Instant’s Vortex Mini air fryer is on sale for $40

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If you've been eyeing a new air fryer but don't want something too large or pricey, Instant's Vortex Mini is the top budget pick in our air fryer buying guide, and it's currently down to $40 as part of a new sale. While this isn't the lowest price we've seen, it's within $5, and it represents a roughly $10 drop from the 2-quart air fryer's typical street price. Just note the deal only applies to the aqua blue model.

Instant Pot

As a refresher, an air fryer works like a smaller, pod-shaped convection oven. It can cook smaller foods better than a microwave, and it's typically faster and more energy-efficient than a traditional oven. The Vortex Mini is among the most compact models we've tested, so it can't cook a ton of food at once, but we've found it to perform well for single servings and side dishes like french fries, tofu, pizza slices or roasted veggies. It has four preprogrammed buttons — air fry, bake, roast and reheat — and we generally found it simple to operate. Because it's only about a foot tall and nine inches wide, it doesn't take up much countertop space, nor is it a hassle to clean. All of this makes the Vortex Mini a decent accessory for those living in smaller spaces who mainly cook for themselves.

This deal comes as part of a couple of wider sales on Instant kitchen accessories at Amazon. If you're looking for a larger air fryer, the top pick in our guide, the six-quart Instant Vortex Plus, is on sale for $130, which is about $20 less than usual. If you're after an electric pressure cooker, meanwhile, the Instant Pot Pro is the upgrade pick in our Instant Pot buying guide, and it's back down to $130 as well.