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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a two-piece drip pan set sized for larger Instant Vortex and Vortex Pro models, choose HEISENLIN Drip Pan; if you need a crisper tray built specifically for the 2QT Instant Vortex Mini, choose QLRGNE 2QT. These two accessories solve different problems for different machines, so the right pick comes down to which air fryer you actually own.
• HEISENLIN Drip Pan — biggest trade-off: it is a drip tray, not a crisping rack, and the size will not fit a 2QT Mini — you have to measure your basket before ordering.
• QLRGNE 2QT — biggest strength: a purpose-built square crisper plate for the 2QT Instant Vortex Mini, with a handle and a double-layer nonstick coating.
• QLRGNE 2QT — biggest trade-off: it only fits the 2QT Mini, so it is useless if you own a Plus or Pro model.
• Who each pick is for: HEISENLIN for owners of larger Vortex ovens who want to catch oil and crumbs; QLRGNE for 2QT Vortex Mini owners who want a replacement crisping grate.
The HEISENLIN Drip Pan is a pair of rectangular trays made from food grade 304 stainless steel. They are BPA-free and coated with a Teflon nonstick layer, and the set is sized at 10 by 9.4 inches to sit in the drip pan slot of a larger air fryer oven. You slide one in below the cooking area and it catches the oil and crumbs that would otherwise bake onto the bottom of the machine. The package includes two trays plus a nonstick cleaning cloth, and the trays are dishwasher safe.
This is the pick for someone running an Instant Vortex Plus 10 Quart, an Instant Vortex Pro 9-in-1, or a comparable Innsky, Chefman or PowerXL model that takes a pan of that footprint. Two trays in the box matters more than it sounds: while one is in the dishwasher, the other is still in the oven, so you are not stuck hand-washing between batches. Users who cook greasy foods — wings, bacon, sausages — will get the most out of it, because the tray is doing the dirty work instead of the heating element.
Who should skip it? Anyone with a 2QT Vortex Mini. The tray is far too large for that basket, and no amount of trimming will change the fact that it was built for a bigger cavity. Also skip it if you are looking for a crisping rack to lift food up off the bottom — this is a drip tray, and it does that one job. Before ordering, measure the inner diameter of your air fryer, because the 10 x 9.4 inch figure is the deciding number here.
QLRGNE 2QT: Who It's For
The QLRGNE 2QT is a different animal entirely. It is a single square crisper tray — 6.9 x 6.9 inches with the rubber tabs on, and about 6 x 6 x 0.1 inches as listed — made from food grade carbon steel with a double-layer nonstick coating. It is built for one machine: the 2QT Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer Oven. It is BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and it has a handle, which is a small detail that makes a real difference when you are pulling a hot grate out of a small basket.
The package includes one tray, four rubber bumpers and a nonstick cleaning cloth. The bumpers are the underrated part — they sit on the tray's edges and keep the coating from getting scratched against the basket walls while you use and store it. The double-layer coating is designed so it holds up longer than a single-layer finish would.
Buy this if you own the 2QT Vortex Mini and either lost the original grate, damaged it, or want a spare so you are never caught mid-cook without one. It suits small-batch cooking — a single portion of fries, a couple of reheated slices, a handful of nuggets. It is also a sensible pick if you want the nonstick surface to be the thing you clean rather than the basket itself.
Skip it if you have any larger Vortex model. The footprint is simply too small for a Plus or Pro cavity, and it will not function as a drip tray either — it is a crisping grate, meant to sit under food and let air circulate. Treat it as a direct replacement part, not a universal accessory.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for the 2QT Instant Vortex Mini → QLRGNE 2QT. It is sized for that basket and nothing else.
• Best for catching grease and crumbs → HEISENLIN Drip Pan. A drip tray's whole purpose is to sit below the food and collect runoff.
• Best for crisping and lifting food → QLRGNE 2QT. A crisper grate lets air move under the food instead of letting it sit in its own oil.
• Best for spare-part redundancy → HEISENLIN Drip Pan. Two trays in the box means one can be washing while the other works.
• Best for handling hot parts → QLRGNE 2QT. Its handle is designed for lifting the tray out of a small basket.
• Best material for high-moisture, greasy cooking → HEISENLIN Drip Pan. 304 stainless steel is the sturdier base material of the two.
• Best for a scratch-free fit in a tight basket → QLRGNE 2QT. The four rubber bumpers protect both the coating and the basket.
In my opinion, the deciding factor is your air fryer, not the accessory. If you own a larger Instant Vortex Plus or Vortex Pro and want to stop scrubbing baked-on grease, I would buy the HEISENLIN Drip Pan — two 304 stainless steel trays with a nonstick coating is simply more useful per purchase for that machine. If you own the 2QT Vortex Mini, I would buy the QLRGNE 2QT, because a 10-inch tray is not going to fit and a purpose-built crisper grate with a handle and rubber bumpers is what that basket actually needs. Match the part to the machine and you will be happy either way.
FAQ
how to clean instant vortex air fryer
Pull out whatever accessory you are using — a drip tray like the HEISENLIN or a crisper grate like the QLRGNE — and wash it separately. Both products here are dishwasher safe, and both come with a nonstick cleaning cloth for hand-washing. The manufacturers of both specifically warn against abrasive cloths and metal scouring balls, because those strip the nonstick coating.
The accessory goes in before the food and before the heat. HEISENLIN's instructions are explicit that the drip tray should be placed in the cold air fryer before heating, not slid in mid-cook. The QLRGNE grate works the same way — set it in the basket, put food on top, then start the cycle so air can circulate underneath.
how to disassemble instant vortex air fryer
Accessories like these are removable parts, not fixed components — you lift the tray or grate straight out of the basket or slot. The QLRGNE tray has a handle made for exactly that, and the four rubber bumpers are removable too, so you can take them off before washing. Always let the unit cool first.
how to reset instant vortex air fryer
That is a control-panel question rather than an accessory one, and neither of these trays affects it. If your unit needs a reset, unplug it, wait a short while, then plug it back in and power it on. For model-specific steps, check your Instant Vortex manual, since the procedure varies by model.
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