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Instant Pot is one of the most versatile pressure cookers around. We did a whole series on the Instant Pot Duo Nova and every model was at least half a dozen other kitchen appliances. They could pressure cook, slow cook, saute, and so on. But you know what most of them couldn’t do? Air fry. That is, until now. The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid changes the game and lets you air fry with most models, but is it right for you?
We’ll be showing you what the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid can do, what models it works with, and give you all the essential info you need to make a good decision. If you’re curious about buying an Instant Pot air fryer outright, then consider checking out our Air Fryer Instant Pot list to see which model is best for you.
What is the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid?
Here’s our overview of the air fryer lid for Instant Pot. Read further on for more information.
The Air Fryer Lid Instant Pot is a lid that fits over compatible pressure cookers and gives them new features. Sure, air frying is one of those features, but it does more than that. It can also broil, bake, and dehydrate, for starters.
Using the air fryer lid is simple. It’s as easy as placing on the lid, hitting the button, and waiting for your food to crisp up. This gives your Instant Pot pressure cooker several new features and ensures you get crispy, delicious food whenever you’re making onion rings, chicken tenders, fries, and more. Plus, air frying is much healthier than traditional deep fat frying, saving you about 60-70% of the calories.
However, as just a lid, one has to wonder if this is even effective. You can’t just turn an Instant Pot into an air fryer, right? Well, we cover this in more detail later, but you might be surprised by the results.
While this fits many models, there are some it doesn’t fit. We cover both compatible and incompatible models below. If you don’t currently have an Instant Pot to fit this on, then consider the Instant Pot Duo Crisp. It specializes in air frying and might have all the features you need. We compared it in our article Instant Pot Duo Nova vs Duo Crisp.
Features
The 6-in-1 Air Fryer Lid adds six new features to your Instant Pot. Some of these features you will already have depending on your model, but some will be completely new. The six programs are:
- Air Fry
- Broil
- Bake
- Roast
- Reheat
- Dehydrate
Many Instant Pots have bake and roast, and broil is found on some as well. However, air fry and dehydrate are the new ones. Besides, the reason you’re getting an “air fryer lid” is so you can air fry. You can use your normal lid for all the other features.
The lid easily fits on compatible pressure cookers and quickly gets to work crisping your food. You will be told when to flip your food to ensure it’s evenly cooked and crispy. This is common in most air fryers, so it’s a good feature to see here.
Whether you’re air frying or using the other features, you’ll love how quickly this heats up and how evenly it cooks. It’s a wonderful accessory to an already versatile kitchen appliance.
Size
How big is the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid? In terms of physical measurement, it measures out to 10.7 x 11.61 x 6.14 inches, or 27.2 x 29.5 x 15.6cm. That makes the lid rather portable and easy to store.
But what size pressure cooker can this fit? That’s the more important question. While we’ll get into more detail with the Compatible Models section, this only fits 6-quart models. It’s too big for 3qt models and too small for 8qt models (and way too small for 10qt).
If you’re looking for something a little bigger, then you can get Duo Crisp 8Qt. However, 6qt is a good size that’s ideal for many families. There’s also the Instant Pot Air Fryers that are made for big families. These air fryer ovens are large and come with many features. The three top ones include:
Instant Vortex 7-in-1 | Instant Vortex 9-in-1 | Instant Omni 11-in-1 |
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Interface
Have you used an Instant Pot before? If so, then you know how their interfaces are incredibly easy. You simply push the Smart Program button (like for pressure cooking, slow cooking, roasting, etc), set the time and temp, and walk away while your meal cooks.
The Instant Pot Air Frying Lid is exactly the same. Just place it on your pressure cooker, push the function button, set the time and temp, and that’s it. Whether you’ve used Instant Pot before or this is your first time, it will only take a few seconds to get things started.
Don’t worry too much about setting the right time and temp. You don’t need to be an air frying expert to know that. The User Manual covers all that information.
In general, the Air Frying Lid is exceptionally easy to use and the bright LED screen shows you the exact time and temp settings. It couldn’t be easier.
EvenCrisp Technology and Performance
The Air Fryer Instant Pot Lid uses EvenCrisp technology. This is a fancy way of saying that it’s able to crisp up your food evenly and beautifully, just like with a deep fryer. But there’s one important difference: you need less than 2 tablespoons of oil. That means a much easier time cleaning up, and way fewer calories.
That’s great, but is it actually good? The results speak for themselves. You can expect crunchy, crispy food whenever you’ve got the air fryer lid attached. Whether you’re making common fare like onion rings, chicken fingers, and fries, or chicken breast and burgers, you can expect the food to turn out delicious.
The Air Fryer Lid operates at 1500W, which ensures rapid heating and excellent heat maintenance, and it reaches 400 degrees. That’s more than enough for air frying and broiling.
Compatible Models
Wondering if your Instant Pot is compatible with the Air Fryer Lid? This section will cover all the compatible models. The next section deals with incompatible models, so be sure to check that as well.
In general, the lid can only be used with 6qt Instant Pots that have a stainless steel inner pot. It will not work with ceramic inner pots. Keep this in mind if you don’t see a certain model on this list. You’ll notice the following list uses the number “60” frequently. Instant Pot uses this designation with their 6qt models.
The compatible models include:
- Instant Pot Duo 60: IP-DUO60/V2/V2.1, IP-DUO60-ENW, IP-DUO60 V3, Duo 60 V3, Duo Frontier Rose/Dazzling Dahlia/White/Teal/Red/Black/Red SS/Nova Black SS 60
- Instant Pot Lux 60: IP-LUX60, Lux Blue/Red 60, IP-LUX60 V2, IP-LUX60-ENW, IP-LUX60-ENW-MM, IP-LUX60 V3, Lux Breezy Blossoms/Vintage Floral/Black SS/Red SS 60, Lux 60 V3
- Instant Pot Duo Plus 60: Duo Plus 60, Duo Plus Cinnamon SS/Blue SS/Copper SS/Black SS 60
- Instant Pot Viva 60: Viva, Viva 60, Viva Cinnamon/Cobalt/Eggplant/Red SS/Black SS 60
- Instant Pot Ultra 60: Ultra 60
- Instant Pot Nova Plus 60: Nova Plus 60
- Instant Pot Duo Nova 60:Duo Nova 60
Incompatible Models
You’ll be happy to know that the list of incompatible models is much shorter than the compatible ones, but there are still several Instant Pots that don’t work with the Air Fryer Lid. The incompatible list includes:
- Smart WiFi 60
- Smart BlueBooth
- Duo Evo Plus 60
- Duo SV 60
- Max 60
See, that’s not too bad. Also remember that any model with a ceramic inner pot won’t work with the Air Fryer Lid, so keep that in mind.
Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Accessories
The lid comes with several accessories that you can easily use with your compatible Instant Pot. Aside from the lid itself, you’re also getting a multi-level air fryer basket, broiling and dehydrating tray, and a protective pad for the lid (both when it’s hot and cold).
That’s pretty good. These help with all the lid’s functions, and it adds to the overall versatility of your pressure cooker.
Final Thoughts
So, what do we think of the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid? This is an exceptional accessory that makes your already versatile Instant Pot even better. Now you can air fry, dehydrate, and more. While some of the features are common with other Instant Pot models (such as the roasting, broiling, and baking), you’re getting two great new features.
Instant Pot air frying makes incredibly crispy food and it saves calories when compared to deep frying. If you have a compatible air fryer, then we suggest giving this accessory a try. If not, then consider buying a compatible air fryer or get the Duo Crisp.