The Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart is a stainless-steel, single-basket air fryer with six cooking functions that three outlets scored differently. Real Homes gave it five stars and said it "made some of the best homemade fries I've ever eaten." TechRadar praised crisp, evenly browned fries and wings cooked in under 20 minutes but called it bulky and noted the basket is not dishwasher-safe. TechGearLab measured it within 1.5°F of the set temperature on average and liked the dial controls, but reported a plastic taste on fries and tater tots that did not fade and a pale, dry salmon fillet.
Full review
Fries and wings in three test kitchens
TechRadar cooked a 1.1lb batch of homemade fries with 2 teaspoons of oil and a batch of chicken wings; both came out evenly browned in under 20 minutes, the fries crisp outside and fluffy inside and the wings crisp-skinned with succulent meat. Frozen steak-cut fries were ready within 15 minutes, though less crisp than the homemade ones.
Real Homes had a similar result with potato fries, which the reviewer called some of the best air-fried fries she had cooked. Sweet potato fries were done in 25 minutes but came out uneven, with some scorched, which she put down to filling the tray completely.
TechGearLab was less impressed. Its tater tots and frozen fries were reasonably crisp outside and soft inside, its wings were juicy but short on crisp skin, and its salmon came out pale and dry. It also reported a plastic flavor on fries and tots no matter how many times the unit was cleaned and preheated.
Temperature accuracy and speed
Temperature control was the strongest result in TechGearLab's testing: the unit averaged 1.5°F from the set temperature, earning a 10 for temperature accuracy. Preheating took 3 minutes and cooking speed was described as adequate. TechGearLab also recorded the outer surface reaching 146°F, above the 140°F level it uses as a burn threshold.
Real Homes cooked frozen breaded chicken fillets in 12 minutes against the 20 minutes on the packaging.
Controls, noise and cleaning
All three reviews describe a touchscreen with six presets and a central dial for time and temperature. TechGearLab found it intuitive from the first use; Real Homes found the continuous beeping when turning the dial a little annoying. Both TechRadar and Real Homes liked the alerts that signal the end of preheating and the halfway point.
TechRadar measured 64 dB during cooking, which it compared to a dishwasher mid-cycle. The crisper tray can go in the dishwasher but the basket drawer cannot, which TechRadar and Real Homes both list as a negative. TechGearLab noted the tray tends to slide out when tipping food from the basket.
Size and who it suits
TechRadar calls the Vortex Plus bulky and questions whether it is practical to store in a cupboard between uses. Real Homes agrees it is a little large for some homes but otherwise struggled to think of a more suitable air fryer for most kitchens. TechGearLab's conclusion was cooler: it performed admirably, but the plastic aftertaste meant its testers would not recommend it to a friend.
Strengths
- +TechGearLab measured an average of just 1.5°F from the set temperature
- +TechRadar cooked homemade fries and chicken wings to an even brown in under 20 minutes
- +Dial plus touch controls that TechGearLab found easy to navigate on first use, with a shake reminder
- +Real Homes found the homemade fries very crisp outside and fluffy in the middle, among the best the reviewer had made in an air fryer
Watch-outs
- −TechGearLab reported a distinct plastic flavor on fries and tater tots that persisted after repeated cleaning
- −TechGearLab's salmon came out pale and dry
- −Bulky: TechRadar measured 12.83 x 14.92 x 12.36 inches and says it takes up a fair amount of countertop space
How it compares
TechGearLab scored the Vortex Plus 78, just under the Cosori TurboBlaze (79) and the Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer (80) that are also on this page, and recommended the TurboBlaze instead for crispier fries without the plastic taste it found on the Vortex Plus. Its 6-quart basket is larger than the Ninja's 4 quarts.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.39/5 in our score — this publisher's 138 scores on the site average 3.66, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.42/5 in our score — this publisher's 195 scores on the site average 4.25, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 4.4 score is the average of the 2 scored reviews above, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores; 1 more reviewed it without printing a score and is not in the average. More about methodology.
