Air frying is a trend that’s NOT about to slow down anytime soon. It cuts calories and fat from food and is considered a healthier alternative to oil frying. In this Mealthy Crisplid review I am sharing my experience with this new gadget which can convert any electric pressure cooker into an air fryer.
IMPORTANT: If you want to skip straight to the product listing, CLICK HERE! And be sure to use code LEELA to get $10 OFF your purchase.
Since Mealthy has stopped producing small appliances, I recommend you check out these comparable air fryer lid options on Amazon.
What is the Mealthy Crisplid?
From the name, the Mealthy Crisplid is literally a lid that you cover your electric pressure cooker with. It’s the newest space-saving innovation created by Mealthy, and is a great solution for those who don’t want to buy a regular air fryer because there isn’t enough space in the kitchen.
The Crisplid doesn’t just air fry though. It can also broil, crisp and dehydrate directly in the steel pot of your pressure cooker. You don’t have to switch appliances to crisp the outside of potatoes, chicken, or even ribs.
It’s compatible with 6 and 8 quart electric pressure cookers.
What’s in the box?
The box of the Mealthy Crisplid will contain the lid itself, a silicone trivet, an air frying/broiling basket, a 3” raised trivet, and one pair of stainless steel tongs. So you’ll know how to operate your Crisplid, you also get the user manual with your package, as well as a Mealthy recipe book.
Looking closely at the main housing unit, it has a handle, control panel, vents, heating element, fan, and stainless steel cover over the heating element and fan.
The control panel is pretty self-explanatory with buttons for: temperature, time, decreasing or increasing the temperature or time, and start and stop buttons.
- ->> Click HERE to check out the Mealthy Crisplid on their website and read more reviews
How Do You Use the Mealthy Crisplid?
The step-by step instructions on how to get started with the Crisplid are detailed in the user guide. But, to give you a condensed version, here are straight-forward steps on how to use this multi-cooker:
- Make sure that your pressure cooker is unplugged and on a flat surface before you begin.
- Place the inner steel pot of your pressure cooker into the base.
- Put the Crisplid trivet inside the pot and place the steel basket on top of it. The food goes in the basket, of course. Do make sure that the food doesn’t come above the rim so you can close the lid properly.
- Put the Crisplid on top to close off the pressure cooker and make sure the handle is fully pushed down (it won't start otherwise).
- Set the temperature and the cooking time, then press start.
- Ready your silicone trivet. Place it on the counter right next to the pressure cooker.
- When the time is up, lift the lid and place it on the silicone trivet.
- Use the steel tongs to get the basket out. Grip unto the handle of the steel basket firmly, with the tongs, then lift up.
Mealthy Crisplid Review of Safety Features
Before you use your Crisplid, it’s highly recommended that you understand two main safety features that it has:
- The Crisplid will NOT turn on when the handle is still up. You have to put the handle down to start setting the temperature and time, then starting the cooking process. As soon as you lift the handle, the heating element will turn off.
- The Crisplid’s maximum cooking time for temps 450°F and above is only 20 mins. The cooking temperature can go up to 500°F so a shorter cooking time will prevent overheating. Also, you have to let the unit cool down for 10 mins before using it again.
Mealthy Crisplid Air Fryer Recipes I’ve Tried
To date, I have published 5 recipes with Mealthy Crisplid cooking instructions. If you want to see how I have used the Crisplid on each one or if you want to try out the recipes yourself, click on the links below:
Air Fryer Chickpeas
Crispy chickpeas can be a great snack! If you’re feeling a little peckish, you can air fry chickpeas and have a well-seasoned snack ready in about 20 mins using my recipe. You can also use these crispy chickpeas as a salad topping or vegan taco filling.
I had to open the Crisplid up after setting it for 7 mins to shake the basket ensuring that the chickpeas were crispy all around.
Chicken Wings, Tandoori Style
The secret is in the marinade and it’s not even that hard to make. All you need are plain yogurt, minced garlic and lemon juice. The wings need to be marinated for at least 8 hours. For the best flavor, marinate them overnight.
With the Crisplid I flipped the wings once after 10 mins to make sure that both sides would crisp up.
Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
Imagine a tender flaky center enveloped with a crispy outside, air fried to perfection. You don’t really need a lot of ingredients for this one. All you need are salmon fillets, Tandoori seasoning, and some oil.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
This cauliflower recipe is another healthy snack that you can do with the Crisplid. You can even make your own dip! In my recipe though, I wanted the bites to have a kick to them so I made a Buffalo coating using hot sauce, maple syrup, oil, nutritional yeast (or Parmesan) and a starch.
