The Instant Omni is a versatile indoor/outdoor air fryer that allows you to air fry, roast, broil, bake, and dehydrate foods conveniently in your home. One common question people have when purchasing the Instant Omni is what size pans or trays can fit inside the cooking basket? The interior cooking capacity of the Instant Omni is 17 liters, which equates to around 5.7 quarts. This means you have ample room to cook for multiple people or make larger roasts and main dishes. However, to get the most out of your Instant Omni, it’s important to use pans and accessories that properly fit the 17 liter cooking basket.
What comes with the Instant Omni?
The Instant Omni comes with a few cooking accessories to get you started:
- 12″ Pizza Pan
- Air Fry Basket
- Rotisserie Spit
- Drip Tray
- Rotisserie Forks
- Oven Rack
- Hydration Panel
The 12″ pizza pan is one of the main cooking pans that fits perfectly into the Instant Omni’s cooking basket. The air fry basket also easily slides into the Instant Omni to give you maximum air fry capacity. Beyond that, several other pans and accessories are sold separately that are designed to maximize the 17 liter internal cooking capacity.
Standard Half Sheet Pans
One of the most commonly used pans in the Instant Omni is a standard half sheet pan. Half sheet pans are designed to fit 18 x 13 inch oven racks, which equates perfectly to the Instant Omni’s 17 liter cooking basket interior dimensions. The exact external dimensions of a half sheet pan are:
- Length: 18 inches
- Width: 13 inches
- Depth: 1 inch
Half sheet pans give you a large, flat surface for cooking. This allows you to make recipes like fries, roasted vegetables, large proteins like a whole chicken, or a batch of baked goods like cookies. The pan is shallow so air flows freely around food for even cooking results. The half sheet fits snugly into the Instant Omni cooking basket and will be one of your most used pans.
Quarter Sheet Pans
For smaller cooking loads, quarter sheet pans are a great option for the Instant Omni. Quarter sheet pans are half the length of a half sheet pan at 9 x 13 inches. These are perfect for making smaller batches of cookies, roasting vegetables for sides, making granola and snacks in smaller amounts, and more. Like the half sheet, the quarter sheet pan evenly distributes heat and air flow due to its shallow sides.
9 x 13 Inch Pans
Standard 9 x 13 inch pans that are about 2 inches deep, similar to a brownie pan, will also fit nicely into the Instant Omni cooking basket. The interior dimensions of the Omni accommodate these pans, giving you another versatile baking and roasting pan option. You can make casseroles, baked pasta dishes, roasted potatoes and veggies, and any recipe that would work in a standard 9 x 13 inch pan in the Instant Omni.
Round Pans
For baking cakes, the Instant Omni can accommodate round pans up to 12 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. Examples include:
- 12 inch round cake pans
- 12 inch pizza pans
- 9 or 10 inch pie pans
- 9 or 10 inch cake pans
- 9 or 10 inch quiche pans
These sizes give you flexibility for making perfect cakes, pizza, pies, egg dishes like frittatas and quiches, and more. You can fit two 9 or 10 inch round pans side by side in the Omni cooking basket.
Loaf Pans
Standard size loaf pans for baking bread loaves and meatloaves will fit nicely into the Instant Omni. Opt for loaf pans that are 9 x 5 inches or 8.5 x 4.5 inches. These will fit in the Omni cooking basket while still providing ample pan size for most quick bread, yeast bread, and meatloaf recipes.
Muffin Tins
For baked goods, you have multiple muffin tin options with the Instant Omni. These include:
- 12 cup muffin tin
- 6 cup jumbo muffin tin
- 9 cup or donut-hole mini muffin tin
The 12 cup muffin tins allow you to make up to 12 standard size muffins. The 6 cup jumbo muffin tins are great for making larger bakery-style muffins. And the mini muffin tins are perfect for bite-size muffins and cupcakes. All of these options fit nicely into the Instant Omni for quick and even muffin baking.
Bundt Pans
Bundt pans are ideal for making beautiful cakes and breads. For the Instant Omni, look for bundt pans that are 9 or 10 inches in diameter. These will have the ideal capacity and shape to fit into the Omni’s interior cooking basket dimensions. Stick to bundt pans with a 10 cup capacity or less. Larger pans likely will not properly fit.
