Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 6QT Multi-Use Pressure Cooker review

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer 6QT (112-0120-01) is a pressure multicooker with a separate air-frying lid, not a conventional crock with a dial. For slow-cooking, its value is the combination of a non-pressure Slow Cook program, stainless-steel inner pot, in-base Sauté and a second lid for a later crisping step. That range is useful only if you are willing to store and handle the extra lid and air-fry accessories.

Slow Cook is unpressurized, with a middle setting

The R25 U.S. manual linked from the exact 6QT page says Slow Cook does not use pressure. It directs you to leave steam release at Venting or use a glass lid with a vent hole. Its three named settings are Less, Normal and More: the guide describes them as low-and-slow, a medium equivalent and a high equivalent, with listed presets of 10, 8 and 4 hours respectively. You can adjust the time, but the instructions do not establish the full selectable range. Do not treat those three presets as the only possible durations—or infer a longer maximum from the timer on a different Duo model.

One schedule limitation matters for an all-day routine: the Slow Cook section says Delay Start is unavailable. This unit cannot be chosen on the assumption that it will wait and then begin a Slow Cook cycle later. The manual does say Automatic Keep Warm starts on by default and shows elapsed time up to ten hours after the cycle; that is a control display limit, not advice about how long a particular food should be held. If you need a confirmed delayed Slow Cook start, the standard Duo V5 112-0170-01 is a more relevant comparison; if you need the cooker to pick a dinner-ready time, neither feature is the same as a meal-finish scheduler.

The second lid changes the workflow—and the storage needs

The included Air Fry lid runs its own Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil and Dehydrate programs. The manual allows an Air Fry crisp finish after Slow Cook, but it is a later step, not two simultaneous cooking zones: finish the Slow Cook routine, follow the manual's pressure-release instructions if pressure was used earlier in a recipe, remove the hot pressure lid as directed and fit the Air Fry lid. The instructions also call for five inches of space around the air-fryer vents while it is operating. That ventilation clearance and a safe landing place for the removed lid are part of the counter plan.

The exact package lists an air-fry basket, basket base, broil/dehydrator tray, steam rack, pressure lid, Air Fry lid and stainless inner pot. A second lid and several accessories mean more pieces to wash and store than a dedicated slow cooker. Instant Pot specifically calls the pressure lid and inner pot dishwasher-safe; that wording does not automatically cover the separate Air Fry lid. Use the component-specific cleaning directions instead of treating every part as dishwasher-ready.

Capacity and a real space check

The main vessel is listed as six quarts; the manufacturer positions it as up to six servings, but that is a maker's serving guide rather than a guarantee for every recipe. It is rated 1,500 watts at 120 V / 60 Hz and has a one-year limited warranty. Its product page lists size values of 13.58 wide, 13.97 high and 13.58 long, but does not state a unit in that size field. Weight and useful lid-open clearance are not published in the sources checked here. Because the Air Fry lid must sit above the base and vent freely, do not turn the unitless closed-body numbers into an inch-based cabinet-fit promise.

The page describes 11 cooking functions and 15 customizable one-touch program options. The listed functions include pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, rice, air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate, sterilize and warm. There is a documentation wrinkle around Sous Vide: the exact product-page list does not name it, while the page-linked R25 manual contains a Sous Vide chapter. If that capability is essential, don't assume it from either a sibling listing or a generic description; confirm the exact model's current instructions. Its value as a slow cooker does not depend on that uncertain mode.

Who should choose the 6QT Duo Crisp?

Consider it if a six-quart pot is enough for your usual batches and you will actually use both pressure cooking and the later Air Fry finish. The medium-equivalent Slow Cook setting is another point of separation from the Pro Crisp 8QT 113-0043-01, whose reviewed R12 Slow Cook plan lists Low and High only. But the Pro Crisp has a documented 24-hour Slow Cook ceiling, while the Duo Crisp manuals do not publish the full Slow Cook timer limit; choose the Pro only if that known ceiling and its Sous Vide plan matter more than a medium setting. The two Duo Crisp sizes share the two-lid idea, but the 8QT SKU 140-0021-01 has a larger nominal pot and different page-listed size values.

If you want one-lid simplicity and delayed Slow Cook start more than air frying, compare the standard Duo V5 6QT 112-0170-01. It has a separate Slow Cook plan and automatic Warm, without the second lid, and its manual does document a delayed start. For a clear glass lid, straightforward viewing or manual dial, compare a dedicated slow cooker instead. This multi-cooker adds options, not a measured promise of better flavor or crispness.

Before buying, compare the Duo Crisp 8QT review, the Pro Crisp 8QT review and the standard Duo 6QT review. Check the 112-0120-01 product page and its linked R25 U.S. manual for current contents, setup and care.