It smells of hot plastic. Is it faulty?
Almost certainly not. A plastic smell the first few times a new air fryer heats up is common, and it comes from manufacturing residues on new parts. Deal with it before cooking anything: run the empty machine on a hot air fry cycle with the kitchen window open, let it cool, wipe the basket and tray, and repeat. One owner ran several cycles and found the smell faded each time until it was barely noticeable, and other owners never noticed it at all.
Mine has started smelling and smoking even though I wash the basket. Why?
Because the basket is often not where the problem is. Air frying drives grease off the food and it travels onto the drawer and the walls and roof of the chamber. Fat baked on there smokes and smells every time the machine runs, and washing the basket does not touch it. Unplug the machine, let it cool completely, and wipe the inside of the chamber with a damp cloth regularly. That one job is the difference between a machine that stays fresh and one that does not.
What is the fastest way to ruin the non-stick coating?
Aerosol cooking spray is a common culprit, because its additives can leave a sticky residue that bakes onto the basket and is hard to remove. Brush oil on, or use a pump sprayer filled with plain oil. Two related habits matter: never use metal utensils or abrasive pads, since a scratch becomes a spot where food sticks; and although Instant Pot makes the baskets and trays dishwasher safe, hand washing is gentler on them over the long run.
Do I still need to use oil?
A little, for most foods. A light coating helps heat into the surface and carries flavour, and food cooked completely dry can come out leathery rather than crisp. One owner found a spray of cooking oil essential for a good crunch on coated chicken. That is still a long way from deep frying: Instant Pot pitches its EvenCrisp system as getting the crunch with far less oil than deep frying.
How do I get better results?
A few habits make the biggest difference. Let it finish preheating before the food goes in. Turn or shake the food partway through, which the machine prompts you to do on some cycles, so every face gets its turn in the airflow. Cook in a single layer, in batches if needed, rather than overfilling. And start with shorter times than you would use in an oven, because this machine cooks fast; owners who learned their times through a little trial and error are the happiest with it.
Is it actually faster than my oven?
For small quantities, yes, because there is far less air and metal to bring up to temperature, and cooking speed is one of its clearest strengths. One owner bakes biscuits in 7 minutes that took 20 in the oven. It also keeps the kitchen cooler, which makes it the natural choice in summer. For a large tray of food, a full-size oven still wins on how much it can cook at once.