Mini Pot and Dutch Ovens
Small round dutch ovens and pots with diameters of 9 or 10 inches or less will fit into the Instant Omni. You can use these vessels for cooking soups, stews, chili, braised meats, and more. Having the right mini pot or dutch oven gives you even more cooking versatility with the Instant Omni.
Specialty Pans for Instant Omni
In addition to the common baking pans above, there are also some unique specialty pans designed specifically for the Instant Omni. These include:
- Instant Omni expanding oven rack – provides two tier cooking
- Instant Omni dehydrating and proofing rack – for making jerky, fruit leathers, yogurt, proofing dough
- Instant Omni elevating rack – elevates foods closer to heating elements
These specially designed wire racks help you get even more functionality out of your Instant Omni. The expanding oven rack gives you two levels for cooking different foods. The dehydrating and proofing rack is ideal for low temperature drying and proofing bread dough. And the elevating rack puts food closer to the top heating elements for faster, more intense cooking.
Pans to Avoid
While the Instant Omni is versatile, there are some pans that are too large to properly fit:
- Full sheet pans larger than 18 x 13 inches
- Round pans larger than 12 inches in diameter
- Extra deep roasting pans or dutch ovens over 4 inches deep
- 15+ cup muffin tins or popover pans
- Pullman loaf pans over 9 inches long
- Oblong baker’s pans over 18 inches long
Pans larger than the Instant Omni’s 17 liter interior capacity won’t have room to fit inside the unit. And extra deep pans will prevent proper air fryer circulation and heating. Stick to the recommendation pan sizes and accessories for the best results.
Can You Fit Two Quarter Sheet Pans?
One common question is whether you can fit two quarter sheet pans into the Instant Omni at once. The answer is yes! Since quarter sheet pans are 9 x 13 inches, you can place two side by side widthwise in the Instant Omni cooking basket. This allows you to cook two trays of different foods at the same time, like fries on one tray and chicken wings on the other. It maximizes the internal capacity of the Instant Omni.
Can You Cook a Pizza on a Baking Sheet?
Cooking pizza is easy with the Instant Omni. Beyond using a 12 inch round pizza pan, you can also cook pizza on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Construct your pizza right on the baking sheet – this prevents oils and toppings from dripping through the oven rack. The 18 x 13 inch half sheet pan provides plenty of room for a nice large family-size pizza.
What is the Biggest Roast You Can Fit?
Thanks to the 17 liter internal cooking capacity, you can fit a substantial roast in the Instant Omni. For roasting meat, you can cook:
- 5 pound pork shoulder
- 5 pound beef roast
- Whole chickens up to 6 pounds
- Whole turkeys up to 14 pounds
Pork shoulders, beef roasts, and whole birds of these sizes will all fit nicely in the Instant Omni’s spacious interior. For larger roasts like turkey, you may need to remove the rotisserie spit and forks to fit it into the cooking basket. But you can still roast beautifully.
Larger Capacity with the Instant Omni XL
For even bigger roasts and whole birds, the Instant Omni XL model has a 25 liter capacity. In the XL model, you can fit:
- Pork shoulder up to 9 pounds
- Beef roasts up to 9 pounds
- Whole turkey up to 18 pounds
So if you want to be able to fit extra large roasts and birds, upgrade to the Omni XL. But the standard Omni can still accommodate most average sized roasts and poultry.
Conclusion
The Instant Omni has an ample 17 liter interior cooking capacity that allows you to use a variety of pans and dishes. From half and quarter sheet pans to 9 x 13 baking dishes, round cake and pizza pans, loaf pans, muffin tins, and more, you have plenty of options. Specialty accessories like steaming and dehydrating trays also expand your cooking capabilities. While extra large pans won’t fit, the Instant Omni can readily accommodate pans up to 18 x 13 inches and food items like 5 pound roasts and whole chickens up to 6 pounds. Understanding the right size pans to use helps you maximize the versatile cooking functions of the Instant Omni.