Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Review
Everything you need to know about the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid! I’ll review how to use it, what Instant Pot models you can use it with, and what you’ll love about this new Instant Pot accessory.
The Instant Pot Air Fryer lid is a standalone lid that sits on your Instant Pot housing and lets you air fry, broil, or dehydrate the food.
The Air Fryer Lid is great for browning up foods after pressure cooking, and it gives you the convenience of an air fryer without having to purchase another appliance.
Plus, one lucky Pressure Cooking Today reader will win a new Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid!
🛑 Read all about the Air Fryer Lid, then scroll to the bottom of the post to enter by Sunday, February 2nd, for your chance to win! (Participants in the sweepstakes giveaway must be legal U.S. residents,) 🛑
Click here to pin for later
Overall Recommendation
This Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is a great option if you want to add air frying / broiling / dehydrating capabilities to your Instant Pot.
This lid only works with select 6-quart Instant Pots. It will be perfect for your needs if
- you’re cooking for two or a young family,
- you plan to use it mostly to crisp up the top of foods you’ve already pressure cooked
- you are looking to try out air frying and already own a compatible Instant Pot model
If you’re planning to buy an 8-quart Instant Pot in the future, I think I’d hold out for the Duo Crisp because of the larger sized air-fryer basket.
How to Use the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
Instant Pot Air Fryer Quick Start Guide
- First, unplug your Instant Pot, release the pressure if necessary, and remove your regular pressure cooker lid.
- Rest the Air Fryer Lid on top of your stainless steel inner cooking pot and plug it in. (It should fit nicely inside the black housing.)
- Select a cooking program (my most used are Air Fry and Broil). Then use the Temperature and Time [+] and [-] buttons to customize. Don’t forget to press Start!
- You will see the “Turn Food” message halfway through the cycle.
- If you want to turn the food, lift the lid to pause the cooking cycle and place the lid on the gray protective pad. (Be sure to put it on the Instant Pot logo side, not the storage side with the lines in it.)
- If you ignore the message, the lid will wait 10 seconds then resume cooking. (I often ignore it when broiling.)
- When the cook time ends, the machine will display “End Cool.” At this point, you can lift the lid and remove it to the gray protective pad.
What Instant Pot Models Work with the Air Fryer Lid?
The Air Fryer Lid will work with MOST 6-quart Instant Pot models. The Air Fryer lid is compatible with the Instant Pot Duo, Lux, Duo Plus, Ultra, Viva, Nova, and Nova Plus
DO NOT USE the Air Fryer Lid with the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, Smart WiFi, Duo SV, or the Instant Pot Max.
In addition, you have to use the stainless steel pot with the Air Fryer lid.
What You’ll Love about the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
✅ Great air frying functionality. While I like the broiling and dehydrating capabilities, I really like the air frying function. Barbara and I have been testing the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer (review coming soon), and this lid holds up well against the full-function air fryer.
✅ Dedicated resting pad + safe storage. The gray protection pad that you set the hot lid on doubles as a storage cover. I absolutely love this feature! The Lid screws into the underside of the protection pad so it’s firmly attached to protect your lid.
✅ The two-layer air fryer basket fits a surprising amount of food. We were able to fit 16 wings at a time in the basket. (It definitely feels smaller than the 8-quart basket that comes with the Duo Crisp, but unless you’re cooking a big batch, it should be sufficient.)
✅ The display will not turn on unless the lid is placed properly. The Air Fryer lid has a sensor that plays a little jingle when placed correctly on an Instant Pot.
✅ Stay cool handle. The handle stays pretty cool and keeps your hands far away from the heating element.
What You Should Know Before Buying the Air Fryer Lid by Instant Pot
🔻 The Air Fryer Lid is a standalone Instant Pot accessory. It does NOT come with a pressure cooker and cannot be used alone.
🔻 Don’t fill too full. You cannot use the Air Fryer Lid if your cooking pot is above the Max Fill line.
🔻 The cord is short, so you’ll have to have an outlet that is easily accessible. (This is a safety feature.) It’s about the same length as the cord on the Instant Pot itself, but because it sits higher above the counter, it feels a little shorter. DO NOT use the Air Fryer Lid with an extension cord.
🔻 The plug is a little weird. (More on that below.) You’ll have to unplug everything else if you’re using an outlet that you share with a mixer or toaster oven. It’s also pretty short.
🔻 Sometimes difficult to turn foods. When using the air fryer basket, the upper layer browns the food on top, while the lower layer browns food on the bottom. While you can turn food on the top of the tray easily, I found it difficult to remove the broil tray to turn the food on the bottom rack.
