The popularity of air fryers has grown rapidly over the past couple of years and it's easy to see why. They cook food quickly and use little to no oil. The reduced cooking time is great for saving energy while the lower use of oil means you can still enjoy crispy and crunchy food made in a healthier way. We know that purchasing an air fryer can be an investment so you'll want to make sure you know everything about it. This is why we put the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer to the test to help you make an informed decision as to whether it's the right one for you.
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Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer overview
Pros:
Can perform six different functions
Two baskets mean you can cook different things on different settings and temperatures at the same time
Baskets can be synced to cook at the same settings, time and temperature
Has see-through windows with a light inside - can check on cooking progress without having to open the baskets
Dishwasher-safe trays
Cons:
The fans are at the back, so you need to make sure it’s brought forward on your countertops, so you don’t block them
Takes up a lot of space on your countertops
Pricier compared to other
Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer key features
7.6L capacity
Ary fry, roast, grill, bake, reheat and dehydrate settings
Two cooking baskets
Sync cook and sync finish settings
ClearCook windows and internal lights to check cooking progress
Adjustable temperature setting from 49°c to 205°c
Digital, touch-screen display
Testing the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer
Air fryers are renowned for making food crispy, so I tested it on chicken goujons first. I tend to have them as a quick, shove-it-in-the-oven type dinner on a Friday night so I thought it would be a good test to compare them to the usual oven finish.
The pre-heat stage took no time at all. It made sounds to tell me it was time to put my chicken in the drawer and again when it reached the halfway point to remind me to turn them over. After just 15 minutes, I was left with chicken that was perfectly crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside.
After my initial test with a chicken goujon, I’ve cooked a whole host of things and tried out most of the different settings. I’ve made jacket potatoes, stuffed chicken breast, grilled naan bread, roasted carrots and so much more. It took a little time to figure out the timings and temperatures compared to a regular oven but after a little trial and error, it was easy!
I'm yet to try out the dehydrate setting as this isn't a setting I have much use for. However, you can use it to make dried oranges for a Christmas wreath, so I'll definitely be giving that a go over the festive period.
Final thoughts on the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer with ClearCook
I’ve been wanting to try out an air fryer for ages, but I wasn’t too sure what style of air fryer would be suited to my needs. I did know that I wanted an air fryer that could perform like an oven, which is why I was drawn to the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer.
I like that it has two baskets as I can cook two different things at once. Even better that you can cook them at different temperatures too, as a bug bare of mine is trying to work out how long to cook something in an oven when you need to put it in at a different temperature because you’re already cooking something else.
It's really straightforward to select the program and temperature as it's got a dial and a touch-screen panel displaying things really clearly. A small gripe I have is that every little mark shows up on the touch-screen part so I am regularly wiping off smudgy fingerprint marks.
If I'm just using one drawer to cook a meal, it is the right size for me. However, it is designed to make portions for five to six people but I don't think that you would be able to fit enough for everyone in just one drawer so you would have to spilt it across the two. This is where the sync cook feature would come in handy.
In the time that I've had the air fryer, I've not turned on my actual oven once. I'm completely converted and I can't see myself going back unless I have a LOT of food to cook. It cooks things more quickly, gets to temperature more quickly and performs more functions than my electric oven.
Full specifications:
Product dimensions: 38.4 x 40.3 x 31.7cm
Item weight: 7.45kg
Manufacturer: Instant
Item model number: 140-3126-01-UK
FAQs
Does the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer use much electricity?
In times when everyone is turning to cut down their energy usage to reduce their bills, you’ll be pleased to hear this air fryer uses less electricity than an oven. A study conducted by Instant Brands, the maker of the Vortex Plus Dual Drawer 8-in-1 Air Fryer, has found that cooking in electric ovens can cost more than five times that of cooking in air fryers and electric pressure cookers. An air fryer also cooks food quicker than an oven so you won’t have it on for as long as an electric oven.