If you’ve just purchased the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer, this beginner’s manual will help you get started. This user manual tells you about all the parts, the most important buttons, and functions, and gives you instructions on how to use the Instant Pot Duo Crisp for the first time by doing the water test (initial test run). And you’ll also learn how to use air fryer functions using the air fryer lid. Show
Table of Contents
Introduction with VideoThe Instant Pot Duo Crisp is a pressure cooker and air fryer all-in-one. It has a simple display panel, a pressure cooker lid that auto-seals, and a separate lid that allows it to be converted to an air fryer. I’ve been using the Duo Crisp a lot and I’ve made Instant Pot air fryer roasted potatoes, brussel sprouts, chicken wings, frozen fries, and even a pound cake. They’ve all turned out excellent. Not a single miss! If you have trouble seeing the instructional video below, disable your adblocker temporarily and refresh the browser. Here are some of my other user guides:
What is an Instant Pot?The Instant Pot has become so popular in recent years that Instant Pot is being used by some as a generic name for pressure cookers of any brand. In reality, Instant Pot is the brand name of a multicooker that serves as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, sauté/searing pan, steamer, and warming pot all in one convenient appliance. Some people use the name Instapot, but the correct name is Instant Pot. The Instant Pot Company (Instant Brands) started out with one product – the Instant Pot multicooker – and now makes a wide range of kitchen appliances including air fryers, blenders, and toaster ovens. Although the Instant Pot multicooker has many different functions (aka smart programs), the most commonly used is the Pressure Cook function. Pressure cooking allows you to cook foods at a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp model differs from other models in that it comes with an additional lid that allows you to use the Instant Pot as an air fryer. Safety PrecautionsMost old-style pressure cooker disasters in the past could be attributed to user error. Instant Pot pressure multicookers are carefully designed to eliminate and avoid most of the potential problems. Numerous safety features help reduce common errors. Safety features include pressure sensor technology, lid close detection, lid lock technology, overheat protection and automatic temperature and pressure controls. Although there are many built-in safety features as explained above, as a user you need to follow common-sense precautions:
For more information about safety precautions, please read the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer user manual. First Thing You Need to Do is Open the Box!I frequently hear from people who either got the Instant Pot as a gift, or they bought it and are too scared to use it. So let me just say there’s nothing to worry about. The Instant Pot has many layers of built-in safety features! Besides, if you don’t get it out of the box and try it out, in the event you have a defective unit you might miss the warranty period and be stuck with another useless appliance! In this guide, I’m going to (virtually) hold your hand and help you get going to the point where you’ll pressure cook your first recipe: water. You’ll also learn how to use air fryer functions with step-by-step instructions. You’ve got this! PartsHere are all the parts of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer. It comes with two lids. The first lid is the pressure cooker lid and the second lid is the air fryer lid:
How to Use Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure CookerHow Does Pressure Cooking Work?The Instant Pot Duo Crisp pressure cooker creates a closed environment where steam builds up in a tightly sealed pot. This, in turn, causes the internal temperature to rise and pressure to increase. Under high pressure, the fiber in the food is tenderized and flavors develop in a very short time. Nutrient-rich steam condenses in the pot instead of evaporating and nutritional value is retained because of the speed of cooking. Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker Accessories
Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker Lid PartsPressure Cooker Lid Exterior Parts
Steam Release PartsThe steam release consists of:
Pressure Cooker Lid Interior PartsThe inside of the Instant Pot lid consists of the following parts:
Sealing RingHow to Remove the Sealing Ring
How to Replace the Sealing Ring
Float ValveYou should clean the float valve periodically, especially after cooking frothy or starchy foods. How to Remove the Float Valve
How to Replace the Float Valve
Anti-Block ShieldYou need to clean the anti-block shield periodically, especially after you’ve cooked frothy or starchy foods. How to Remove and Replace the Anti-block Shield
Instant Pot AssemblyHere are the Instant Pot Duo Crisp directions to assemble the base unit, inner pot, condensation collector, and power cord: Base Unit and Inner Pot
Condensation CollectorThe condensation collector catches any moisture that builds up on the rim. This usually comes from moisture dripping from inside the lid into the rim of the Instant Pot base, when the lid is propped open. In my experience, the condensation collector rarely fills up but I have found that when I cook pasta, in particular, liquid tends to collect and it can get messy! Get into the habit of checking for liquid in the condensation collector after every use. To attach the condensation collector:
Open and Close the Pressure Cooker LidHow to Close the Lid
How to Open the Pressure Cooker Lid
How to Prop Open the Pressure Cooker LidPropping open the lid keeps it out of the way and allows you to use the Instant Pot hands-free.