🔻 The stainless steel cooking pot the lid rests on becomes very hot after air frying. You will need to use hot pads to remove the cooking pot, and give the pot time to cool after cooking before trying to put it away.
🔻 No printed user manual. The Air Fryer Lid only comes with a short Getting Started Guide. You have to visit the website for the complete Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid user manual.
🔻 No recipes are included. The printed information doesn’t come with any recipes, and the link in the online user guide doesn’t refer you to any Air Frying time tables. (If you want to get started right away, try my Teriyaki Chicken Wings or Pepperoni Pizza Pasta.)
How Does the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Compare to the Duo Crisp?
The MOST common question on my Instant Pot Duo Crisp review was if the lid could be used on any model of Instant Pot. The Duo Crisp can’t, but this new Air Fryer Lid works on most 6-quart models.
I love my Duo Crisp, and I’m happy to say that the new Air Fryer Lid works just as well!
The Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid is comparable to the Instant Pot Duo Crisp lid in function, but sized down to fit on the 6-quart models. (The Instant Pot Duo Crisp currently only comes in an 8-quart size.)
The Air Fryer Lid is shaped a little differently than the Duo Crisp lid. The Duo Crisp’s controls are integrated into the face of the Duo Crisp, but the Air Fryer Lid has the controls on the top of the lid so it can work with several Instant Pot models.
What’s with the Strange Plug?
The Air Fryer Lid has a really different sort of plug, with the plug prongs under a thick plastic plug cover. The plug has a cover that takes up the space of both outlets so that you cannot have anything else plugged in at the same time.
This is a safety feature by Instant Pot to ensure you don’t try to use your pressure cooker while air frying. (For instance, trying to saute and air fry at the same time.)
It is a little awkward to get used to at first, but it does ensure that your Instant Pot will be off while you’re using the Air Fryer Lid.
How Can I Cook with the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid?
The Air Fryer Lid comes with six different pre-programmed settings.
- Air Fry: Crisp up pressure cooked dishes and frozen foods
- Roast: Use to finish meats with a nice crust or crispy skin
- Broil: Great for melting cheese on top of pastas
- Bake: Works just like an oven and can be used for brownies and cakes (I haven’t tried this one yet, but will be shortly)
- Reheat: Warm up leftovers without drying them out
- Dehydrate: Low-heat over a long time to make your own apple chips and fruit leather
The user manual lists the following default times for the Air Fryer Lid’s preprogrammed buttons.
| Setting | Default Time | Default Temperature | Temperature Range |
| Air Fry | 20 minutes | 400°F | 300–400°F |
| Roast | 40 minutes | 380°F | 250–380°F |
| Broil | 10 minutes | 400°F | (no range allowed) |
| Bake | 30 minutes | 365°F | 180–380°F |
| Reheat | 15 minutes | 280°F | 120–360°F |
| Dehydrate | 6 hours | 125°F | 105–165°F |
Cook Time Suggestions
In general, I’ve found the cook times in air fryer recipes to be very consistent with the times needed for the Air Fryer Lid.
(For some great air fryer recipes, check out these 50 Easy Air Fryer Recipes and this round up of Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes.)
For items that have NOT been pressure cooked, the manual provides a few very general suggestions for cooking times and temperatures:
| Food | Air Fry Temperature | Time |
| French Fries (from frozen) | 400°F | 22 minutes |
| Quartered Chicken | 400°F | 38 minutes |
| Chicken Wings | 400°F | 19 minutes |
| Carrots | 400°F | 8 minutes |
| Asparagus | 400°F | 4 minutes |
What Are the Specs for the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid?
The Air Fryer Lid is 10.7 inches long, 11.6 inches wide, and 6.2 inches tall. When you add it to the height of an Instant Pot Duo, it sits approximately 18.7 inches from the counter.
The Air Fryer Lid weighs about 6 pounds. The heating element is 1500 watts and 120 V ~ 60 Hz.
To qualify for the limited 12-month warranty, you must register your product within 30 days to be eligible for warranty coverage.
What Comes with the Air Fryer Lid?
In addition to the Air Fryer Lid itself, the package also contains the same two-level air fryer basket and broiling tray that the Duo Crisp has, sized down for 6 quart Instant Pot models.
Also like the Duo Crisp, the Air Fryer Lid has the gray protective pad that doubles as a storage cover.
How to Turn the Sound Off
Right after you turn on the Air Fryer Lid, press and hold the Time minus button [-] until the display indicates SOFF.
