Instant Vortex Plus Review

The Instant Vortex Plus is a versatile air fryer that makes crunchy potatoes, but I found that it leaves a strange aftertaste in my food.

Cooking Quality

Air fryers live and die by their ability to create that perfect combination of crispy exterior and tender interior, and I tested the Vortex Plus across our standard battery of foods — fries and tater tots, chicken wings, and salmon — to see how it measures up.

Fries and Tater Tots

The Vortex Plus delivered mixed results with frozen potato products. The tater tots came out with a reasonably crispy exterior, though not quite achieving the ideal crackling texture.

The interior texture was a bit soft, landing somewhere between fluffy and mushy. The french fries I cooked were the same and had a decent golden exterior. The main problem came with the taste. No matter how many times I cleaned the unit and preheated it, the fries and tots came out with a distinct plastic flavor.

Chicken Wings

Wings presented an interesting challenge for this unit. Using my standard preparation — a light coating of baking powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder — the Vortex Plus produced wings with tender, juicy meat that easily reached the required 165°F internal temperature. However, the skin crispiness fell short of my expectations.

While the wings were certainly edible and properly cooked, they lacked the crackling, restaurant-quality skin that the best air fryers can achieve. The meat remained moist throughout the cooking process, which speaks well to the unit's temperature control, but the exterior simply didn't develop the textural contrast I was hoping for.

Salmon

The salmon test revealed a weak spot in the Vortex Plus. The fish came out with a very light browning and minimal crispness. I noticed immediately that it was pale compared to other air fryers I've tested, even though it was fully cooked to temperature internally. Upon taking a bite, I was disappointed to notice that it was quite dry and barely edible.

Cooking Speed

The Instant Vortex Plus has a 3-minute preheat, and I found the cooking speed to be adequate but not overly impressive.

Once preheated, the cooking times aligned reasonably well with the recipe recommendations. I always check food a bit early, but I've never had any problems with the Vortex Plus cooking too quickly and burning food.

Temperature Accuracy

Temperature consistency proved to be one of the Vortex Plus's stronger attributes. During my 25-minute temperature logging sessions at 400°F, the unit demonstrated reliable accuracy without the wild temperature swings that plague some competitors. The heating elements maintained steady output, creating an environment conducive to even cooking. The Vortex Plus averaged just a 1.5-degree difference from the temperature set, which makes it reliable.

The outer surface regularly reached 146°F during operation.

Ease of Use

The Instant Vortex Plus presents a mixed bag when it comes user experience. The digital touch controls combined with a central dial create an intuitive interface that's easy to navigate even on the first use. I appreciated being able to quickly adjust time and temperature settings without repeatedly pressing buttons — the dial makes fine-tuning effortless.

The six preset functions (air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, dehydrate) cover most cooking needs, and the ability to program custom time and temperature settings adds flexibility. The shake alarm feature proved genuinely useful, reminding me to flip or shake contents at optimal intervals. The digital display is clear and angled appropriately for easy reading during operation.

However, the cleaning experience significantly impacts the overall ease of use. The manufacturer explicitly recommends against submerging the basket in water or putting it in the dishwasher, which creates a cleaning challenge. Hand-washing only becomes tedious, especially after cooking greasy foods. The wire racks proved particularly difficult to clean thoroughly, requiring more scrubbing effort than I'd prefer for regular use.

The basket design itself has a notable flaw — the tray tends to slide out when dumping food, requiring careful handling to prevent spills. This became annoying during testing, forcing me to use spatulas or extra care when transferring cooked food to plates.

Should You Buy The Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer?

The Instant Vortex Plus makes sense for specific users despite its limitations. I liked that it was easy to use and the temperature accuracy is top notch. It has six presets that make it a useful multi-purpose kitchen appliance. But, I personally don't recommend it due to the plasticky aftertaste it left on my food.

What Other Air Fryers Should You Consider?

If you're seeking superior air frying and taste, consider the Cosori TurboBlaze, which excels at creating exceptionally crispy exteriors while maintaining a larger capacity for family cooking. It regularly produces fries and tots that are crispier, and it noticeably lacks the plastic taste that plagued the Vortex Plus.