How to Release Pressure
There are a few ways you can release pressure once the Instant Pot Duo Crisp has finished pressure cooking. The recipe you’re following will give you directions on what method to use. In this article, I discuss the two most common pressure release methods:
[Find out more details about all the different pressure release methods.] How to Quick Release (QR) Instant Pot Duo Crisp
How to Natural Release (NR) / Natural Pressure Release (NPR) Instant Pot Duo Crisp
Commonly Used Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cook ButtonsThe Instant Pot Duo Crisp has many buttons that may appear confusing and complicated, but they aren’t. Some of the buttons are used with the pressure cooker lid, and some are used with the air fryer lid and some are used with both. In this section, I’ll go over directions for the most commonly used buttons and functions (smart programs) used with the pressure cooker lid. This will allow you to get going and be able to use most of this Instant Pot’s pressure cooking capabilities. Pressure CookPressure Cook is one of the most useful features of the Instant Pot. It’s only used with the presssure cooker lid. Pro TipsYou might see some recipes tell you to press Manual. Manualand Pressure Cook are the same thing. Manual was replaced with Pressure Cookin newer versions of the Instant Pot. To change the pressure level on this model – the Instant Pot Duo Crisp – press the Pressure Cook button multiple times to toggle between Lo (low pressure) and Hi (high pressure). On some other models, there’s a button Pressure Level or Pressure that allows you to change the pressure from Low to High.
SauteThe Saute function allows you to saute food in the Instant Pot before pressure cooking, and to reduce the liquid after pressure cooking. I love this function because I don’t need to get out another pan and that helps keep cleanup to a minimum.
To change the Saute temperature:
Safety TipDon’t use the Instant Pot pressure cooking lid while sauteing or you will get a Lid error. A glass lid with a venting hole or a splatter screen (both purchased separately) may be used. As a safety precaution, the cooker automatically enters Standby mode (display says OFF) after 30 minutes if you have not pressed Cancel. Cancel
Start
Note: Some Instant Pot models don’t have a Start button. Instead, the selected smart program automatically begins a few seconds after it’s selected. Keep WarmThe Keep Warm function is useful when you want your food to stay warm after being pressure cooked. Turning on the Keep Warm function allows you keep track of the amount of time since pressure cooking completed. This is useful when you’re doing a natural release.
