket is easier to dump everything in and then toss midway through cooking cycle. I also have a Ninja Foodi Oven (typical tray) with air fry ability. The Instant is so much quicker and better as far as air frying goes. Much better even-ness in browning.

It really does depend on what your cooking. Obviously cakes and cookies aren't the best for air fryer, but they can be used. Bucket air fryers get hotter and circulate air quicker, great for roasted veggies and meats, frozen food items, etc.

They are both a little annoying to Clean. You have to wash the big bucket every time and the tray air fryers are also annoying to clean the bottom if there's anything with crumbs. With the bucket you can throw the whole thing in the sink. Fryers with trays the insides need to be wiped.
Get a silicone liner for the bucket. Problem solved.
Feb 4, 2024
957 Posts
Joined Dec 2005
Feb 4, 2024
bengalih
Feb 4, 2024
957 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank bengalih

Quote from Hat-Trick :
Buckets vs trays. Which is better? I guess it depends on what you plan on cooking? Definite advantages to bucket style for Nachos and fries.

I've only used an air fryer once and returned it but rethinking getting one.
I say bucket all the way. We had another 6 qt Instant Vortex model that just bit the dust. We had it for less then 2 years, but it was a hand me down. That being said, I'm not sure it lasted 3 years total which is a bit of a red flag to me to buy Vortex again, but since I wasn't involved in the purchase of the first I'm giving them another chance because I really really liked the machine.

The only real problems we had with it (and BTW it was almost an identical model to this without the window) were:

1) The little silicon nubbins on the removable tray wore out after we had it for less than a year. They started to degrade and I needed to order new ones which also seemed to get pretty messed up in about the same amount of time. You can replace these (you can usually find them online for less than $10) and replacing them is not a necessity. You want some semblance of them on there or the tray will scratch the bucket. But other people might have more of a tolerance for there level of degradation than I.

2) Started getting residue that couldn't be removed from the tray. I'm not sure how much was on there before we got it. I think they say not to use any non-oil sprays, but honestly I might not have read the book. Compared to my sister's tray fryer mine still looked really good, so maybe i have unrealistic expectations for how spotless the bucket should continue to look.

Anyway, about a month ago when it bit the dust I bought this:

https://www.costco.com/sur-la-tab...53149.html

I didn't like the idea of what looked more like a glorified convection oven then an air fryer. But what sold me was all the attachments (including bucket and shelves) as well as my sister replaced her bucket fryer with this and said she loved it.

I didn't.

For one, it doesn't cook as hot. For instance all the fryers pretty much go up to 400 max. I had frozen tater tots in this one for like 20 minutes and they still weren't really crispy. My Instant Vortex would have had them burnt to a crisp at that point. I could tell with other things too - they just took longer and didn't get as crisp as I wanted.

Most of the attachments are a gimmick. The kebab rotisserie was a mess and a fail to use.
I thought I would use the bucket instead of the shelves, but it had multiple issues: For one, it had holes in it, which made cleanup worse on the inside of the oven (had to clean drip tray too). Also it had a removable handle which wasn't very sturdy and after using it to shake a basket full of fries a few times I didn't think it would last.

Despite stating it is almost twice as large (13qt vs 6qt) you really won't get that usable space for most stuff. It's true that using the shelves allows you to stack things but there are drawbacks there too: They cook unevenly and the top tray will drip on the bottom (depending on what you make). In my old one I could fit 4 burgers in the bucket. The bucket on this one was smaller and so I needed to put them in 2 trays, so the upper ones dripped on the lower ones which all dripped down into the drip tray. The "new" nonstick coating was super easy to clean, but I don't know how long it will hold up and then you are cleaning 3 trays instead of one bucket. Plus, the shelves have holes in them so if you pull one out to flip a burger the grease drips everywhere outside the oven.

To me, it boils down to this:
1) The true basket air fryers cook better than the ones with shelves which are really glorified convection ovens.
2) Baskets are superior to shelves in most instances, especially if you are cooking things that drip. So unless you have a specific need for one that can fit a rotisserie or you want to cook bigger batches of things that don't drip (and can't be tossed which you can easily do in a bucket to rotate), you should go with a bucket fryer.

I'm glad I came here to SD to check and found this deal, I've just ordered it and this other one I got from Costco is going back as it has made me from loving an air fryer to tolerating it.
1
Feb 5, 2024
487 Posts
Joined Aug 2011
Feb 5, 2024
abodd
Feb 5, 2024
487 Posts
The real question is which air fryer has the most surface area. I don't care about the qt size because usually they measure it vertical.
Feb 5, 2024
218 Posts
Joined Aug 2018
Feb 5, 2024
darkSEAL
Feb 5, 2024
218 Posts
I have the new double version of this same air fryer (basically this but 2 separate 4 qt baskets). I didn't get it on sale, but as for quality - so far it has been great. It heats up pretty fast and cooks well. The design is sleek and it's easy to clean. Most of the time the tray goes in the dishwasher and the basket needs a quick rinse with a little soap and dries clean. No scrubbing at all. Good control as well
Feb 5, 2024
231 Posts
Joined Dec 2013
Feb 5, 2024
greguar
Feb 5, 2024
231 Posts
I've had this for a year. Great air fryer that cooks very evenly. The rubber bumpers inside deteriorated in about 10 months, but I found cheap replacements on amazon. The light/window feature is a game changer from our last air fryer. The only con I can think of is the weight of this appliance. It's quite heavy if you move it around a lot like I need to.
Feb 5, 2024
92 Posts
Joined Jul 2023
Feb 5, 2024
WiseCrib548
Feb 5, 2024
92 Posts
I have this air fryer. It's solid. It takes up quite a bit of counter space.
Feb 5, 2024
20 Posts
Joined Sep 2017
Feb 5, 2024
Exonerv
Feb 5, 2024
20 Posts
I paid nearly double for this air fryer about 9 months ago. It was the one recommended by America's Test Kitchen at the time. I currently own 2 others - a Dash & a Gourmia from Costco. This fryer is head & shoulders better in almost every way. I've been so pleased with the Instant Pot Vortex that at this price I ordered another for my office.

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Feb 5, 2024
108 Posts
Joined Aug 2011
Feb 5, 2024
evulhotdog
Feb 5, 2024
108 Posts
America's Test Kitchen rates this as their "upgrade pick" to their winner (the winner just doesn't have a window.)

Link to their ratings: https://archive.is/Zt1S5

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