Mealthy Crisplid Review: Turn your pressure cooker into Air Fryer!

Mealthy Crisplid is the new revolutionary gadget – It sits on top of your existing pressure cooker to crisp, broil, or air-fry food inside. It works not only with the Mealthy Multipot but also with 6qt and 8qt pressure cookers from other brands.

The Mealthy Company sent me a Crisplid to try. This is an unbiased review where I highlight both the pros and cons of the Crisplid.

Let’s start with a confession, I was never excited to make chicken wings in the pressure cooker, as I would have to first pressure cook them, and then broil them to get the crispy texture. This means using two appliances and having to clean multiple dishes.  For me, the pressure cooker was attractive as I could make one-pot dishes, so making things where I needed to turn on the oven or air fryer completely defeated the purpose!

However, now, with this Crisplid, I will reconsider my decision to make chicken wings in the pressure cooker 🙂

This is a very innovative gadget that we have all been waiting for! After using the electric pressure cooker for some time now, we have felt the need to have a way to melt cheese on pasta or broil chicken wings after pressure cooking them. This Crisplid helps you do that and more!

I have tried the Mealthy Multipot, which is their electric pressure cooker and found it to be a great product. I loved that they include all the accessories you need along with the multipot. So next to try for this Crisplid. Read ahead to learn all about the Crisplid and my review of it.

Visit here to order on Amazon using my referral link. 

What is Mealthy Crisplid?

Mealthy CrispLid is designed to convert any electric pressure cooker (6 or 8 quart) into an air fryer or broiler. It is a heating device that allows you to crisp, broil, or air fry food right in your pressure cooker.

The CrispLid consists of a heating element, fan, and vents attached to a glass lid covered with a stainless steel cover. You use the handle to place the CrispLid directly on top of any 6-quart or 8-quart stainless steel pressure cooking pot, such as an Instant Pot. It does not fit other sizes and could damage ceramic, aluminum, or nonstick coatings.

Where can I buy the Crisplid?

Mealthy CrispLid launched on June 24th 2009. Right now it is priced at $59.99. Mealthy Crisplid is available on Amazon in the USA, Canada, and India.

Here is a link to make a purchase on Amazon USA.

What’s in the Mealthy Crisplid box?

1. Crisplid – The CrispLid is designed with a 2-step stainless steel rim which allows it to fit both 6-quart and 8-quart pressure cookers.
2. Trivet – This is a 3-inch tall metal trivet.
3. Basket – This is a mesh air frying basket in which you add food. This basket is placed on top of the trivet.
4. Silicone Tongs – These are helpful when turning food or taking the basket out of the cooking pot.
5. Silicone Pot Holder (Mat) – This mat is a must for placing the hot Crisplid after cooking is complete. Else the hot lid can potentially burn your countertop.
6. Users Guide – I highly recommend reading this guide before using the crisplid.
7. Recipe Booklet – This booklet has 16 popular recipes to get you started with the crisplid.

How does the Crisplid work?

The main housing of the Mealthy Crisplid has a handle, control panel, vents, heating element, fan, and a stainless steel cover over the heating element. The Crisplid is like an air fryer, which circulates hot air around the food to cook and make it crispy.

Here’s how the Mealthy CrispLid works with your electric pressure cooker.

1. Air frying without the need to pressure cook: Place the trivet and the cooking basket with the food inside the pressure cooker inner stainless steel pot.
2. Finishing or crisping food after pressure cooking: If crisping food or melting cheese after pressure cooking, you can have the food in the inner pot (no need to use a trivet and basket in this case).

Now place the lid on top of the inner pot using the handle on the crisplid.

Make sure the pressure cooker is unplugged. Plug the crisplid and lower the handle. Now, you will get the option to select the temperature and cooking time. Now press the triangle start button to begin the cycle.

Note: There is a safety feature that the Crisplid won’t turn on until the handle is lowered.

Cooking Temperature: It goes from 300 to 500°F in 25-degree increments. A safety feature built into the crisplid to avoid overheating is that it will only cook at or above 450F for a maximum of 20 minutes. After that, you have to wait for at least 10 minutes before cooking above 450F again. For temperatures under 450F, the maximum cook time is 60 minutes.

Cooking Time: You can set a custom time from 1 minute to 60 minutes. Most temperature settings work for 60 minutes, however for temperature at or above 450F, the maximum cook time is 20 minutes.

