Not that long ago, Instant Pots and air fryers were considered hot new appliances on everyone’s gift list. By now, they’ve become a mainstay in American kitchens. But what if you only have room or the budget for one of them? I’ve tested dozens of air fryers and pressure cookers for major publications. When considering the great Instant Pot vs. air fryer debate, I’m more likely to buy an Instant Pot because it performs functions that other kitchen appliances can’t. Yet, many home chefs would benefit from an air fryer or even a unit that combines air frying and pressure cooking. Below, I will detail which is best for you.
Buy the best air fryer I’ve tested, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus, here. Watch our video about it here.
Buy the best Instant Pot I’ve tested, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, here. It also air fries.
What Are Air Fryers Good for?
For the most part, air fryers function similarly to convection ovens. They cook your food using the Maillard reaction, which involves using a fan to blow hot air over your food to brown it. It’s similar to how you might toast a marshmallow over a campfire.
Since they are similar to convection ovens, air fryers are basically superfluous if you already have a convection oven. However, there are a few advantages air fryers have over most convection ovens:
- They’re Smaller – Depending on the model you purchase, your air fryer will fit under a cabinet and take up less room than a toaster oven.
- They Cook Faster – Air fryers require minimal (if any) preheating.
- They’re Energy Efficient – Rather than heating up your house by turning the oven on, the air fryer keeps the heat localized in its small compartment.
- They’re Less Expensive – Most convection ovens and convection toaster ovens will cost you more than the top air fryer brands.
What Foods Can You Make with an Air Fryer?
Air fryers are marketed as a healthier alternative to deep fryers. They’re more nutritious because you are baking your food instead of frying it in a trough of oil. Most people don’t notice a difference in texture because of the crispiness produced by the Maillard reaction’s browning.
Therefore, the foods most often celebrated for being good and healthy in the air fryer are items like French fries, chicken wings, fried chicken, fried fish, and many of the frozen foods available at your local grocery store that can be made in a deep fryer.
But other everyday dishes people make in an air fryer include
- Meat from raw, including burgers, steak, pork chops, and more
- Vegetables, such as cauliflower, mushrooms, and anything else you might roast
- Baked goods, such as small cakes, quiche, and cupcakes.
- Roasted nuts
You may also enjoy experimenting with other dishes. Be sure to read your air fryer’s user manual first.
What Are Instant Pots Good for?
Although “Instant Pot” is a specific brand of electric pressure cooker, Erin, my lovely wife, tells me that no one knows what I’m talking about when I refer to “electric pressure cookers.” For ease of communication, I will use the blanket term “Instant Pot” to refer to all brands of electric pressure cookers. Of course, my mom will still think that I’m referring to a cannabis delivery service.
The Instant Pot’s main selling point is that it can prepare delicious and nutritious meals in minutes by combining heat and pressure. You should keep in mind that cooking times are a bit misleading, though. A manufacturer may claim that their pressure cooker can cook raw chicken from frozen to safe in ten minutes, but that time does not include the time it takes for the appliance to reach pressure and then depressurize afterward. This can take fifteen minutes or more. It’s still pretty fast, but not as fast as you’re led to believe.
What Foods Can You Make with an Instant Pot?
For this section, we will utilize the best-selling pressure cooker of all time, the Instant Pot DUO, to explore the capabilities of Instant Pots. They advertise that it has seven uses in one device. These uses are:
- Warming food
- Making yogurt
- Sautéing
- Steaming
- Cooking rice
- Slow cooker (like a Crock-Pot)
- Pressure cooker (the key function)
You can also use a pressure cooker for canning. The National Center for Home Food Preservation advises against this, but we’ve never had any problems doing it. Either way, can at your own risk.
With all of these functions, you can make a lot of stuff. Besides my personal favorites of falling-off-the-bone ribs (in less than an hour), chili lime chicken, and one-pot pasta dishes, Instant Pots are great for making the following quickly:
- Hot cereals
- Chili
- Stews
- Soup
- Stock
- Roasting whole chickens
- Baked potatoes
- Risotto
- Cheesecake
- Pancakes
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Pot roasts and other large slabs of meat
Many people are intimidated when their Instant Pot arrives for the first time. Don’t be. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for use and have some fun. Unless you have a back-alley model from a guy in a trench coat, your electric pressure cooker has at least ten different fail-safes to ensure your house doesn’t blow up.
Instant Pot vs Air Fryer: Which Should You Buy?
The kinds of foods each makes should serve as a guide for which is better for your situation. But here’s a little category-by-category breakdown of how the most popular Instant Pots and air fryers compare to each other.
Versatility Winner: Instant Pots
Another difference between Instant Pots and air fryers is their ability to make “fried” foods. Air fryers can do it, but that’s about the only thing they can do that Instant Pots cannot. On the other hand, a good electric pressure cooker can make yogurt, rice, cheesecake, soups, and more.
Ease of Use Winner: Air Fryers
Some popular brands of air fryers have one or two dials. You set the time and temperature, and the rest is taken care of for you. With Instant Pots, it becomes easier as you get accustomed to your appliance, but there is a slight learning curve.
Size Winner: Air Fryers
Of course, this all depends on the size of the appliance you choose. The Instant Pot Duo Mini will take up less space than the Ninja Foodi DualZone Smart XL Air Fryer, but for the most part, the average air fryer is smaller than the average Instant Pot.
Durability Winner: Instant Pots
There are several known issues with air fryers, including the basket handle breaking off. The Instant Pot is essentially a high-tech version of the classic pressure cooker, and the Instant Pot company has done an outstanding job of getting it right. Electric pressure cookers seem to last.
Safety Winner: Instant Pots
In my research on air fryers, I have identified several issues, including overheating, melting, smoking, and plastic odors. Instant pots must be on their game, or else a literal bomb will go off. They all tend to have at least ten different safety mechanisms in place.
Healthy Eating Winner: Instant Pots
Just about every air fryer manufacturer compares the foods they produce to those created by a deep fryer. However, the air fryer encourages eating unhealthy foods, such as over-processed frozen crap, fries, breaded meats, etc. When comparing the recipes for Instant Pots and air fryers, Instant Pots have healthier options.
Price Winner: Instant Pots
As I write this, the median price for the best-selling air fryers on Amazon is $80. The median price for the best-selling electric pressure cookers is $65. So, air fryers are a bit more expensive, and I’ve noticed that prices have been increasing lately, while the prices for Instant Pots have remained stable.
Overall Winner: Instant Pots
If you have to choose between Instant Pots and air fryers, buy the Instant Pot. It’s more versatile, durable, and safe, and you are more likely to eat healthy with it. However, I keep an air fryer toaster oven on my counter, while my Instant Pot remains in storage until I’m making specific recipes. Air frying is incredibly helpful for reheating leftovers.
Buy the best air fryer I’ve tested, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus, here. Watch our video about it here.
Buy the best Instant Pot I’ve tested, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, here. It also air fries.
