Flex-drawer air fryer (one drawer, removable divider)
Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone 8.5L
Model AFB9002BK (also VTAFV92-SS) — United Kingdom, European Union
One 8.5-litre drawer that a removable divider turns into two 4.2-litre zones, each of which takes its own programme, temperature and time.
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Where to get real advice for this machine
Almost everything that changes a cooking answer is a property of the architecture rather than the badge. This is a flex-drawer air fryer, and the Flex-drawer air fryer page carries the cooking guidance that actually applies to it.
Undivided, treat it as a basket machine with more room: times and temperatures transfer unchanged and the extra area means a portion that would have been heaped in a smaller drawer can go in one layer, which is worth more than any time adjustment. Divided, check your own manual for whether each zone is set separately; on the machines we have read it is, so treat each zone as its own small basket and use that zone's own figure where the manual gives one — the zones are not always the same size. Do not carry a whole-drawer figure into a zone, or a zone's figure into the whole drawer: one manufacturer's own table gives a kilogram of chicken wings 22 minutes in a zone and 30 minutes undivided, and changes the temperature as well as the time for a whole chicken and for prawns. The difference from a dual-basket machine is the drawer: pulling it out to shake or turn one food opens both zones and lets the heat out of both, so pair foods that need attention at about the same moments.
That is guidance for the type. On preheating, this machine’s own manual is quoted further down this page, and where the two differ the manual is the one to follow.
Does it genuinely air-fry?
Genuine air frying
Assessed against the criteria with the manual confirming the construction: a cooking tray inside a basket, elevating food so air reaches underneath, with the manual stating explicitly that food may sit directly on the tray without foil or other coverings. Fast air and air reaching every surface are met, and drainage is by design.
- Air moves fast, not just around
- Air reaches every surface of the food
- Recovers temperature quickly after loading
- Fat and moisture drain away
- Reaches genuine browning temperatures
What we know about this machine
Read from Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone 8.5L Air Fryer — User Manual (PDF), retrieved on 2026-08-13.
It is rated at 1700 W, an ordinary domestic rating that recovers temperature reasonably quickly after cold food goes in. It has 2 independent zones, so two foods can cook at different temperatures at once — which buys variety rather than volume. With the divider in, each zone takes its own programme, time and temperature. There is one basket, so both zones open together. It runs from 82°C to 205°C, which covers ordinary air frying and is too warm at the bottom end to dehydrate with. On preheating: has a preheat programme. It is sold as 8.5 litres, which measures the whole drawer including the space above the food that you must not fill.
The figures above are the manufacturer’s. What they mean for cooking is AirfryerHQ’s reading of them, not a measurement — nobody here has run this machine.
Size and capacity
- Advertised capacity
- 8.5 litresA volume, not a cooking area.
- On the worktop
- 384 × 404 × 314 mmBefore clearance. It needs space above and behind as well.
- Weight
- 7.1 kg
Power and heat
- Power
- 1700 W
- Temperature range
- 82–205°C
Setup and cleaning
- Cooking zones
- 2
- Preheating
- Has a preheat programme
- Dishwasher safe
- Cooking tray, Tray divider, Air fryer basketEverything else is a hand-wash, and the main unit never goes in.
- Supplied with
- Cooking tray, Tray divider
In the manual’s own words: An explicit Preheat step, with an Add Food prompt when the target temperature is reached and a Turn Food prompt part-way through. The manual notes that the Add Food prompt applies to Air Fry, Roast, Bake and Grill only.
Retrieved from Argos's manual library for Argos product 124/2568.
5 figures we could not establish
Each of these says WHY it is missing. “Not recorded by the sources consulted” means the manufacturer does not publish it in the document we read — not that nobody looked, and not that the figure does not exist.
- Usable cooking area
- Not recorded by the sources consulted — Not published.
- Chamber
- Not recorded by the sources consulted — Not published.
- Power range as published
- Not applicable — A single rated figure is published.
- Adjusts in
- Not recorded by the sources consulted — Not stated.
- Standby power
- Not recorded by the sources consulted — Not published by this manufacturer. Very few models in this catalogue publish a standby figure at all.
What each setting actually does
Read from the manual. The first column is the name printed on the panel; the second is what that setting is in plain terms, so you can use advice written for somebody else’s appliance.
| On the panel | In plain terms | Starts at | Settable range | Preheat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Fry | Air fry | 196°C, 15 min | 82–205°C | Yes |
| Roast | Roast | 205°C, 18 min | 82–205°C | Yes |
| Bake | Bake | 176°C, 20 min | 82–205°C | Yes |
| Grill | Grill | 205°C, 6 min | Adjustable, range not published | Yes |
| Dehydrate | Dehydrate | 54°C, 480 min | 35–79°C | No |
| Reheat | Reheat | 138°C, 10 min | 49–182°C | No |
- Bake: A metal or glass baking dish may be used on this programme only, with about 2.5 cm of space around it.
- Grill: The time can be changed, up to 30 minutes. The temperature cannot: the manual prints 205°C as its minimum and its maximum.