To turn the sound on again, simply press the Time plus button [+] button until the display shows S On.
Note: You cannot turn off the sound while a cooking function is enabled.
How to Clean the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
Instant Pot recommends cleaning the Air Fryer Lid before first use. Just use a damp cloth to clean and wipe dry. Do not immerse in water or use an abrasive cleaner.
Air Fryer Lid Error Codes and Troubleshooting
The lid only has one error code, “LID”. It means that it does not detect an inner pot or Instant Pot. In both cases, you need to check to ensure your Instant Pot has the stainless steel insert and then adjust the Air Fryer Lid until it fits properly.
Common troubleshooting issues are from smoke that can be from using oils with a low smoke point (such as flax seed oil), or by cooking with higher fat meats (such as bacon, sausage, or ground beef).
Detailed Troubleshooting tips and solutions can be found on page 23 of the online User Manual.
Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Giveaway
To enter the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Giveaway, follow these simple steps:
If you’re having trouble entering because the Promosimple entry form is taking too long to load or isn’t loading properly for you, you can also enter by visiting https://promosimple.com/ps/f712/instant-pot-air-fryer-lid-giveaway .
(Note that this is NOT a sponsored post. I was not sent an Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid to review or giveaway. As always, my opinion is always my own.)
Can you use the sousvide air fryer lid on the instapot?
Hi Sandy – I haven’t tried it, but it looks similar to the Mealthy and the Mealthy CrispLid does work on Instant Pots. https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/mealthy-crisplid-air-fryer-lid-for-electric-pressure-cooker/ Which model of Instant Pot do you have?
Will this work with my DUO SV 60?
Hi Lisa – no, the manual says it is not compatible with the Duo SV 60.
Will this work with an Instant Pot Duo Nova?
Hi Robin – yes it will work with the Nova.
Great info! I have the new instant pot with air fryer duo. I’m getting ready to air fry my chicken drumsticks. Can I use a trivet or do I have to use that flatter piece to raise it? Or is it even best to leave it at the bottom of the air fryer basket?
Hi Cindy – you’ll want them fairly close to the air fryer lid for best results, so ideally you’ll use the flatter piece to raise it.
Have the 6 qt IP. Thought the air fryer lid might be a nice accessory to have.
Bought it, haven’t used it. Have no space to store it. Won’t fit in the carrier/storage cas we I keep the IP and accessories in.
Read it can damage the IP pressure cooking, which is the reason I downsized from my Wolfgang Puck 8 qt.
After reading your article and several others, I don’t think I would get enough use out of it.
Don’t deep fry anything! Do mostly ribs (dry rub), brisket, roasts and soup in mine.
Convince me it’s worth keeping, please.
Thanks for posting this! I’m having trouble getting the broil/dehydrate tray to stay in place – when I open the pot to turn the food, I discover the tray has fallen down on top of the lower level of food. What hints or tips do you have to help with this?
Thanks!
I have found the best way to remove the hot divider plate when rotating or removing food is to use a a pair of bamboo toaster tongs inserted into the two holes in the middle of the divider plate. The tongs fit just right and the plate is easily gripped and removed.
Thanks for sharing that tip Sally!
Can I use this 6 qt air fryer lid on my 8 qt duo?
Hi Joanne – no it won’t fit your 8 quart duo, you can buy a Mealthy CrispLid that will fit. https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/mealthy-crisplid-air-fryer-lid-for-electric-pressure-cooker/ but they’re currently out of stock.
I bought an 8 qt IP two years ago and I’d like to buy an air fryer lid. Do you know if they’re going to sell it as a single part or just in the Duo setting? Thank you.
I expect they’ll eventually sell an air fryer lid compatible with the 8 quart, but I don’t have any information about it right now.
Bought an Instant Pot Max for the canning function and hoped to use the Instant Pot Air Fryer lid with it but read that it is not compatible with the Max. Why is it not compatible since the Max is a 6qt?
Hi Dianne – the top of the Max (not the lid) is a little different than the other Instant Pots. It has a box on the side and has a pop up that works to reset the sealing feature that other Instant Pots don’t have. I assume the heat from the Air Fryer Lid causes problems with that feature.
I’m debating getting an air fryer or this — how does it compare to a normal air fryer?
While I don’t own my own air fryer, I believe the two are comparable. I really, really love my air fryer lid. If you don’t already have an 8-quart pressure cooker, I would definitely recommend the Duo Crisp. It’s a little bigger than this Air Fryer Lid. This lid is great for about 90% of what we cook, but if I’m using the air fryer lid to heat up enough for my family (two adults, three younger kids), the 6-quart isn’t quite enough to feed all of us. But the Duo Crisp is definitely!