Other FunctionsIf you’re interested in the Sous Vide functionality, please read my article on how to use the Instant Pot Sous Vide function. Steam works very similarly to Pressure Cook. You can steam foods with or without pressure. If you want to steam without pressure, either use a glass lid or set the steam release button to Venting i.e. push down on the stream release knob until it’s locked into place. Slow Cook allows you to use a glass lid or you can use the pressure cooker lid set to Venting. For this model, the Slow Cook button allows you to set the temperature to Low or High. Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker Water Test / Initial Test RunWhat is the Water Test?A water test is done by pressure cooking water for a few minutes. The amount of time varies based on how much water you use. Why You Should do the Water TestThe initial test run or water test serves two purposes: it familiarizes you with using your new Instant Pot Duo Crisp and it allows you to establish that your Instant Pot is working properly. If you have a defective unit, the water test will identify that and you can get a replacement unit. You should do a water test before the first use but you can also do it when you’re having problems with the Instant Pot pressurizing. Doing the water test will pinpoint whether there’s something about the recipe that’s causing your sealing issues. How to do the Initial Test Run / Water Test
What to do if the water test failsIf the water test fails and you’re not able to get the Instant Pot to come to pressure, use the following articles to troubleshoot the issue:
If you can’t solve your problem, open a support ticket with the Instant Pot company. What is an Air Fryer?Although it’s called an air fryer, an air fryer does not fry. It does precisely the opposite. It crisps food with little to no oil. And that is what has made air fryers so popular in recent years. The air fryer was introduced by Philips in 2010 under the trademark AirFryer (one word). Air fryer, on the other hand, has become a generic term for a class of appliances. How does an air fryer work? The air fryer has a powerful fan that blows hot air all around the food similar to how a convection oven works. Due to the small enclosed space and concentrated heat, the food heats up and cooks very fast. The advantages of air frying are:
Introduction to the Instant Pot Air Fryer LidOne of the downsides to using an Instant Pot pressure cooker used to be that you couldn’t get foods to crisp or brown. Well, no more! Instant Pot has joined the party by introducing an air fryer lid that can be used in conjunction with the Instant Pot, and it’s a game-changer. Now you can pressure cook food in the Instant Pot and use the air fryer lid to crisp up the top. Or you can use the air fryer lid without having pressure cooked the food, similar to how you would use a traditional air fryer. Food is placed in a mesh basket, which in turn, is inserted into the inner pot. The air fryer lid is placed on top and it blows superheated air to cook and crisp food. You can cook food from fresh or frozen. You can also use the air fryer lid to broil food directly in the inner pot i.e. without using a basket, which is akin to broiling the food in the oven. More on that later. Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid vs Traditional Air FryerThe InstantPot air fryer lid differs from traditional air fryers in a few ways:
Air Fryer Accessories
Air Fryer Lid PartsDuo Crisp Air Fryer Lid Exterior PartsThe outside of the Duo Crisp Air Fryer Lid consists of the following parts:
Air Fryer Lid Interior PartsThe inside of the Air Fryer lid consists of the following parts:
Open and Close the Air Fryer LidHow to Close the Lid
How to Open the Air Fryer Lid
Ways to Use the Air Fryer LidThere are three ways in which you can cook using the air fryer lid on your Instant Pot.
Directly in the Inner PotIf you’re cooking something in the Instant Pot directly and want to crisp up the top, you can use the air fryer lid to do that. e.g. I make Instant Pot macaroni and cheese and once pressure cooking is done, I add a breadcrumb topping and use the air fryer Broil button to brown the top. If I cook a lasagna using the pot-in-pot method, I use the air fryer lid to make it golden-brown and bubbly. Pot in PotIf you would like to bake something in a separate oven-proof container, you can place it on a trivet and air fry it or bake it. e.g. I bake cakes using the air fryer Bake button. They come out really great. Air Fryer BasketIf you wish to use a traditional air fryer recipe to make crispy foods, you can use the air fryer basket to air fry the foods. e.g. I make air fryer French fries, chicken wings, and roasted vegetables using the air fryer basket. Air Fryer Basket AssemblyAir Fryer Basket PartsThe air fryer basket is composed of the following parts:
How to Assemble the Basket
How to Put in the Broil Tray
