Review on 4 Quart Stainless Steel Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer with Customizable Smart Cooking Programs, Digital Touchscreen, and Non-Stick Basket by Tim Wheeler

This 6-in-1 vortex air fryer has a lot going for it. Spacious internal kitchen measuring 9 1/4 in x 9 1/2 in. Roasting and baking functions that allow use as oven, roasting and dehydrating functions. You need some kind of stand to actually use the dehydration feature. I've roasted peanuts, baked bacon, baked cookies, fried piles of parmesan to make fries, and it all turned out great. I even dehydrated the watermelon. I love that it beeps and prompts you to add food when it gets hot. No more standing around looking for a green light or a light to turn off, this is great for functions like baking and roasting. This is probably the simplest autofocus I've used and has multiple functions. Plug and play, temperature, time, selection of functions, all very, very simple. And with one button you can change the temperature and time while cooking instead of having to turn it off and reset it. There's a manual, but it tells you to go online (gives you a link) for recipes and tips. So, it's all great, and you're probably nodding your head and wondering why, when it's amazing with its ease of use, beautiful settings, and easy cleaning, it's a 4? Well, it's more like 4 1/2, but here's the thing. Did you know that most deep fryers have a basket that is separate from the bottom? that will not do. At first I thought it was great! I don't want to think about the number of times I passed out and broke the basket causing the bottom to sink. fortunately usually on the counter or over the sink. Still. The fact that the handle is part of the lower block seemed elegant up to now. So the lower basket is a whole. Then comes a flat insert with a cut-out in the middle and a thin metal handle that folds down. the insert has the usual troughs that a basket insert would have in any other AF. So it's great no more clicking the button and emptying the trash. Until I used it. With normal AF I empty the basket, grease or drips or whatever on the bottom and I have a basket that I can easily empty onto a plate or bowl. Now I have to put on my oven mitts (thank goodness I have some that look like gloves) and find that little metal handle and pull the flat shelf insert up, being careful not to spill the food on the bottom of the basket where it's drips and burnt bits, and then try to balance them out by putting the food on a plate or bowl. Or fish with tongs or a spoon to get food. No problem with fried food, but a pain with french fries or peanuts. Is it annoying enough to deduct a star? I had this for a few days and concluded that this is indeed the case. At least half a star. Is it enough not to recommend this AF, no. This one argument has too many merits. But this is something to be aware of. You'll probably want to buy a basket insert with a top handle so you can pull things out easily.