Instant Vortex Air Fryer Troubleshooting

Looking for help with your air fryer? We’ve compiled a troubleshooting guide to help you figure out the root of any issue, so you can get cooking again in no time.

If your air fryer is not producing enough heat: 

• Check your timer and make sure it is set to at least 20 minutes. There should be a button on the timer for “Max Time”. If the button is stuck or broken, please contact customer service as soon as possible.

• If you have been cooking at a high temperature but food is still not getting crispy, try lowering the temperature and checking back in a few minutes.

• If you have been cooking at a high temperature and food is not getting browned, try lowering the temperature again.

• If you are using a higher temperature setting and your food is getting burnt, lower the temperature as that means there hasn’t been enough time to get crisp in the air fryer.

• If you are using a lower temperature setting but your food is still getting browning, try lowering it again.

If your air fryer smells like varnish: Check the grill basket for any burned-on bits of food from previous batches. Clean and oil the basket before putting new bits of food in it. If the plastic inner basket starts to smell, it needs to be replaced.

If your air fryer is not reading temperatures: 

• If you have been cooking at a high temperature but food is still not getting crispy, try lowering the temperature and checking back in a few minutes.

• If you are using a higher temperature setting and your food is getting burnt, lower the temperature as that means there hasn’t been enough time to get crisp in the air fryer.

If the door doesn’t lock or unlock properly: 

• Make sure you have closed the lid properly before locking it. To check this, hold your hand directly above where you would like the lid to rest when locked. The lid should be parallel to your hand. If not, check the latch to make sure it has clicked into place, and then lock it again.

• Make sure you are pushing the locking button in all the way before air frying.

• If you have been cooking at a high temperature but food is still not getting crispy, try lowering the temperature and checking back in a few minutes.

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• If you are using a higher temperature setting and your food is getting burnt, lower the temperature as that means there hasn’t been enough time to get crisp in the air fryer.

• If your basket does not slide out easily when unlocked: Unlock the lid and make sure that you close it properly.

Why did my instant Vortex air fryer stop working?

There is an emergency off button inside the machine, usually located on or near the power cord. Pulling out this emergency switch will turn the instant Vortex air fryer off, whether it’s plugged in or not. This will help you avoid any damage to the machine if there is a power surge.

What’s the difference between “High” and “Max Time” settings?

The high setting is just that. It should be used for cooking things that take no more than 10 minutes to cook (like frozen foods) or for raising the temperature of your machine as high as it will get without damaging your AirFryer (you can set it to “Max Time”). If you set it on high and leave it for more than 20 minutes, your air fryer will automatically switch down to medium to prevent overheating.

The Max setting on the other hand is meant for cooking things that take much longer than 20 minutes (like chicken wings or french fries). In order to use the Max setting, you must first fully close the lid, and keep it locked while using the Max setting. Because an air fryer uses very little oil to cook food and your food will not get burnt because of low oil drippings, you may need to check occasionally that your food is properly cooked.

How long does it take for my bacon or chicken nuggets to come out crisp?

The cooking time for nuggets depends on a lot of factors. The quality of the meat, the thickness of the meat, your oil temperature, and how many nuggets you’re cooking will all affect how long it takes to get crisp.

For this example, we’ll use an 8-ounce chicken breast (about the size of a chicken wing). If you are using a 6-quart air fryer (the most common size), 24 wings may be accomplished in about 10 minutes at 450 degrees F. This means that if you’re using a lower temperature setting and your food isn’t browning as quickly as it would at 450 degrees F, try lowering the temperature to 360 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

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Can air fryer overheat and shut off?

Yes, an air fryer will shut off automatically if it gets too hot. Just make sure you are monitoring the temperature in your air fryer and that you have set the correct temperature for your recipe.

What happens if the basket handle is touching the heating element?

The handle should not be touching any part of the inside of the AirFryer, as this may cause a fire. If this does happen, immediately unplug the air fryer and let it cool for 15 minutes before attempting to touch it with bare hands. Then attempt to push the handle away from the heating element and make sure there is a gap of at least 1/4 inch between the basket handle and any other part of the machine.

Do air fryers turn off automatically?

Air fryers never turn off automatically. They are designed to stay on for the entire cooking time, using only a small amount of energy (much less than a conventional oven). If your air fryer is not performing properly, first check the food temperature, and then inspect the basket and make sure everything is clean before you start cooking.

Do I need to use oil?

Not in most recipes. All of our recipes call for an oil spray that helps food get browned or caramelized while still staying dry on the inside. You will still end up with crispier food when using oil, but it’s not required with this machine if you don’t want it to be extra crispy.

How often should I clean my basket?

Before cooking with your air fryer, wipe down the basket with a paper towel until it is completely clean. After each use, simply empty the crumbs from the basket and allow it to air dry before storing. The basket does not need to be washed in cold water; hot water or dish soap may damage its non-stick surface.

Air fryer keeps beeping?

Air fryers beep when they are ready to cook, so if it is beeping and you are not cooking, that means it thinks the basket is empty. Make sure you have your basket filled with food before you start cooking.

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Why is my air fryer beeping after the cooking time has passed?

Since air fryers do not have a thermostat, they do not turn off during the cooking process. When your air fryer turns off it’s because food is done and fully cooked. The machine will also beep every minute or so during the cooking process to let you know how much time has passed since you started cooking.

What is the difference between a convection oven and an air fryer?

Convection ovens use a fan to circulate hot air, giving food more even cooking. Air fryers use a rotor that stirs hot air in an enclosed space to give food a similar heating effect.

Newer models of convection ovens also have rotors to circulate hot air, but they are called “turbo-speed fans” instead of rotors because they are not used at all times like they are in air fryers. When you cook with your air fryer, the rotor is always on and circulating hot air, while with a convection oven it only comes on and off when needed.

Instant Vortex air fryer light on and off?

This light indicates that the unit is either on or off. If it is on and your air fryer is turned off, then there has been a power surge. This will burn out all of your electronics, and you should unplug the unit now to prevent further damage.

What does the light mean when my instant vortex air fryer turns off?

This means it has turned off because it overheated or there was a power surge. This could be fixed by turning the air fryer back on and let it cool down to avoid further damage.

Final Thoughts:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide, and learned a lot about air fryers. While still new to the world of air fryers, I have found that they are easily capable of cooking countless meals for my family.

Some of my favorite recipes using an air fryer include:

• Cheese Pizza Crust

• Fried Mozzarella Sticks

• Roasted Kale Chips

Happy Cooking!