Mealthy CrispLid Turns Your Instant Pot Into an Air Fryer
We’re obsessing over this accessory that turns your Instant Pot into an Air Fryer!
Everyone knows there are certain foods that just taste BETTER when crispy! One potential drawback of cooking with an Instant Pot pressure cooker is that foods don’t usually come out crispy and you have to transfer everything to the oven to broil when you want to achieve a crispy texture.
Well, now you can take pressure cooking to the next level with this highly-rated pressure cooker accessory that I recently tested called the Mealthy CrispLid. This lid allows you to air fry foods right in your Instant Pot!
The Mealthy CrispLid is a pressure cooking game changer!
It’s a genius pressure cooker accessory that fits right over your 6 or 8-quart pressure cooker and makes the texture of food nice and crispy. I love the fact that this setup offers the best of both worlds…. tender quick-cooking foods from the pressure cooker, and then also a way to crisp everything up nicely!
I’m so excited to use it with my favorite Instant Pot recipes as it browns foods like chicken and also melts cheese on top of meals!
How does it work?
The lid has a heating element underneath and its own plug-in cord. First, unplug the Instant Pot, plug in the CrispLids’ cord, and then set the lid down over the stainless inner pot. The handle has to be secured in the down position, and then you can adjust the temperature and time on the CrispLid to start air frying.
Here’s what’s included!
Along with the actual CrispLid, you’ll also get a round silicone mat to rest it on because the heating element is hot. It also comes with a trivet and basket accessory to place smaller food items inside, as well as nice quality silicone kitchen tongs to remove the hot basket after cooking. A booklet of recipes is also included.
Things to LOVE about the Mealthy CrispLid:
- It saves on space! Since you can potentially use this lid as an air fryer instead of buying a separate one, this will save you on counter/cabinet space.
- This really does a great job of achieving a crispy texture! I was skeptical about this part but I have actually been very impressed so far with the yummy crisp texture of foods! It’s quite fast too.
- It’s easy to use out of the box! I admit the pressure cooker itself has a bit of a learning curve, but the CrispLid worked for me right out of the box. I like that you can easily see in the window how well your food is cooking. It’s simple to stop and lift the lid to check too.
- CrispLid fits other brands of pressure cookers too. As long as your countertop pressure cooker is 6 or 8 quarts and has a stainless steel inner pot, it should be compatible.
Things to consider first about Mealthy CrispLid:
- The surface area of the basket is small. You may not be able to cook as much food as you would with a traditional air fryer, and may have to cook multiple batches.
- The basket is not my favorite to clean. I think the trick is to use cooking spray on it first to avoid sticking, so make sure to not forget this step! Also keep in mind that the trivet, basket, silicone plate, and tongs are all dishwasher safe!
Makes delicious crispy chicken, chicken wings, veggies, potatoes and more!
The chicken wings I made were insanely delicious! They were super tender on the inside from pressure cooking them first, and crisped up well on the outside from the CrispLid.
Here’s how to make easy hot chicken wings like mine:
- Place about ten chicken wings in the Instant Pot, on the air fryer basket. Season wings with salt & pepper, and add 1 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and cook on manual mode (high) for 7 minutes. Release pressure, and drain the water.
- Brush the wings with Frank’s Wing Sauce and a little melted butter.
- Unplug the Instant Pot and plug in the CrispLid. Place lid on top of the Instant Pot, and set to 425 degrees for 5 minutes. After cook time, flip the wings over, and brush them with more wing sauce, and cook for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Crispy Brussel Sprouts are the best! They are a breeze to make too, and I could eat them every day. This is an instance where I didn’t pressure cook first and simply used the CrispLid to air fry.
Here’s how to make crispy Brussel Sprouts like mine:
- Trim and slice about a pound of Brussel Sprouts. Toss them in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place them in the air fryer basket. Set the CrispLid on top, and set it for 5 minutes on 425 degrees.
- Toss Brussel Sprouts and set it for another 5 minutes of cook time. Enjoy!
Crispy potatoes are so comforting and tasty! I made these by first pressure cooking baby yellow potatoes and then crisping them up afterward using the CrispLid. They are so tender inside, and have the best crisp texture on the outside! I added cheddar cheese at the very end for a delicious finale!
Here’s how to make crispy cheesy mini potatoes like mine:
- Wash and dry a 1.5-pound bag of mini golden potatoes. Cut potatoes in half.
- Pressure cook them in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes on manual (high) with 1 cup water.
- Once done, release pressure, drain the water and unplug the Instant Pot.
- Toss potatoes in olive oil. Season them with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.
- Place the potatoes on the air fryer basket, and plug in the CrispLid. Cook on 425 for 5 minutes.
- Turn potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheddar cheese over the potatoes, and cook for a minute longer until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Conclusion: I love THIS gadget!!
What a cool product and it works just like it claims. I was super impressed at how well this finished foods and also worked great as an air fryer. I can see myself using it to cook a whole chicken and then getting it nice and crispy on the outside. If you’re an Instant Pot fan, I’d definitely consider the Mealthy CrispLid!
Do you think you would be able to use this basket with it? https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/instant-pot-reg-large-mesh-steamer-basket/5372504?skuId=68392468&enginename=google&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenfoodprep_local&product_id=68392468&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&adpos=&creative=356249224553&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&utm_campaignid=71700000053968480&utm_adgroupid=58700005145007536&targetid=92700045203741084&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3ZX4BRDmARIsAFYh7ZIeJCs3T5lMmAbUVatHj1gi39_9tpb4EWINOpxXRkwXDfLy_69p5ZsaAiwgEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Are there pros and/or cons using this rather then the instant pit one? Besides it being a little cheaper?
I used the perforated parchment paper rounds in the basket for easier clean up.
Can’t wait to get it
I purchased this from an offer in April. I have been using it so much lately! I do anything I can to avoid using the oven when it’s hot outside. Last night I made crispy petite potatoes, which were delicious. I’ve also cooked juicy chicken breast from frozen! You don’t want to fill the basket or you won’t get the crispy edges, the only con I have so far because the basket is small. Great buy!
This is now on clearance at Costco.com for 39.97
Thank you! This has been updated!