Craving for some fried goods but scared of the oily factor?
No worries! We now have air fryers! The perfect kitchen appliance that brings golden fried food without the added calories!
And although there are various air fryers in the market today, the NuWave Brio is a rising name that combines most favorite features in an air fryer into one appliance, outshining its competition.
The NuWave Brio Air Fryer is one of the most innovative and latest electric fryers you can find in the market today. It is the critique’s choice and is quite efficient in cooking mouth-watering foods.
The air fryer has made appearances as the “As Seen On TV” star and boasts hundreds of reviews on Amazon. It is marketed as the superior air fryer boasting accurate temperature controls and even heat distribution.
But…
Is the NuWave Brio Air Fryer as good as it is hyped up to be? Or is it one of those that amaze the crowd and disappoints once lying on your kitchen countertop?
Let’s find out!
Specifications and Features
The NuWave comes in 3 different sizes to match your oil-free frying needs— 10 quarts, 6 quarts, and 3 quarts.
NuWave Brio 3QT | NuWave Brio 6QT | NuWave Brio 10QT | |
Temperature Range | 100°F – 400°F | 100°F – 400°F | 100°F – 400°F |
Product Dimensions | 9 x 9 x 12.5 inches | 19.2 x 16.7 x 16.1 inches | 20 x 17.7 x 16.3 inches |
Weight | 7 pounds | 19.38 pounds | 20 pounds |
Wattage | 1,300 watts | 1,800 watts | 1,500 watts |
Cooking Capacity | 8 oz. Chicken Breast. 1.5-pound French Fries | 3.5 pound Chicken, 20-pound French fries | 8 pound Chicken, 4-pound French fries |
Features | re-heat, pre-heat | re-heat, pre-heat | warm, pre-heat, sear, stage cooking |
Digital Touch Screen Display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rotisserie Function | No | No | Yes |
Non-stick coating without PFOA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Smart Auto Pause For Safety | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Removable Divider Insert | No | Yes | No |
Pros
- Reasonable price
- Smaller and lighter than most competitors
- Bright easy to use LED digital display
- Available in 3 sizes— 3 quarts, 6 quarts, and 10 quart
- Built-in safety control
- Audible alert when cooking is complete
- Variable temperature setting
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Tray does not always connect easily
- Smaller baskets might not be suitable for large families
- Some parts break easily
- The coating on accessories peels off
You can use this air fryer to fry easily, grill, bake and roast all kinds of food without adding oil. Its design allows food to be cooked from all angles, so you will not have to worry about rotating or flipping during the cooking process.
This is because of the inner basket that is enclosed in an outer basket. And as the food cooks, fat and grease will drip out of the external reservoir. Both baskets can be inserted into the unit like a drawer and then pulled out together with the handle.
The air fryer is also fully equipped with bright LED controls which can help you customize how your food is cooked with just a press of a button. Also, you’ll be able to use such controls to change the settings and temperature, based on your preference.
Also, thanks to the LED control screen, you should be able to operate the fryer even under poor lighting conditions. You will also like its sleep design that eliminates the hassle of using nozzles and switches.
In addition, the air fryer is compact, lightweight, and durable. It takes up just about the same amount of counter space as a coffee pot, so it will not be an intrusive and large addition to your kitchen countertop.
Cooking Efficiency
The NuWave Brio Air Fryer is designed to provide the most efficient cooking. As I’ve mentioned before, it does not require any oil when cooking, however, we found that adding a small amount, at least a teaspoon of oil, can help keep your food moist and prevent it from drying out.
The air fryer also features a pre-heat option that automatically heats the machine before you need to put in the food, so you can precisely measure the temperature inside the air fryer for better control of your cooking.
You get to control the temperature from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, in 5-degree increments. The food cooks equally as per your need and at a much faster rate than other types of air fryers.
Designed for your convenience, you will also like the audible alert of this air fryer that notifies you when cooking is complete. For added versatility with the NuWave Air Fryer, you can also purchase several accessories such as a reversible rack, grilling pan, baking pan, cupcake liners, and silicone trivet.
There are also additional racks that facilitate grilling and roasting. And since this air fryer is much more compact than the oven, it can do all these tasks at a faster rate, but in limited quantities.
Using the NuWave Brio Air Fryer
Like most air fryers, the NuWave Air fryer is pretty simple to use, thanks to its digital display. You will have to clean the parts out of the box first gently. Place the unit in a not-so-crowded area in your kitchen and the space around all sides should be clear.
Press the on/off button to turn on the air fryer. The unit has a default wattage, however, you can choose and change the wattage if you wish.
Use the “Menu” button to choose a preset function. Keep pressing until the preset you want is lit. Each function has its default temperature and time, so you won’t have to adjust those.
But, if you want to adjust the temperature and time manually, then you can just click on the up/down arrow.
Once all requirements are set (preset function, temperature, and time), you can now add food ingredients to the basket. Carefully take the basket out of the unit. Put the ingredients into the fry basket and put it back into the unit. Make sure that the basket and basket holder is properly slotted together.
Press the “Start/Pause” button. Leave the unit to cook. If you need to shake, turn or try out the food while the unit is cooking, you can just press the “Start/ Pause” button again to halt the cooking process.
The NuWave Air Fryer also features re-heat and pre-heat functions. You can use these functions as you see fit.
This is the basics of how to use the unit. If you are still confused, the provided instruction manual should be able to give a better explanation.
Safety Concerns
The NuWave Brio Air Fryer boasts a built-in safety control that prevents the appliance from operating unless the basket is in place. However, although the safety mechanism appears useful, the manual emphasizes that kids need to be closely monitored when using this air fryer.
The device releases hot steam from its rear air outlet opening that could cause a burn. In addition, hot steam may also escape when you remove the frying pan from the unit.
And although most accessories are intended to be inserted into the NuWave’s chamber, such as the reversible rack, baking pot, and grill pan, these can be extremely hot during the cooking process. And to ensure longevity, you will want to avoid scratching its non-stick surface with knives or any sharp-edged kitchen metal utensils.
Lastly, this air fryer is not for outdoor use and you should never let the cord hang over the edge of the counter or table.
Clean Up
Of course, you do not want to take precious time in cleaning kitchen appliances. So, cleanup must be rather quick and easy.
The good news is, the NuWave Brio Air Fryer is super easy to clean and maintain. Its Fry Pan Basket, the Tray Base, and Net are all top-shelf dishwasher-safe for your convenience. In case, you do not have a dishwasher, these parts are easy to clean with just warm water and soap.
On the other hand, the air fryer’s body can be easily cleaned by wiping it down with a damp cloth.
Bottom Line
Overall, the NuWave offers most of the best features of top-notch air fryer models at a relatively budget price. It is by far the most awesome and best model in its price range.
For those who need something efficient but cheap, then you really can’t go wrong with the NuWave Brio Air Fryer.