The heating element light turns on when the cooking begins. This light can turn on and off while cooking.

You can see the food being cooking through the glass lid.

To pause cooking, to flip or rotate the food, just lift the handle. Your CrispLid will automatically remember your previous time and temperature settings. However, if you’re not quick at shifting the food, the cooking time will restart when you lock the handle back in place. So, you’ll want to keep an eye on the time before you adjust it.

Once the food is cooked or crisped, turn off the crisplid using the stop button or when the cooking cycle completes. Pick and place the crisplid on the silicone mat after cooking. The CrispLid is really hot after cooking, so please use caution when removing it.

Here is a detailed post for making French Fries using the Mealthy Crisplid and Air Fryer.

Buttons on the Mealthy Crisplid

1. Temperature – Allows to set the temperature.
2. Timer – Allows to set the cooking time.
3. + and – are used to move the temperature or time up or down.
4. Start/Play button – To start the machine, after setting temperature and time.
5. Stop/Square button – To stop the crisplid cooking.

Pros and Cons of the Mealthy Crisplid

I will be comparing the Crisplid with standalone air fryers and the Ninja Foodi with the pros and cons below.

Let’s start with the pros for the Crisplid

1. Takes less space: The crisplid sits on top of your existing pressure cooker, so it does not need the whole housing similar to an air fryer. Compared to the Ninja Foodi, which is much larger in size than a Mealthy pressure cooker too, this is just a larger lid that can be stored in less space.
2. Glass lid – This I think is a big plus. I love that I can see the food as it cooks without having to pause cooking. I have the Philips air fryer, and I always have to remove the basket, which pauses cooking, to see how well the food is cooked or browned.
3. Reuse the same accessories: As the Crisplid sits on the existing pressure cookers, I am able to reuse the same accessories I might have purchased or that came with the crisplid for other purposes, such as pot-in-pot cooking.
4. Easy Cleaning: Cleaning the crisplid is not much effort. Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the interior of the lid. Do not insert the lid in water.
5. Convenience: The Crisplid is easy to use. As it is a lid on top of the pressure cooker, you dont have to transfer food to brown or crisp it. It can be done right in the pressure cooker.
6. Budget-Friendly: The Mealthy Crisplid is currently priced at just $50. This is much cheaper than buying a standalone air fryer or the Ninja Foodi.

Now on to the Cons for the Crisplid

1. Moving hot lid: The main downside I felt was that I was moving a hot lid and have to be mindful of how to handle it each time. I also will not let kids handle the lid as a safety precaution.
2. Turn the food: I had to rotate the food to crisp it well on all sides or do smaller batches. For example, when cooking french fries, I turned them after cooking for 9 minutes. In the regular air fryer, it is easier to shake the basket to flip the food, and the food crisps better without much flipping needed. Food gets cooked. Regular air fryer crisps both sides well.
3. Length of power cord: The power cord on the Crisp Lid is really short. Mealthy says this is an intentional safety precaution to prevent accidents. The User Guide also directs not to use extension cords with the Crisp Lid.
4. Capacity: This is kind of a con, but not a major one. If you look at the cooking basket, it looks so much smaller than an air fryer basket. However for air frying, it is best to layer food in a single layer and not pile up. Capacity in that sense is similar to your existing air fryers or Ninja Foodi.
   1. Update as of November 2019 – Mealthy has listened to their customers and released a deep basket. Here is a link to buy it on Amazon.
5. No presets: This is another one that I feel is not as important, as my original Philips air fryer also does not have any presets, and I have never bothered about it. I like the simple design of the buttons, and it is easy for me to decide the temperature and cooking time, especially after using the crisplid a few times.

If I have a Mealthy Crisplid, do I need an air fryer?

I already had an air fryer before using the Crisplid. However truly, you don’t need an air fryer on your kitchen counter if you have the Mealthy Crisplid. If you have a large family, then you might want to buy a large capacity air fryer.

In my experience testing the Mealthy Crisplid, I have been liking it so far! I would recommend the CrispLid to anyone who already has a 6-quart or 8-quart pressure cooker with a stainless steel pot. It is affordable and much cheaper than a standalone air fryer, and also does not take as much space. I hope you give it a try!

Click here to order on Amazon using my referral link. 

If you buy the Mealthy Crisplid, check out my Air Fryer recipes to try them using the Crisplid!

You can also melt cheese on pasta dishes such as this Spinach Artichoke Lasagna or Fajita Pasta.