Easy BBQ Instant Pot Ribs
Fall-off-the-bone tender ribs are so easy and quick to make with an electric pressure cooker. After pressure cooking the dry rubbed ribs, I like to brush them with BBQ sauce and give them a quick broil or throw them on the grill.
But thanks to the Crisplid I didn’t have to transfer my ribs anywhere else after pressure cooking them. I simply poured out the cooking liquid from the inner liner, and put in the higher trivet. At 400°F, it only took about 5 mins to crisp the outside of the ribs with the Crisplid.
Mealthy Crisplid as a Dehydrator
The latest version of the Mealthy Cirsplid can now make any electric pressure cooker into a dehydrator. There are five new dehydration settings plus a deep basket which you can use to dehydrate fruits and vegetables. You can even make fruit leather with applesauce, and it’s so easy to do.
You can choose from the following low settings for dehydration:
- 113°F (45°C)
- 125°F (52°C)
- 135°F (57°C)
- 145°F (63°C)
- 155°F (68°C)
It’s simple to go into dehydration mode as the buttons on the Mealthy Crisplid are pretty straight-forward. But, if it is your first time using these settings, please remember the following tips for dehydrating anything:
- Always use the correct time and temperature. When you are dehydrating something, expect it to take a while. There are some recipes that will take 6 hours, there are some that will also take more than that. If you want your food to be done quickly, then dehydration isn’t for you.
- Follow the 95% rule. 95% of the food needs to be dehydrated so if your fruit or vegetable still feels soft or sticky, it needs to be dehydrated some more.
There are plenty of recipes you can search online or on the Mealthy website or app to guide you in dehydrating any kind of food you want.
How do you clean the Mealthy Crisplid?
The trivet, basket, silicon plate, and tongs can be put in the dishwasher. As for the unit, all you have to do is wipe the interior with a damp cloth. Of course, you have to let it cool first before you do your wiping.
It’s important to know that the steel heating element cover may become discolored after use. It’s something normal that happens to stainless steel that’s exposed to high heat. This doesn’t, however, indicate that the unit is damaged. It should still perform the same way.
Mealthy Crisplid Review Summary: Pros and Cons
Just to summarize my Mealthy Crisplid review, I like that it’s just a lid that you can use on 6 and 8 qt pressure cooker pots. It’s even compatible with the Mealthy Multipot and Instant Pot. As mentioned, it is a space-saver, and you can crisp up food right after you pressure cook it (in the same pot). Other PROs that I have observed are:
- Cleaning is easy!
- The size is just right for a small meal.
- It’s a bit cheaper than regular air fryers.
- The accessories it comes with are complementary and useful.
- More recipes are available on the Mealthy app. You’re welcome to try mine, but downloading the app is free so you might as well try it out.
I don’t, however, like that I have to turn the food after a few minutes just for the Crisplid to air fry evenly. If I compare it to my Actifry Air Fryer, it doesn’t have that paddle on the inside which automatically flips the food from within. Other CONs I discovered with the Mealthy Crisplid are:
- It only fits small servings. Of course, this won’t be a problem if you’re just feeding maybe 3. But, if you have a big family (like 5 and up), it’s better to purchase a regular air fryer.
- You have to be really careful after each use of the Crisplid because it burns to the touch. You have to let it cool down before using it again. Also, if you are in a house with small children running around, you have to be extra careful with the hot lid.
- Remember that it only works with stainless steel. Do not use non-stick or ceramic inserts.
If I had to give it a rating, I would give the Mealthy Crisplid an 8 out of 10 because it is a space saver, it crisps up food excellently, it’s easy to clean, and it is affordable. Though you have to watch out for the hot lid and maybe plan out the servings properly, the PROs outweigh the CONs for me.
Where to buy the Mealthy Crisplid?
I highly recommend purchasing the Mealthy Crisplid on the official Mealthy website:
>> CLICK HERE to check out the product listing page
The current price listed is $64.95. Through the official site, you can get free shipping and a 30-day money back guarantee. The best part is, that you can get an additional $10 off when you use my code: LEELA.
The Crisplid is also available on Amazon.
Since Mealthy has stopped producing small appliances, I recommend you check out these comparable air fryer lid options on Amazon.