Will there be an air fryer attachment coming out for the instant Pot Max in the future?
Hi Linda – I don’t know for sure, but I doubt it.
Hello! This lid seems awesome! I’ m wondering: I’d like to reheat frozen meals made with my instant post, but I have a very challenging schedule so I can’t plan to thaw them first in the fridge or counter, so it’s quite long. Do you think the reheat program would speed up the process compared to using just the instant pot or a stove top pan? Many thanks in advance for your reply, love your website!!!!
Hi, Barbara – Thanks for the great IP Air Fryer Lid review. I would love to get one, however I cover non-stick surfaces with parchment paper prior to cooking. Can I use it with the IP Air Fryer Lid?
Thanks Laura – parchment paper probably wouldn’t work well with the air fryer lid. It may move around and get burned.
Found you on Pinterest and this was very helpful! Thank you!!
Awesome – thanks Diana!
I purchased an Air Fryer lid, however is it normal that it doesn’t click in. It just sits on top of the intstapot. Also, when I plug in it remains on OFF and doesn’t allow me to select AirFryer or anything else.
Instant Pot Model #IPDUO 60V3
Air Fryer Lid 6 (Volume 6 Quart)
I checked online and this lid was supposed to be compatible with my instant pot.
Hi Michelle,
Yes, it just rests on top, nothing clicks in. It should fit right on top of your Instant Pot.
As a safety feature, the lid will not work until it’s set in place on top of your Instant Pot. It will beep when it’s in place, like when you lock your lid in place on your instant Pot. Once it senses that the lid is on correctly, it’ll let you choose any of your buttons and adjust the times.
Hope this helps!
What materials are the inner basket and tray made of? I don’t cook with non-stick finishes. Thanks
The inner pot is non-stick, while the dehydrator tray insert is not.
Is the Instapot airfryer conpatible
toall DUO plus?
Hi Luz – yes, the Air Fryer lid is compatible with the Instant Pot Duo, Lux, Duo Plus, Ultra, Viva, Nova, and Nova Plus
Good day, I would like to know if the air fryer fits on a IPdual 8qrt. Thank you.
Would the 6qrt air fryer work on the duo IP
Hi Gavin – it does work on the 6 quart Instant Pot Duo.
When will an 8 qt model be introduced?
Hi Bill – I haven’t seen an announcement about that yet, but I expect it should be in the near future.
Out of curiosity, do you by any chance know why it cannot be used with Smart Wifi? It is exactly the same in size as Duo60. I have both and use their lids interchangeably. I would have thought that the air fryer lid would work the same for both
Instant Pot doesn’t say for sure, but my guess is that the higher heat from the air fryer lid might mess with some of the WiFi tech components in the Smart WiFi.
How do you know when to use the broil/dehydrating tray? Is it always when only air frying?
I tried to dehydrate some almonds and I keep getting an error message. Since this is the only thing I’ve tried so far, I don’t know if it’s human error or if my lid is broken….. anyone tried to use the dehydrator yet?
I haven’t tried it yet, but we’ll make some apple chips over the weekend and give it a go. I’ll let you know what happens!
AND where on earth are specific recipes/directions for using the roast, dehydration, etc. functions? That certainly doesn’t come with the instructions manual. (I’m not an idiot – yes, I’m sure it is out there on Pinterest somewhere, but why isnt’ that some of the basics include with the IP Air Fryer lid?)
It is frustrating that Instant Pot has slimmed down their directions so much. I keep expecting them to update their website with dehydrate/roast recipes soon, but I haven’t seen anything yet!
Sorry I’m a little behind here. Do I have to use the fryer basket to always air fry (alarmingly small) or can I use my IP container with the little lifty thing to make sure the air circulates? This is going to be really disappointing if the answer is only the basket. There is no way you can do some of the recipes on Pintest about air frying a whole chicken or 6 chicken legs which would NEVER fit in the basket.
I have the same question as Melissa
Just wanted to make sure you saw the reply. Instant Pot says that food can go in the the multi-level air fryer basket (with or without the broil/dehydration tray), in an oven-safe baking dish, or directly in the inner pot.
I’ll update the post to include this information
I would love to know, too!
Just wanted to make sure you saw the reply. Instant Pot says that food can go in the the multi-level air fryer basket (with or without the broil/dehydration tray), in an oven-safe baking dish, or directly in the inner pot.
