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Instant Pot Duo Crisp Review

Instant Pot Duo Crisp with green title

Do you like pressure cooking but also want some crispy French fries and maybe some fried chicken? With the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, now you can have an electric multicooker and an air fryer in the same package. 

Instant Pot Duo Crisp with green title

In addition, it is large enough for most medium-sized and large families, so you won’t have to cook or fry in batch. Still, given that it is a product of two worlds (pressure cooking and air frying) the Duo Crisp may look like a unicorn. 

So, to make sure everyone understands all its amazing features and all the cool things it can do, I decided to do a full review. Make sure to check it out! 

What is the Instant Pot Duo Crisp? 

This is a multicooker that does everything a regular Instant Pot does. This means that, without the air fryer lid, the Duo Crisp can replace several appliances in your kitchen. It is a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a saute pan, a steamer, a warmer, and it even has the new Instant Pot sous-vide function.  

But, if you switch the regular lid with the air frying one, you have a whole new list of cooking methods at your disposal. With the Air Fryer lid on, you can roast, broil, bake, dehydrate, and (of course) fry. 

So, to sum up, the Duo Crisp is an Instant Pot multicooker with 11 smart programs that can also fry your food to delicious crispiness. 

How To Use It?

All Instant Pot products are easy to use due to the user-friendly control panel on the front. All pots also have an LCD display that communicates important information such as temperature, current cooking settings, pressure, elapsed time, and more. 

Now, it’s important to specify that the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is delivered with two different lids (completely removable from the pot), one stainless steel inner pot, one multi-level air frying basket, and other accessories. 

When you want to use the Instant Pot Duo functions, you will work with the stainless steel inner pot, which is big enough to fit a whole chicken (it’s an 8-quart pot), and the pressure cooking lid. Basically, once you put the ingredients in the inner pot and sealed in the lid, all you need to do is select one of the 6 Smart Programs you want to use (pressure cook, sauté, steam, slow cook, sous vide and warm).  

When you want to use the other 5 Smart Programs (air fry, roast, bake, broil and dehydrate), you will work with the Air Fryer lid. Also, it’s best to use the frying basket, to place the food in the ideal position for the heat to move through with ease. 

Here I have to mention that the Air Fryer lid is a bit on the heavy side. It has a special handle that lets you lift it whenever you need and it comes with a special tray to rest in when it’s hot, but it still requires some upper body strength. 

Why Do I Need It? 

Given that the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is rather large and cumbersome (especially with the Air Fryer lid on) you may wonder if it’s the best option. However, unless you’re open to buying a separate appliance for frying (which is also rather big), this is the ideal option. 

Quick note: if you already own an Instant Pot and you're not interested in purchasing another one, you can still enjoy air frying without buying a new one. You have 2 options:

1. Get the Mealthy CrispLid (Check price | Read my review)

2. Get the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid (Check price | Read my review )

You can easily store the Air Fryer lid in the cupboard and only get it out when it’s needed. In the meanwhile, you’ll have a fully-functional Instant Pot in your kitchen, which will broaden your cooking options and reduce the time spent over (or around) the stove. 

Furthermore, the entire ensemble lets you cook an entire dish, from start to finish in just one pot. You can start with the regular lid, and have the food tenderized by the pressure or steam, and finish with the Air Fryer lid to bring some crispiness and crunchiness to the surface. 

Lastly, all the dishes cooked with the Duo Crisp Instant Pot are healthier than the ones cooked using standard methods. This is due to the technology used by these devices, designed to keep nutrients in the food while using as little oil and grease as possible. And, since the frying is done with the help of hot air, there’s no need to bathe your food in oil to get that golden look we all love. 

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface & big LCD screen
  • Instant Pot quality and functions 
  • Big enough to fit a whole chicken
  • Easy to move from multicooker to air fryer
  • Plenty of customization options
  • 11 Smart Programs
  • 10 safety mechanisms 
  • It comes with useful accessories
  • Ideal for cooking healthy & delicious foods

Cons:

  • The Air Fryer lid is a bit heavy
  • The included rack could be better
  • The steam release valve is manually-operated
  • Not cheap

Should I Buy the Instant Pot Duo Crisp?

This multicooker and air fryer is the ideal design for families and people who like cooking in large quantities. And, while it may not have some of the fanciest features found in more advanced IP products, it has everything it needs to cook a wide range of foods from meats to vegetables and everything in between.

However it's not cheap and it's another big appliance for your kitchen. So I will divide my answer:

1. If you already have an Instant Pot, and are not interested in buying another one, I think you should not purchase it. You can get the Mealthy CrispLid or the Instant Pot Air fryer lid instead.

2. If you don't have an Instant Pot yet, or if you consider getting another one for any reason, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp may be a wonderful option. It would allow you to make french fries and fried chicken, and yet take a smaller space than regular Instant Pot + separate air-fryer lid.

Check Price

1 thought on “Instant Pot Duo Crisp Review

  1. Thank you for the review, was very informative. I am confused between The Cosori air fryer and the Instant Dup Crisp. I do not currently own an IP or air fryer. Would I be able to fry fish in the Instant Duo Crisp?

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