Nuwave Air Fryer Review
Top Air Fryers of 2021
Gourmia (Amazon), Gourmia, NuWave, NuWise, Oster and NuWise are among the most popular air fryer models in Consumer Reports’ rating system. When we direct you to retailer links from our site, you may get affiliate commissions. We use 100% of all fees that we receive to help our nonprofit mission.
In the lab, test subjects cooked french fries to determine if air-fried food tasted like it does.
Photo: John Walsh/Consumer Reports Crispy fries without all the oil? Air fryers are delivering on this promise. This could explain why in America the market for them continues to increase 10 percent each year. According to NPD Group research, air fryers should continue growing at the same pace for five more years. (So, no, it’s not too late to get onboard.) They don’t even fry foods in these irregularly-shaped countertop ovens. They can be used as small convection ovens. Hot air is circulated by a fan to heat the inside of the basket. The tiny appliances were designed initially for finger foods such as fries. The air fryer is capable of cooking just about anything you could put in the deep-fryer, oven, or stovetop. Many of them have small capacities. They can cook from two to five quarts.
We found that models in our air-fryer rating system produced well-cooked food. However, staff members who tried the samples weren’t deceived into believing they were deep-fried. Larry Ciufo the Consumer Reports testing engineer, who supervises the air fryer test says “You can see the difference.”
Instructions for cooking times and temperatures vary by manufacturer, and though we found minor differences in browning, staffers didn’t notice any real differences in the food. Ciufo explains that even when temperatures were kept constant, all the recipes came out very similar and there was no discernible difference between them. Our tests were designed around the convenience of air fryers. It is important to evaluate how easily the controls can be read and used, what noise level a model emits, and how hard it takes to clean one. Below are the results of CR’s latest test, sorted alphabetically.
Tip 1: Be careful not to overload an air fryer’s container. You can make cooking slower and prevent air from reaching the entire food. This will cause inconsistent results. This countertop appliance can be used in a variety of ways. We have more information on the best way to use it. Our air fryer buying guide has more information. For updates about deals, product reviews, tips for shopping and more, check out the Consumer Reports Holiday Gift Guide.
This is one of the smallest capacities we have rated. The measured volume is 2.4 quarts. Easy to follow controls, including pre-programmed settings make cleaning your air fryer easy. Cleaning the basket takes a little doing, which is why it garnered a Very Good rating in our cleaning test. It is quiet too.
Last Thoughts
It’s hard to figure out who this air fryer is intended for. The first is its large size, which would probably make it difficult to use in a typical kitchen. For perspective, I took my wife’s Nespresso machine along with my space-saving Keurig from the counter to try it. We couldn’t find any cabinet space to keep it in between uses.
Even with the huge footprint the Brio has, it feels oddly small when you want to cook something. My 15.5-quart Brio would have been enough to provide food for at least 2 meals per day. Not so – because chicken thighs tend to be small, I was able to cook 5. If we were to make chicken breasts we would have trouble getting 2 into the fryer. This method is unlikely to work for larger families but will be sufficient for two people.
The last factor is to consider the appearance. Fresh meats like beef or chicken (without breading or other coating) comes out looking unappealing. Root vegetables came out OK, but others like Brussel sprouts (fried with bacon bits) came out looking like deflated versions of themselves. The appearance of the food is very important.
The first time I received Brio for review, it was easy to find on NuWave. As I type this, today, the fryer is no longer listed on NuWave’s products page. However, its smaller brother, the 14.4-quart, does still appear. It was available only via Google searches. However, the Google search couldn’t locate the fryer.
All in all, I like the idea of the air fryer for things like fries or frozen chicken strips. However, I have no idea what else I could do to make it look good. Amazon sells this fryer for $164.99.
price: $164.99 Amazon and $199.99 NuWave. To buy:
French Fries
French fries are one of my favorite foods. My wife and I went to Belgium for our honeymoon. We loved the fact that there was a fry-shop on every street corner. We were able to enjoy dinner at our longtime friend’s house and were astonished at their in-counter deep frying machine. That trip was a turning point in our lives. We promised that, should it ever be possible, we would get the exact appliance. Since the advent of air fryers, however, it’s looking more and more like we might avoid the need for a messy deep fryer, in favor of a much lower mess air fryer option.