Did you have a horrible burnt plastic smell the first time you used it? How do you get rid of that smell?
Yes, but it went away after the second or third time.
No, you don’t have to use the air fryer basket, you can put it right in the pot. I recommend putting it on a trivet at the very least so the air can circulate under the chicken itself.
According to Instant Pot, food can go in the the multi-level air fryer basket (with or without the broil/dehydration tray), in an oven-safe baking dish, or directly in the inner pot.
Mine says XL, but I don’t see that listed?
Hi Anne – if you have this model https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/how-to-use-the-power-pressure-cooker-xl/ then it is not compatible.
Thank you for the review. I was wondering if you could put more than one layer of food in the fryer and glad you explained it.
Good review! I’ve been wondering how those tops worked. Thanks for the chance to win one 😍
Thanks for the chance!
I have been looking at air fryers. So happy to see Instant Pot is making their own brand.
What a fun giveaway! I’ve been dying to try the airfryer lid. Even if I don’t win maybe I’ll add it to my birthday list. 😉
Thank you for the opportunity.
Would Le to win this miracle lid!y
Hi Barbara! Absolutely love all your recipes! Looking forward to recipes with the new air fryer addition! Would love to win this air fryer addition!
That’s so nice to hear – thanks Sonja!
I have 5 Quart Instant Pot IP Dou Version 2. Can I use the Air Fry lid on it?
Hi Barb – the literature says just 6 quarts, but you could call Instant Pot and ask 1-800-828-7280
I love to make ribs in my Instant Pot. This lid would put the finishing touches on my ribs,
I think it would work great for crisping the top of my five cheese mac & cheese recipe in the instant pot.
Recently my parents have been using a stand alone air fryer and loving it. What a great thing this would be – just a lid for a pot I already have!
Okay, you got me. I’m male and 78 years old and have been using pressure cookers for over 60 years. I started out with manual pressure cookers when I was about 16 or 17, and have never stopped. When the electric pressure cooker came out I thought it could not get any better, but this air fryer lid seems to have proven me wrong……….again. I invent my own recipes and this lid will open new opportunities for me to prepare even more neat stuff for my family. It takes a lot to impress a geezer like me. I think you have done it. Cool!
I love my instant pots and would love to turn one into an air fryer with this lid!
This AirFryer for the Instant Pot looks & sounds like it will add so many more possibilities for cooking foods. (My husband really liked the Chicken Wing picture that was shown!) I cook for us & try to share some our “excess” food with hard working Teacher Mom friends at the small Christian School I teach at. Thank you!
GREAT review, thanks! 💗💗💗I’m currently using the Mealthy crisplid on my 6 qt. IP & would LOVE to play with the IP lid. I really love the double level insert – hope IP will one day sell separately. Barbara & Jennifer – I wonder if you could place a basket (like the Mealthy deep basket) on the top tier. Seems it would make it easier to remove to flip than the top IP lid tray – that thing seems a little wonky😂. Thanks so much for the chance to win the IP lid! Good luck everyone!
I had the same problem as Iris and Sigrid.
If you own an instant pot, you are already a winner! Instead of saving me time ( which it has ); It has revitalized my love of cooking.. Thanks for the opportunity.
Sounds exciting! Would love to win this.
this would be so handy to have…I would love to win this air fryer lid with my 6 quart Instant Pot.
I’m also curious how this compares with the Mealthy lid.
Would love to have this lid for my Instant Pot
No entry for Canadians?
Hi Elizabeth – no, sorry, pricing, availability, and giveaways are different in Canada so it’s easier to just keep it to the US. Perhaps we could do an Amazon Canada gift card giveaway sometime, but it’s difficult to pinpoint just the Canadian readers.
How does this compare with the Ninja Foodi and Mealthy air fryer lid in terms of ease of use?
Would love to have this. I love fried things but pretty much stopped eating them because they are not good for you if fried in oil and too messy to cook if prepared at home.
Tried entering the give away, but the Captcha just kept whirling, could not complete the entry! Help!
Hi Iris – did you try entering at the link provided above as well? https://promosimple.com/ps/f712/instant-pot-air-fryer-lid-giveaway You can also try using a different browser or device to enter. Sometimes restarting your computer will help too. Good luck!
I had the same problem Iris had, Barbara.
Follow the tips I gave to Iris and keep trying. We’ve had lots of entries so I know it’s working. Good luck!
It surely would be nice to have this lid to use with my 6-quart InstaPot.
I need this!
I am 82 and would love to have the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid l use my pot all the time
Would love to have one of these!