Instant Pot Duo Crisp 6.5 Qt. Air Fryer & Multi-Cooker with Ultimate Lid
Skip until Instant Pot clarifies its crisping basket coating formula.
This Instant Pot model has a stainless steel pot but includes an air-fryer crisping basket with nonstick coating Instant Pot won't identify. No public disclosure about PFAS-free materials or testing exists.
The safe swap
Ninja
Ninja Crispi Pro 6-in-1 Glass Air Fryer
75/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Stainless steel pot with unspecified nonstick coating on crisping basket
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Non-stick, chemistry undisclosed
Advertised as non-stick but coating type is not explained.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Category baseline
cookware is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
Nonstick coating integrity under high heat
The crisping basket reaches 400F, a temperature at which traditional Teflon-type coating coatings can begin degrading and releasing volatiles. Unspecified coating composition means you cannot assess whether the basket uses durable Teflon-type coating, ceramic, or another alternative, or how it ages with repeated high-temperature cycles.
Coating flaking or microparticle ingestion
Any nonstick coating can shed particles if scratched or damaged during use or cleaning. The crisping basket's frequent use and hand-washing create higher risk of surface wear. Ingestion of nonstick particles in small amounts is generally considered low acute risk, but long-term exposure data is limited.
What’s reassuring
Stainless steel pot leaching (chromium/nickel)
The inner pot is standard stainless steel, which rarely leaches under normal cooking conditions unless food is acidic or very salty and left sitting for extended periods. No recalls or published contamination issues are documented for this model. Standard food safety practice (do not store acidic foods in stainless steel overnight) applies.
Silicone gasket degradation or off-gassing
The pressure-release gasket is food-grade silicone, a stable material at the operating temperatures of a multi-cooker (typical max 250F under pressure). No documented issues with Instant Pot silicone gaskets are on record; replacement gaskets are widely available and inexpensive if you notice odor or wear.
Aluminum or other metals in the crisping basket substrate
Instant Pot does not disclose the substrate material beneath the nonstick coating on the crisping basket. If the substrate is anodized aluminum, it would typically be sealed and safe; if bare aluminum, acidic or salty foods could accelerate corrosion. Without specification, this remains unverified but not documented as problematic in field reports.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The inner cooking pot is stainless steel, which is inert and durable under typical cooking temperatures. The crisping basket uses an unspecified nonstick coating; Instant Pot has not disclosed whether this is Teflon-type coating-based (traditional Teflon-class) or a PFAS-free alternative. The lid assembly includes a silicone gasket and pressure-release valve, both common food-contact materials. Without coating composition disclosure, you cannot rule out Teflon-type coating-based PFAS or assess thermal degradation risk at the high air-fry temperatures (up to 400F for the crisping function).
The brand's record and disclosure
Instant Pot has not publicly committed to PFAS-free cookware or released material safety data sheets specifying nonstick coating chemistry. The company does not appear on lists of brands with formal PFAS phase-out pledges. No major recalls or contamination incidents are publicly documented for this specific model, but the silence on coating composition is atypical compared to competitors like Ninja and Cosori, which have begun disclosing nonstick alternatives. Absence of disclosure does not confirm PFAS presence, but it raises uncertainty in a product category where PFAS migration has been documented under high-heat scenarios.
How it compares in its category
Air fryer/multi-cooker hybrids typically use Teflon-type coating nonstick baskets; the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is not an outlier in this regard. Competitors like Ninja CristaFlon and some Cosori models have begun offering Teflon-type coating-free ceramic alternatives or have made public commitments to phase PFAS out. The stainless steel pot itself is standard and safe; the gap is the crisping basket coating. At its price point (mid to upper range), consumer expectation for material transparency is higher than budget models.
If you buy it
Contact Instant Pot customer service directly to request the crisping basket coating composition before purchase or first use. Do not exceed 400F on the crisping function, as high heat accelerates any potential nonstick coating degradation. Hand-wash the crisping basket with warm soapy water; avoid abrasive scrubbers and the dishwasher, which can damage nonstick surfaces and increase leaching risk. Inspect the basket quarterly for scratching, flaking, or discoloration; replace if visible damage appears, or consider retrofitting with a perforated stainless steel or ceramic basket insert if the manufacturer offers one.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 42% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Instant Pot has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Air Fryers
Ninja
Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System
Glass cooking vessel with stainless steel and plastic components
Thermal fracture or stress in glass cooking vessel
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Electrical hazard or heating element degradation
Limited concern
Glass cooking surface avoids nonstick coatings entirely.
⚠Risky category by default
Ninja
Crispi Pro 6-in-1 Glass Air Fryer
Glass cooking vessel with stainless steel components
Thermal shock / glass breakage risk
Limited concern
Glass construction means lower PFAS concern than typical nonstick air fryers.
⚠Risky category by default
Cosori
Smart Toaster Oven
stainless steel exterior, glass and metal interior
Thermal degradation of gaskets or seals
Limited concern
Grease accumulation and combustion byproducts
Limited concern
Glass door thermal stress and breakage
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern, toaster ovens rarely use nonstick coatings, though brand makes no transparency statement.
⚠Risky category by default
More air fryers grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.