Instant Pot Air Fryer Guide: Duo Crisp & Air Fryer Lid

What does “Instant Pot air fryer” actually mean?

The name can describe more than one appliance arrangement. Some Instant Pot multi-cookers are sold with air-frying built in. Some Duo Crisp and Pro Crisp models use a dedicated air-fryer lid as well as a separate pressure-cooking lid. The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is a different system: Instant Pot describes it as one lid with both pressure-cooking and air-frying functions.

A standard Instant Pot pressure-cooking lid does not become an air fryer simply because the cooker has a pressure function. Before following a recipe, identify the model printed on the appliance and check the matching manual. The manufacturer maintains a product manual directory for its different cooker families.

That distinction matters. A method written for a two-lid Duo Crisp should not automatically be applied to an Ultimate Lid model, an older pressure cooker or a separate air-fryer accessory.

Which Instant Pot models can air-fry?

Start with the model name and manual rather than the capacity or appearance of the cooker. These are the main configurations relevant to this guide; accessory compatibility must still be checked against the exact model number.

Instant Pot’s Duo Crisp guide distinguishes the pressure-cooking lid from the air-fryer lid: it directs users to the pressure lid for wet cooking functions and the supplied air-fryer lid for dry cooking functions. The Duo Crisp getting-started guide sets out that arrangement.

For the Pro Crisp, use the model’s own manufacturer guide. Do not assume that accessories are interchangeable simply because two models share a product family name.

Duo Crisp vs Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

These names are easy to mix up, but they refer to different equipment layouts.

The two-lid Duo Crisp and Pro Crisp

On the two-lid arrangement, the pressure-cooking lid and air-fryer lid are separate pieces. Instant Pot’s guidance is straightforward: use the supplied pressure lid for wet cooking and the supplied air-fryer lid for dry cooking. The appliance base and its matching accessories are a set; do not substitute a lid from another model.

The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

Instant Pot describes the Ultimate Lid as a single-lid system with both pressure-cooking and air-frying functions. Its internal cover and cooking accessories have their own instructions, so it is not simply the two-lid version with a different name. Read the Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid guide before using it.

There are two model-specific details worth knowing. For the US 6.5-quart Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid model addressed in its FAQ, Instant Pot says to use the supplied 6.5-quart inner pot, not the older 6-quart inner pot. The company also says that this configuration uses the inner pot and air-fry cooking rack rather than a separate air-fryer basket. Check the manual for your regional model number; do not transfer capacity or accessory instructions across sizes and markets.

The current Instant Pot Duo Crisp and air-fryer FAQs explain both points.

Do you have to pressure-cook food before air-frying it?

No. Pressure-cooking first is one possible recipe method, not a requirement for every use of the air-fryer function. A recipe may use the air-fryer programme on its own. Another may pressure-cook a dense or firm ingredient and then use dry heat to finish or crisp the outside.

The two stages solve different cooking jobs. Pressure cooking uses a sealed, moist environment; air frying uses circulating hot air. Use both only when the recipe calls for both and the appliance manual supports the sequence.

When a recipe does move from pressure cooking to air frying, Instant Pot says to make sure all pressure has been released before changing the lid or moving to the air-fry function. On the Ultimate Lid model, the pressure-cooking cover can be hot; the manufacturer specifically instructs users to protect their hands when removing it. Follow the exact steps for your model rather than improvising a lid change.

How to use an Instant Pot air fryer

The controls and accessories vary, so this is a checklist for finding the right process—not a replacement for the model manual.

1. Identify the exact model. Check the model name and number on the appliance and open its matching manufacturer manual.
2. Use the correct lid and accessories. A two-lid Duo Crisp, a Pro Crisp and an Ultimate Lid model do not share one universal setup.
3. Choose the cooking method. Use the air-fry function directly when the recipe calls for air frying alone. Use pressure cooking first only when the recipe specifies that stage.
4. Follow the model’s loading instructions. Use the supplied inner pot, rack, basket or other approved component for that model. Do not substitute an accessory because it looks similar.
5. Use settings written for the appliance where possible. Start with the exact model’s cooking guidance or a recipe specifically written for that configuration. Do not assume another model’s default settings are identical.
6. Check the food, not just the timer. For meat, poultry and seafood, use a food thermometer and follow the appropriate safe internal-temperature guidance.

For the two-lid Duo Crisp, Instant Pot’s guide explains how to identify the pressure lid, air-fryer lid and their respective functions. For the Ultimate Lid, use its separate step-by-step instructions; the manufacturer’s Ultimate Lid manual guide includes its own air-fry procedure.

Can you use a regular air-fryer recipe in an Instant Pot?

Sometimes a conventional air-fryer recipe can help you understand the ingredients and the broad cooking approach, but it is not automatically an Instant Pot recipe. The appliance configuration, approved cooking vessel, food arrangement and available space may differ. Do not transfer a time or temperature as though the two machines were identical.

Look first for a recipe written for your Instant Pot model. If you are adapting a conventional air-fryer recipe, use the manufacturer’s instructions for loading and operation, check the food during cooking when the manual allows it, and verify doneness rather than relying on a copied timer. We do not provide a universal air-fryer-to-Instant-Pot conversion because the available evidence does not support one.

For readers choosing what to cook, our main keto air-fryer recipe collection remains the MPT destination for the broader air-fryer recipe selection. Those recipes should be followed as written for their stated equipment; this guide does not claim that their times or methods have been converted or tested for every Instant Pot model.

Safety, accessories and cleaning

The most important rule when moving from pressure cooking to air frying is to release all pressure first. Follow the model-specific release procedure and do not try to open or change a pressure lid while the cooker remains pressurised. The manufacturer’s FAQ gives separate directions for the two-lid Duo/Pro Crisp models and the Ultimate Lid configuration.

Use only lids, inner pots, racks, baskets and attachments approved for the specific appliance. For the Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid, Instant Pot says to use the supplied 6.5-quart inner pot and the air-fry cooking rack arrangement. Do not transfer these instructions to a different model.

Let the appliance and its accessories cool as directed before cleaning. Check the matching manual for which components can be washed by hand or in a dishwasher; cleaning directions differ between product families. The Instant Pot manual directory is the starting point if the booklet supplied with your cooker is missing.

When cooking meat, poultry or seafood, use a clean food thermometer and check the relevant safe minimum internal temperature. The U.S. FoodSafety.gov temperature chart separates the guidance by food type; it is not an Instant Pot cooking-time chart. Follow the relevant official guidance for your own jurisdiction where it differs.

Instant Pot air-fryer questions