Other Things to Remember
Let me just wrap up my review by giving you a few DOs and DON'Ts when using the Mealthy Crisplid:
- DON'T use the Crisplid air fryer when the pressure cooker is on or plugged in.
- DON’T place it near hot gas, ceramic, induction, or electric burners. DON’T place it inside the oven as well.
- DON’T immerse the cord or the Crisplid in water. DON’T clean it under a tap.
- DO inspect your Crisplid regularly so you know if there are damages to the cord or to the heating element.
- DO use the silicone trivet to place the hot Crisplid on.
- DO check the temperature of the food with a thermometer. You have to make sure that it reaches the specified temperature indicated in the recipe.
- DO press the stop button before unplugging.
- DON’T use the Crisplid (or its basket) to deep fry food with oil.
Random Questions
The Crisplid can be easily cleaned by wiping the interior with a damp cloth. The trivet, basket, silicone plate, and tongs are dishwasher-safe. However, it's essential to let the Crisplid cool down before cleaning. The steel heating element cover may discolor, which is normal and doesn't affect its performance.
The CrispLid isn't exactly the same as a traditional air fryer. It's a lid that can be used on electric pressure cookers to air fry, broil, crisp, and dehydrate, providing a space-saving solution for those with limited kitchen space.
Some of the best air fryer pressure cookers include the Mealthy Multipot, and the Instant Pot. These options offer multifunctional capabilities, including air frying and pressure cooking in the same pot.
An air CrispLid is a versatile lid that can convert any electric pressure cooker into an air fryer. It's designed to provide a convenient way to crisp and cook various foods directly in the steel pot of the pressure cooker, saving space and time in the kitchen.
Brad
I have had a Mealthy Crisplid for Several years and it was great. The last 2 times I dried pineapple for some reason the lid burned the fruit black with the house filling with smoke. I thought it was my fault the fist time. I tried it again (I did make sure the temperatures were right at 113. When I went to get it after it was finished in a separate room it was filled with smoke and the fruit was black chips. When I tried to use my Instant Pot again it would not work so I took the bottom off and the Crisplid had cooked all the plastic off my wiring so it is totally screwed. I ordered a new one... so be careful
Jennifer @ Leelalicious
Oh wow! That sounds like quite the ordeal! Thanks for the warning, Brad.
Barrie
The first thing I would cook would be chicken wings and sweet potato fries! Family favorites.
robin gray
Chickpeas looked really good. Would try those first.
Erin
I would make fried chicken.
HJ
Crispy Chicken Nuggets!
Abbie
I would make sweet potato fries or crispy chickpeas first!!
Kayla Harmon
wings!!
Karen D
I'd start simple: French fries.
Doreen
This sounds AMAZING and just what I need to add to my Instant Pot! The first thing I would try to make would be kale chips.
beleebi
fried chicken or french fries!
Kellyanne
So many options I’d make homemade chips for the kids! Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes... the possibilities!!
Brenda Haines
The first thing I would make is some crispy fried brussel sprouts. Thanks for the chance!
Debbie Pierce
I'm excited to try the dehydrating function!!
Lesly Figueroa
I would make chicken wings
Annette
The first thing I'd make with the lid is avocado fries.
Melissa Storms
I think I would make homemade fries first.
Terri Shaw
I would make chicken.
Julie Murphy
I would make homemade french fries.
Samantha
Amazing, I didn't know such a lid existed. I would cook fries since my kids love homemade fries but it's always a hassle turning on the oven for a small amount.
yvonne galindo
shrimp and fries
Jess
Eggplant!
belinda bell
I would cook chicken. I love crispy chicken
Nickie
I would make fries
Anita Kennett
Living on the coast of Florida,it would have to be fish.
Marilyn Roche
I need this for my instant pot. That way I Dnt need to buy another appliance to clutter my counter lol
Elizabeth Fanshier
I would love try fried chicken
Elizabeth Tarlow
I would love to fix Air-Fried Chicken!
carol clark
id cook some chicken to test it out
Shannon
I would cook sweet potatoes the first thing. Love them, but that deep fry....not so much. So I don't eat them often.
Mayra Rodriguez
I would try Pork Chops!!
Lisa Williams
The first thin I would cook is french fries.
Tammy Catterton
I would cook french fries to see how they turn out in it
Linda S.
I would cook french fries, my favoite