The Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT is a combination air fryer and multi-cooker with enough capacity to serve about four to five people. It has a rounded design that's typical of the brand's pressure cookers, with a lid that lifts open at the top and digital controls located on the front panel. There are 12 cooking modes, including 'Pressure Cook,' 'Saute,' 'Bake,' and 'Dehydrate,' as well as a 'Yogurt' setting, which is not a common option. It's also Wi-Fi-enabled, with a companion app that allows you to search and save recipes and cooking instructions.
Our Verdict
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer is decent. It offers satisfactory frying performance, leaving more than half of each batch of food well-cooked, but also undercooking or burning a significant portion. When it comes to air frying, it's decently versatile thanks to its wide range of temperature settings; however, its fan speed doesn't vary much, so it's not ideal for tasks like proofing dough and baking. That said, you can also use it to sauté or add liquid to the cooking chamber for pressure cooking, steaming, slow cooking, or sous vide modes, though we haven't tested the efficacy of these programs. It preheats quickly, but cooks only decently fast.
Preheats quickly.
Makes decent-quality fried food.
Wide range of temperature settings.
Cooking speed is just decent.
Narrow range of fan speeds.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer is a decent option for large-batch cooking. Its 6.8-quart capacity is large enough to cook for four to five people, and while many similar-capacity air fryers have more room to spread food out, this model still has a satisfactory amount of cooking surface area. It produces decent-quality fried food, leaving more than half of each batch crispy, but also undercooking and burning a significant portion. Its narrow range of fan speeds limits this model's versatility, making it less suitable for alternative cooking methods, such as proofing dough, baking, and broiling. Its cooking speed is just satisfactory, so it takes a while to make multiple batches of food.
6.8-quart capacity is enough to serve four to five people.
Makes decent-quality fried food.
Wide range of temperature settings.
Cooking speed is just decent.
Less cooking surface area than similar-capacity options.
Narrow range of fan speeds.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer delivers satisfactory frying performance. It has a satisfactory amount of surface area in its cooking chamber, so it's decently easy to arrange food in a single layer for crispier results. However, its maximum fan speed is relatively slow, and the temperature fluctuates somewhat throughout the cooking process, impacting its performance in this regard. Ultimately, it leaves more than half of each batch crispy and well-cooked, but a pretty large portion also remains undercooked, while a small handful ends up burnt. Its cooking speed is decent, though many similar-capacity models offer faster performance.
Preheats quickly.
Makes decent-quality fried food.
Cooking speed is just decent.
Less cooking surface area than similar-capacity options.
Narrow range of fan speeds.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer preheats quickly, but its cooking speed is just satisfactory.
Preheats quickly.
Cooking speed is just decent.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer has a 6.8-quart capacity, which is large enough to serve four to five people. However, with the maximum fill line at 4.2 quarts for pressure cooking, the capacity is reduced for certain programs. There's enough surface area inside the cooking chamber to spread food out for better results, though many similar-capacity models are roomier.
6.8-quart capacity is enough to serve four to five people.
Less cooking surface area than similar-capacity options.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer is very bulky, especially considering it doesn't have a particularly large capacity. It takes up a lot of counter space and doesn't fit in an average-sized cupboard.
Bulky design.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT is available in 'Black' and comes with or without Wi-Fi connectivity. We tested the Wi-Fi-connected variant, and you can see the label for our unit.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Air Fryer Comparisons
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT is a Wi-Fi-enabled combination air fryer and multi-cooker that can cook with or without added liquid, allowing you to use it as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, or sous vide machine, as well as an air fryer. Despite the additional functions, this model has some similarities with the Instant Vortex Plus 140-3088-01, a more basic air fryer from the brand. For example, they both have impressive temperature ranges, and regrettably, they also share a similarly unimpressive range of fan speeds. This limits their versatility, so neither is the best choice for tasks like proofing dough, baking, or making extra-crispy food. Unfortunately, the Duo Crisp takes longer to cook than the Vortex Plus, but it also makes better-quality fried food. Compared to similar-capacity air fryers, such as the COSORI Dual Blaze 6.8qt CAF-P583S and the Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL AF181, this model's frying quality doesn't particularly stand out; there are plenty of options with better or worse performance in this regard. Ultimately, it's a decent choice for air frying if you're specifically looking for a combination air fryer and multi-cooker. That said, you can certainly get better air-frying performance at a more affordable price if you don't need the added features.
If you're wondering what we recommend, see our picks for the best air fryers, the best 6-quart air fryers, and the best budget and cheap air fryers.
The Ninja Foodi DZ550 is a better air fryer than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT. That said, some may prefer the Instant Pot, as it doubles as a multicooker, although we haven't tested these functions. The dual-basket Ninja cooks more evenly, leaving more of each batch crispy and golden brown. It also offers a lot more versatility, thanks to its wide range of fan speeds. While both models preheat in about the same amount of time, the Ninja cooks significantly faster and maintains a more stable temperature throughout the cooking process.
The Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL AF181 is a better air fryer than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp for most people; however, the Instant Pot has some strengths that make it worth considering as well. The Ninja cooks quite a bit faster than the Instant Pot and maintains a more consistent temperature throughout the process. It's also a lot more versatile, thanks to its wider range of fan speeds. That said, the Instant Pot makes slightly better quality food, leaving a bit more of each batch crispy and golden brown. It also doubles as a multi-cooker, and while we haven't tested those features, some may prefer it for the added convenience.
The Ninja Foodi DZ401 is a better air fryer than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT for most people. Both models produce decent-quality fried food, but the Ninja cooks much more quickly and maintains a more stable temperature while doing so. It's also more versatile, with a wider range of fan speeds that make it a better choice for alternate cooking methods like proofing dough, baking, or dehydrating. That said, the Instant Pot doubles as a multi-cooker, with modes for pressure cooking, slow cooking, and more. While we haven't tested these features, some may prefer it for this reason.
The COSORI TurboBlaze is a better air fryer than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5QT. However, the Instant Pot doubles as a multi-cooker, and while we haven't tested these functions, some may also prefer it for this reason. The COSORI makes better-quality air-fried food, leaving more of each batch crispy and golden brown. While it takes longer to preheat, it also cooks faster overall. The COSORI's biggest advantage over the Instant Pot is its versatility. Both models have impressive temperature ranges and quite a few preset cooking modes, but the Instant Pot has a very narrow range of fan speeds, which limits what you can use it for. In contrast, the COSORI has a very wide range of fan speeds, making it an ideal choice for dehydrating, proofing dough, baking, and making extra crispy food.
Test Results
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer has a 6.8-quart capacity, enough to serve 4 to 5 people. That being said, the max fill line for pressure cooking is at the 4.2-quart mark, reducing the overall capacity when you cook with added liquid. It has a decent amount of surface area, making it relatively easy to spread food out for better airflow; however, most air fryers with a similar capacity offer more space. There's a reversible mesh air fry/cooking rack inside the cooking chamber, which can be used in either a high or low position. In the lower position, the chamber height is 4.2 inches (10.6 cm), in the higher position, it's 2.95 inches (7.5 cm), and the full chamber height is 5.2 inches (13.3 cm). It also comes with a baking tray.
This combination air fryer and multi-cooker is decently versatile. While some air fryers can reach a higher temperature, this model still has an impressive temperature range, with low enough settings for cooking sous vide or dehydrating. Unfortunately, it has a very limited range of fan speeds, so both the low end and high end are less than satisfactory. Of course, being a combination appliance, this model offers additional versatility with multi-cooker and pressure cooker modes; however, we haven't tested these features. Between multi-cooker and traditional air frying options, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp offers quite a few preset cooking modes:
- Pressure Cook: Auto temp, 1 min-4hrs, no fan
- Sauté: Levels 1-6, 1 min-1 hr, no fan (lid open)
- Steam: Auto temp, 1 min-1 hr, no fan
- Slow Cook: Low/high, 30 mins-24 hrs, no fan
- Sous Vide: 77°F-194°F, 30 mins-99 hrs 30mins, no fan
- Air Fry: 180°F-400°F, 1 min-1 hr, fan speed: 2500 RPM
- Roast: 180°F-400°F, 1 min-1 hr, fan speed: 2460 RPM
- Broil: 400°F, 1 min-40 mins, fan speed: 2500 RPM
- Bake: 180°F-400°F, 1 min-1 hr, fan: 2460 RPM
- Dehydrate: 105°F-165°F, 1 hr-72 hrs, fan speed: 2350 RPM
- Proofing: 75°F-95°F, 30 mins-3hrs, fan speed: 2210 RPM
- Keep Warm: 144°F-171°F, 10 mins-10 hrs, no fan
Pressure Cook, Steam, Slow Cook, Sous Vide, and Keep Warm each require the use of the pressure cooker inner cover.
There's also one preset food mode:
Yogurt: Auto temp, 30 mins pasteurizing time, 6-24hrs fermenting time, no fan
This model is Wi-Fi-enabled and includes access to a companion app, too. It allows you to search recipes, save your favorites, and view step-by-step cooking instructions.
This combination air fryer and multi-cooker makes decent-quality air-fried food. It comes with a reversible mesh air fry/cooking rack that allows you to use it at either a higher or lower height level. With the rack in the higher position, this model leaves more than half of each batch crispy and golden brown. That says, it also leaves a fairly large portion undercooked and burns a few pieces as well.
Using the rack in the lower position produces slightly worse results:
Crispy Fries: 62.5%
Overcooked Fries: 12.5%
Undercooked Fries: 25%
Score: 7.2
Although Instant Pot doesn't specify, the higher level seems to be intended for smaller items, like fries and wings, while the lower level works well for larger items, like a full chicken or roast.
Using the reversible cooking rack in the higher position, this model preheats very quickly, but only offers a decent cooking speed. It cooks even more slowly with the rack in the lower position:
Cooking time: 21:24
Score: 6.6
While this cooking speed is still adequate, many air fryers with a similar capacity cook much faster. This is likely due to this model's slower maximum fan speed and lower maximum power draw compared to faster options.
It offers decent temperature stability. After you open the lid to add food to the basket, it heats back up pretty quickly. However, after it reaches the chosen setting, the temperature continues to fluctuate a fair bit throughout the rest of the cooking process, making its performance less predictable.