- Dehydrate: Eight hours by default, settable from 1 hour to 72 hours.
- Reheat: Starts at once: the manual says there is no preheating time on this programme.
Questions owners ask about this machine
Answered from this model’s own manual (Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone 8.5L Air Fryer — User Manual) and nothing else. Where the manual does not address a question, it is not answered here from another machine’s.
What this manual calls the parts
- Cooking tray
- The perforated plate the food sits on.
- Tray divider
- The divider that splits one drawer into two zones.
Other manufacturers use different words for the same parts, and sometimes the same word for a different one. What each part is called, brand by brand.
- Before the first cookDo I need to run it empty before cooking in it?
- Yes. Put the basket and cooking tray in with no food, choose Air Fry — it starts as a single zone by default — and run it at 205°C for 18 minutes. Add Food and Turn Food each clear after ten seconds without anything being done.In the manual: Test run.
- Where it stands, and the space it needsHow much space does it need around it?
- At least 13 cm above and on every side, by the manual, which also sets a limit on running time: no more than 60 minutes of use in any two hours.In the manual: Important safeguards.Why the clearance matters, and where not to stand one
- The parts, and how they go inHow does the divider go in, and how do I switch to two zones?
- The cooking tray goes into the basket first and the divider slides into the tray. Then the basket goes into the air fryer and the Control Dial is pressed twice quickly to cook as two zones; pressing it twice again goes back to one. The manual says the divider is not recommended for cooking as a single zone, and to let it cool completely before taking it out of the tray.In the manual: Cooking in Dual Zone, setup; Cooking in Single Zone, Preheat.
- Settings the panel does not explainHow do I turn the sound off, change to Celsius, or undo a changed programme?
- All three are holds, made in Ready or while setting up, before Start. Time and Temp together for five seconds turns the sound on or off, though error alerts stay on. Temp alone for five seconds changes between °F and °C. Holding a programme's own button for three seconds puts that programme back to its original time and temperature, and holding the Control Dial for three seconds in Ready does so for all of them.In the manual: Turning the sound On/Off; Choosing the temperature scale; Reset Smart Programmes to original settings.
- How much goes in at onceHow full can I fill the basket?
- The manual gives a warning and no quantity: do not overfill, because overfilling may cause food to contact the heating element, with fire, property damage or injury as the stated risk. Where a baking dish is used, it asks for about 2.5 cm of space on all sides of the dish so heat can circulate.In the manual: Air frying cautions; Bake.
- The non-stick coatingWhich parts are coated, and with what?
- The manual says the cooking tray and the divider have a non-stick coating, and tells owners to avoid metal utensils, steel wool pads and harsh cleansers when cleaning them. It does not name the material. Its safeguards also say not to overfill, because food can then reach the heating element.In the manual: Care, cleaning and storage; Important safeguards.What wears a coating, and when a part is finished
Regional versions and mains supply
- Sold as
- AFB9002BK, also listed as VTAFV92-SS
- Markets
- United Kingdom, European Union
- Mains supply
- 220–240 V, 50–60 Hz
That figure is from this model’s own rating plate or documentation. A model sold under the same marketing name in another market may be different hardware — different code, capacity, wattage or supply — so check the plate on the machine in front of you rather than the name on the box.
A travel plug adapter changes the shape of the pins and nothing else. It does not convert voltage. Whether an appliance built for one mains standard can be used safely on another is a question about a two-kilowatt heating load, and it is one for a qualified electrician rather than for this page.
Error codes and display states
Only what this manufacturer publishes, and only for this manufacturer. A code means whatever the firmware author decided it means, and reading one across from another brand is the commonest way to misdiagnose a fault.
Component fault
E1E1 on the display- What the manual says it means
- The manuals give the cause as an open circuit.
- What to do
- The manuals offer no step for the owner to try. Their only instruction is to contact Instant's customer care. Unplug the appliance and do not keep using it while the code shows.
- Can it be reset?
- The manual does not say
- Does it need service?
- Yes, the manual says so
Stop using it and contact the manufacturer
Instant Vortex Plus 5.7L with ClearCook, and with ClearCook and OdourErase — User Manuals; Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone Air Fryer 8.5L — User Manual (manufacturer's copy); Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer 7.6L with ClearCook — User Manual; Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer — User Manual
Component fault
E2E2 on the display- What the manual says it means
- The manuals give the cause as a temperature sensor short circuit.
- What to do
- The manuals offer no step for the owner to try. Their only instruction is to contact Instant's customer care. Unplug the appliance and do not keep using it while the code shows: a machine that cannot read its own temperature cannot be trusted to control it.
- Can it be reset?
- The manual does not say
- Does it need service?
- Yes, the manual says so
Stop using it and contact the manufacturer
Instant Vortex Plus 5.7L with ClearCook, and with ClearCook and OdourErase — User Manuals; Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone Air Fryer 8.5L — User Manual (manufacturer's copy); Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer 7.6L with ClearCook — User Manual; Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer — User Manual
Cleaning this model
The parts this machine has, what collects on each and how often it needs doing. Full methods and prohibitions are on the cleaning pages.