When I was given the opportunity to test the Nuwave Brio Digital Air Fryer, I knew that I would need to try regular and sweet potatoes. It was a simple question that I had: could I recreate the delicious crunchiness of French fries without using a deep-fat fryer?
First, I cut medium-sized Idaho potatoes into 1/4-1/2-inch by 4-inch batons. I left the skin on but could have easily peeled them. French fries that have the skin still on is what I like. I tossed the fries in a bit of salt and a little oil to help facilitate the cooking.
Preheated oven to 400°F. I then loaded fries in the basket, and placed the Nuwave Air Fryer’s cooking chamber into it. I set my timer for 18 minutes and patiently waited to see how the fries would turn out.
The results
They were even better than my previous attempts at making homemade fries in the oven. Compared with traditional deep fat fried French fries, there was absolutely a noticeable difference, but considering they contained 90% less fat and made much less of a mess, they were definitely preferable in a lot of ways. The best part is that I was able to learn a few simple recipes which will improve the quality of fries for myself and my family.
A good fry starts with pre-cooking the potatoes. Once they are cooked, you can then bake them. Almost all fries you’ve ever eaten have been pre-cooked in some fashion. Fries are usually cooked at least twice, whether they’re frozen or pre-cooked and then fried until they’re done.
There are some notable exceptions.
Five Guys Burger and Fries makes every order fresh. Fries often soften after a few minutes, and can almost be compared to roasted potatoes. It’s not a problem, and it is definitely a preferred choice, but cooking the fries twice will make them more delicious.
In this instance, there were a lot leftover fries from the test. I put the fries in the refrigerator, and the next afternoon in a fit of brilliance, I loaded the cold fries back into the preheated air fryer at 375deg F. for 5 minutes. I was much more close to deep-fat french fries than the result. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. With a satisfying crunch they tasted better than any french fry you can make at home.
I stored the fries in the refrigerator. I then, in a moment of sheer brilliance and elation, loaded the chilled fries back into an air fryer, at 375F, for 5 minutes. This resulted in a very close imitation of deep-fat french fries.
Beyond the ability to fry fresh, homemade fries at home with this fryer I’ve also had great success using pre-made frozen fries. The Nuwave Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer can make a variety of fries, including waffle fries and shoestring. Additionally, thanks to the fry basket divider that is included with the machine, you can cook frozen chicken nuggets and frozen French fries simultaneously, which, if you have hungry kids at home and want to make something quick to eat, is an absolute godsend.
Nuwave Brio 6-Quart Air Fryer Review
Fried foods are known to be high in fat, which is bad for your health. The Air Fryer allows you to fry healthy, without oil, using hot air circulation technology. Nuwave Brio Air Fryer, one of the most popular air fryers available for your frying needs.
I’m going to be reviewing the Nuwave Brio Air Fryer 6-Quart today. Since it was featured in “As Seen On TV”, many times, you may be familiar with the Nuwave Brio 6 Quart Air Fryer. The Nuwave Brio Digital Air Fryer is a popular appliance as it is much more affordable than competing brands. Is this an air fryer that lives up to its name? Let’s have a look first at the pros, and then make our decision.
My NuWave Brio 6-Quart Digital Air Fryer review will give you all of the information you need to make up your mind.
Here’s a Quick Look at Two Top Quality Nuwave Air Fryers
NuWave is another foremost brand that has achieved great innovations in air frying technology. According to my experiences, their appliance deliver high-quality air-fried food that is delicious. So without further ado, here is my pick of two of the best NuWave air fryers that you should consider.
NuWave offers a high-quality offering which allows you to enjoy healthy, crispy fried foods without any sacrifices to your taste.
A party’s life is all about fried food. Delicious junk food is often the best. I didn’t have to think about how I was ruining myself by eating so much deep fried food. I made the switch to NuWave Brio.
The NuWave Air Fryer XL is larger than the others I’ve reviewed. This product measures 19.6″ by 17.7″, 16.2″, and weighs 19.38lbs.
It was a great help whenever I had to churn out snacks and starters at a family or friendly gathering hosted at my place.
Air fryers are versatile. You can make almost any dish with them. There are many things I’ve cooked with this air fryer, from chicken and fish to potatoes and mozzarella sticks. Even the fryer has been used to roast, barbecue, roast and grill. This proves that you could get a great variety of functionalities out of this appliance, which is good value for money.
.Nuwave Air Fryer Review