NOTE: If you put food into the lower level and want to turn it halfway through cooking, removing the broil tray is not easy when there’s food in it. One hack is to use a pair of bamboo tongs that are used to remove toast from the toaster. Using the tongs allows me to easily remove the tray from the basket. Some people use a couple of wooden chopsticks to poke into the smaller holes. The size of the holes is perfect for chopsticks to sort of wedge into. How to Store the Air Fryer LidHow to Store the Lid While Hot
How to Store the Lid Once Cool
Commonly Used Instant Pot Air Fryer ButtonsThe air fryer smart programs are circled with a fan icon. They are Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil and Dehydrate. One thing that’s important to understand is that the smart programs/buttons are all just presets as you have on a microwave. They are preset with optimal times and temperatures. You can use the Air Fry button to accomplish the same thing as the Bake or Broil function. e.g. the Bake smart program is preset to 365 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 minutes. You can change these settings by using the + and – buttons. Once you change the presets, the Instant Pot will remember the new setting the next time you use that preset. I will go over the most commonly used air fryer buttons that will allow you to get going and be able to use most of this Instant Pot’s air frying capabilities. CancelPress the Cancel button to stop air frying. StartThe Start button needs to be pressed in order to kick off the air fryer. TempUse the Temp + and – buttons to adjust to the desired temperature. These buttons are pressed once you’ve selected the Air Fry button or one of the other smart functions (e.g. Bake, Broil, etc.) TimeUse the Time + and – buttons to adjust to the desired cook time. These buttons are pressed once you’ve selected the Air Fry button or one of the other smart functions (e.g. Bake, Broil, etc.) Air FryAir Fry smart program defaults to 18 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit but you can change the settings. Use Air Fry to cook frozen French fries, tater tots, vegetables, mozzarella sticks, etc.. I’ll walk you through with step-by-step instructions on using the Air Fry smart program. All the other smart programs work in a similar way. In this example, we’re cooking French fries.
** Lifting the lid pauses the timer for 3 minutes. If within that time, you don’t resume cooking, the air fryer program will be canceled. If you don’t lift the lid when the Turn Food message shows, cooking will automatically continue after 10 seconds.
Roast, Bake, Broil, and DehydrateThe Roast, Bake, Broil, and Dehydrate smart programs all work in the same way as the Air Fry smart program. Press the button, program the temperature and time (if you wish to change the default), and press Start. Roast – (default 40 minutes, 380 degrees Fahrenheit). Use to roast chicken, steak, or other meats. The Air Fry and Roast buttons give you the message Turn Food halfway through the cooking cycle. The other functions don’t have that message. Tips for Success with Air Frying
Instant Pot Duo Crisp Error CodesIf your Instant Pot Duo Crisp display screen starts blinking with an error code, here are the common codes and how to troubleshoot them. Instant Pot Error Codes:
Duo Crisp Air Fryer Recipes to TryInstant Pot Air Fryer Frozen French FriesThere’s no need to turn on the oven to cook frozen french fries anymore! Air fryer frozen french fries turn out crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. And you can make them in less time than it takes to cook them in the oven or deep-fry them. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also use a traditional air fryer or bake them in the oven. GET RECIPE DETAILS Air Fryer Pound CakeMoist and delicious, this air fryer cake recipe is as tasty as the oven version. When you want to make a smaller pound cake or you don’t want to use the oven in the summer, the air fryer is a great option to bake a delicious cake easily and quickly. Use a traditional air fryer or Instant Pot air fryer. (Oven instructions also provided.) GET RECIPE DETAILS Instant Pot Air Fryer Chicken WingsInstant Pot Air Fryer chicken wings are so easy to make! And they're crisp and delicious. This recipe works for an Instant Pot air fryer lid or Duo Crisp and it also works for traditional air fryers. GET RECIPE DETAILS If you found this article to be helpful, please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much! Does the air fryer basket base go in the instant pot?STEP 1: If not pressure cooking first, insert the stainless steel inner pot into the Instant Pot cooker base. Insert the air fry basket with the basket base or oven-safe cookware into the inner pot.
How do I PreHeat my duo crisp air fryer?How to PreHeat an Air Fryer?. Set the temperature at which you are cooking the food. Or at the temperature that the recipe states.. Click “on” and let the air fryer heat for 3-5 minutes. We suggest 2 minutes for small air fryers less than 3 qts. And for larger air fryers, we suggest about 5 minutes.. |