Which parts go in the dishwasher
Stated as dishwasher safe for this model: Cooking tray, Tray divider, Air fryer basket. Anything not listed is washed by hand, and the main unit never goes in.
Source: Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone Air Fryer 8.5L — User Manual (manufacturer's copy).
| Part | What is on it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Basket | Ordinary residue after cooking | After every use |
| Basket | Burnt-on residue | When it needs it |
| Basket | Stuck food | When it needs it |
| Cooking tray | Looking after the coating | When it needs it |
| Drawer | Greasy film | After every use |
| Interior of the chamber | Greasy film | After every use |
| Interior of the chamber | Greasy film | About weekly |
| Interior of the chamber | Lingering smell | When it needs it |
| Heating element area | Carbonised deposit | About monthly |
| Fan and air intake | Greasy film | About monthly |
| Exterior and body | Greasy film | About weekly |
| Controls and display | Greasy film | About weekly |
The cooking tray, divider and basket are listed as dishwasher safe; the manual warns that they may discolour and tells you to avoid metal utensils and steel wool on the coating. The heating coil must be dry before the appliance is switched on. Foil must not cover the cooking tray or any part of the appliance, which the manual says will cause it to overheat.
Faults the manual documents, as printed
Only what the manufacturer publishes. AirfryerHQ does not invent the meaning of an error code, and where a manual documents one undifferentiated fault state that is what appears here.
“E1”
The manual gives the cause as an open circuit.
The manual's only instruction is to contact Instant's customer care.
“E2”
The manual gives the cause as a temperature sensor short circuit.
The manual's only instruction is to contact Instant's customer care.
Black smoke is coming from the air fryer
Three causes are given: an oil with a low smoke point, food residue on the heating coil or accessories, or a malfunction.
Cancel the programme, unplug and let it cool, then clean the chamber and accessories and use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. For a malfunction the manual says to contact customer care.
White smoke is coming from the air fryer
Three causes are given: high-fat foods such as bacon, sausages and burgers; water turning to thick steam; and seasoning blown into the element.
Remove excess fat from the chamber before cooking, pat wet food dry, add no water, and oil food lightly before seasoning so the seasoning sticks.
Replaceable parts
AirfryerHQ holds no replacement-part details for Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone 8.5L. That is a statement about this catalogue rather than about the appliance: its removable parts can wear or be lost like any other machine’s, and the manual read for this model does not list them with references we could record. What can be replaced, and what to ask for covers the general case, including where to find the model number a parts desk will ask you for.
What comes with it, and what can be bought for it
The cooking tray and the tray divider are supplied. The manual says the divider is not recommended for single-zone cooking and must cool completely before it is taken out of the tray. No part numbers are printed.
Recall and safety status
Recall status not checked
No verified recall or safety notice is currently recorded in AirfryerHQ for this appliance. That is a statement about this catalogue and not about the product: AirfryerHQ holds a small number of checked alerts and is not a copy of the UK register. Check the authority's own register before concluding that an appliance is unaffected.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards publishes the UK register of product safety alerts, reports and recalls on GOV.UK, and Electrical Safety First operates a recall checker for electrical appliances. Registering an appliance with its manufacturer is what makes a direct notification possible.
AirfryerHQ has no recall data feed and has not checked. That is not a clean bill of health — it is an absence of checking, and it is recorded as one. Check the manufacturer’s own recall page and your national product-safety register.
Finding the manual
The document read for this page is Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone 8.5L Air Fryer — User Manual (PDF), retrieved on 2026-08-13. A different revision, or a booklet for another market, may not match it.
In Dual Zone the two zones can be used three ways. Left alone, each runs its own programme and both start together. SyncCook gives both zones the same programme and settings; change one zone afterwards and SyncCook switches itself off. SyncFinish lets the settings differ and starts each zone at the time needed for both to finish together; take food out of one zone and the other pauses to stay in step. Time and temperature can be changed during cooking, per zone, and take effect when Start is pressed.
About this model
A single large chamber with a tray divider. Without the divider it is one 8.5-litre space, which the manual calls Single Zone and uses by default. With the divider in and Dual Zone switched on, it is two 4.2-litre zones, and the manual is explicit that each can run a different programme with its own time and temperature. Its parts list shows heating elements in the plural. What it cannot do, which a two-drawer machine can, is have one side taken out while the other stays shut: there is one basket. A version with a window and a light is sold as the VersaZone with ClearCook.
Owning this machine
The questions that come after the cooking.
- Looking after itFive minutes a week and one check a month, nearly all of it about grease.
- What to clean it withIncluding which tool every manufacturer in this catalogue prohibits.
- The coating, and when a basket is finishedThe part that decides how long this appliance lasts.
- Replacing a part, and what to ask forWhere the model and serial numbers are, and why no order code appears here.
- Accessories, and whether you need themWith the verdicts first and no affiliate links anywhere.
- Repair, replace, or stop using itThe symptoms that mean stop now, and the ones that mean a part.